Mellan erfarenhet och osäkerhet : Chefers uppfattning av risk i finansiella beslutsprocesser inom offentlig sektor

Sammanfattning

This study examines how the professional experiences of managers influence their perception and management of risk in financial decision-making processes within the public sector. Previous research has mainly focused on using managers’ age as an indicator of their experience and risk-taking behavior, whereas this study instead focuses on actual professional experience considering factors such as previous leadership roles, decision-making and the handling of uncertain situations. The study is based on Upper Echelons Theory, which suggests that a manager's experiences, interpretations and cognitive perspectives influence organizational decisions. The study applies a qualitative research approach and is based on semi-structured interviews with ten respondents holding managerial positions, primarily in the public sector. The empirical material is analyzed through thematic analysis, concentrating on the influence of experience on risk perception, decision-making process and the management of uncertainty. The empirical findings indicate that experience affects managers’ confidence during decision-making, their assessment of risk and the balance between fact-based information and experience-based intuition. Additionally, the findings suggest that risk is perceived both as a threat and as an opportunity depending on organizational context and previous experiences. The study also emphasizes how decision-making within the public sector is characterized by transparency, responsibility, and the need for legitimacy in decisions related to risk. Finally, the study’s conclusion shows that managers’ experiences function as a central interpretive framework in financial decision-making processes, where personal experiences, organizational structures, and societal demands collectively influence how risk is perceived and managed.