topic: [[Changing]] created: 2024-11-20 *A common way to evaluate how organizations implement quality improvement processes, and why they get different outcomes.* ##### what is it? The [[competing values framework]] is a scale that has validity arguments for its use in manager-level contexts, originally developed for use in human services organizations. It describes how organizations resolve two main tensions: >Flexibility vs Control >Internal Orientation vs External Orientation It describes a 2x2 table that creates a way of looking at organizations: | | Flexibility | **Control** | | ------------ | --------------- | ----------- | | **Internal** | TEAM | HIERARCHY | | **External** | ENTREPRENEURIAL | RATIONAL | However, in this study, those different subtypes did not resolve well when employees (non-manager level) were surveyed (this was the VA). ![[CleanShot 2024-11-20 at 15.56.24.jpg]] Instead, this article proposed "Prescriptive" vs "Humanistic" organizations. They felt these subtypes resolved better. However, their overall proposal is that healthcare employees see this differently than managers, and that if using a type of concept like this for research, validity should be argued if moving to a new context. | **Prescriptive** | **Humanistic** | | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | Managers are rule enforcers | Warm and Caring | | Employees adhere to policies | Commitment to Innovation and Development | It's interesting, because I think there can be dominant attitudes, but also room for both. The key question then, is when should you be prescriptive and when should you be humanistic? ##### why does it matter? “the same organization may simultaneously exhibit qualities of fundamentally competing value systems, and that the "best" organizational culture may be one of equilibrium” (Helfrich et al., 2007, p. 12) “We find a timely example of this in a recent study of top-ranked hospitals for acute cardiac care, which simultaneously exhibited a high degree of flexibility (for example, in applying clinical protocols) and a high degree of rigidity (for example, in selecting and pursuing specific performance targets)” (Helfrich et al., 2007, p. 12) There are many challenges facing organizations now: DEI, Agile workplace, Remote work. How do these tensions get resolved for you or in your organization? We are working on a values system for assessment called "Supportive Assessment." In the move to competency based education, there is increased focus on the learning outcome, possibly in tension with being present and meeting the learner where they are at! ##### This reminds me of Organizations, like leaders, need to be flexible, to meet the needs of the situation, and not just use one set of tools like top-down. This is similar to the dichotomy of leadership. ![[Dichotomy of leadership 1.jpg]] _“Are there tensions between flexibility and control in your situation? How are they resolved?”_ ##### What would the opposite argument be? There are a million sub-teams in a large organization, it's foolhardy to classify as "one type." However, organizations do take on the identify and personality of their leaders. tags: #note/idea | #on/culture | #on/assessment | #project/supportiveassessment ##### Sources: Helfrich, C. D., Li, Y.-F., Mohr, D. C., Meterko, M., & Sales, A. E. (2007). Assessing an organizational culture instrument based on the Competing Values Framework: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. _Implementation Science_, _2_(1), 13. [https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-2-13](https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-2-13) Mulder, P. (2023, November 13). _Competing Values Framework (Cameron and Quinn)_. Toolshero. [https://www.toolshero.com/leadership/competing-values-framework/](https://www.toolshero.com/leadership/competing-values-framework/)