This book investigates the practical challenges and theoretical contradictions inherent in applying Business Process Reengineering (BPR) within the complex environment of public health care systems. Ewan Ferlie and Terry McNulty utilize their expertise in organizational behavior and public sector management to analyze the friction between traditional functional hierarchies and modern process-oriented structures. By grounding their research in a comprehensive case study of a major NHS hospital, the authors provide a framework for understanding how corporate change strategies interact with the unique constraints of clinical and administrative health care settings.

Experts in health care management recognize this work as a critical examination of the limitations of applying private-sector management tools to public institutions. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the case study analysis, which provides a realistic view of the complexities involved in hospital reorganization.