The Sequence of Isomorphism—: The Temporal Diffusion Patterns of Quality Management in Higher Education Institutions and Hospitals

Abstract

Isomorphism has been widely used to describe why trends penetrate entire organizational fields. However, research so far has neglected the temporal aspects of such diffusion processes and the organizational reasons underlying the introduction of new management tools. We argue that during reform waves, the reasons for adopting the new tools differ over time. Using comparative data from two surveys on quality management in the field of higher education and the health sector, we show that early adopters are more likely to be motivated by instrumental reasons, while late adopters will more likely be motivated by institutional reasons.

Factors driving differences in the adoption of quality management practices among hospitals

“…QM can be defined as “a set of interacting activities, methods, and procedures used to monitor, control, and improve the quality of care” (Hammer et al, 2013, p. 2) and thus encompasses a wide range of practices in areas such as clinical risk management, critical incident reporting, and infection control (e.g., Botje et al, 2014; Hammer et al, 2013; Zarei et al, 2019). Despite the widespread adoption of QM in hospitals, the extent and quality of its implementation vary widely (Hammer et al, 2013; Seyfried et al, 2022; Wagner et al, 2006). From previous literature, we know that organizational and environmental factors drive strategic decision-making in hospitals (e.g., Jennings et al, 2019; Kazley & Ozcan, 2007; Schneider et al, 2021).…”

Gestão dos recursos organizacionais essenciais para o bom desempenho na Avaliação da Capes

“…No campo educacional, normas e regras têm predominância sobre os processos e estruturas organizacionais (BACKES; SERRA; ZAROUR NETO, 2018). A teoria institucional alerta para a necessidade de alinhamento à conformidade, pressupondo que todas as instituições agem de maneira semelhante, para atender a regulamentação (ANAFINOVA, 2020;DA SILVA et al, 2019;SEYFRIED;DÖRING;ANSMANN, 2022). Todavia, esse corpo teórico pode ser questionado do ponto de vista que, em uma economia de livre mercado, as organizações não podem abandonar suas perspectivas estratégicas, até porque as pressões institucionais não atingem a todas as organizações com a mesma intensidade (DACIN, 1997).…”