Sam van Elk is a Lecturer in Management and Organisation. His research uses conceptual apparatus from sociology and organizational process studies to engage with issues in public policy and management. Sam’s current interests centre on collaboration and conflict in and around public organisations. This has led to focused work on (i) the role of moral values and temporality in collaboration and conflict; (ii) how people work together in innovative or challenging ways, such as co-creation; and (iii) the integration of health and social care.

Sam van Elk is a Lecturer in Management and Organisation. His research uses conceptual apparatus from sociology and organizational process studies to engage with issues in public policy and management. Sam’s current interests centre on collaboration and conflict in and around public organisations. This has led to focused work on (i) the role of moral values and temporality in collaboration and conflict; (ii) how people work together in innovative or challenging ways, such as co-creation; and (iii) the integration of health and social care.

In principle, Sam’s research interests are applicable to a wide range of public, private and third sector organisations. However, he tends to focus his studies on the industries whose goals feel most important. Thus, Sam’s work focuses on public service bodies, and particularly health and social care systems. Accordingly, his work is published in journals like Public Management Review, but also in those like Human Relations.

Sam’s key areas of expertise include:
- Values and moral struggles in organisations
- Coordination in organisations, including co-creation and collaborative governance

- Temporality

- Austerity management

- Organisational process studies

- Text and discourse analysis
- Healthcare policy and management

Alongside his research, Sam is committed to building connections between academia and the health and social care sector. A former NHS manager, he believes strongly in the mutual benefits that arise from pooling academic and practitioner insights. Accordingly, he spends much of his time convening the Integrated Care Systems Research-Practice Network, a collaborative forum for those interested in the health and social care system and related research.

Sam particularly values the opportunities that his job gives him to work with students. He is Module Leader for Research Methods in Public Policy and Management, and of the Dissertation module in the department’s MSc in Public Policy and Management. Alongside that, he runs the undergraduate module Government and Business while teaching on doctoral and Executive Education programmes. He is proud to supervise four excellent doctoral students.

Dr van Elk is not currently accepting further doctoral students.