VIEWS OF IMPLEMENTATION APPROACHES BY TOP MANAGERS IN HEALTH-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

This study examined how top managers view the prospects of success and resistance when using four implementation approaches in participative and control cultures that foster climates more or less conducive to c hange. An accommodation approach was viewed as having the best prospec t of success and of lowering resistance in a participative culture. Ba rgaining and incentive approaches were thought to have successful and low resistance outcomes, which were just below those of accommodation, in a control type of culture. A persuasion approach was thought to be the least effective implementation approach in a control-oriented cul ture, These preferences differ from prescriptions found in the impleme ntation literature. Assuming that preferences influence behavior, impl ementation success could be improved if managers selected an implement ation approach according to the demands of the situation. More researc h is needed to appreciate fully the rationale that lies behind the pre ferences uncovered in this research.