Can conflict be used as the “raw material” for health services management?
The author examines the possibility of understanding ordinary conflicts within health care organizations as a management object. He thus proposes the use of an “analytical matrix” aimed at allowing the actors involved in conflictive situations (always in a self-analytical position) to achieve a broader understanding of such conflicts. There would be new possibilities for contractibility in the management of the health service’s daily routine, as well as new shapes in the relations among workers; this would include bringing previously concealed conflicts to the surface and helping them reach the service’s decision-making arena. The author also indicates possible difficulties for adopting this type of managerial practice.
