Is new public management on the return in the governance of hospitals? An assessment from a networked governance perspective

This paper analyses whether new public management is in the process of being rolled back as suggested by recent research undertaken from the perspective of the networked governance approach. The paper is delimited to analysing dimensions supposed to prevent the implementation of a systematic collaborative innovation approach to solving wicked problems in hospitals. The paper is based on original data combining semi-structured interviews and analysis of the content of the contracts used for governing hospitals. The paper relies on an in-depth study of the Danish hospitals located in Greater Copenhagen. The case is a purposefully selected critical case. Methodologically, the paper builds on critical realism. The paper finds that, contrary to what is proposed by proponents of the networked governance approach, new public management is not reduced in importance but becoming increasingly institutionalised. The paper suggests that this is a problem in connection with solving wicked problems based on tools from the networked governance approach.