This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
The aim of this study is to contribute to the literature on how involuntary backsourcing in public organizations is performed in practice and how it affects the relationship between principal and agent. The study focuses on two questions: (1) Which stages characterize the process when public contracts are involuntary terminated? (2) How does involuntary backsourcing affect the relationship between principal and agent during the transfer period? The study's case concerns public backsourcing in Sweden, in particular, how a metropolitan municipality manages involuntary backsourcing. This study provides in‐depth insights into backsourcing and its practice, as well as the degree to which the conflict dimension between the parties is affected. The study shows—paradoxically—that the relationship between principal and agent during the transition phase is characterized by dependence, mutual exchange of information, collaboration, and less conflict. The study contributes to developing the theory of backsourcing, particularly the behavior that is played out between principal and agent in the transition stage. The findings identify the need for public organizations which make outsourcing decisions to have contingency plans for bringing operations back in‐house.
Johan M. Berlin; Magnus Jansson; David Karlsson; Eric D. Carlström. Involuntary backsourcing in the public sector: From conflict to collaboration. Public Administration 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleJohan M. Berlin, Magnus Jansson, David Karlsson, Eric D. Carlström. Involuntary backsourcing in the public sector: From conflict to collaboration. Public Administration. 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohan M. Berlin; Magnus Jansson; David Karlsson; Eric D. Carlström. 2021. "Involuntary backsourcing in the public sector: From conflict to collaboration." Public Administration , no. : 1.
Local governments are bringing previously outsourced services back in‐house. Research into explanations for sourcing decisions in the public sector is growing, however, few researchers have investigated drivers of both outsourcing and backsourcing in local public‐governance organizations. In this study we utilize transaction cost economic theory (TCE) and political ideology to investigate underlying motives of sourcing in local public governance organizations. Based on a 2018 survey of chief financial officers (CEO) in all of Sweden's 290 municipalities, this study shows that backsourcing is strongly associated with outsourcing and that outsourcing and backsourcing should not be understood as opposite phenomena, rather as interdependent phenomena in a dynamic sourcing strategy. Outsourcing and backsourcing are driven in part by different factors: Outsourcing by political ambitions and economic factors relating to TCE, while managerial and pragmatic concerns are foregrounded for backsourcing.
Magnus Jansson; Eric Carlström; David Karlsson; Johan Berlin. Drivers of outsourcing and backsourcing in the public sector—From idealism to pragmatism. Financial Accountability & Management 2020, 37, 262 -278.
AMA StyleMagnus Jansson, Eric Carlström, David Karlsson, Johan Berlin. Drivers of outsourcing and backsourcing in the public sector—From idealism to pragmatism. Financial Accountability & Management. 2020; 37 (3):262-278.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMagnus Jansson; Eric Carlström; David Karlsson; Johan Berlin. 2020. "Drivers of outsourcing and backsourcing in the public sector—From idealism to pragmatism." Financial Accountability & Management 37, no. 3: 262-278.
The emergency department (ED) is one of the busiest facilities in a hospital, and it is frequently described as a bottleneck that limits space and structures, jeopardising surge capacity during Major Incidents and Disasters (MIDs) and pandemics such as the COVID 19 outbreak. One remedy to facilitate surge capacity is to establish an Urgent Care Centre (UCC), i.e., a secondary ED, co-located and in close collaboration with an ED. This study investigates the outcome of treatment in an ED versus a UCC in terms of length of stay (LOS), time to physician (TTP) and use of medical services. If it was possible to make these parameters equal to or even less than the ED, UCCs could be used as supplementary units to the ED, improving sustainability. The results show reduced waiting times at the UCC, both in terms of TTP and LOS. In conclusion, creating a primary care-like facility in close proximity to the hospitals may not only relieve overcrowding of the hospital’s ED in peacetime, but it may also provide an opportunity for use during MIDs and pandemics to facilitate the victims of the incident and society as a whole.
Annelie Raidla; Katrin Darro; Tobias Carlson; Amir Khorram-Manesh; Johan Berlin; Eric Carlström. Outcomes of Establishing an Urgent Care Centre in the Same Location as an Emergency Department. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8190 .
AMA StyleAnnelie Raidla, Katrin Darro, Tobias Carlson, Amir Khorram-Manesh, Johan Berlin, Eric Carlström. Outcomes of Establishing an Urgent Care Centre in the Same Location as an Emergency Department. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (19):8190.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnnelie Raidla; Katrin Darro; Tobias Carlson; Amir Khorram-Manesh; Johan Berlin; Eric Carlström. 2020. "Outcomes of Establishing an Urgent Care Centre in the Same Location as an Emergency Department." Sustainability 12, no. 19: 8190.
This is a study of inter-organisational exercises arranged by on-shore organisations (ONSOs) and off-shore organisations (OFFSOs). The aim was to compare findings from trained emergency staffs’ perceptions of the impact of exercises. The data were retrieved from surveys conducted by the research team in conjunction with exercises. The surveys included staff from the coast guard, sea rescue, police department, fire department and ambulance services. A total of 94 professional emergency personnel participated in the ONSO exercises and 252 in the OFFSO exercises. The study was based on the suggestion that collaborative elements during an inter-organisational exercise promote learning, and learning is important to make the exercises useful. Collaboration proved to be a predictor for some of the items in learning, and learning was a predictor for some of the items in utility. There was, however, a stronger covariation between collaboration, learning and utility in the OFFSOs exercises than in the ONSOs. One reason might be the different cultures of emergency staff involved in on-shore and off-shore organisations. The OFFSOs’ qualifications may be dominated by seamanship, together with professional practice, and all parties are expected to act as first responders. ONSOs, on the other hand, practice exercises from a strict professional and legal perspective.
Eric Carlström; Leif Magnussen; Elsa Kristiansen; Johan Berlin; Jarle Sørensen. Inter-Organisational Exercises in Dry and Wet Context—Why Do Maritime Response Organisations Gain More Knowledge from Exercises at Sea Than Those on Shore? Sustainability 2020, 12, 5604 .
AMA StyleEric Carlström, Leif Magnussen, Elsa Kristiansen, Johan Berlin, Jarle Sørensen. Inter-Organisational Exercises in Dry and Wet Context—Why Do Maritime Response Organisations Gain More Knowledge from Exercises at Sea Than Those on Shore? Sustainability. 2020; 12 (14):5604.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEric Carlström; Leif Magnussen; Elsa Kristiansen; Johan Berlin; Jarle Sørensen. 2020. "Inter-Organisational Exercises in Dry and Wet Context—Why Do Maritime Response Organisations Gain More Knowledge from Exercises at Sea Than Those on Shore?" Sustainability 12, no. 14: 5604.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of an intervention on the organizational culture in five hospital wards in Sweden. The organizational culture was measured at the start of the project and compared with data collected five years later. The intervention was aimed at changing activities towards a new evidenced-based care model called the Gothenburg Person-centred Care model (PCC).Methods: In total, 230 registered nurses and assistant nurses participated in this cross-sectional health-care culture survey during 2009 and 2014. The Organizational Values Questionnaire was used.Results: The results indicated cultural change in all five wards at the clinic. A dominating culture of flexibility decreased and a culture of routines and structure increased. The wards moved towards a higher degree of cultural uniformity. The combination of cultural dimensions also seems to have become more equal during the study period.Conclusions: Few studies have focussed on the development of organizational culture in health-care contexts over time. The results suggest that the implementation of a new model of care has an impact on organizational culture. This implies that health-care managers should have confidence in the outcomes from change projects. It seems that systems of dual logic can develop over time to facilitate change and sustainability. However, if a new working model is to change the culture profoundly, it requires years of zealous implementation.
Axel Wolf; Kerstin Ulin; Eric Carlström. Changing the ward culture in a clinic during the implementation of person-centred care. Journal of Hospital Administration 2017, 6, 31 .
AMA StyleAxel Wolf, Kerstin Ulin, Eric Carlström. Changing the ward culture in a clinic during the implementation of person-centred care. Journal of Hospital Administration. 2017; 6 (5):31.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAxel Wolf; Kerstin Ulin; Eric Carlström. 2017. "Changing the ward culture in a clinic during the implementation of person-centred care." Journal of Hospital Administration 6, no. 5: 31.
The aim of the study was to examine the emergency personnel's perception of the effects of exercises, with regard to learning and usefulness. The exercises were quasi‐experimental and constructed in such a way that employees from different organizations overlapped each other's tasks. This was accomplished by: having asymmetries included in the scenarios, repeating exercise procedures and testing different strategies, which were discussed at joint seminars. The exercises were compared to a similar study, published in this journal, of nonquasiexperimental but merely traditional exercises. Surveys were distributed and collected from emergency personnel in connection with seven exercises. At the exercises, 94.3% of the personnel thought that the exercises had a focus on collaboration (traditional exercises, 75.6%).
Johan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. The Three-Level Collaboration Exercise - Impact of Learning and Usefulness. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management 2015, 23, 257 -265.
AMA StyleJohan M. Berlin, Eric D. Carlström. The Three-Level Collaboration Exercise - Impact of Learning and Usefulness. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management. 2015; 23 (4):257-265.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. 2015. "The Three-Level Collaboration Exercise - Impact of Learning and Usefulness." Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management 23, no. 4: 257-265.
The purpose of this article is to analyze what professional emergency personnel learn during collaboration exercises and the benefits of what they have learned. Observations (n = 19) and semistructured interviews (n = 32) were carried out in conjunction with major exercises held in Sweden (2007–2012). The results show that exercises tend to be based on their own logic, which differs from actual events. Exercise participants believe that they mainly learn single-track, parallel, and path-dependent behavior. The exercises do not facilitate the use of cross-boundary activities. This means that learning, as well as benefits from the exercises for actual events, is limited. The exercises would be more appropriate if those participating had the opportunity to identify weaknesses, try alternative ways, and engage in comprehensive organizational analyses at the conclusion of the exercises. Based on the results of the study, alternative models for collaboration exercises are suggested, with elements that would better develop collaboration and contribute to learning.
Johan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. Collaboration Exercises—The Lack of Collaborative Benefits. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 2014, 5, 192 -205.
AMA StyleJohan M. Berlin, Eric D. Carlström. Collaboration Exercises—The Lack of Collaborative Benefits. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science. 2014; 5 (3):192-205.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. 2014. "Collaboration Exercises—The Lack of Collaborative Benefits." International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 5, no. 3: 192-205.
Johan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. Collaboration Exercises: What Do They Contribute? Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management 2014, 23, 11 -23.
AMA StyleJohan M. Berlin, Eric D. Carlström. Collaboration Exercises: What Do They Contribute? Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management. 2014; 23 (1):11-23.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. 2014. "Collaboration Exercises: What Do They Contribute?" Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management 23, no. 1: 11-23.
This study identifies hidden artefacts in a public organisation. In contrast to earlier studies, it focuses on artefacts as concealing rather than conveying meaning. Negligent behaviour caused by an unpopular culture was recognised in five psychiatric wards at a Swedish university hospital. Data comprising observations (87 h) and interviews (n = 60) were collected over a period of 48 months (2008–2011). Four different items used in everyday work representing a deeper meaning of the organisation were identified during the observations. The items selected were work attire, nametags, keys and restraint beds. These were considered particularly promising when it came to the aim of the study, namely, to find out how artefacts are camouflaged. The observations and the interviews revealed that these were controversial and contested artefacts in the organisation. The study uses the term ‘cultural camouflage’ for behaviour that ignores and consciously conceals symbols that have negative values. This concept contrasts with previous research that shows how artefacts are emphasised and how they contribute to the character of the activity in a transparent way. Conservative and backward‐looking behaviour among staff provided one explanation as to why artefacts were concealed. Another was the need to establish harmonious internal interactions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Johan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. Cultural camouflage-a critical study of how artefacts are camouflaged and mental health policy subverted. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management 2013, 30, 111 -126.
AMA StyleJohan M. Berlin, Eric D. Carlström. Cultural camouflage-a critical study of how artefacts are camouflaged and mental health policy subverted. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management. 2013; 30 (2):111-126.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. 2013. "Cultural camouflage-a critical study of how artefacts are camouflaged and mental health policy subverted." The International Journal of Health Planning and Management 30, no. 2: 111-126.
In this article, ideal conceptions about teamwork are tested. The research question posed is: How are teams in psychiatry formed? Three theoretical concepts that distinguish groups from teams are presented: sequentiality, parallelism and synchronicity. The presumption is that groups cooperate sequentially and teams synchronously, while the parallel work mode is a transitional form between group and team. Three psychiatric outpatient teams at a university hospital specialist clinic were studied. Data were collected through 25 personal interviews and 82 hours of observations. The data collection was carried out over 18 months (2008-2009). Results show: (1) that the three theoretical distinctions between group and team need to be supplemented with two intermediate forms, semiparallel and semisynchronous teamwork; and (2) that teamwork is not characterized by striving towards a synchronous ideal but instead is marked by an adaptive interaction between sequential, parallel and synchronous working modes. The article points to a new intermediate stage between group and team. This intermediate stage is called semiparallel teamwork. The study shows that practical teamwork is not characterized by a synchronous ideal, but rather is about how to adaptively find acceptable solutions to a series of practical problems. The study emphasizes the importance of the team varying between different working modes, so-called semisystematics.
Johan M. Berlin. Synchronous work: myth or reality? A critical study of teams in health and medical care. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice 2010, 16, 1314 -1321.
AMA StyleJohan M. Berlin. Synchronous work: myth or reality? A critical study of teams in health and medical care. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. 2010; 16 (6):1314-1321.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohan M. Berlin. 2010. "Synchronous work: myth or reality? A critical study of teams in health and medical care." Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice 16, no. 6: 1314-1321.
Earlier studies have identified artefacts, but have only to a lesser degree looked at their effects. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how artefacts contribute to organisation. A trauma team at a university hospital has been observed and its members interviewed. The trauma team showed itself to be rich on artefacts since it had strong internal driving forces, high legitimacy, and tried to live up to high expectations from the outside. Its members were motivated to be in the forefront of trauma care. Through renewal, the team succeeded in maintaining demarcation. It also succeeded in systemising internal work tasks and made for itself a position in relation to the outside. The team's capacity, however, came to be limited by internal conflicts and battles for prestige. The study shows that informal logic has a strong influence on teams. Teamwork contributed to the development of organisational structure and motivation for the personnel. Earlier studies advocate the important role of artefacts in order to communicate, collaborate, negotiate or coordinate activities. The conclusion is that artefacts also have an organising and developing effect on teams in a fragmented and differentiated healthcare.
Johan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. From artefact to effect: the organising effects of artefacts on teams. Journal of Health Organization and Management 2010, 24, 412 -427.
AMA StyleJohan M. Berlin, Eric D. Carlström. From artefact to effect: the organising effects of artefacts on teams. Journal of Health Organization and Management. 2010; 24 (4):412-427.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohan M. Berlin; Eric D. Carlström. 2010. "From artefact to effect: the organising effects of artefacts on teams." Journal of Health Organization and Management 24, no. 4: 412-427.