Path Dependence on New Roads

Institutional Development of Quality Registers

Authors

  • Mattias Örnerheim Section of Political Science, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University.
  • Elin Wihlborg Section of Political Science, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v18i2.15685

Keywords:

Institutional change, Quality registers, Public governance, Path dependence, Time

Abstract

When explaining social development and changes in public administration, institutional change is a typical focus. Institutional analysis can combine the analyses of changes on the basis of formal legal and informal arrangements; it commonly shows that institutions lead to inertia where changes over time are concerned. Political aims are a guide to how organizations are designed and governed. When goals and earlier decisions clearly guide change, path dependence is a fundamental concept when explaining change. However, this analysis shows how and when quality registers appeared as an answer to changes in institutional arrangements in Swedish public healthcare. Through three phases, cumulative processes have been visible and the processes have been followed by an improved and increased usage of quality registers and other quality systems. This analysis shows that institutional development can be path-dependent in relation to methods and means. Despite changing goals over time, quality registers as a policy tool have been path-dependent and stayed firm. Thus, it is important to see also organisational methods as a development path that can be used to implement even new policy aims.

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Author Biographies

Mattias Örnerheim, Section of Political Science, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University.

In his doctoral thesis, Mattias Örnerheim is studying institutional change and governance in the healthcare sector. He has been a graduate student since 2010 and has a Master’s Degree in Political Science from Linnæus University, Växjö. Previously, he worked as a healthcare strategist at the County Administrative Board of Östergötland where he was responsible for evaluation, collaboration and monitoring. He has also won an award for best PhD student paper at an international conference in 2011.

Elin Wihlborg, Section of Political Science, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University

Professor Elin Wihlborg is Research Director at the Division of Political Science, Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University. Her research focuses on political legitimacy and changes in public administration, particularly the challenges relating to the increased use of information technology and sustainable development in the broadest sense. Her recent publications have dealt with such things as municipal governance in relation to emergency planning and public services in rural areas. She currently has a Marie Curie fellowship for research into sustainable e-government. She is also Mattias Örnerheim’s main supervisor.

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Published

2014-06-15

How to Cite

Örnerheim, M., & Wihlborg, E. (2014). Path Dependence on New Roads: Institutional Development of Quality Registers. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 18(2), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.58235/sjpa.v18i2.15685

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Section

Original Articles

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