Competence Development: Conduct of and from within From development of skills to ‘shaping’ the behaviour

Abstract

This article aims at analysing the use of such Human Resource Development practice, as Competence Development, to capture its underlying reasons in the organizational setting. The rationalistic viewpoint on the programme is contradicted by the critical perspective, which underlines that Competence Development can be used as a governmental programme to exercise control in a subtle manner. By examining the interpretations of the specialists in Competence Development from the interviews, the article explains why organizations use specified sets of competences and the programmes for its management. I argue that organizations employ such programmes to govern in a more individualistic and flexible working environment, where the competence are no longer just skills and knowledge, but are broadened to behavioural patterns and organizational professionalism. Hence, Competence Development could be interpreted as a mechanism to control and shape employee’s behaviour and identity. With the help of the theory of organizational professionalism, the company’s role in constructing organizational identity and professionalism is examined, which constitutes the technology of governance. While the theory of governmentality explains the liberal power that organizations maintain to steer its employees in an autonomous and self-regulatory setting. Therefore, I interpret Competence Development as the organizational tool to balance autonomous individuals and the organizational need to control and navigate its employees to company’s goals and objectives. This way the power relations involved in the organizational setting are discussed.