The limitations of formal administrative controls in organizations performing complex production tasks have
created the need for less obtrusive forms of management control. When formal administrative controls cannot
cater to the unpredictability of complex work demands, one strategy is to employ “professionals” who have
been trained to cope with these demands and whose behaviour is primarily controlled through social and
self-control mechanisms. There is some question, however, as to the effectiveness of this strategy. There is
evidence that integrating pmfessionals into bureaucratic organizations creates the potential for a “clash of
cultures”. Conflict emerges when salaried professionals engage in behaviour directed towards increasing
their own autonomy (or in some cases maintaining it) and management implement control systems designed
to control that bebaviour. This paper argues that the degree of conflict experienced will depend on the
individual role orientation of the professional and the extent to which management confront professionals
with bureaucratic administrative systems which restricf their self-regulatory activities. The study was
undertaken in a large public teaching hospital in Australia and the results support the theoretical position
taken in the paper
