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Making health services management research critical: a review and a suggestion
Author(s) -
Learmonth Mark
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
sociology of health and illness
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1467-9566
pISSN - 0141-9889
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9566.00326
Subject(s) - critical management studies , elite , sociology , work (physics) , field (mathematics) , qualitative research , engineering ethics , epistemology , critical theory , public relations , political science , social science , law , engineering , politics , philosophy , mechanical engineering , mathematics , pure mathematics
This piece reviews the qualitative research literature on NHS management published since 1990. It suggests that much of the established work in this field takes for granted managerial assumptions that are consequently not subjected to sustained critical examination. It is argued therefore that this research has tended to create a version of the world that supports elite interests whilst appearing to be disinterested. A framework for seeing management in a radically different manner is also proposed – Critical Management Studies. Its approaches to analysing management and organisation are offered in the belief that they articulate the kind of challenges to orthodox views that many with an interest in health care are likely to find attractive and perhaps emancipatory.