Rutinebruk

Rutinebruk, a compound of rutine (routine) and bruk (use), is a term used in Swedish public administration and social sciences to describe the habitual application of established routines or standard operating procedures in decision-making and service delivery. It refers to a mode of operation in which tasks are handled according to predefined practices, often intended to ensure consistency, efficiency, and accountability. The concept is studied as part of organizational routines and administrative rationality and is discussed in relation to both efficiency and adaptability.

Contexts and examples: In social services, rutinebruk may appear as routine eligibility assessments, standard interview scripts, or default referral pathways. In healthcare, it can show up as standard treatment protocols or routine prescribing practices. In policing and education, staff may rely on checklists, risk assessments, or protocol-driven decisions as default processes.

Drivers and implications: The rise of rutinebruk is linked to pressures for efficiency, risk management, and capacity constraints, as well as training focused on procedures. While routines promote speed and auditability, they can also limit professional judgment, overlook individual circumstances, and reproduce biases embedded in the routines.

Debate: Some scholars view rutinebruk as prudent governance and a mechanism for consistency; others criticize it as bureaucratic inertia that resists improvement and reduces person-centered care. The critique often emphasizes the need for regular review and adaptive updating of routines to balance standardization with flexibility.

Relation to related concepts: The idea relates to standard operating procedures, organizational routines, procedural rationality, and bureaucratic culture. Studying rutinebruk involves examining how routines are created, maintained, and revised within public institutions and how they affect outcomes for users and workers.