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To examine factors influencing readiness for healthcare organizational change, 654 randomly selected hospital staff completed questionnaires measuring the logistical and occupational risks of change, ability to cope with change and to solve job-- related problems, social support, measures of Karasek's (1979) active vs. passive job construct (job demand x decision latitude) and readiness for organizational change. Workers in active jobs (Karasek, 1979) which afforded higher decision latitude and control over challenging tasks reported a higher readiness for organizational change scores. Workers with an active approach to job problem-solving with higher job change self-efficacy scores reported a higher readiness for change. In hierarchical regression analyses, active jobs, an active job problem-solving style and job-change self-efficacy contributed independently to the prediction of readiness for organizational change. Time 1 readiness for organizational change scores and an active approach to job problem-solving were the best predictors of participation in redesign activities during a year-long re-engineering programme.
Healthcare organizations are undergoing unprecedented changes (Shortell, Gillies, Anderson, Erickson, & Mitchell, 1996). Competition, funding reductions, efforts to improve cost-efficiency, mergers and the re-engineering of work processes are placing enormous demands on healthcare organizations and their employees (Woodward et al., 1999). Research on individual differences in readiness for organizational change, workplace processes that facilitate change and factors that influence the impact of organizational change on the health and emotional well-being of employees is important to the success of efforts to improve the health service delivery system.
Readiness for change research suggests that a demonstrable need for change, a sense of one's ability to successfully accomplish change (self-efficacy) and an opportunity to participate in the change process contribute to readiness for organizational change (Armenakis, Harris, & Mossholder, 1993). Readiness for change models have been applied widely in the organizational and behavioural sciences. Prochaska and colleagues, for example, found that readiness for individual change proceeded through stages (Prochaska et al., 1994; Prochaska, Redding, & Evers, 1997) beginning at the precontemplative stage, where the need for change is not acknowledged. At the contemplative stage, individuals consider but do not initiate change. As a preparatory stage is reached, planning for change occurs (Prochaska et al., 1994, 1997). Individuals engaged in the process of behavioural change are at the action stage, whereas those attempting to sustain changes...