TY - JOUR

T1 - Bureaucratic sludge

T2 - Bureaucratic tasks and procedures leading to experiences of strain

AU - Stenderup, Rasmus

PY - 2024/3/7

Y1 - 2024/3/7

N2 - In light of the recent conceptual debate about the administrative burdens framework, this article introduces the ‘bureaucratic sludge framework’ as a complementary theoretical approach for social policy and public administration research. The framework enable researchers to pursue novel research questions about for instance the interplay between administrative procedures, informal bureaucratic practices and public employees' experiences of strain and thus addresses a conceptual gap in the field. The article presents a non-normative conceptualisation, proposing a typology of bureaucratic tasks—information seeking, assessment, implementation, and emotional labour—that may impose cognitive-affective strain. Finally, a research agenda is outlined, and the bureaucratic task typology is proposed as a conceptual point of departure for researchers to empirically explore and audit practical instances of bureaucratic sludge in their contexts to further theorise and advance our understanding of the phenomenon. Social welfare is considered as an especially fruitful context within which to pursue this research agenda.

AB - In light of the recent conceptual debate about the administrative burdens framework, this article introduces the ‘bureaucratic sludge framework’ as a complementary theoretical approach for social policy and public administration research. The framework enable researchers to pursue novel research questions about for instance the interplay between administrative procedures, informal bureaucratic practices and public employees' experiences of strain and thus addresses a conceptual gap in the field. The article presents a non-normative conceptualisation, proposing a typology of bureaucratic tasks—information seeking, assessment, implementation, and emotional labour—that may impose cognitive-affective strain. Finally, a research agenda is outlined, and the bureaucratic task typology is proposed as a conceptual point of departure for researchers to empirically explore and audit practical instances of bureaucratic sludge in their contexts to further theorise and advance our understanding of the phenomenon. Social welfare is considered as an especially fruitful context within which to pursue this research agenda.

U2 - 10.1111/ijsw.12662

DO - 10.1111/ijsw.12662

M3 - Journal article

JO - International Journal of Social Welfare

JF - International Journal of Social Welfare

SN - 1369-6866

ER -