RESUMO
The worldwide expansion in the use of private firms to deliver public services and infrastructure has promoted a substantial literature on public sector contract and relationship management. This literature is currently dominated by the notion that supplier relationships should be based upon trust. Less prominent are more sceptical approaches that emphasize the need to assiduously manage potential supplier exploitation and opportunism. This article addresses this imbalance by focusing upon the recent experience of the English National Health Service (NHS) in its dealings with its nursing agencies. Between 1997 and 2001, the NHS was subjected to considerable exploitation and opportunism. This forced managers to adopt a supply strategy based upon an assiduous use of e-auctions, framework agreements and quality audits. The article assesses the effectiveness of this strategy and reflects upon whether a more defensive approach to contract and relationship management offers a viable alternative to one based upon trust.
Assuntos
Serviços Contratados , Atenção à Saúde , Regulamentação Governamental , Programas Nacionais de Saúde , Cuidados de Enfermagem , Parcerias Público-Privadas , Serviços Contratados/economia , Serviços Contratados/história , Serviços Contratados/legislação & jurisprudência , Atenção à Saúde/economia , Atenção à Saúde/história , Atenção à Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Economia da Enfermagem/história , Economia da Enfermagem/legislação & jurisprudência , Inglaterra/etnologia , Programas Governamentais/economia , Programas Governamentais/educação , Programas Governamentais/história , Programas Governamentais/legislação & jurisprudência , Regulamentação Governamental/história , História do Século XX , História do Século XXI , Programas Nacionais de Saúde/economia , Programas Nacionais de Saúde/história , Programas Nacionais de Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Cuidados de Enfermagem/psicologia , Logradouros Públicos/economia , Logradouros Públicos/história , Logradouros Públicos/legislação & jurisprudência , Parcerias Público-Privadas/economia , Parcerias Público-Privadas/história , Parcerias Público-Privadas/legislação & jurisprudência , Qualidade da Assistência à Saúde/economia , Qualidade da Assistência à Saúde/história , Qualidade da Assistência à Saúde/legislação & jurisprudência , Mudança Social/históriaRESUMO
This paper explores casual and temporary work in nursing and other clinical professions in the hospital industry in Australia. Evidence suggests that the use of casual and temporary work has increased in recent years. In turn the growth of non-standard employment has been used to suggest workplace restructuring along the lines of Atkinson's (1984) 'flexible firm' model. However, this article finds that casual and temporary employees are used to fulfil core duties in the hospital industry, casting doubt on Atkinson's model.
Assuntos
Emprego , Hospitais Privados , Recursos Humanos de Enfermagem Hospitalar/provisão & distribuição , Admissão e Escalonamento de Pessoal , Recursos Humanos em Hospital/provisão & distribuição , Austrália , Humanos , New South Wales , Recursos Humanos de Enfermagem Hospitalar/organização & administração , Estudos de Casos Organizacionais , Sistema de Registros , Recursos HumanosRESUMO
After a decade of labour market reform and workplace change, increasing attention has focussed on public sector industries. In this paper, domestic and maintenance occupations in the hospital industry are examined, as previous work has focussed on nursing, with other occupations being largely ignored. Grimshaw and Rubery's (1998) model of internal labour markets is adopted as the preferred theoretical approach. This model, in acknowledging external factors, the role of workers, and custom and norms within the firm, provides a basis from which to examine labour use practices within the hospital industry.
