Overview of the frame selected and why?
The structural frame considers the social context of work with a focus on the objectives of the organization. Based on the model, organizations exist to accomplish objectives, the structure of the organization must fit the circumstances, peak performance emerges due to specialization, control and coordination are vital, and restructuring can be used to solve emerging issues (Bolman & Deal, 2013). The structural manager develops and implements an appropriate structure based on the issues and the existing circumstances. The design involves clarification of organizational objectives, consideration of the external environment, creation of an appropriate structure based on the task, and encouraging an environment that clearly shows authority lines, handles the task, logic and facts, not emotions and personality. The structural frame is appropriate when there are clear objectives and data, the cause-effect associations are understood, technologies are strong, and conflict is little, uncertain and ambiguity are low, and legitimate authority is stable. The structural frame is suitable because it offers guidelines for organizational use such as matching the correct construct with specific service areas.
What evidence did you find in the organization that supports that lens?
The Atlantic Health System (AHS) is a leading non-profit health care system in New Jersey and includes over five medical centers across the state. Being a large organization, strong partnerships with physician leaders is needed to help the organization achieve its goals. The organization has achieved this by developing and implementing new alignment approaches between physicians and the medical centers they serve and between the medical centers under the organization. The organization first designed a physician leadership development program to deal with leadership issues facing physician leaders. The organization partnered with The Leadership Development Group to develop the leadership development model. The main objectives of the program included strengthening the alignment between physician leaders to the objectives of the organization, enhancing relationships between physician leaders and their relationship with the executive, and create leaders who can drive the required changes.
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Literature Review based on the lens selected
The structural framework can be defined as a leadership model that considers strategy, structure, implementation, adaptation, environment, and experimentation (Bolman & Deal, 2013). Implementation of the framework allows leaders to think logically and clearly when designing policies and goals. According to Bolman and Deal (2013), leaders exhibiting this model ensure that people account for results. Structural leaders also emerge as key providers of appropriate technical support that can be useful in designing, shaping, directing, and implementing policies in an organization (Sheninger 2014). Developing a structure that matches the nature of the environment and the expected results is the key to organizational success (Bolman & Deal, 2013). According to Bolman and Deal (2013), there is no best method to structure and organize an organization.
Many factors influence the structure, which include age and size of the organization, the capacity or incapacity of leaders to direct and guide all operational aspects, core processes that the organization uses to pursue its mission, environment, goals and strategy of the organization, technology accessible by the organization, and workforce nature including the competencies and skills of members. For instance, firms focusing on human services function in an environment with numerous regulations, which affects the need of the leadership to manage key operational aspects such as risk (Mosley & Smith, 2016). Organizations focusing on 24 hour operations such as hospitals must offer their staff with an extra level of flexibility and autonomy to make decisions when the immediate supervisor is absent (Baljoon, Banjar & Banakhar, 2018). The meaning of this is that organizations should consider the different structural dimensions and their unique circumstance when designing effective structures. Given the need to consider other variables, studies have found several limitations when using or applying the structural frame. For instance, Bush (2013) found the frame to be too simplistic and without the ability to integrate other vital variables such as political and human components. Overall, the structural frame is an appropriate model for an extensive organization with many branches and units as it assists in helping the organization to restructure based on existing circumstances and its objectives.
How does viewing the organization through this lens impact on how the organization is effective or ineffective in the context of today’s healthcare reform?
The current health care leadership environment is characterized by participatory management models that aid in improved care delivery. The environment reflects the structural frame because the frame considers changes in the environment. The structural frame ensures the effectiveness of the organizations because one of its expectation is placing workers in the right tasks. The main challenge is the top down approach that the organization uses to implement structural changes. While the leadership may see the need to change, it does not consider the importance of internal discussions in preparing for reforms. It is, however, important to be ready for chaos because implementing a new organizational structure leads to losses on the part of workers since they may not be familiar with new ways of doing things (Bridges, 2017). The management should still ensure that workers are familiar with the new changes besides acknowledging the losses and chaos that emerge.
The existing demands and reforms in the health care environment require new strategies and thinking. In the traditional structure, for example, teams facilitate communication. The challenge today is the interdependence between the different departments. Lack of a participatory management framework may lead to issues such as chaos, confusion, lack of stability, and loss of direction, which may also act as barriers to organizational effectiveness. The structural frame will ensure that the organization adapts to the changing environment by implementing new communication structures that enhance interdependence between different departments.
References
Baljoon, R., Banjar, H., & Banakhar, M. (2018). Nurses’ Work Motivation and the Factors Affecting It: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Nursing & Clinical Practices , 5 (1). https://doi.org/10.15344/2394-4978/2018/277
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2013). Reframing organizations : artistry, choice, and leadership . Jossey-Bass.
Bridges, W. (2017). Managing transitions : making the most of change. Da Capo.
Bush, T. (2013). Theories of educational leadership and management . Sage, Repr.
Mosley, J., & Smith, S. R. (2016). Human Service Agencies and the Question of Impact: Lessons for Theory, Policy, and Practice. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance , 40 (2), 187–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2016.1171995
