ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the theories and methods and develops in carrying out research into the management of modern UK healthcare. It discusses the main research issues that have influenced the development of this perspective, which is basically a hybrid approach to sociological analysis. It explains the research perspective Critical-Action Theory to show how it can contribute to management and organization studies generally. It also describes the process by which we have applied our Critical-Action perspective to studies of managerial work in four health service sectors. The chapter describes the philosophical, theoretical and methodological journey we have taken from initially framing our research question to arriving at this answer through empirical analysis. It questions that how applicable it was for contemporary theoretical and methodological developments in management and organization studies (MOS). It introduces the research perspective developed and adopted in the course of our investigations into managerial work in UK healthcare.
