In the period since the early 1990’s a general tendency can be observed across multiple sectors in Danish public service. Through a number of institutional reforms, organizations have merged and thereby grown in size (Aagaard et al. 2016, Pedersen 2008). This tendency can be identified in organizations in both secondary and tertiary education (Wiedemann 2016). The paper explores the arguments that legitimize reforms using mergers as a tool to create more efficient institutions.

In much research literature, organizational mergers are known to be difficult processes that can be stressful for the involved parties and often do not deliver on the expectation of efficiency gains that motivated them (Geissner 2016, Seo & Hill 2005). Similar descriptions can be found in the literature centered on public service institutions. (Borum & Pedersen 2008, Locke 2007). Much seems to be at risk when deciding to merge, so the question becomes: why risk it?

Starting from a case study of two vocational colleges that have merged over the last couple of years, the paper analyzes two decades of policy papers that outline education reform. The paper seeks to answer the following question:

How are mergers rationalized as solutions to problems in educational policy and what are the consequences for educational organizations?

Inspired by the post-Foucauldian tradition of governmentality studies (Dean 2010, McKee 2009, Rose 1999) as well as policy analysis (Bacchi 2012, Ball 1993) the purpose of the paper is to contextualize the case study by mapping the rationalities present in the policy papers. The paper does this through a reading of policy documents in which mergers are suggested as a means of reform. The focus is on the period between the mid 1990’s and until the late 2000’s, a period which saw the biggest wave of reorganization through mergers in recent Danish history. 

This development is not specific to Denmark, but can be observed in other Nordic Countries as well (Pinhiero et al. 2016, Kyvik 2013, Skodvin 1999). This transnational dimension will be pursued through a reading of OECD evaluations of Danish institutional structures. 

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