The Management of Wicked Problems in Health and Social Care

At a time of growing pressure on health and social care services, this book draws together contributions which highlight contemporary challenges for their management. Providing a range of contributions that draw on a Critical Management Studies perspective the book raises macro-level concerns with theory, demographics and economics on the one hand, as well as micro-level challenges of leadership, voice and engagement on the other. Rather than being an attempt to define the ‘wickedness’ of problems in this field, this book provides new insights designed to be of interest and value to researchers, students and managers.

Contributions from international researchers explore four main topics:

• identifying contemporary challenges in health and social care;
• managing, leading and following;

• listening to silent voices in delivering change; and
• new methodologies for understanding care challenges.

The concerns discussed in this volume are ‘wicked’ in so far as they are persistent, pernicious and beyond the curative abilities of any single organisation or profession. Such problems require collaboration but also new approaches to listening to those who suffer their effects. This book demonstrates such listening through its engagement with policy makers, leaders, followers, professions, patients, forgotten groups and silenced voices. Moreover, it considers how future research might be transformed so as to shine a more inclusive light on ‘wicked’ problems and their amelioration. This is a timely and engaging book that challenges you – the reader – to think again about how we should look at, engage with and support all those involved in health and social care.

Will Thomas is an Associate Professor in the University of Suffolk Business School, UK

Anneli Hujala is a Senior Reseacher in the Department of Health and Social Management at the University of Eastern Finland

Sanna Laulainen is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health and Social Management at the University of Eastern Finland

Robert McMurray is Professor of Work and Organisation at The York Management School, UK