Organizational Structure in Healthcare Strategic Management
This paper examines the role of organizational structure in the strategic management of healthcare organizations. It defines organizational structure as the hierarchy, divisional design, and communication channels that govern resource allocation and decision-making. The paper explores how centralized and decentralized structures each affect strategy formulation and implementation, with particular attention to buy-in, communication, and health outcomes. It then identifies the key building blocks of organizational structure — reporting relationships, divisions, communication architecture, and temporary teams — and weighs their respective characteristics. The paper concludes that healthcare organizations should align their structural design with their specific strategic objectives to optimize performance.
- Introduction: Defines organizational structure and paper scope
- Organizational Structure and Implementing Strategy: Centralization vs. decentralization effects on strategy
- Building Blocks of Organizational Structure: Hierarchy, divisions, and communication architecture explained
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Structural Elements: Trade-offs of decentralized and centralized structural choices
- Conclusion: Structure must align with strategic objectives
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds abstract structural concepts in real healthcare contexts, such as emergency mortality outcomes and ICU studies, making the argument immediately applicable.
- It maintains a balanced analytical tone throughout, presenting the trade-offs of both centralized and decentralized structures without overstating either position.
- The concluding section ties structural choices back to concrete strategic objectives — innovation leadership versus transactional excellence — giving the argument practical closure.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of empirical literature to support conceptual claims. Rather than simply defining terms, the author cites specific studies (e.g., Hyde & Shortell, 2012; Frankel & Moss, 2014) to validate each structural argument with quantitative or research-based evidence. This technique strengthens credibility and models how to transition smoothly from theoretical framework to supporting data.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a logical five-part structure: an introduction defining organizational structure and scoping the paper's purpose; a core analytical section on structure's role in strategy formulation and implementation; a descriptive section on the building blocks of structure; a comparative advantages-and-disadvantages section; and a brief, application-focused conclusion. Each section builds on the previous one, moving from definition to analysis to evaluation to practical implication.
Introduction
Organizational structure refers to the hierarchy within an organization, including the divisional and departmental design, and the chains of command and communication that define how resources are allocated. The structure is the framework for implementing strategy, so it can be very important in the context of strategic management — to the point where the structure sometimes needs to be changed simply to allow a specific strategy to be implemented (Friend, 2014).
This paper examines the role of organizational structure in the strategic management of healthcare organizations. Healthcare is a unique industry in some respects, especially where an organization operates as a not-for-profit entity, in that its strategic objectives are not strictly profit-oriented. It is therefore important to understand not only what organizational structure is, but how it functions in the healthcare context. This paper examines the role that structure plays in implementing strategy and identifies the building blocks of structure, drawing on recent literature on the subject.
References
Chaudoir, S., Dugan, A., & Barr, C. (2013). Measuring factors affecting implementation of health innovations: A systematic review of structural, organizational, provider, patient, and innovation level measures. Implementation Science, 8(1), 22–42.
Frankel, S., & Moss, M. (2014). The effect of organizational structure and processes of care on ICU mortality as revealed by the United States Critical Illness and Injury Trials Group Critical Illness Outcomes Study. Critical Care Medicine, 42(2), 463–464.
Friend, L. (2014). What is the meaning of organizational structure? Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/meaning-organizational-structure-3803.html
Hyde, J., & Shortell, S. (2012). The structure and organization of local and state public health agencies in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 42(5), S29–S41.
Lacoma, T. (2014). The building blocks of organizational structure. eHow. Retrieved December 7, 2014, from
Matthews, L., & Thakkar, B. (2012). The impact of globalization on cross-cultural communication. Business, Management and Economics.
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