Zusammenfassung
Work and its management have been closely intertwined with the phenomenon of formalisation not only in the modern world of work. This research shows how formalisation processes challenge the conventional view of rationalisation and mechanisation. By looking at formalisation as a guiding and control principle, it offers new insights into the challenges and design of modern work. This is done on the basis of a theoretical treatise and a supplementary empirical demonstration of self-organised action in interaction work. The results emphasise the limits of formalisation and the importance of considering and preserving the informal for (self-organised) work actions.