Influence from within? Senior managers from the Religious-Zionist community in the public administration–a phenomenological research

The article examines whether or not senior managers in public administration who belong to the Religious-Zionist community operate as effective Policy Injection Agents–adopting the ‘Influence from within’ ethos that makes them a part of a policy community–or whether they perceive this discourse in another way. Thirty-five interviews with senior public administrators pertaining to the Religious-Zionist community were analysed based on the principles of Critical Discourse Analysis. A number of central themes were identified, the vast majority of which point to the ‘Influence from within’ ethos not becoming a component in the managerial identity of the interviewees and their colleagues. While it served them within their community as legitimation for attending general society to study, live and work outside the base of Religious-Zionism, from the moment they integrated in the public system–their concern became the exact opposite of the ethos: not to be perceived by their secular colleagues as part of a sector but as professional individuals who are exclusively committed to the professional ethos of their managerial community.