Business schools inside the academy: What are the prospects for interdepartmental research collaboration?

Established literature about the role of business schools tends towards more parochial concerns, such as their need for a more pluralist and socially reflexive mode of knowledge production (Starkey and Tiratsoo 2007; Starkey et al 2009) or the failure of management’s professionalism project expressed through the business school movement (Khurana 2007). When casting their gaze otherwise, academic commentators examine business schools’ weakening links with management practice (Bennis and O’Toole 2005). Our theme makes a novel contribution to the business school literature through exploring prospects for research collaborations with other university departments. We draw upon the case of UK business schools, which are typically university-based (unlike some of their European counterparts), and provide illustrations relating to collaboration with medical schools to make our analytical points. We might expect that business schools and medical schools effectively collaborate given their similar vocational underpinnings, but at the same time, there are significant differences, such as differing paradigms of research and the extent to which the practice fields are professionalised. This means collaboration may prove challenging. In short, the case of collaboration between business schools and medical schools is likely to illuminate the challenges for business schools ‘reaching out’ to other university departments

Research into practice : collaboration for leadership in applied health research and care (CLAHRC) for Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire (NDL)

To address the problem of translation from research-based evidence to routine healthcare practice, the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire (CLAHRC-NDL) was funded by the National Institute for Health Research as one of nine CLAHRCs across England. This paper outlines the underlying theory and its application that CLAHRC-NDL has adopted, as a case example that might be generalised to practice outside the CLAHRC, in comparison to alternative models of implementation

Interpretation of multiple institutional logics on the ground : actors' position, their agency and situational constraints in professionalized contexts

Our study examines how interdependent actors in a professionalized context interpret the co-occurrence of a professional logic and a policy-driven logic. The empirical setting comprises two hospitals in the English National Health Service. Two issues stand out. First, our study shows that any logic is variegated and ambiguous, so policymakers and organizational managers cannot assume that they are easily blended. Second, it shows how nurse consultants exhibit agency in blending these two logics in pursuit of positional gain in professional and managerial organization. They can do so because of their ambiguous status level: in comparison to doctors, their status as nurses is low; within the nursing profession their status is high. Theoretically, by focusing upon interpretation of multiple institutional logics at the micro level, our study renders visible the agency of interpreting actors, interdependency of actors, their interpretation of institutional logics, situational context, and the effect of, and upon, social position of actors

Examining hybrid nurse managers as a case of identity transition in healthcare : developing a balanced research agenda

This research note synthesizes sociology of work and organization studies literatures, to outline a research agenda examining the identity transition of nurses. Academic studies suggest that nurses face a greater challenge to enact, and are more likely to be marginalized within, hybrid manager roles. Further research is encouraged that has a comparative professional dimension, focused upon social position and power and which takes account of the gendered nature of policy reform and professions

Sharing leadership for diffusion of innovation in professionalized settings

Innovation often flourishes in organizational pockets, but then fails to diffuse more widely. This represents a particular global challenge in healthcare where demands of an ageing population with increasing long - term conditions need to be addressed in the face of financial constraints. Shared leadership to support diffusion of innovation may offer a panacea for the challenge. Our study shows how changing configurations of shared leadership support diffusion and adaption of innovation. Managers remain important actors for the mandate and resourcing of innovation but, over time, powerful professionals, specifically doctors come to the fore, to engage their peers and influence resource allocation. Nurses complement doctors’ leadership efforts around engagement of frontline professionals and in adapting innovation to local context. Significant contingencies in shaping shared leader ship for diffusion and adaption of innovation are : organ izational financial performance; whether nurse s enact hybrid leadership roles; whether organization is hierarchical or collaborative. Theoretically, by focusing upon leadership configuration in the process of diffusion of innovation, our study renders visible practices of shared leadership, interdependency of hierarchical managerial or professional influence , its effect upon innovation diffusion and contingencies that underpin this

The translational role of hybrid nurse middle managers in implementing clinical guidelines : effect of, and upon, professional and managerial hierarchies

Our study uses qualitative and interpretative design to analyse what hybrid nurse middle managers do in their managerial practice, what affects this, and to what effect, focusing upon implementing policy-driven guidelines on the clinical frontline. Examining two comparative hospital cases and drawing upon Scandinavian institutionalism, we conceive their role as one of ‘translation’. On the one hand, they exhibit strategic agency. On the other hand, their managerial role not only influences, but is influenced by, professional and managerial hierarchies. In both hospitals, in the short term we see how hybrid nurse middle managers are able to mediate professional and managerial hierarchies and implement clinical guidelines through translational work. However, in one case, they less effectively accommodate policy-driven, managerial pressure towards compliance with government regulations and financial parsimony. In this case, the outcome of their translational work is not sustained in the longer term, as professional and managerial hierarchies reassert themselves. Drawing upon the example of their managerial role in healthcare, we highlight that hybrid middle managers enact a strategic translational role and outline situational constraints that impact this more strategic role

DNA methylation at cytosine position 5

DNA methylation appears to be involved in the regulation of gene expression. Transcriptionally inactive (silenced) genes normally contain a high proportion of 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytosine residues whereas transcriptionally active genes show much reduced levels. There appears good reason to believe that chemical agents capable of methylating 2'-deoxycytosine might affect gene expression and as a result of hypermethylating promoter regions of cytosine-guanine rich oncogenic sequences, cancer related genes may be silenced. This thesis describes the synthesis of a number of `electrophilic' S-methylsulphonium compounds and assesses their ability to act as molecules capable of methylating cytosine at position 5 and also considers their potential as cytotoxic agents. DNA is methylated in vivo by DNA methyltransferase utilising S-adenoxylmethionine as the methyl donor. This thesis addresses the theory that S-adenoxylmethionine may be replaced as the methyl donor for DNA methytransferase by other sulphonium compounds. S-[3H-methyl]methionine sulphonium iodide was synthesised and experiments to assess the ability of this compounds to transfer methyl groups to cytosine in the presence of DNA methyltransferase were unsuccessful. A proline residue adjacent to a cysteine residue has been identified to a highly conserved feature of the active site region of a large number of prokaryotic DNA methyltransferases. The thesis examines the possibility that short peptides containing the Pro-Cys fragment may be able to facilitate the alkylation of cytosine position 5 by sulphonium compounds. Peptides were synthesised up to 9 amino acids in length but none were shown to exhibit significant activity. Molecular modelling techniques, including Chem-X, Quanta, BIPED and protein structure prediction programs were used to assess any structural similarities that may exist between short peptides containing a Pro-Cys fragment and similar sequences present in proteins. A number of similar structural features were observed

Pluralized leadership in complex organizations : exploring the cross network effects between leadership influence and informal network relations

Understanding the connection between leadership and informal social network structures is important in advancing understanding of the enactment of pluralized leadership. in this article we explore how the enactment of pluralized leadership is shaped by leadership influence and informal (advice and support) networks and the interactions between the two. building on recent developments in exponential random graph modeling, we empirically model the cross network effects across three leadership networks and explore different forms of cross network effects and under what conditions they occur. our findings suggest that patterns of pluralized leadership have important endogenous qualities, as shaped through actors’ leadership and informal networks, and are important for understanding the required capability for facing increasingly complex organizational situations

Moving from rational to normative ideologies of control over public involvement : a case of continued managerial dominance

Public Involvement (PI) is a strategic priority in global healthcare settings, yet can be seen as peripheral during decision making processes. Whilst extant research acknowledges variations in how policy is translated into practice, the majority attribute it to the limiting influence of professional hierarchies on the perceived ‘legitimacy’ of PI. Drawing on examples of three commissioning organisations within the English NHS, we outline how the variance in policy implementation for PI can be attributed to influence from the managers rather than professionals. In doing so we explore how rational ideologies of managerial control negatively impact PI. However, we also illustrate how PI alluded to in policy can be more successfully realised when organisational managers enact normative ideologies of control. Notwithstanding this assertion, we argue managerial domination exists even in the case of normative ideologies of control, to the detriment of more radical PI in service development

From what we know to what we do : enhancing absorptive capacity in translational health research

Background Globally, evidence about what works is slow to translate into frontline healthcare delivery. As a response, government policy has focused on translational health initiatives, such as the National Institute for Health Research funded Applied Research Collaborations in England. Concepts from organisation science prove useful to support such translational initiatives. We critique the application of two organisation science concepts linked to the broad domain of what is commonly termed ‘knowledge mobilisation’ in healthcare settings, specifically ‘knowledge brokers’ and ‘absorptive capacity’, to provide lessons for leaders of translational initiatives. Results The presence of knowledge brokers to ‘move from what we know to what we do’ in healthcare delivery appears necessary but insufficient to have a system level effect. To embed knowledge brokers in the wider healthcare system so they draw on various sources of evidence to discharge their role with greatest effect, we encourage leaders of translational health research initiatives to take account of the concept of absorptive capacity (ACAP) from the organisation science literature. Leaders should focus on enhancing ACAP though development of ‘co-ordination capabilities’. Such co-ordination capability should aim not just to acquire different types of evidence, but to ensure that all types of evidence are used to develop, implement and scale up healthcare delivery that best benefits patients. Specific co-ordination capabilities that support translation of evidence are: clinician involvement in research and its implementation; patient and public involvement in research and its implementation; business intelligence structures and processes at organisational and system level. Conclusion Attention to the dimensions and antecedents of ACAP, alongside the implementation of the knowledge brokering solution, in translational health research initiatives, is likely to better ensure the latter’s success