The American General Hospital as a Complex Social System
AUTOR(ES)
Georgopoulos, Basil S.
RESUMO
Based on data from and about the medical, nursing, and administrative staffs in a probability sample of general hospitals, involving 41 institutions and some 2,400 respondents, certain aspects of the hospital social system are examined in each of the following basic problem-areas: organizational and member goal attainment; availability and allocation of organizational resources; organizational coordination; social integration; intraorganizational strain; and organizational adaptation. These areas are examined separately and in relation to one another, as a basis for understanding and assessing the overall effectiveness of the hospital as a complex social organization. Hospital effectiveness is viewed in the context of open system theory, as a joint function of the relative success with which the organization handles its problems in these key areas. Findings concerning a number of social-psychological variables in each area are presented and discussed, with emphasis on the interdependence of the areas and on organizational issues and implications. The results show some of the basic strengths and weaknesses of the system. Important differences associated with hospital size and affiliation are also discussed to illustrate the typical profile of the American general hospital and significant variations from it. Similarly, differences among the principal groups in the system are presented, where appropriate. Finally, promising directions for future organizational research in the hospital field are briefly presented.
