Week 10; Strategic planning & organizing Flashcards
What refers to the way in which a group/organization is formed, its lines of communication, and its means for channeling authority and making decisions?
organizational structure
Why is organizational structure important?
No matter where you may begin your first job you will be a part of a nursing healthcare organization. Having an understanding of how the organization functions and accomplishes it’s work, meets it’s goals and operates productively, will be essential for your success in that system.
What are the advantages of an organizational chart?
- Maps lines of decision-making authority
- Helps people understand their assignments and those of their coworkers
- Reveals to managers and new personnel how they fit into the organization
- Contributes to sound organizational structure
- Shows formal lines of communication
What are the disadvantages of an organizational chart?
- Does not show the informal structure of the organization
- Does not indicate the degree of authority held by each line position
- May show things as they are supposed to be or used to be rather than as they are
- Possibility exists of confusing authority with status
What does the organizational structure indicate? (2 things)
- Authority, power, hierarchy, span of control, expected communication lines for decisions…
- Shows how work gets done – the processes for communicating.
What do solid lines of the organizational chart depict?
the formal relationships, lines of communication, and authority
What do the solid horizontal lines of an organizational chart indicate?
represent communication between people with similar spheres of responsibility and power but who have different functions
What do the solid vertical lines between positions denote?
the official chain of command and the formal paths of communication and authority
How will the organizational structure affect you as a new grad?
The Org chart will show you where/who to go for questions, who’s in charge, who has the power to do something about issues/ concerns.
What does the organizational culture consist of?
a system of symbols and interactions
What does the organizational culture include?
a sum total of values, language, past history of “sacred cows,” formal and informal communication networks, and the rituals of an organization.
What does organizational culture differ from?
organizational climate
What is organizational climate?
how individuals perceive the organization
What may the perception be of individuals in an organization?
may be accurate or inaccurate, and people in the same organization may have different perceptions about the same organization.
What 2 things is organizational culture?
- one cant’ see or touch this, as this is essentially invisible, but very real none- the less.
- Culture is the soul and personality of the institution. It is the basis of the corporate values and mileu.
What kind of structure provides a framework for defining managerial authority, responsibility, and accountability.
formal
What 3 things happen in formal structure?
- roles and functions are defined and systematically arranged
- different people have differing roles
- rank and hierarchy are evident.
What kind of structure is unplanned and covert, with informal authority and lines of communication?
informal structure
What 2 things happen in informal structure?
- People need to be aware that informal authority and lines of communication exist in every group, even when they are never formally acknowledged. 2. Nearly ALL settings have an “informal leader and structure”
Who is included in the top-level managers for typical categories of management?
- board of directors
- chief exec officer
- administrators
who is included in the middle-level managers for typical categories of management?
- nursing supervisors
2. department heads
who is included in the first-level managers for typical categories of management?
- team leaders
- charge nurses
- primary care nurses
- case managers
What are the advantages of a bureaucracy?
Clear lines of authority
Authority and responsibility clearly defined
Clear rules and regulations
Task specialization and division of labor
Impersonality of relationships
Technical efficiency
Promotion based on competence.
What are disadvantages of a bureaucracy?
Predisposed to authoritarian leadership style Use of rewards and punishment Competition for the advancement of an individual interest Aloofness secondary to specialization Faceless decision making Impersonal management Lack of flexibility Lack of accountability Establishment of organizational barriers
What is a flat organizational structure?
Flat occurs when there are few layers in the organization
How is a flat organizational structure different from a tall organizational structure?
Tall structures have many reporting layers illustrating the chain of command
What is an example of a flat organization?
a hospital that had all the nurses reporting to the DON.
What is characteristic of a flat organization structure?
hierarchical layers are flattening the scalar chain and decentralizing the organization
What is the decision-making hierarchy often referred to as?
scalar chain
What does flat line continue to have?
line authority
Because an organizational structure is flat in flat line, what can occur?
more authority and decision making can occur where the work is being carried out
Even though a flat line organizational structure is very flat, what does it often retain?
characteristics of a bureaucracy
What does the matrix organization design focus on?
product and the function
What does the matrix organization design have?
a formal vertical and horizontal chain of command
What do matrix organizations have fewer of?
formal rules and levels of the hierarchy
What can the matrix organization design cause?
slow decision making due to information sharing
What can the matrix organization design produce?
confusion and frustration for workers because of dual-authority hierarchical design
What type of organizational structure is used in some large institutions to address the shortcomings that are endemic to traditional large bureaucratic organizations?
service line organizations
What are service line organizations sometimes called?
care-centered organizations
What are service line organizational structures in comparison to large bureaucratic systems?
smaller
In service line organizations, what are determined by larger organization?
the overall goals
What does the service line decide on?
the Processes to be used to achieve the overall goals.
What happens in centralized decision making?
a few managers at the top of the hierarchy make most of the decisions.
What happens in decentralized decision making?
decision making is diffused throughout the organization, and problems are solved by the lowest practical managerial level. Usually, this means that problems can be solved at the level at which they occur.
What refers to the number of people directly reporting to any one manager and determines the number of interactions expected of him or her?
span of control
What is the issue with span of control structure?
Too many people reporting to a single manager delays decision making, whereas too few results in an inefficient, top-heavy organization
What are the 3 levels of management?
- top-level
- middle-level
- first-level
what are those entities in an organization’s environment that play a role in the organization’s health and performance, or that are affected by the organization?
stakeholders
what may stakeholders be?
internal and external
What should every organization be viewed as?
as being part of a greater community of stakeholders
What is the official power to act and direct the work of others?
authority
What is related to job assignment and must be accompanied by enough authority to accomplish the assigned task?
responsibility
What is the moral responsibility that accompanies a position?
accountability
What is the word magnet used to denote?
organizations who are able to attract and retain nurses.
What is magnet status not?
an award
What IS magnet status?
a credential which recognizes nursing excellence
What 4 things is included in magnet status?
- Well-qualified nurse executives are in a decentralized environment, with organizational structures that emphasize open, participatory management
- It is Autonomous, self-managing, self-governing climates that allow nurses to fully practice their clinical expertise, has flexible staffing, adequate staffing ratios, and clinical career opportunities
- This leads to a professional practice culture in all aspects of nursing care
- Magnet status is Compliant with standards in the ANA’s Scope and Standards for Nurse Administrators
What are the 14 magnet status forces?
- Quality of nursing leadership
- Organizational structure
- Management style
- Personnel policies and programs
- Professional models of care
- Quality of care
- Quality improvement
- Consultation and resources
- Autonomy
- Community and the hospital
- Nurses as teachers
- Image of nursing
- Interdisciplinary relationships
- Professional development
What is planning?
a proactive and deliberate process that reduces risk and uncertainty.
What must the manager identify with effective planning?
short and long term goals and changes needed to ensure the unit will be able to meet their goals
What does short and long term goals require?
requires leadership skills such as vision and creativity, flexibility and energy, data gathering, forecasting, and transformation of ideas into action.
Without adequate planning, what happens?
the management process fails and organizational needs and objectives cannot be met
What are 4 challenges to accurate planning?
- Health-care reform
- Rapidly changing technology
- Increasing government regulation of health care
- Scientific advances
What is the key to success in planning?
proactive planning
what type of planning occurs after a problem exists?
reactive planning
What type of planning seeks the status quo?
inactivism
What type of planning utilizes technology to accelerate change; future oriented?
proactive
What type of planning considers the past, present, and future and attempts to plan the future of an organization rather than react to it?
interactive
Advocating against implementing a new hospital computer system is an example of which type of planning? A. Reactivist B. Inactivist C. Preactivist D. Proactivist
B. inactivist; : Inactivists would rather maintain the status quo than take a risk with a new way of doing things.
What does strategic planning typically examine?
an organization’s purpose, mission, philosophy, and values/goals in the context of its external environment
What is a brief statement (no more than 3 or 4 sentences) identifying the reason the organization exists?
mission statement
What can a well written mission statement identify?
what is unique about the organization
What can mission statements become?
powerful decision making tools
What flows from the purpose or mission statement and delineates the set of values and beliefs that guide all actions in the organization?
philosophy
What does the philosophy ultimately do?
directs all further planning toward that mission
What 4 characteristics determine a true value?
- Must be truly chosen among alternatives only after due reflection
- Must be prized and cherished
- Is consciously and consistently repeated (part of a pattern)
- Positively affirmed and enacted
What are the ends toward which the organization is working?
goals and objectives
All philosophies must be translated into what if they are to result in what?
All philosophies must be translated into specific goals and objectives if they are to result in action.
What do goals and objectives ultimately do?
operationalize the philosophy
Complex plans are what?
long-range or strategic plans
What is SWOT?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
What are those internal attributes that help an organization to achieve its objectives?
strengths
what are those internal attributes that challenge an organization in achieving its objectives?
weaknesses
What are external conditions that promote achievement of organizational objectives?
opportunities
What are external conditions that challenge or threaten the achievement of organizational objectives?
threats
What are the SWOT rules?
- Be realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of your organization
- Be clear about how the present organization differs from what might be possible in the future
- Be specific about what you want to accomplish
- Always apply SWOT in relation to your competitors
- Keep SWOT short and simple
- Remember that SWOT is subjective
What does strategic planning clearly define?
the purpose of the organization
What is important to establish in strategic planning?
realistic goals and objectives
What does strategic planning identify?
external consitutencies and determine their assessment of the organization’s purposes
What does strategic planning clearly communicate?
the goals to the consituents
What 2 things does strategic planning develop?
- a sense of ownership of the plan
2. strategies to achieve the goals
What does strategic planning ensure?
the most effective use is made of resources
what does strategic planning provide?
a base from which progress can be measured
What are ways to have successful strategic planning?
Start planning at the top
Keep planning organized, clear, and definite
Do not bypass levels of people
Have short- and long-range plans and goals
Know when to plan and when not to
Keep target dates realistic
Gather data appropriately
Be sure objectives are clear
Remember, interpersonal relationships are important
What 5 things should strategic planning include?
- A clear statement of the organization’s mission.
- The identification of the agency’s external constituencies or stakeholders
- The determination of the agency’s purpose & operations.
- The agency’s strategic goals & objectives, typically in a 3 to 5 year plan.
- The development of strategies to achieve the goals
What is the planning hierarchy? from top to bottom:
Mission Philosophy Goals Objectives Policies Procedures Rules
What are some ways strategic planning might fail?
False assumptions Not knowing overall goal Not enough alternatives Inadequate time or other resources Low motivation levels Sound strategies not used Inadequate delegation of authority Not recognizing organizational goals and needs Planning too narrow in scope—not recognizing community, legal, and licensing requirements
Which is an example of why plans might fail? A. Not enough alternatives B. Low motivation levels C. False assumptions D. Lack of sound strategies E. All of the above
E; all of the above
What is the benefit of forecasting?
Forecasting examines present clues and projected statistics to determine future needs
