Zooming in on Institutional Politics: Professional accountability systems as institutional weaponry

In this paper we focus on the development of professional accountability systems as a form of systemic power to enhance institutional control, particularly on the associated institutional politics – the interplay between institutional control and institutional work by different (collective) actors. We address the dialectical nature of these institutional politics and identify three types of power tactics underpinning institutional work: attacking, anticipating and defending. Articulating these power tactics revealed the dialectical flux of power tactics between different parties, and how this in turn arose from and affected the development and strength of (new) systemic power. This shows how gaining institutional control over mostly self-employed professionals (veterinarians) through systemic power without legislation is a more sophisticated process than often assumed based on studies of professionals working in large service firms.