Specific Organizational Factors Research Articles

The IntegratedEthicsTM Staff Survey: A Tool to Evaluate and Improve Ethical Practices in Health Care

Background: To improve ethics quality in health care, health care organizations need a way to characterize whether ethical practices throughout the organization are consistent with accepted ethics standards, norms, and expectations for the organization and its staff. We developed the IntegratedEthics™ Staff Survey (IESS) to fill this need. Methods: The IESS was developed and validated through a rigorous multiyear process. This process included reviews of the bioethics and health care literature to develop conceptual maps of common ethical issues in health care; focus groups and interviews with institutional stakeholders to identify key ethical concerns; cognitive testing, pilot testing, and field testing to ensure that questions were understandable and useful; and item reduction and modification to reduce respondent burden. Results: The IESS addresses staff perceptions of ethical practices in nine domains: everyday workplace, business and management, government service, patient privacy and confidentiality, resource allocation, shared decision making with patients, professionalism in patient care, end-of-life care, and research. The 2010 version of the survey consisted of 76 questions (excluding 8 demographic questions), including questions about the degree to which facility staff demonstrate behavior consistent with specific ethical practices, systems-level or organizational factors that support or interfere with ethical practices, and the ethical environment and culture. The IESS has served as a catalyst for multiple quality improvement and educational activities. Conclusions: The IESS represents an across-the-board approach to measuring ethics quality in multiple areas encompassing clinical, organizational, and research ethics. In addition to its use in quality improvement efforts, the IESS may be used to assess whether there are systematic differences across different disciplines, services, and supervisory levels; to evaluate the effectiveness of ethics programs; and to identify trends in ethical practices over time.

The effectiveness of the performance measurement in terms of contemporary business environment

The effective performance measurement systems inevitably become the condition of companies' existence in terms of contemporary dynamic and very turbulent environment. The effective performance measurement system enables company to measure and control performance in accordance with the defined strategy. In designing of the performance measurement system in contemporary environment, there should be respected financial as well as non-financial indicators reflecting the effects of the key activities, which add the value of any company. Introduction of the diversified strategic aligned performance indicators should improve the organizational outcomes by increasing the quantity of the information relevant for making decision, which are at managers disposal, what strategic consistent making decision makes ease. The effectiveness of the performance measurement system is influenced by numerous factors, some of which are the subject of the paper. The aim of the paper is to highlight the significance of multidimensional measures use as well as of the specific organizational factors in the process of contemporary performance measurement systems implementationi.

Is There An Association between Local Health Department Organizational and Administrative Factors and Childhood Immunization Coverage Rates?

Background Vaccines are valuable, cost-effective tools for preventing disease and improving community health. Despite the importance and ubiquity of vaccinations, childhood immunization coverage rates vary widely by geography, race, and ethnicity. These differences have been documented for nearly two decades, but their sources are poorly understood. Between 2005 and 2008, immunization staff of the National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) visited 17 local health department (LHD) immunization programs in 10 states to assess their immunization service delivery (ISD) practices and their impact on community childhood immunization coverage rates. Purpose To qualitatively characterize LHD immunization programs and specific organizational factors underlying ISD performance challenges and successes related to community childhood immunization coverage rates. Methods Case studies were conducted in a convenience sample of 17 geographically and demographically diverse LHDs, predicated on each LHD's childhood immunization coverage rates per data from the National Immunization Survey and/or Kindergarten Retrospective Survey. NACCHO staff selected LHDs with high (≥80% up to date [UTD]), moderate (≥75% UTD but <80% UTD), and low (<75% UTD) coverage rates. All immunization staff members interviewed (n=112) were included in focus group interviews at each LHD per a standard semi-structured interview script developed by NACCHO staff. Supporting documents from each LHD immunization program were also collected for inclusion in the analysis. Content and thematic analyses of interview transcripts and supporting documents were conducted. Results Two thematic dimensions and six key factors emerged from the data. the dimensions of the themes were success and challenge elements. the organizational factors that were associated with success and/or challenges with regard to improving childhood immunization coverage rates included 1) leadership: organizational leadership and management related to aligning ISD with other child-focused services within the LHD; 2) resources: organizational efforts focused on aligning federal and state ISD financing with local ISD needs; 3) politics: political advocacy and partnering with local community stakeholders, including local political entities and boards of health to better organize ISD; 4) community engagement/coalitions and partnerships: partnerships, coalitions, and community engagement to support local immunization-related decision-making and prioritization; 5) credibility: agency credibility and its ability to influence community attitudes and perspectives on the health department's value in terms of child health; and 6) cultural competency of LHD staff: LHD staff members’ perceptions and understandings of its community's cultural, economic, and demographic attributes shaped their responses to and understandings of the community and how they interacted with it in terms of service delivery. Discussion Public health researchers are in a nascent stage of understanding how health department organizational factors may contribute to specific community health outcomes, such as childhood immunization coverage rates. An implicit challenge to LHD immunization programs is to implement strategies that lead to equitable and high vaccination coverage among children, despite shrinking resources and community demographic differences. Community-specific attributes (e.g., poverty, lack of health insurance, or geographic isolation) affect childhood immunization coverage rates, but internal LHD aspects such as leadership and organizational culture also likely have a significant impact.

Service blueprinting effectiveness: drivers of success

PurposeThe aim of the present study is to theoretically elaborate the Service Blueprinting (SB) effectiveness concept and integrate it within a conceptual framework, with specific antecedents and the moderating role of two major service characteristics: complexity and divergence.Design/methodology/approachIn order to validate the theoretical framework, a field study in 102 hotels was conducted, with the use of a structured questionnaire.FindingsThe results validate the research instrument used to capture SB effectiveness and indicate market orientation, service climate and service design formality as its three major antecedents. Moreover the degree of complexity and divergence of the service process were found to positively moderate the aforementioned relationships.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's limitations rely on the business and national context as long as the lack of distinction between newly developed services and service modifications. Also, further research should also integrate the influence that SB effectiveness has on a service provider's organizational function and customers’ perceptions on service quality.Practical implicationsThe study provides a useful guide on how a service blueprint should be designed and also the different approaches that should be taken into consideration according to the type of service that is mapped.Originality/valueThe effectiveness of the SB process is conceptualized for the first time and explored in a quantitative research. Also, for the first time, specific organizational factors are indicated as major antecedents of SB effectiveness and two service characteristics are found to moderate these influences.

Šikana na pracovišti v prostředí českých univerzit: výskyt, formy a organizační souvislosti

Workplace bullying (or mobbing) refers to a destructive form of behaviour that occurs within organisations and that inflicts psychological and social harm on targeted employees, creates a hostile work environment, and affects organisations negatively. This article presents findings from the first Czech study into workplace bullying and other forms of negative workplace behaviour in Czech universities. The aim of the study was to analyse the incidence of bullying among university employees and to examine the organisational contexts that promote bullying. Data from three Czech public universities (N = 1533; F = 58.0%) were collected using a questionnaire distributed among academics, PhD candidates, and administrative staff. Based on a well-established definition of workplace bullying, 7.9% of the respondents reported that they had been targets of bullying during the past year, and 28.8% reported witnessing bullying during the same timeframe. The results indicated a link between hierarchical position and bullying; the majority of respondents who claimed to have been bullied identified their superiors as the perpetrators. In addition, the occurrence of bullying was significantly related to specific organisational factors, namely to a low level of cooperation among employees, a poor work climate, recent organisational changes, and a toxic organisational culture.

ORGANISING FOR MODULARITY IN DYNAMIC MARKETS

Facing constantly increasing product variety and changing customer demands, many companies have adopted a product modularisation strategy to increase strategic flexibility. Despite the dominant view that product modularisation directly increases strategic flexibility, it is argued here that the causal link between product modularisation and strategic flexibility is mediated by specific complementary organisational factors which enable firms with a modular product structure to develop strategic flexibility. Moreover, the interrelationship between product architecture and organisational structure is regarded as reciprocal. That is, product architecture and organisational structure are considered to co-evolve and mutually influence each other. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate how firms applying a modularisation strategy organise in order to increase the strategic flexibility, and how the organisational structure is interrelated with the product architecture, especially the ability to maintain a modular product architecture over time. Two International automotive companies, both of them implemented a modularisation strategy in the mid-1990s, have been studied. From the cases it can be concluded that the alignment of product and organisational architecture, decision-making structures, and the management of knowledge affect a firm's ability to evolve its products and maintain a modular product structure over time.

A comparative modelling analysis of firm performance

The ongoing financial and economic crisis throughout the industrialised world has spotlighted a number of significant deficiencies in corporate governance and management. The strength and composition of the management team along with effective corporate governance policy should play an important role in addressing these challenges. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how analytics can be used to identify the importance of specific organisational factors that could impact corporate performance. A WRDS database consisting of a variety of factors was examined using Logit, neural net and CART modelling techniques. The results from the analysis indicate that diversity and governance policies appear to have played only a modest role in explaining corporate performance as measured by Tobin's Q for the year 2004.

A Research Study on Estimation of TQM ‘Factors Ratings’ Through Analytical Hierarchy Process

Rigorous review of the literature advocates that a several factors are to be considered for effective deployment of TQM in an organization. Different business excellence models considers slightly different factor with different weights, but a selected business model suggests same factor ratings for all types of Industrial units. The factor weights are very much necessary at two stages, one is for giving required importance while deploying TQM concept in an organization, second stage to understand the degree of business excellence achieved through TQM deployment. Hence the author has attempted to develop organization specific factors and factor ratings by considering business specific key performance indicators (KPIs) along with weighted ratings with the help of Analytical Hi erarchy Process (AHP).

An Organizational Approach to Understanding Evaluation in Extension

The majority of funding for Extension comes from local, state, and federal dollars; therefore the primary driver for evaluation is accountability for public funds. Evaluation has always been a part of Extension program implementation; however, these efforts have historically been considered a necessary component rather than a priority. The need for Extension to demonstrate public value is increasing due to county and state budget cuts. The ability to provide credible information depends primarily on the evaluation activities of Extension professionals. The purpose of this research was to use an organizational framework to examine how organizational evaluation structures influenced evaluation behaviors of Extension professionals. A survey was used to collect data from Extension professionals in eight state Extension systems to examine how their perceptions of specific organizational and individual evaluation factors influenced their engagement in evaluation behaviors. The results show changes at multiple levels within an Extension system can be used to predict behavior. Extension leaders can impact the level at which programs are evaluated by making changes to their own behavior and establishing a social culture that is more supportive of evaluation. In addition, an emphasis on evaluation skill development for Extension professionals is needed.

Factors influencing the effectiveness of performance measurement systems

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the association between the use of multidimensional performance measures and four organizational factors with the effectiveness of performance measurement systems (PMSs).Design/methodology/approachData were collected by mail survey questionnaire from a random sample of 455 senior financial officers in Australian manufacturing organizations.FindingsThe results reveal that the use of multidimensional performance measures is associated with two dimensions of the effectiveness of PMSs (performance and staff related outcomes). The results also reveal that organizational factors were associated with the effectiveness of PMSs. Specifically, top management support was found to be associated with the effectiveness of PMSs in respect to the performance related outcomes, and training was associated with the staff related outcomes.Practical implicationsThe findings provide managers with an insight into the desirable PMS characteristics and the specific organizational factors that they can focus on in order to enhance the effectiveness of their performance measurement system.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the limited empirical research examining the effectiveness of PMSs regarding the extent to which organizational processes are achieved. In addition, the study provides an empirical analysis of the association between the five perspective (financial, customer, internal business process, learning and growth, and sustainability) BSC model and four organizational factors with the effectiveness of PMSs.

An Efficiency Comparison of High Tech Firm R&D Innovation in Different Environmental Conditions

Research and development (R&D) metrics influence research decisions, research efforts, resources allocation, performance control, and eventually innovation. Increasing concerns have emerged regarding how characteristic differences can significantly affect output as well as regarding the relative performance and productivity associated within the high tech industry. The primary objective of this study is to apply a new variant of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to examine the influence of specific organizational factors on high tech firm performance through system-DEA (SDEA) models, summarizing the insights in the process. Such insights are obtained using a new procedure for measuring high tech firm efficiency in R&D innovation productivity that takes into account specific organizational factors and variety. The SDEA divides decision-making units into homogenous and non-homogenous efficiency frontier systems and then employs the rank-sum-statistics-test to identify different systems, comparing them to the basic BCC DEA model among various high tech firms. As such, this study advances the understanding of specific organizational factors by exploring a largely ignored aspect in extant literature-namely, the performance measurement of R&D innovation. The empirical results strongly demonstrate that applying the SDEA to the high tech industry can find that firms operating within specific organizational factors are less efficient than those within non-specific organizational factors. The key findings verify the mutual learning effects that occur in R&D innovation processes of homogenous and non-homogenous high-tech firms applying the different systems.

University corporatisation

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the work‐related attitudes (job satisfaction, job stress and the propensity to remain) of Australian academics and their association with organisational, institutional and demographic factors.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by distributing a survey questionnaire to 750 academics, from 37 Australian universities.FindingsThe results indicate a moderately low level of job satisfaction, moderately high level of job stress, and high propensity to remain. The findings reveal that the organisational factors (management style, perceived organisational support, and the characteristics of the performance management system) exhibited the most significant association with academic work‐related attitudes, with the only significant institutional factor, the declining ability of students, negatively impacting on job satisfaction and job stress. The findings revealed that work‐related attitudes differ, based on discipline, with science academics found to be more stressed and less satisfied than accounting academics. Different organisational and institutional factors were associated with the work‐related attitudes of academics from these two disciplines.Practical implicationsThe findings will make university management aware of the work‐related attitudes of staff, and the factors that are associated with such attitudes, thereby assisting management in developing management policies, and taking appropriate action to address the concerns of staff.Originality/valueThe study provides an initial comparison of the work‐related attitudes (job satisfaction, job stress, and propensity to remain) of Australian academics across the accounting and science disciplines. The study also provides an important insight into the association between specific organisational and institutional factors, with the work‐related attitudes of Australian academics across both disciplines.

Overcoming Knowledge-Barriers Associated with Strategic Innovation for the ?Bottom of the Pyramid?

Limited ‘bottom of the pyramid’ (BOP) specific know-how has been acknowledged in various studies as a major hurdle for established firms while undertaking a strategic innovation. Yet, the nature of knowledge based hurdles barely finds mention in existing literature on the BOP. Using longitudinal data from three ventures, with different degrees of success in the BOP segment, our paper identifies: (i) the challenges faced by established firms due to the lack in BOP specific knowledge, and (ii) the organization specific factors or dynamic capabilities that enable in resolving the knowledge barriers.

Dimensions of internationalism and the politics of the labour movement

PurposeMuch is being claimed in terms of new forms of trade union networking and co‐ordination at the international level during the past two decades. However, there is a need to ground these views in terms of the reality and contexts of trade union activity. This article seeks to argue that tension within the different modes of international labour activity is nothing new. In fact, political and organisational differences in terms of the practices and strategies of the labour movement have been salient features of trade unionism for over a century. The article will map the interest in networking as a form of labour co‐ordination and the question of the emergence of competing international models of network‐based trade union action.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on a general and literature review of the debates on labour internationalism supported by insights gained from a variety of research initiatives.FindingsAs noted by a variety of authors, the reality is that there are assorted types of global and international movements within trade unionism, which are based on four dimensions in terms of specific sectoral, ideological, organisational and national factors. There is a need is to understand the tensions between these models, and not just work from a “vertical” view of power based on hierarchies and levels.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is mainly a critical review of debates and discussions.Practical implicationsNetwork‐based initiatives should not just be contrasted with bureaucracyper se, but be understood in terms of distinct initiatives, meanings and politics. In fact, one could see the signs of emerging “managerialist” modes of labour internationalism.Social implicationsNew forms of trade union and worker representation in a global context are engaging with social and political issues – they are engaging with a range of social and organisational activities such as those of non‐government organisations. These represent an important debate on the way work‐related issues are organised around.Originality/valueThe paper indicates how the question of labour networking is a significant academic discussion and needs to be seen from different perspectives.

Educational Interventions for Implementation of Arthritis Clinical Practice Guidelines in Primary Care: Effects on Health Professional Behavior

The dissemination and adoption of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) has been suggested as one method for improving arthritis care delivery. This article provides a review and synthesis of studies evaluating the influence of educational programs designed to implement CPG for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in primary care. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant educational interventions that reported behavioral outcomes that ensured actual knowledge utilization in primary care. A standardized approach was used to assess the quality of the individual studies and a modified version of the Philadelphia Panel methodology allowed for grading of studies based on strength of design, clinical relevance, and statistical significance. The search identified 485 articles; 7 studies were selected for review. In OA, peer facilitated workshops with nurse case-management support for patients decreased the number of referrals to orthopedics by 23%, and educational outreach by trained physicians improved prescribing of analgesics. Interprofessional peer facilitated workshops were successful in increasing referrals to rehabilitation services for people with OA and RA. There was sparse literature on educational programs for the implementation of arthritis CPG in the primary care environment. Future studies are needed to evaluate which specific organizational, provider, patient, and system level factors influence the uptake of arthritis CPG in primary care.

NGO-led Microfinance: Potentials and Challenges in Conflict Areas

This paper explores the feasibility and challenges of NGO-led microfinance in conflict affected areas, based on the experiences in Shi Lanka. While NGOs have a distinct advantage to operate in conflict affected environments, capacity constraints and linkages to political network of the conflict actors can affect microfinance-led rehabilitation by influencing their priorities. Also, emergence of hierarchical power structure and complex accountability arrangements can negatively affect community based initiatives by weakening their capacity to organize social and economic activities. The paper argues for more analysis of context specific insitutional and organizational level factors, which can help to devise better rehabilitation interventions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Case study: Al Amana of Morocco

PurposeThe United Nations General Assembly adopted 2005 as the Year of Microcredit, recognizing the link between inclusive financial systems and the economic development of those most at need. Microcredit, or more broadly microfinance (MF) has a role to play in facilitating growth through the provision of credit to entrepreneurs. Association Al Amana for the Promotion of Micro‐Enterprises Morocco (Al Amana) is an unusually successful microfinance institution (MFI) registered as a non‐profit organization in Morocco. Starting in 1997, with capital provided by USAID, it has grown to become the leading MFI within Morocco and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It has seen rapid growth in clients and assets while also reaching a level of financial sustainability uncommon among MFIs. Why has Al Amana been so successful? This paper will seek to examine this question, highlighting key internal and external factors that have contributed to this organization's success.Design/methodology/approachFurther, this analysis will examine Al Amana within its regional enabling environment to highlight those critical issues within an entrepreneurial finance climate that are conducive to MF lending. Additional analysis of Al Amana includes a review of their portfolio, key financial indicators, and other bank strategies that have been instrumental in their financial growth and success. Lastly, the analysis will conclude with a discussion of the key factors that will become important to the sustainability and growth of this MFI as it serves the needs of entrepreneurs in Morocco. The methodology for the research consisted of a literature review of MFI activity in Morocco and the MENA region, an examination of key elements within the enabling environment, and a financial review of Al Amana and its key financial results.FindingsThe results of the research provide a case study of a successful MFI that is contributing to the development of entrepreneurs in its region. It will also highlight the specific organizational factors as well as key elements in the enabling environment that have facilitated the success of Al Amana.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the success of Al Amana in Morocco and presents some of the challenges facing the organization.

The effect of specific organizational and managerial factors on the performance of foreign subsidiaries in Japan

The purpose of this study is to examine what performance variables are most important to operating successfully in Japan, with its particular challenges, and which variables best explain and predict the performance of foreign subsidiaries there. This will be investigated by focusing on Swiss subsidiaries operating in Japan. The framework incorporates the following factors: characteristics of a parent company and its subsidiary, manager characteristics, length of time of market penetration and length of time that the wholly owned subsidiary has operated in Japan. Data were collected from 51 subsidiaries and analyzed using the correlation method and cross-tabulation. The study results provide support for the assertion that parent company and subsidiary characteristics, as well as manager features, have an influence on how a subsidiary performs in Japan.

Knowledge Management Systems Diffusion in Chinese Enterprises

With the recognition of the importance of organizational knowledge management (KM), researchers have paid increasing attention to knowledge management systems (KMS). However, since most prior studies were conducted in the context of Western societies, we know little about KMS diffusion in other regional contexts. Moreover, even with the increasing recognition of the influence of social factors in KM practices, there is a dearth of studies that examine how unique social cultural factors affect KMS diffusion in specific countries. To fill in this gap, this study develops an integrated framework, with special consideration on the influence of social cultures, to understand KMS diffusion in Chinese enterprises. In our framework, we examine how specific technological, organizational, and social cultural factors can influence the three-stage KMS diffusion process, that is, initiation, adoption, and routinization. This study provides a holistic view of the KMS diffusion in Chinese enterprises with practical guidance for successful KMS implementation.

Human Error and Commercial Aviation Accidents: An Analysis Using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System

The aim of this study was to extend previous examinations of aviation accidents to include specific aircrew, environmental, supervisory, and organizational factors associated with two types of commercial aviation (air carrier and commuter/ on-demand) accidents using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). HFACS is a theoretically based tool for investigating and analyzing human error associated with accidents and incidents. Previous research has shown that HFACS can be reliably used to identify human factors trends associated with military and general aviation accidents. Using data obtained from both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, 6 pilot-raters classified aircrew, supervisory, organizational, and environmental causal factors associated with 1020 commercial aviation accidents that occurred over a 13-year period. The majority of accident causal factors were attributed to aircrew and the environment, with decidedly fewer associated with supervisory and organizational causes. Comparisons were made between HFACS causal categories and traditional situational variables such as visual conditions, injury severity, and regional differences. These data will provide support for the continuation, modification, and/or development of interventions aimed at commercial aviation safety. HFACS provides a tool for assessing human factors associated with accidents and incidents.