Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

No one wants to get stuck with the losing card - Management conditions in conjunction with hospital mergers

Nordgren, Lars LU (2012) In The International Journal of Leadership in Public Services vol 8(no 3). p.144-160
Abstract
Purpose – The rate of turnover of hospital managers has been high in Sweden. Hospitals are regarded to be difficult to manage, which is connected with different discourses and action logics such as politics, medicine, care and management creating complex conditions for hospital management. The purpose of this paper is to analyse hospital managers' management conditions in conjunction with hospital mergers.

Design/methodology/approach – Two case studies concerning hospital mergers illustrate these management conditions by means of analysing how different actions are communicated by politicians, county council directors, and hospital managers. The author's own experiences as a hospital manager have been made use of, as have... (More)
Purpose – The rate of turnover of hospital managers has been high in Sweden. Hospitals are regarded to be difficult to manage, which is connected with different discourses and action logics such as politics, medicine, care and management creating complex conditions for hospital management. The purpose of this paper is to analyse hospital managers' management conditions in conjunction with hospital mergers.

Design/methodology/approach – Two case studies concerning hospital mergers illustrate these management conditions by means of analysing how different actions are communicated by politicians, county council directors, and hospital managers. The author's own experiences as a hospital manager have been made use of, as have document studies. In the analysis, conducted with the support of several theoretical perspectives, certain themes emerge which touch upon these management conditions.

Findings – In connection with hospital mergers, leading hospital actors carry out communicative games controlled by different action logics. No one wants to get stuck with the losing card. The article demonstrates the difficulties of implementing radical organizational changes in hospitals. A challenge for hospital managers lies in creating a shared dialogue and a consensus with the professions, the politicians and the media. The crucial position of power held by the politicians and the professions in critical situations has to be dealt with. Otherwise the hospital manager has to resign.

Originality/value – The paper aims to clarify under which management conditions the hospital manager acts. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
hospital management, leadership, management, medical care, mergers, policies, Sweden
in
The International Journal of Leadership in Public Services
volume
vol 8
issue
no 3
pages
144 - 160
publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
1747-9886
language
Chinese
LU publication?
yes
id
364eec04-6b4f-497a-ab0b-51440fd32e2b (old id 3224645)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:56:38
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:31:50
@article{364eec04-6b4f-497a-ab0b-51440fd32e2b,
  abstract     = {{Purpose – The rate of turnover of hospital managers has been high in Sweden. Hospitals are regarded to be difficult to manage, which is connected with different discourses and action logics such as politics, medicine, care and management creating complex conditions for hospital management. The purpose of this paper is to analyse hospital managers' management conditions in conjunction with hospital mergers. <br/><br>
Design/methodology/approach – Two case studies concerning hospital mergers illustrate these management conditions by means of analysing how different actions are communicated by politicians, county council directors, and hospital managers. The author's own experiences as a hospital manager have been made use of, as have document studies. In the analysis, conducted with the support of several theoretical perspectives, certain themes emerge which touch upon these management conditions. <br/><br>
Findings – In connection with hospital mergers, leading hospital actors carry out communicative games controlled by different action logics. No one wants to get stuck with the losing card. The article demonstrates the difficulties of implementing radical organizational changes in hospitals. A challenge for hospital managers lies in creating a shared dialogue and a consensus with the professions, the politicians and the media. The crucial position of power held by the politicians and the professions in critical situations has to be dealt with. Otherwise the hospital manager has to resign. <br/><br>
Originality/value – The paper aims to clarify under which management conditions the hospital manager acts.}},
  author       = {{Nordgren, Lars}},
  issn         = {{1747-9886}},
  keywords     = {{hospital management; leadership; management; medical care; mergers; policies; Sweden}},
  language     = {{chi}},
  number       = {{no 3}},
  pages        = {{144--160}},
  publisher    = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
  series       = {{The International Journal of Leadership in Public Services}},
  title        = {{No one wants to get stuck with the losing card - Management conditions in conjunction with hospital mergers}},
  volume       = {{vol 8}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}