How organizations implement new practices in dynamic context: role of deliberate learning and dynamic capabilities development in health care units

Abstract

Purpose Organizations learn semi-automatically through experience or consciously through deliberate learning efforts. As there seems to be a “black-box” in the possible linkages between deliberate learning and new practice implementation, this paper aims to develop and test a process model, linking deliberate learning and new practice implementation through complementary competencies of task and environmental flexibility. Design/methodology/approach As part of a field study, health-care improvement program (to transfer the improvement training program for new practice implementation) of 186 HCUs was used for testing our hypothesis. In addition to descriptive statistics, multiple hierarchical regressions and bootstrapping were used to test the study hypotheses. Findings Findings suggest that deliberate learning is positively and significantly related with new practice implementation, and dynamic capabilities in the form of task and environmental flexibility mediates this relationship. Research limitations/implications The present study makes theoretical and practical contributions by linking literature from new practice, organizational learning and dynamic capabilities; and by delving into the deliberate learning activities undertaken by health-care units. Originality/value Organizational learning in health care has almost become inevitable today due to the ever-changing dynamics of the industry. Barring handful of studies, the current state of literature is almost entirely tilted towards experience-based learning and deliberate learning is not well studied. To address this gap, the study aims to develop and test a process model linking development of dynamic capabilities with deliberate learning and new practice implementation. Further, findings of this study will help organizations and managers to understand and thereby effectively manage new practice implementation process through the use of deliberate activities.

The ELIAS framework: A prescription for innovation and change

“…Therefore, an organization that learns continuously through external knowledge acquisition or from knowledge creation and experimentation improves its chances of service and process innovation. 4,8,[19][20][21] The culture of organizations dictate how they respond, learn, and adapt to changing environments. A culture of learning and innovation increases an organization's successful pursuit of continuous improvement and environmental adaptation as a result of learning and innovation.…”

“…1,2 Nevertheless, complex adaptive systems can allow for learning, innovation, and adaptation by utilizing dynamic capabilities based on Organizational Learning Mechanisms (OLMs) that incorporate action learning, interdisciplinary teams, and practice-based evidence as well as the presence of a culture of learning and innovation. [3][4][5][6][7] The Enhances Learning, Innovation, Adaptation, and Sustainability (ELIAS) framework ( Figure 1) incorporates these characteristics into its design with the intent of enhancing learning capabilities and innovation within healthcare organizations and systems. 4,[8][9][10][11]…”

“…[3][4][5][6][7] The Enhances Learning, Innovation, Adaptation, and Sustainability (ELIAS) framework ( Figure 1) incorporates these characteristics into its design with the intent of enhancing learning capabilities and innovation within healthcare organizations and systems. 4,[8][9][10][11]…”

Corporate social responsibility movement in an emerging economy: an institutional and social movement explanation

“…This study aims to combine the perspectives from these three streams of literature to enrich the understanding of an important phenomenon taking place in India, an emerging economy in South Asia. Some of the recent studies on emerging economies highlight the importance of studying phenomenon in the context of emerging economies (Mittal, ; Mittal, Sengupta, Agrawal, & Gupta, ; Singh & Mittal, ; Singh, Mittal, & Pradhan, ).…”

The Association Between the Perceived Unjust Treatment in Healthcare Settings and the Unmet Need for General Practitioner Services Among People With Foreign Background in Finland

“…Ensuring cultural competence throughout the organizational structure, and not just as an asset in a particular employee's skillset, creates an environment that promotes equal treatment for all clients. Implementing any new practices in an organizational culture requires deliberate learning, exibility, positive attitudes, adequate resources and training for staff as well as su cient provision of information 16,36,37 . This means that organizations need to actively include cultural competence not only in their strategies, but also in their practices.…”