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The impact of the NHS reforms, and the resulting purchaser‐provider split, has refocused attention on the relationship between management and medicine in acute hospitals. It is timely to assess the explanatory power of various theoretical models regarding the management‐medicine interface. Argues that this interface is currently rather fluid and that a dynamic and adaptive model is best suited to understanding the way in which doctors and managers develop their relationship within the changing policy context. Two examples illustrate these shifting boundaries.

To provide an outline of the experiences of an editor of IJOPM.

Provides a brief summary of the author's experiences.

Notes that it was interesting to observe the way in which topics waxed and waned. A crucial test for any academic journal is whether it is regarded highly by those working in the field – there is evidence that this journal has established a strong International reputation in its subject area.

Provides an introduction to the special issue.

The purpose of the paper is to assess the state of performance management within the public sector and suggest areas for further research.

This is a theoretical paper based on a literature review.

The expected improvements in performance, accountability, transparency, quality of service and value for money have not yet materialised in the public sector. There are three classes of problems with performance management in the public sector – technical, systems and involvement. Externally imposed restructurings and reorganisations restrict the successful implementation of performance management.

The paper is theoretical, and empirical research to test the results is required.

The findings can be used to enhance performance management systems within both the public and private sectors.

The paper provides an overview of the state of performance management and measurement within public sector organisations and explains the possible unwelcome effects of performance management. It divides the problems into three categories and offers suggestions for improvement.

In 2009, the European Operations Management Association (EurOMA) celebrates its 15th anniversary and its precursor, the UK OMA, its 25th anniversary. The purpose of this paper is to review the origins and foundations of today's EurOMA and how it has progressed to being a vibrant and successful organisation.

The review draws on archived documents, especially newsletters and board minutes, as well as memories of all of those involved.

The review shows an important evolution from two groups of like minded individuals, through building annual conferences and brings these together as one. It then shows how it has evolved both through formalisation of its activities, building international links and, most importantly, developing a portfolio of activities to develop and support young researchers.

Where records are not available, the paper draws on individual memories of events from a long time ago.

As well as providing an invaluable record, it can provide a model for the development of similar organisations.

This paper aims to explore how an academic researcher and a practitioner experience scepticism for their qualitative research.

The study applies Olt and Teman's new conceptual phenomenological polyethnography (2019) methodology, a hybrid of phenomenology and duoethnography.

For the researcher-participants, the essence of living with scepticism means feeling a sense of injustice; struggling with the desire for simplicity and quantification; being in a circle of uneasiness; having a survival mechanism; and embracing healthy scepticism. They experience the essence differently and similarly in varied cultural contexts. Through duoethnographic conversations, they acknowledge that while there can be scepticism of their work, it is important to remain sceptical, persistent and curious by challenging traditional concepts. Theoretical and practical advances in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to highlight the need for clarifying qualitative researcher roles in academia and practice.

This paper contributes to the debate of qualitative versus quantitative research. Its originality is in exploring scepticism as lived experience, from an academic and practitioner perspective and applying a phenomenological polyethnography approach that blends two different traditional research paradigms.