Mergers and employee criticism in Danish higher education

Abstract

Since the early 2000’s the Danish University College sector has been the subject of a large number of organizational mergers. However, systematic research into the experiences of teachers in merging organizations have been few. The articles main contribution is therefore to focus on this group of employees. Based on interviews and focus groups with teachers and leaders from two Danish pedagogical seminaries that merged, the article looks at ways of describing the process articulated by employees. The article draws on concepts developed by Olesen and Bevir. The article shows how employees describe the experience of the merger process being complex and made up from many smaller processes. It is also shown how leaders who oversee the two organizations are put under double pressure from new top management as well as teachers formed by traditions emphasizing democratic participation. In the fi nal part of this article, this democratic tradition is explored through an analysis of two positions that teachers can take up in voicing their criticism of the merger. It is discussed how these two positions connect the particular merger to a larger narrative concerning developments in the welfare state that put the pedagogical profession under pressure.