Dr. Majka Ryan is an assistant professor in the Department of Work and Employment Studies at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Ireland. Majka has led a variety of research projects in the areas of policy implementation, organisational change, access to education and poverty and migration. Her teaching and research interests are in the areas of public institutions, ethical decision-making, discretion as an organisational policy and practice, organisational culture, equality and diversity, employment and unemployment and the welfare state.

• IntroductionThe Context of Residence-Based Conditionality Conceptualising Discretionary Decision-Making in Welfare Institutions Outline of Chapters Chapter 1: Discourses of Discretion in Welfare Bureaucracies Exploring the Meaning of Discretion in Welfare Bureaucracy The Role of Discretion in Public Service The role of discretion in a context of legislative and policy ambiguity Street-Level Bureaucrats and Discretion Decision-makers and citizens Exceptional moments and favouratism Organisational Culture and Discretionary Practice Public expectations towards decision-makers Legitimacy of discretionary practice and decision-maker accountability Conclusions Chapter 2: Theorising Discretionary Power on Access to Social Assistance Ethical Determinants of Decision-Making Professional morality Morality of deservingness Dilemmas in Decision-Making Occupational Discretion and Organisational Socialisation Organisational imprinting and workers socialization Variations in decis

Majka Ryan’s informative book introduces readers to an increasingly central issue in modern welfare states—the use of residency rules to control access to benefits. She explores how these rules are interpreted and applied on the ground through a rich and engaging case study. Drawing on street-level theory, she sets out the cloud of ambiguous policies and the organizational tensions within which decisions must be made and explores the central role of discretion in decision-making. This is an engaging and well-written study that also explores how moral commitments and organizational socialization contribute to the uses of discretion. The question of democratic accountability is central to the argument of this book, and Ryan uses the evidence to argue that rather than seeking accountability in rule specification and compliance, accountability entails recognizing and managing discretion to ensure flexible and sensitive decision-making.

Dr. Majka Ryan is an assistant professor in the Department of Work and Employment Studies at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Ireland. Majka has led a variety of research projects in the areas of policy implementation, organisational change, access to education and poverty and migration. Her teaching and research interests are in the areas of public institutions, ethical decision-making, discretion as an organisational policy and practice, organisational culture, equality and diversity, employment and unemployment and the welfare state.

• IntroductionThe Context of Residence-Based Conditionality Conceptualising Discretionary Decision-Making in Welfare Institutions Outline of Chapters Chapter 1: Discourses of Discretion in Welfare Bureaucracies Exploring the Meaning of Discretion in Welfare Bureaucracy The Role of Discretion in Public Service The role of discretion in a context of legislative and policy ambiguity Street-Level Bureaucrats and Discretion Decision-makers and citizens Exceptional moments and favouratism Organisational Culture and Discretionary Practice Public expectations towards decision-makers Legitimacy of discretionary practice and decision-maker accountability Conclusions Chapter 2: Theorising Discretionary Power on Access to Social Assistance Ethical Determinants of Decision-Making Professional morality Morality of deservingness Dilemmas in Decision-Making Occupational Discretion and Organisational Socialisation Organisational imprinting and workers socialization Variations in decis

Majka Ryan’s informative book introduces readers to an increasingly central issue in modern welfare states—the use of residency rules to control access to benefits. She explores how these rules are interpreted and applied on the ground through a rich and engaging case study. Drawing on street-level theory, she sets out the cloud of ambiguous policies and the organizational tensions within which decisions must be made and explores the central role of discretion in decision-making. This is an engaging and well-written study that also explores how moral commitments and organizational socialization contribute to the uses of discretion. The question of democratic accountability is central to the argument of this book, and Ryan uses the evidence to argue that rather than seeking accountability in rule specification and compliance, accountability entails recognizing and managing discretion to ensure flexible and sensitive decision-making.

Dr. Majka Ryan is an assistant professor in the Department of Work and Employment Studies at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Ireland. Majka has led a variety of research projects in the areas of policy implementation, organisational change, access to education and poverty and migration. Her teaching and research interests are in the areas of public institutions, ethical decision-making, discretion as an organisational policy and practice, organisational culture, equality and diversity, employment and unemployment and the welfare state.

• IntroductionThe Context of Residence-Based Conditionality Conceptualising Discretionary Decision-Making in Welfare Institutions Outline of Chapters Chapter 1: Discourses of Discretion in Welfare Bureaucracies Exploring the Meaning of Discretion in Welfare Bureaucracy The Role of Discretion in Public Service The role of discretion in a context of legislative and policy ambiguity Street-Level Bureaucrats and Discretion Decision-makers and citizens Exceptional moments and favouratism Organisational Culture and Discretionary Practice Public expectations towards decision-makers Legitimacy of discretionary practice and decision-maker accountability Conclusions Chapter 2: Theorising Discretionary Power on Access to Social Assistance Ethical Determinants of Decision-Making Professional morality Morality of deservingness Dilemmas in Decision-Making Occupational Discretion and Organisational Socialisation Organisational imprinting and workers socialization Variations in decis

Majka Ryan’s informative book introduces readers to an increasingly central issue in modern welfare states—the use of residency rules to control access to benefits. She explores how these rules are interpreted and applied on the ground through a rich and engaging case study. Drawing on street-level theory, she sets out the cloud of ambiguous policies and the organizational tensions within which decisions must be made and explores the central role of discretion in decision-making. This is an engaging and well-written study that also explores how moral commitments and organizational socialization contribute to the uses of discretion. The question of democratic accountability is central to the argument of this book, and Ryan uses the evidence to argue that rather than seeking accountability in rule specification and compliance, accountability entails recognizing and managing discretion to ensure flexible and sensitive decision-making.