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Building Departmental or Unit Power within Human Service Organizations: Empirical Findings and Theory Building
Abstract
A study of strategies employed by hospital social service unit directors (UDs) to obtain resources: power dependency, network, assertiveness, & leadership strategies. Interviews were conducted with UDs & hospital administrators (HAs) of 50 hospitals. A unit's power was measured by size & "role complexity" (number of service roles assumed by staff). Results reveal significant associations between: (1) unit size & extent of HA's belief that the unit uses a territorial strategy, staff participation incollaborative services with MDs, the HA's belief that the UD assumes a decision-making role, the UD's inclusion in information networks, & the UD's belief that growth is impeded by key officials' lack of knowledge of social work functions; & (2) between-unit role complexity & extent of emphasis on grant seeking, use of external mandates requiring social services, seeking budget increases, staff use of selected power-seeking strategies, engagement in departmental planning, use of technical studies, HA's knowledge of social workers' service activities, & UD's belief that growth is impeded by social work's ability to make a case for expansion; & (3) between both unit size & role complexity & extent of HA's belief that the unit provides tangible services. Discussed are the findings' implications for strategic management & future research. 4 Tables
Journal
(Fall 1984)
vol8
no3
pages41-56
Categories
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Financial Management
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Strategic Planning
