In an effort to increase efficiency and democracy, the modernization of the public sector has involved an increase in market and user control, an increased application of technology, a decentralization of responsibilities and competencies, and more management and personnel development initiatives. The concept of "modernization" signals a novel use of language and related concepts such as "decentralization", "self-management", "self-government", "de-bureaucratization", "quality control", and "user influence". These terms may sound positive on an intuitive level but constitute a source of uncertainty as to what is actually taking place. The article analyzes the learning environment in two governmental worksites in Denmark and shows how professional employees respond to the dilemmas posed by modernization at work. (Contains 3 notes.)