The political economy of management knowledge: Management texts in English healthcare organizations

Ewan Ferlie, Jean Ledger, Sue Dopson, Michael D. Fischer, Louise Fitzgerald, Gerry Mcgivern, Chris Bennett

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Have generic management texts and associated knowledges now extensively diffused into public services organizations? If so, why? Our empirical study of English healthcare organizations detects an extensive presence of such texts. We argue that their ready diffusion relates to two macro-level forces: (i) the influence of the underlying political economy of public services reform and (ii) a strongly developed business school/management consulting knowledge nexus. This macro perspective theoretically complements existing explanations from the meso or middle level of analysis which examine diffusion processes within the public services field, and also more micro literature which focuses on agency from individual knowledge leaders.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)185-203
JournalPublic Administration
Volume94
Issue number1
Early online date16 Oct 2015
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 16 Oct 2015

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