A comparative case study revealed divergent emerging judgments of a teacher career ladder in two schools. Educators in the two sites strongly disagreed over the relative salutary impact of the new tasks and responsibilities on instruction and student learning. In an earlier analysis, the use of work structure and group-level frameworks fell short in providing a full explanation for site-specific differences in teachers' individual perceptions of the career ladder reform. Therefore, a deductive analysis of the cases was conducted applying role theory constructs. It revealed individual-group dynamics embedded in group conceptions of role. Conclusions support the assertionis that interpretations drawn from the immediate environment have profound impacts on "objective" tasks associated with work characteristics and their outcomes and emphasize the ambiguity of innovation in established organizations.
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