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Organization Studies
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The Diffusion of Medical Innovations: Can Figurational Sociology Contribute?

Sue Dopson

School and Templeton College, University of Oxford, UK, sue.dopson{at}templeton.ox.ac.uk

This article seeks to present and explore the relevance of a figurational, or process sociological approach, as developed by Norbert Elias, to the investigation of innovation and change. It is argued that Elias’s work offers a theoretically robust framework for exploring such issues. Applications of the principles of his work, in particular the emphasis on an understanding of longer-term unplanned processes, are a potential help to those charged with planning and managing complex change, such as the introduction of innovation. The example of health policy-makers’ attempts to use the principles of evidence-based medicine (EBM) to change clinical practice is used to explore these claims.

Key Words: innovation • evidence-based medicine • change • Elias • figurational sociology

Organization Studies, Vol. 26, No. 8, 1125-1144 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0170840605053545
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