title: Developing purchasing strategy: a case study of a District Health Authority using soft systems methodology.
abstract: This paper examines the attempt by a District Health Authority (DHA) to create structures (called Purchasing Strategy Groups or PSGs) to facilitate the effective development of its purchasing strategy. The paper is based on a case study design conducted using Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). The research contribution the paper makes is twofold. First, it analyses some of the fundamental management-related difficulties that a DHA can experience when attempting to come to terms with its role and responsibilities in the 1990s. Second, it provides a discussion and evaluation of the utility of SSM for qualitative research in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.
authors.affiliation: Judge Institute of Management Studies, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D017754:Group Purchasing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D007857:Leadership; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009874:Operations Research; D015279:Organizational Culture; D012040:Regional Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D006113:United Kingdom