The Library
Inter-epistemic power and transforming knowledge objects in a biomedical network
Tools
McGivern, Gerry and Dopson, Sue (2010) Inter-epistemic power and transforming knowledge objects in a biomedical network. Organization Studies, Vol.31 (No.12). pp. 1667-1686. doi:10.1177/0170840610380808 ISSN 0170-8406.
|
PDF
WRAP_McGivern__inter-epistemic.pdf - Accepted Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (308Kb) |
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0170840610380808
Abstract
We examine a multidisciplinary network established to translate genetics science into practice in the British NHS. Drawing on theory about epistemic communities and objects, we describe three stages in their lifecycle (vision/formation, transformation and reincarnation) and epistemic clashes over knowledge objects. Medical academics captured jurisdiction over the network at formation, through their superior knowledge of the nascent genetics discipline, producing epistemic objects reflecting their interests. A governmental community challenged medical academics for jurisdiction but, unable to transform objects by changing their space of representation in performance reporting, ceased funding the network, which then closed. Afterwards, however, a NHS community successfully ‘reincarnated’ a discarded epistemic object into a technical object in NHS practice. We make a theoretical contribution by developing a processual framework for understanding biomedical innovation, focusing on transforming objects situated between different wider knowledge/power structures. This explains how objects were transformed at micro-level through the interaction and relative power of local communities, influenced by macro-level rules about knowledge formation in wider epistemic, organizational and governmental communities.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) | ||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Medical innovations, Knowledge, Sociology of | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Organization Studies | ||||
Publisher: | Sage Publications Ltd. | ||||
ISSN: | 0170-8406 | ||||
Official Date: | 2010 | ||||
Dates: |
|
||||
Volume: | Vol.31 | ||||
Number: | No.12 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 1667-1686 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1177/0170840610380808 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 21 December 2015 | ||||
Date of first compliant Open Access: | 21 December 2015 | ||||
Funder: | National Institute for Health Research (Great Britain) (NIHR) |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |
Downloads
Downloads per month over past year