Purpose – A recurring theme in Government policy documents has been the need to change the culture of the NHS in order to deliver a service “fit for the twenty‐first century”. However, very little is said about what constitutes “culture” or how this culture change is to be brought...

Purpose – This ethnographic investigation of a general hospital aims to critically analyse a much lauded corporate culture. Rather than accepting the managerial and academic claims concerning the mobilisation of corporate culture at face value, this study builds upon a labour process analysis...

Purpose – To compare and contrast the cultural characteristics of “high” and “low” performing hospitals in the UK National Health Service (NHS). Design/methodology/approach – A multiple case study design incorporating a purposeful sample of “low” and “high” performing acute...

Purpose – To explore the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the UK National Health Service (NHS) and to examine how it may be developed to positively influence the psyche, behaviour and performance of NHS managers. Design/methodology/approach – Primary research based...

Purpose – This paper sets out to explore health professionals' views and experiences regarding the work culture that exists in their hospital units, and further how patients influence these experiences. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a qualitative approach involving...

Purpose – To date, relatively little evidence has been published as to what represents an effective and efficient way to improve quality of care and safety in hospitals. In addition, the initiatives that do exist are rarely designed or developed with regard to the individual and organisational...