This dissertation is a study of the public policy-making process, the role of ideas and relationships in this process, and their effect on social economy enterprises, in particular co-operatives. It is concerned with a central problem in all social economy organizations today: understanding the impact of public policy on funding, decision-making and strategy. The relationship between Saskatchewans co-operative Community Clinics and the provincial government is of particular interest. In spite of a seeming congruence between the goals of the Community Clinics and the government, the Clinics have not been allowed to play a significant role in reforming the delivery of health care services in the province.<p>
The dissertation draws on models and concepts from the literatures on businessgovernment relations, public policy and the policy-making process, the role of ideas and ideology in public policy, the social economy and public policy, and governmentco-operative relations. A case study of the Community Clinics is elaborated through key informant interviews and supported by examination of primary and secondary literature.<p>
This research shows that the Community Clinics are unique organizations and that a new understanding can be developed if the Clinics are viewed as hybrids some combination of co-operative, public, and perhaps even private organizations. The ambiguity in the relationship arises at least in part from the differing and conflicting ways that the Community Clinics have been conceptualized by the politicians, government officials, the health regions, and even the Clinics themselves. The research also shows that the dominant idea at play in the health care policy domain in Saskatchewan remains that of private medical practice, with fee-for-service remuneration, and that the conditions necessary for a major policy change with respect to the role of the Community Clinics do not exist.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:USASK/oai:usask.ca:etd-04122010-091353 |
| Date | 10 August 2010 |
| Creators | Smith, Rochelle Elizabeth |
| Contributors | Hammond Ketilson, Lou, Gertler, Michael, Fairbairn, Brett, Fulton, Murray, Clarke, Louise |
| Publisher | University of Saskatchewan |
| Source Sets | University of Saskatchewan Library |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-04122010-091353/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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