Health Manpower Management

Mohamed Zairi

1998 Health Manpower Management

doi: 10.1108/09552069810215728pmid: 10346314

This paper is the second from a series of three, addressing human resource practices using best practice examples. The analysis covered is based on the experiences of organizations that have won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) in the USA. The sub‐criteria covered in this benchmarking comparative analysis covers the following areas: human resource planning and management; employee involvement; employee education and training; employee performance and recognition; employee wellbeing and satisfaction. The paper concludes by reflecting on the likely implications for health‐care professionals working in the human resource field.

Annabelle Mark; Peter Critten

1998 Health Manpower Management

doi: 10.1108/09552069810215737pmid: 10346315

The need to understand chaos and complexity in organisations has particular importance for health which is bedevilled by the complexity of organisations and the sometimes chaotic nature of its core activities. This article seeks to explore these issues in the context of one of the key functions which is expected to hold together this diversity: Human Resource Management (HRM). An exploration of the nature of HRM in health care as it has evolved indicates that in order for it to have a pivotal role for the future it will need to rethink this role in the changing paradigm which is now emerging; in so doing it could develop as the organisational intelligence for health care in the future facilitating organisational learning and creativity.

Junaid Siddiqui; Brian H. Kleiner

1998 Health Manpower Management

doi: 10.1108/09552069810215746pmid: 10346316

Human resource management practices with special reference to the latest developments of the 1990s such as environmental effects and managing diversity, were investigated. The purpose of the study was to unveil how the health care industry can benefit from these new concepts, as well as to describe how the traditional health care facilities can adapt these new ideas. Specific examples were provided to illustrate this point. In compilation of this report, both primary and secondary research was used. As primary research, many reputable individuals in the health care industry were consulted, and asked to comment on the rough draft of this report. Secondary sources included many journal articles, original researches and books that were written on this technical subject. It can be concluded from this research, that the health care industry should adapt the latest methods to compete and survive, such as use more marketing tools to attract human resource management personnel from other industries, promote diversity at the work place, promote from within the company, and cross‐train personnel whenever possible. Health care industry has generally lagged behind other industries in securing high‐performance individuals and marketing personnel; however, with the development of health maintenance organizations, this trend is changing.

Larry A. Mallak

1998 Health Manpower Management

doi: 10.1108/09552069810215755pmid: 10346317

Health care providers offer an ideal setting to study the effectiveness of resilient behavior. The notion of a resilient organization is an emerging concept for understanding and coping with the modern‐day pace of change and associated work stress. Resilience is the ability of an individual or organization to expeditiously design and implement positive adaptive behaviors matched to the immediate situation, while enduring minimal stress. This paper reports on the development and testing of several scales designed to measure aspects of resilience in the health care provider industry. Six factors explaining over half the instrument variance were found, including: goal‐directed solution seeking; avoidance; critical understanding; role dependence; source reliance; and resource access. Results are discussed and future research is outlined.

Rita Mano‐Negrin

1998 Health Manpower Management

doi: 10.1108/09552069810215764pmid: 10346318

The “work attitudes‐turnover” linkage was compared among four medical‐sector occupational groups. In a sample of 707 employees, drawn from eight variously‐sized medical‐sector sites, intended and actual turnover behavior is predicted. Combining a cross‐sectional and longitudinal analysis, and using two logistic regression models, the direct effect of work attitudes on intended and actual turnover was assessed. The “work attitudes‐turnover” was shown to be occupationally‐dependent.