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Public Sector Organizational Failure: A Study of Collective Denial in the UK National Health Service.
- Source :
- Journal of Business Ethics; Sep2021, Vol. 172 Issue 4, p691-706, 16p, 2 Diagrams, 1 Chart
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- This paper argues that public sector organizational failure may be best understood from a perspective of collective denial. The rise of this phenomenon is examined using testimony from a Public Inquiry into the downfall of a UK hospital, where falling organizational standards led to unethical decision making and an unacceptable number of patient deaths. In this paper, we show how collective denial, over time, became a process that resided within the fabric of organizational life. To explore the organizational processes associated with collective denial, and how and why it occurs, we identify the influence of a 'narrative of silence.' This narrative allows ever more serious failings to be justified as organizational members lose contact with reality entering a downward spiral with no recovery. The combined impact of assumptions about leadership capability, enculturated professional identities, and organizational loyalty create an environment where a narrative of silence can develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01674544
- Volume :
- 172
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Business Ethics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 152013341
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04517-1