Organizational innovation and integrated care: lessons from Buurtzorg

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 174-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharda Nandram ◽  
Nicole Koster

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the case of Buurtzorg Nederland as a good practice example of integrated care, focussing in particular on the organizational aspects of its innovation. As the field of integrated care is still in many ways in its infancy, it is hoped that lessons learned could help other agencies and other systems seeking to reform community-based care. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on a grounded approach, this case study is based on individual interviews with 38 respondents comprising staff, founder, co-founders, coaches, nurses, clients and a trainer and analysis of internal company reports. Findings – Based on the case study the authors suggest an integrated approach as the main explanation of the good practice at Buurtzorg rather than a focus on one single concept such as management structure, information and communication technology, community-based care or a patient focus. Next to the multi-level approach it furthermore shows a multi-dimensional approach as explanation for its success. In this perspective the primary process is the leading process but fully supported by the secondary process containing support facilities from a head office of the organization. Practical implications – Buurtzorg Nederland has been awarded with several prizes for its good management practice in integrated care and attention internationally is growing. Originality/value – This paper provides the first case study write-up of the Buurtzorg model for an international audience, based on extensive research to be published in an international book.

2009 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 220-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eamonn McGettingan ◽  
Donal O'Neill

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the approach taken within Kentz Engineers and Constructors to develop electrical technicians and other apprentices on an international basis.Design/methodology/approachThe approach adopted is that of a case study which describes activities and processes within the college and the rationale behind them supported by appropriate material.FindingsAn integrated approach is needed to developing qualified tradespeople as junior supervisors involving work rotation, mentoring, learning and development workshops and peer support. Corporate will, together with systems and infrastructure, is needed to be successful organization‐wide.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a case study that focuses on reflections from practice. Lessons learned and proposed will need to be tested in other organizations.Originality/valueThe paper provides original, tested solutions to problems that face the majority of organizations in the global construction industry and which will be familiar to all who manage the transition of apprentices into supervisory positions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Kay Maddox-Daines

Purpose – This case study aims to explore the practice of female managers within a small higher education institution experiencing rapid growth and undertaking significant organisation change. Design/methodology/approach – This study takes an ethnographic approach to the exploration of professional identity constructions in management practice. Using an approach based on “grounded” principles rather than a pure grounded approach, it was possible to draw together key concepts arising from the data. Initial themes generated through thematic analysis were later penetrated with the use of a narrative approach which allowed for deeper insights to be captured through detailed participant stories. Findings – This case highlights how management practice is affected by ambiguity and uncertainty. Gendered practice and belonging highlights the impact of the “silent identity”. In particular this study emphasises the implications of incongruence between the self and the organisation as new “in groups” form as a result of perceived exclusion from the executive team. Practical implications – Paying attention to good practice in the management of change is essential to diminishing some of the tension that may present itself within evolving organizations. The investment of time on arrival as the new leader in an organisation will support the development of a cohesive management team and provide the basis for effective communication channels. Originality/value – This study provides an empirical contribution to the study of women and professional identity within the workplace and the way in which this is conceived.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 364-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Wing Chu

Purpose Despite the fact that schools should be places where learning occurs, most schools have overlooked the importance of knowledge. In contrast, commercial firms have recognized knowledge as a strategic intangible asset and a key resource of the enterprises. Therefore, enterprises have already harnessed knowledge to a great extent with wide practice of knowledge management (KM). The purpose of this paper is to show that KM could be applied to the education sector similar to the practice in the business world for leveraging intellectual assets. This paper examines how schools can kick off the process of KM implementation. This paper also reports what have been done and what should be done in KM implementation better in a school. This can give insights for schools which will try KM in near future. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a case study in a secondary school to explore how KM can be kicked off and sustained in a school setting. A KM system called knowledge base and a document management system called Digital Archive were developed to serve as the infrastructure for knowledge sharing. Lesson study and communities of practice (CoPs) were adopted to be the platforms for knowledge sharing among teachers in the school. A case study of the processes and lesson learned was done in this paper. Multiple sources of data, including observations, questionnaires and interviews, have been collected for evaluation. Findings In this paper, KM implementation was found to be effective through dual approaches: information-based and people-/interaction-based approaches. A knowledge base and a Digital Archive as knowledge repositories and lesson study and CoPs as platforms for knowledge sharing have been successfully established to facilitate sharing information/knowledge and nurturing a sharing culture and trust. Challenges faced and the related coping strategies during the process of implementation were shared and reflected. It was also found that building sharing culture is the critical turning point of the process of KM implementation. Breaking through the barrier of sharing was found to be very essential to KM implementation. Research limitations/implications This paper adopts case study methodology to report the process of KM implementation in a school. Although these results of the study conducted in one school may not be generalized to other school contexts, the lessons learned in the study will be a strong empirical evidence of research of KM implementation, especially in schools. Because of the limited number of prior studies and the importance of the pioneering work of launching KM implementation, this paper tries to address the research gap by using theory building from cases as a research strategy rather than theory testing research, especially in “how”and“why” in the steps of kicking off KM implementation in an unexplored research area. Practical implications This paper shows a case of KM implementation in a school with thoughtful procedures of implementing information-based and people-/interaction-based approaches. The paper is a showcase that will shed light on the processes and lessons learned and also helps to provide a model for schools who are interested in applying KM in their schools. Social implications Most people might think that KM can be applied only in commercial sector. This paper shows that KM can also be adopted in schools as well as other sectors. Originality/value This paper represents one of the pioneering work of implementing KM in a school. It hopes to make contributions for KM implementation also in the public sector within which are non-profit-making organizations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 385-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth Wyn Owen

Purpose A case study of the Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum (WHELF) project to procure and implement a shared library management system (LMS) for all universities in Wales, together with the National Health Service Libraries in Wales and the National Library of Wales. In particular, the purpose of this paper is to explore the drivers to this collaboration, outline the benefits achieved and the framework to realise further benefits. Design/methodology/approach Case study review of the process, together with a review of literature on consortia and LMSs. Findings WHELF has developed into a more mature consortium through procuring and implementing a shared LMS. The process has delivered tangible benefits and is driving more work to realise further benefits. Research limitations/implications As the WHELF Shared LMS project is only nearing the end of the implementation phase, many of the anticipated operational benefits cannot be reported. Practical implications Useful case study for other consortia or potential consortia. Originality/value WHELF is in vanguard of consortia developments in the UK, and this is the first case study of the project.


2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Moffatt

Purpose – This case example looks at how Deloitte Consulting applies the Three Rules synthesized by Michael Raynor and Mumtaz Ahmed based on their large-scale research project that identified patterns in the way exceptional companies think. Design/methodology/approach – The Three Rules concept is a key piece of Deloitte Consulting’s thought leadership program. So how are the three rules helping the organization perform? Now that research has shown how exceptional companies think, CEO Jim Moffatt could address the question, “Does Deloitte think like an exceptional company?” Findings – Deloitte has had success with an approach that promotes a bias towards non-price value over price and revenue over costs. Practical implications – It’s critical that all decision makers in an organization understand how decisions that are consistent with the three rules have contributed to past success as well as how they can apply the rules to difficult challenges they face today. Originality/value – This is the first case study written from a CEO’s perspective that looks at how the Three Rules approach of Michael Raynor and Mumtaz Ahmed can foster a firm’s growth and exceptional performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zsuzsanna Győri ◽  
Borbála Benedek

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the stakeholders of debt settlement programmes in general and some lessons learnt from the most significant debt settlement programmes of recent years in Hungary. The study also presents a planned debt settlement programme in Hungary. The paper explores and details behaviours and motivations of different stakeholders in debt settlement in general and also with reference to a specific case study. As for its main research question, the paper seeks to identify the preconditions of a successful debt settlement programme with specially emphasis on the poor. Design/methodology/approach Data from semi-structured in-depth expert interviews, documents and former research papers were collected for identifying previous Hungarian debt settlement programmes and potential lessons learnt. After a general discussion, based on primary and secondary sources, a case study is presented to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of opportunities and challenges of debt settlement. Findings Six preconditions of successful debt settlement targeting the poor are identified. In the case study, the existence and relevance of these preconditions are tested: the main finding is that they all are important for solving the situations, so a partial solution is not sufficient. In the scope of the case study, more precisely within the planned innovative banking solution, the motivations of the bank and the coordinator NGO are identified. On the part of the bank, motivations for solving social problems (both as far as business and moral issues are concerned) are relevant, while – as for the other party – the situation of the debtor is important to understand so that opportunities of cooperation can be identified. In addition, as other stakeholders also influence the potentials of the programme, their cooperative attitude is also needed. Research limitations/implications Limitations consist in generalisation: the study presents some cases from one single country and finally it focuses only on one specific case in one specific social and economic context in Hungary. Having recognized this risk, the author opted for basing research questions on theory, documented the process in detail, and also used triangulation through applying a multiple data collection (interview, content analysis, literature review) method. Practical implications Besides presenting an academic understanding of the phenomena, the goal of the study is to contextualize and interpret the case, to help the realization of currently frozen initiatives and to promote similar future ones. Social implications Indebtedness is a stressful situation affecting families, smaller communities and broader society as well. The planned cooperation of BAGázs and MagNet tries to help people excluded from the banking system. So that a deeper debt trap can be avoided, the goal of this programme is to purchase, partially discharge and reschedule pre-accumulated debts of carefully selected people who have regular income and are willing to undertake bearable repayment. The idea is very innovative with literally no good practice to follow. The research seeks to clarify the pitfalls and opportunities to help the realization of the project and similar future ones. Originality/value A certain form of values-based banking concerns the financial inclusion of the poor, e.g. debt settlement. Nevertheless, over-indebtedness and the settlement of existing debts as well as the relevance of such issues to the financial inclusion are not emphasized enough in the literature or in practice. Besides presenting an academic understanding of the phenomena, the goal of the study is to contextualize and interpret the case, to help the realization of currently frozen initiatives and to promote similar future ones.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 444-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Shepherd ◽  
Shintaro Hamanaka

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify major challenges that Asia-Pacific policy makers face in drawing up international logistics policies, and to seek possible solutions to the problems. Design/methodology/approach – Case study method: the paper includes seven case studies that attempt to address various types of logistics challenges. The paper introduces both intra- and extra-regional examples of the ways in which those challenges have been overcome in particular contexts through concerted action by government and the private sector. Findings – There are a lot of interesting experiences of overcoming logistics challenges, both inside and outside the Asia-Pacific region. Good practice experiences can be replicated by other countries in the region. Originality/value – While there have been a lot of discussions on logistics policy reforms, this paper is one of the first attempts that clearly link challenges with concrete case experiences where those are overcome. The paper discusses very practical issues in an analytically sound manner, using case method.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 187-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Mackay ◽  
Mary Notman

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline the duties and powers of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act (ASPSA) 2007 and place them in the wider Scottish adult protection legislative framework. It considers the potential value of a standalone adult safeguarding statute. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw upon their research and practice expertise to consider the merits of the ASPSA 2007. They take a case study approach to explore its implementation in one particular Scottish local authority, drawing on the qualitative and quantitative data contained in its annual reports. Findings Skilled, knowledgeable and well-supported practitioners are key to effective screening, investigations and intervention. Protection orders are being used as intended for a very small number of cases. Research limitations/implications The lack of national statistical reports means that there is limited scope for comparison between the local and national data. Practical implications Adult support and protection requires ongoing investment of time and leadership in councils and other local agencies to instigate and maintain good practice. Aspects that require further attention are self-neglect; capacity and consent and residents in care homes who pose potential risks to other residents and staff. Social implications ASPSA 2007 has helped to raise awareness of adults at risk of harm within the local communities and as social issue more generally. Originality/value The authors provide a critical appraisal of the implementation of Scottish adult safeguarding legislation over the last six years. They consider similar developments in England and Wales and argue for comparative research to test these out. Finally, they signpost future directions for bridging separate policy streams.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naasson Gafirimbi ◽  
Rex Wong ◽  
Eva Adomako ◽  
Jeanne Kagwiza

Purpose Improving healthcare quality has become a worldwide effort. Strategic problem solving (SPS) is one approach to improve quality in healthcare settings. This case study aims to illustrate the process of applying the SPS approach in implementing a quality improvement project in a referral hospital. Design/methodology/approach A project team was formed to reduce the hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rate in the neonatology unit. A new injection policy was implemented according to the root cause identified. Findings The HAI rate decreased from 6.4 per cent pre-intervention to 4.2 per cent post-intervention. The compliance of performing the aseptic injection technique significantly improved by 60 per cent. Practical implications This case study illustrated the detailed application of the SPS approach in establishing a quality improvement project to address HAI and injection technique compliance, cost-effectively. Other departments or hospitals can apply the same approach to improve quality of care. Originality/value This study helps inform other hospitals in similar settings, the steps to create a quality improvement project using the SPS approach.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Steele Gray ◽  
James Shaw

Purpose Models of integrated care are prime examples of complex interventions, incorporating multiple interacting components that work through varying mechanisms to impact numerous outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to explore summative, process and developmental approaches to evaluating complex interventions to determine how to best test this mess. Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint draws on the evaluation and complex intervention literatures to describe the advantages and disadvantages of different methods. The evaluation of the electronic patient reported outcomes (ePRO) mobile application and portal system is presented as an example of how to evaluate complex interventions with critical lessons learned from this ongoing study. Findings Although favored in the literature, summative and process evaluations rest on two problematic assumptions: it is possible to clearly identify stable mechanisms of action; and intervention fidelity can be maximized in order to control for contextual influences. Complex interventions continually adapt to local contexts, making stability and fidelity unlikely. Developmental evaluation, which is more conceptually aligned with service-design thinking, moves beyond these assumptions, emphasizing supportive adaptation to ensure meaningful adoption. Research limitations/implications Blended approaches that incorporate service-design thinking and rely more heavily on developmental strategies are essential for complex interventions. To maximize the benefit of this approach, three guiding principles are suggested: stress pragmatism over stringency; adopt an implementation lens; and use multi-disciplinary teams to run studies. Originality/value This viewpoint offers novel thinking on the debate around appropriate evaluation methodologies to be applied to complex interventions like models of integrated care.


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