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Assessing English hospitals: contradiction and conflict

Assessing English hospitals: contradiction and conflict
Assessing English hospitals: contradiction and conflict
Purpose – This paper aims to examine the micro effects of performance measures introduced in England to control hospitals, following the changing context in the policy directing the delivery of healthcare introduced by the Labour Government. The legislative framework established in 1999 reflected a discontinuity in the way that hospitals are controlled in this country.

Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory case study is a result of a deep empirical investigation. It draws on some aspects of Laughlin's and Broadbent and Laughlin's analysis of organisational change.

Findings – This study indicates that, in seeking to change to meet the demands of a particular control device, this organisation pursued both proactive and reactive strategies. However, it was deflected from its intended pathway of change and, as a result, it failed to meet the intended outcomes. The pressure exerted by such a demand impacted on the hospital's activities in a conflicting way.

Research limitations/implications – The paper examines the issues in view of the organisational members' perspective, and, therefore, from the perception of those affected by control devices introduced by the Government.

Originality/value – There is insufficient understanding of how the government's policies to control have affected hospitals' daily activities. Equally, there is scarce understanding of how managers and medical personnel deal with the pressure to change to meet government's expectation. This paper demonstrates empirically the complexities involved in using key targets to control hospitals activities. It contributes to the wide literature in performance management and organisational change.
1832-5912
222-242
Agrizzi, Dila
bf4dd7b5-e685-45ca-90d8-a3e00a232401
Agrizzi, Dila
bf4dd7b5-e685-45ca-90d8-a3e00a232401

Agrizzi, Dila (2008) Assessing English hospitals: contradiction and conflict. Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Organisational Change, 4 (3), 222-242. (doi:10.1108/18325910810898043).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the micro effects of performance measures introduced in England to control hospitals, following the changing context in the policy directing the delivery of healthcare introduced by the Labour Government. The legislative framework established in 1999 reflected a discontinuity in the way that hospitals are controlled in this country.

Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory case study is a result of a deep empirical investigation. It draws on some aspects of Laughlin's and Broadbent and Laughlin's analysis of organisational change.

Findings – This study indicates that, in seeking to change to meet the demands of a particular control device, this organisation pursued both proactive and reactive strategies. However, it was deflected from its intended pathway of change and, as a result, it failed to meet the intended outcomes. The pressure exerted by such a demand impacted on the hospital's activities in a conflicting way.

Research limitations/implications – The paper examines the issues in view of the organisational members' perspective, and, therefore, from the perception of those affected by control devices introduced by the Government.

Originality/value – There is insufficient understanding of how the government's policies to control have affected hospitals' daily activities. Equally, there is scarce understanding of how managers and medical personnel deal with the pressure to change to meet government's expectation. This paper demonstrates empirically the complexities involved in using key targets to control hospitals activities. It contributes to the wide literature in performance management and organisational change.

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Published date: 2008

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 51784
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/51784
ISSN: 1832-5912
PURE UUID: f0826508-3182-4cef-9253-214df1d7962a

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Date deposited: 20 Jun 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 10:18

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Author: Dila Agrizzi

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