Burke (2008) defines Organizational assessments as a systems science approach that analyzes a projected development, determining the effects of the development on the organization, evaluating the preparedness of the organizational units to embrace the development, and evaluating the people and organizational risks associated with the development. Organizational assessment brings about the systematic examination of various aspects within an organization that helps in the documentation of the present performance and plan for progression.
The outcome of the assessment could include the identification of staff opinions, attitudes, concerns, and behaviors; the organizational effectiveness- weaknesses and strengths, areas of improvements, as well as the baselines for assessments with other internal or external processes.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Burke and Litwin (1992) composed a model that can be used by various organizations to bring out the anticipated outcomes. In the model, the key dimensions include external environment, mission and strategy, leadership, organizational culture, structure, systems, management practices, work unit climate, task and individual skills, individual needs and values, motivation, individual, and organizational performance. The duo argues that if an organization is able to answer the key questions within this model, then that particular organization has the ability to rise beyond the others.
Dimensions of Model |
Key Questions |
| 1. External Environment |
What are the key external drivers? How are these likely to impact on the organization? Does the organization recognize these? |
| 2. Mission and Strategy |
What does top management see as the organization's mission and strategy? Is there a clear vision and mission statement? What are employees' perceptions of these? |
| 3. Leadership |
Who provides overall direction for the organization? Who are the role models? What is the style of leadership? What are the perspectives of employees? |
| 4. Organizational Culture | What are the overt and covert rules, values, customs, and principles that guide organizational behavior? |
| 5. Structure |
How are functions and people arranged in specific areas and levels of responsibility? What are the key decision-making, communication, and control relationships? |
| 6. Systems | What are the organization's policies and procedures, including systems for reward and performance appraisal, management information, human resources, and resource planning? |
| 7. Management Practices |
How do managers use human and material resources to carry out the organization's strategy? What is their style of management, and how do they relate to subordinates? |
| 8. Work Unit Climate |
What are the collective impressions, expectations, and feelings of staff? What is the nature of relationship with work unit colleagues and those in other work units? |
| 9. Task and Individual Skills |
What are the task requirements and individual skills/abilities/knowledge needed for task effectiveness? How appropriate is the organization's "job-person" match? |
| 10. Individual Needs and Values |
What do staff members value in their work? What are the psychological factors that would enrich their jobs and increase job satisfaction? |
| 11. Motivation |
Do staff feel motivated to take the action necessary to achieve the organization's strategy? Of factors 1 through 10, which seem to be impacting motivation the most? |
| 12. Individual and Organizational Performance |
What is the level of performance in terms of productivity, customer satisfaction, quality, and so on? Which factors are critical for motivation and therefore performance? |
Fig 1. Burke & Litwins Casual Model of Organizational Performance and Change
One of the key aspects of the medical profession is competition between the medics, especially the practitioners and specialties. We do care about our patients; we work hard towards ensuring that their needs are catered for. Within the pediatric urology department, the professionals work hard for colleges, medical schools or medical associations. As efforts are extended towards improving training facilities in various medical colleges, teachers’ trainings should be heightened ( Bajpai, 2009). In our pediatric urology department, it is evident that the outcome is not disappointing; we averagely hold four meetings annually, and this has improved in terms of the awareness, for those intending to refurbish their knowledge and skills, the forum is always open, irrespective of one’s affiliations.
According to Bajpai (2009), pediatric urology is in a persistent flux and state-of-the-art care is constantly being reconsidered. For this matter, there is a vital need for certificate of accreditation. With the emergence of endoscopy and laparoscopy and adult-oriented instruments advancing refinements with diminishment, there is an added shot in the arm of pediatric practice. Furthermore, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) and endourological systems that are developing in adult practice have swiftly replaced open stone-surgery in children.
Organizational leadership has a direct impact or influence on an organizations and its success (Germano, 2010). Leaders are the determinants of values, employee motivation, culture, and change tolerance, among others. Successful leaders do have something in common. They insert influence to the people around them so as to reap maximum benefit. As much as hospitals and healthcare facilities strive towards achieving higher status, the leaders must work hard to ensure they embrace the rapid change brought about by the technological advancements (Crowell, 2016). The current leadership theories define leaders based on traits and how they use influence and power to achieve the anticipated objectives.
Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT) is the theory that describes the interactive dynamics of complex systems (CAS) rooted within contexts of larger organizing systems (Bien, & Marion, 2009). This can only be understood by recognizing the term complexity.
“ In complex dynamic systems that adapt to their context, a study of the parts surely produces an incomplete understanding of the whole. In adaptive systems apparently inexplicable results arise from the interactions between simpler components. But such systems are not random and follow patterns even if they are difficult to predict precisely.”
Clinical Microsystem is a small group of professionals working together on a regular basis, so as to provide care to distinct groups of patients. Having clinical and business aims processes of care that is linked together, an environment with shared information. It leads to the production of services and care that may be dignified and leveraged as performance outcomes. (Institute of Medicine, 2001)
Healthcare organizations have thousands of such microsystems. The only challenge that comes with these systems is to identify the microsystem on which to work on daily basis, as well as to identify how they can be maximized to accomplish their functions and business aims. The knowledge of how a particular microsystem relates with other microsystems within an organization leads to maximization of the organization’s strategic vision (Institute of Medicine, 2001).
In conclusion, performance strategies should reflect how the microsystem units interact rather than propagate the outdated concept of solely assessing an individual performance.
Reference
Bajpai M. (2009). Pediatric Urology; Development, eligibility, practice. Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons.
Bien M. & Marion R. (2009). Complexity Leadership Theory.
Burke, W. & Litwin, G.(1992) A Casual Model of Organizational Performance and Change. Journal of Management .
Burke, W. (2008). Organizational Change: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications, 2nd Edition.
Crowell, D. (2016). Complexity Leadership: Nursing’s Role in Health-Care Delivery 2nd Ed.F.A Davis Company, Philadelphia.
Germano M. (2010). Leadership Style and Organizational Impact.
Institute of Medicine. (2001). Committee on Quality of Health Care in America . Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century . Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
