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Public Sector Organizational Failure: A Study of Collective Denial in the UK National Health Service

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Abstract

This paper argues that public sector organizational failure may be best understood from a perspective of collective denial. The rise of this phenomenon is examined using testimony from a Public Inquiry into the downfall of a UK hospital, where falling organizational standards led to unethical decision making and an unacceptable number of patient deaths. In this paper, we show how collective denial, over time, became a process that resided within the fabric of organizational life. To explore the organizational processes associated with collective denial, and how and why it occurs, we identify the influence of a ‘narrative of silence.’ This narrative allows ever more serious failings to be justified as organizational members lose contact with reality entering a downward spiral with no recovery. The combined impact of assumptions about leadership capability, enculturated professional identities, and organizational loyalty create an environment where a narrative of silence can develop.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the support of the Daedalus Trust who funded this research; to Ellie Brodie who provided research assistance during this project, and to the editor and two reviewers who offered constructive feedback and helped us to develop the paper.

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  1. Brunel Business School, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

    Jane Hendy

  2. Essex Business School, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Campus, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ, UK

    Danielle A. Tucker

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  1. Jane Hendy
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Correspondence to Danielle A. Tucker.

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Hendy, J., Tucker, D.A. Public Sector Organizational Failure: A Study of Collective Denial in the UK National Health Service. J Bus Ethics 172, 691–706 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04517-1

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