Complexity science: Complexity, leadership, and management in healthcare organisations

摘要

Current management thinking largely assumes that a well functioning organisation is akin to a well oiled machine. This leads to the notion that performance is optimised when work is specified in detail and shared out to distinct operational units. Clinicians often object to these detailed specifications, while managers bemoan a lack of cooperation. The first article in this series introduced an alternative to the machine metaphor; that of a complex adaptive system (CAS). In this article we describe applications of complexity thinking in the organisation and management of health care.