Public Policy and Professional Practice
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- Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper is Professor of Management and Director of the MBA (Education). He is a member of the core academic teams for the MBA (Health Executive), the Masters in Professional Leadership and Management, and Professional Doctorates in Health and in Education.
He is a Visiting Professor at Strathclyde University and an external examiner at the Open and Durham Universities. Academic Adviser to Partners in Paediatrics, a regional association of children’s health services providers, Steve was inaugural Chair of the NHS Research for Patient Benefit Grants Committee for the West Midlands (2007-2011), and he chairs the Governance Committee of an Educational Partnership (2011- ). At Keele, Steve was inaugural Director of the Research Institute for Public Policy and Management (2005-2009).
Steve Cropper’s research interests are in
- the organization and governance of public services,
- inter-organisational relations – partnerships, alliances, networks, and
- public and community engagement in public policy and public services.
These are reflected in long-term projects funded by central and local agencies to evaluate and support a) partnership as a means of addressing health inequalities and promoting community health and wellbeing and b) the improved organisation of children’s health services through the development of managed clinical networks.
Doctoral projects include:
An exploration of value creation and realization in managed clinical networks: a comparison between voluntary and mandated networks – Usman Zafar
The Feasibility of Clinical Networks in Nigeria – Tarry Asoka
Capturing intellectual capital in an health services organization – Sue Molesworth
Exploring investigation practices and the management of Serious Untoward Incidents in NHS Community and Mental Health Services – Aly Hulme
The Dynamics of Community Participation: Evidence from Practice – Ken Mawomo
With Mark Ebers (University of Koln) and Peter Smith Ring (Loyola Marymount University), Steve is currently working on a five-volume ‘Major Work’ commissioned by Sage publishers, which brings together published papers that represent the development of research into Inter-organizational Relations, particularly as reflected in organization studies, management studies and public administration.
Selected Publications
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2011. Packing more punch? Developing the field of inter-organisational relations. International Journal of Strategic Business Alliances, vol. 2(3), 153-170. doi>
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2009. Investing in lay researchers for community-based health action research: implications for research, policy and practice. Critical Public Health, vol. 19(1), 59-70.
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2008. Change, dynamics and temporality. In The Oxford handbook of inter-organizational relations. Cropper S, Ebers M, Huxham C (Eds.). Oxford University Press, USA.
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2008. Introducing Inter-organizational relations. In The Oxford handbook of inter-organizational relations. Cropper S, Ebers M, Huxham C (Eds.). Oxford University Press, USA.
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2008. Investing in lay researchers for community-based health action research: implications for research, policy and practice. In The Oxford handbook of inter-organizational relations. Cropper S, Ebers M, Huxham C (Eds.). Oxford University Press, USA.
Full Publications List show
Books
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2008. Handbook of inter-organisational relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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2007. Community health and wellbeing:action research on health inequalities. Policy Press. link>
Journal Articles
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2011. Packing more punch? Developing the field of inter-organisational relations. International Journal of Strategic Business Alliances, vol. 2(3), 153-170. doi>
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2009. Investing in lay researchers for community-based health action research: implications for research, policy and practice. Critical Public Health, vol. 19(1), 59-70.
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2005. A simulation-based study of a NHS Walk-in Centre. Journal of the Operational Research Society, vol. 56(2), 153-161. doi>
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2004. Establishing managed clinical networks in paediatric services: experience of partners in paediatrics. Current Paediatrics, vol. 14(4), 347-353. doi>
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2002. Managed Clinical Networks: multi-lateral collaboration. Archives of Disease in Childhood, vol. 87, 1-4. doi>
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2001. Developing sustainable collaborations: learning from theory and practice. Primary health care research and development, vol. 2, 139-148.
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2001. Partners in paediatrics a model for future service provision. Midland Medicine, 116-120.
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2001. Partners in paediatrics developing in collaborative strategic planning framework for improvement in paediatric and child health service. journal of integrated care pathways, 18-19.
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2001. Partners in paediatrics: A model for future service provision. Midlands Medicine, vol. 3(22), 116-120.
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1997. Analysing the medicine-management interface in acute trusts. J Manag Med, vol. 11(2-3), 88-95. link>
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1993. THE ROLE OF DECISION-SUPPORT IN INDIVIDUAL-PERFORMANCE REVIEW. IFIP TRANSACTIONS A-COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol. 26, 43-55. link>
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1992. THE ANALYSIS OF CAUSE MAPS. JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, vol. 29(3), 309-324. link>
Chapters
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2008. Change, dynamics and temporality. In The Oxford handbook of inter-organizational relations. Cropper S, Ebers M, Huxham C (Eds.). Oxford University Press, USA.
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2008. Introducing Inter-organizational relations. In The Oxford handbook of inter-organizational relations. Cropper S, Ebers M, Huxham C (Eds.). Oxford University Press, USA.
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2008. Investing in lay researchers for community-based health action research: implications for research, policy and practice. In The Oxford handbook of inter-organizational relations. Cropper S, Ebers M, Huxham C (Eds.). Oxford University Press, USA.
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2008. The field of inter-organizational relations: a jungle or an Italian garden?. In The Oxford handbook of inter-organizational relations. Cropper S, Ebers M, Huxham C (Eds.). Oxford University Press, USA.
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2007. Action research partnerships: contributing to evidence and intelligent change. In Community Health and Wellbeing: Action Research on Health Inequalities. al SCE (Ed.). Bristol: Policy Press.
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2007. 'Policy experiments': policy making, implementation and learning. In Community Health and WEllbeing: Action Research on Health Inequalities. al SCE (Ed.). Bristol: Policy Press.
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2003. Structure, process and texture in the development of 'equal partnership' relationships- a case of a partnership for neighbourhood regeneration. In Co-creating emergent insight: multi-organisational partnerships, alliances and networks. Hibbert P (Ed.). Glasgow: University of Strathclyde.
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2002. Enhancing collaborative health services planning and management: the role of decision support systems. In Evidence-based management in health care: the role of decision support systems. Boldy D, Braithwaite J, Forbes I (Eds.). Sydney: University of New South Wales.
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2001. Changing Institutional Frameworks: Formalisation as a Means of Institutionalising Collaborative Activity. In Organisational Behaviour in Health Care . Ashburner L (Ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
Other
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2004. Managed Clinical Networks in Paediatric Care: Organisational Conditions and Development Issues. 5th International Integrated Care Conference 2004.
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1993. THE ROLE OF DECISION-SUPPORT IN INDIVIDUAL-PERFORMANCE REVIEW. DECISION SUPPORT IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (vol. 26, pp. 43-55). link>
Steve Cropper’s teaching focuses on aspects of organisation, management and leadership for professionals in public services, including organisational behaviour and development, strategic management, management science and research methods.

