Health sciences and medicine
Analysis of Power and Politics within Healthcare Organizations
Review Chapter 8 of your course text including the section on Henry Mintzbergs political games which begins on page 143. The chapters author has provided a depiction of each political game element as it pertains to health professionals in a health care organization. Identify a professional organization in which you have worked or volunteered (it does not have to be related to health) and describe its members. Evaluate each member as you determine their basis of power within the organization. Identify any political games that you were aware of by members of the staff or any ancillary employees/volunteers. Additionally, identify any political games that you were aware of that were played by the managers administration and/or the Board of Directors. If you did not witness or were not aware of any political games at your organization describe a potential scenario of what a situation could look like for your selected workplace. Give two examples one for the staff and one for someone in leadership. What were the motivations (or potential motivations) of why the games may have been pursued? Were there (or could there be) any negative impacts on an organization by the occurrence of these games? Give examples of the negative impacts.
2. Managing Conflict and Interpersonal Relationships
Review the case study presented in the course text at the top of page 151. What organizational strategy would you recommend the CEO utilize to get the organization back on track considering conflict management and interpersonal relationships?
1. Read from the text Health Organizations: Theory Behavior and Development:
o Chapter 7: Group Dynamics
? This chapter provides concepts such as teams and group processes within the health care organization are evaluated.
o Chapter 8: Power and Politics
? This chapter provides concepts such as sources of power and politics within the health care organization are evaluated.
o Chapter 9: Conflict and Interpersonal Relations
? This chapter provides concepts conflict management and interpersonal relationships are evaluated.