Högskolan i Skövde

The public sector is becoming increasingly complex. As complexity leadership theory has been formulated in order to understand leadership in such a context, it thus seems appropriate that it should inform public leadership research. However, the applicability of complexity leadership theory and the concomitant adaptive leadership practices have thus far been underexplored empirically in a public sector context. To address this omission, this article uses a qualitative case study to exemplify how adaptive leadership practices may manifest themselves in a public sector context. The article’s findings indicate that adaptive leadership practices that reduce, rather than induce, tension within the dynamics of actors’ interactions may be a more viable route to handle challenges within a public sector context. Future research could beneficially pay greater attention to the public sector context when studying how adaptive leadership practices might manifest themselves in public sector organizations, as well as when assessing the merits of complexity leadership theory in informing public leadership.

There is consensus that complex problems of contemporary society call for public service collaborations. So-called public service logic (PSL) focuses on joint value creation among a multiplicity of actors in service ecosystems. Despite recognizing various actors, this logic is essentially user-centric, with the service user being the one realizing the value. Consequently, single and collaborating organizations cannot deliver value, only potential value, or so-called value propositions. The elusive public service logic takes a network value conguration for granted and as a starting point. Drawing from two cases in Swedish healthcare, this paper argues that two other value congurations (chain and shop) are also relevant for understanding the development of value propositions – and that these may be related to both intra- and inter-organizational processes. Theoretically, we conclude that just like public service logic, other collaborative public management theories need to recognize the importance of a multiplicity of value congurations and that these are often related to both intra- and inter-organizational processes. We conclude that managers should not adopt the latest network trends without first reflecting on the relevance of existing internal processes.

Drawing from collaborative public management, this article seeks to contribute topublic service logic by focusing on what precedes the public service user’s realizationof value: the value proposition. A new care model for elderly people with multiplechronic diseases shows that coordinators with an inter-organizational mission, ver-tical and horizontal supporting structures, trust established through relationships,and recognition of service systems’embeddedness in social systems are pivotal forthe ability of public service organizations to develop coordinated value propositions.The contribution to policy and practice is an increased understanding of a coherent,rather than fragmented, welfare system for users/citizens.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically explore and demonstrate the ability of healthcare professionals to attain professional fulfilment when providing healthcare inspired by “value shops”. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative case study incorporating interviews and observations was conducted. Findings: The empirical data suggest that the professional fulfilment of both physicians and nurses is facilitated when care is organized through “value shops”. Both groups of professionals state that they are able to return to their “professional core”. Originality/value: The beneficial outcomes of organizing healthcare inspired by the “value shop” have previously been explored in terms of efficiency and quality. However, the professional fulfilment of healthcare professionals when providing such care has not been explicitly addressed. Professional fulfilment is vital in order to safeguard high-quality care, as well as healthcare professionals' involvement and engagement in implementing quality improvements. This paper highlights the fact that care provision inspired by the “value shop” may facilitate professional fulfilment, which further strengthens the potential positive outcomes of the “value shop” when utilized in a healthcare setting. 

The present study describes and analyses how social interactions between individual actors form institutionalwork in the highly institutionalized setting of healthcare organizations. Based on a qualitative case study, weaffirm that social interactions mainly form maintaining institutional work, thus primarily upholding the rigidityof healthcare organizations. Social interactions either preserve distance between different actors or prevent theirmutual influence, which decreases the effects of institutional complexity. However, when institutional work goesbeyond maintaining, social interaction is characterized by processes of claiming influence and granting influencebetween individual actors who adhere to different institutional logics, which allows effects of institutionalcomplexity. Such institutional work is contingent upon physicians’ strong power position, and granting influenceis likely to precede claiming influence.