General Practitioners Are from Mars, Administrators Are from Venus: The Role of Misaligned Occupational Dispositions in Inhibiting Mandated Role Change

Abstract

Research on mandated occupational role change focuses on jurisdictional conflict to explain change failure. The authors’ study of the English National Health Service highlights the role of occupational dispositions in shaping how mandated role change is implemented by members of multiple occupational groups. The authors find that tension stemming from misaligned dispositions may emerge as members of different occupations interact during their role change implementation efforts. Depending on dispositional responses to tension, change may fail as members of the different occupations avoid interactions. This suggests that effective role change can be elusive even in the initial absence of conflicting occupational interests.