Navigating through the labyrinth: career of cultural workers in the context of the theory of competing institutional logics
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article examines how the careers of cultural workers in Polish public cultural institutions are shaped by three interacting institutional logics: cultural, professional, and managerial. Based on 51 biographical interviews, the study analyzes how these logics are experienced and negotiated in everyday work and across career trajectories. Cultural logic emphasizes creativity and autonomy, managerial logic highlights accountability and performance measurement, and professional logic mediates between cultural aspirations and organizational demands. The findings reveal tensions that vary across organizational contexts and career stages, shaping professional identity and perceptions of meaningful work. Rather than assuming the dominance of any single logic, the article demonstrates the increasing salience of managerial requirements within broader configurations of institutional complexity. By focusing on non-artistic cultural workers, the study contributes to cultural policy research by showing how policy frameworks, funding regimes, and governance arrangements are translated into everyday professional practice and career development within public cultural institutions.
Author: Anna Góral
Institution: Jagiellonian University
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7134201941