Reliability-Seeking Organizations Operating under Conditions of Digitalization - Follow-up Proposal: Introducing New Technologies while Maintaining High Reliability: A Comparative Study in Hospitals
Final Report Abstract
Hospitals are “reliability-seeking organizations” (RSOs) as they aim to reach fundamental goals such as error prevention and patient safety in a reliable manner, although they do not need to reach the same level of reliability as classical “high-reliability organizations” (HROs). Previous research on such organizations has revealed how they use stable routines and flexible cognitive processes to achieve reliability. However, we know less about how these organizations are able to maintain their reliability during planned organizational change induced by the implementation of a new (now frequently digital) technology. Using practice theory and the resourcing perspective as a theoretical framework, the project has investigated how RSOs at least maintain a previously achieved level of reliability during planned organizational change triggered by the introduction of a new technology. In addition, and as RSOs regularly need to introduce technologies of different kinds, the project sheds light on how the respective implementation practices of each RSO are influenced by the technology in question. Towards this end, the project compares two extremely different kinds of digital technology and the differing impact they have on reliability aspects. The research context of the proposed project was that of medium-sized German hospitals. Methodologically, a qualitative research approach was pursued (interviews, focused ethnography, and the analysis of secondary documents). In addition, two literature reviews – one on the goals of RSOs and one on the barriers to reaching reliability – were conducted. This project contributes to the literature on RSOs. Since reliability can be understood as a dimension of organizational effectiveness, the results show a potential for generalization beyond the context of hospitals. In addition, practice-relevant implications for health organizations emerge.
Publications
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Hochzuverlässigkeitstheorie. Monitor Versorgungsforschung, 15.
Auschra, C.
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Interventions Into Reliability-Seeking Health Care Organizations: A Systematic Review of Their Goals and Measuring Methods. Journal of Patient Safety, 18(8), e1211-e1218.
Auschra, Carolin; Asaad, Eleonora; Sydow, Jörg & Hinkelmann, Jürgen
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Introducing new technologies while maintaining high reliability: A comparative study of hospitals. 38th European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium, 07.-09.07.2022 in Vienna, Austria
Auschra, Carolin & Sydow, Jörg
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Introducing new technologies while maintaining high reliability: A comparative case study. 83th Academy of Management Meeting, 04.-08.08.2023 in Boston, USA
Auschra, Carolin & Sydow, Jörg
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Robotereinsatz und strategisches Timing – Zur Ökonomie einer medizintechnischen Innovation im stark regulierten Gesundheitsmarkt. Zeitschrift Führung + Organisation 92 (4), 230-235
Auschra, Carolin, Behar, Benjamin, Sauermann, Sven & Sydow, Jörg
