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Impact of the organisational culture on primary care staff members’ intention to engage in research and development

Helena Morténius (Department of Research and Development, Region Halland, Halmstad, Sweden and Department of Primary Health Care, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden)
Amir Baigi (Department of Research and Development, Region Halland, Halmstad, Sweden and Department of Primary Health Care, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden)
Lars Palm (Centre for Media and Communication Studies, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden)
Bengt Fridlund (Department of Primary Health Care, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden and School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden)
Cecilia Björkelund (Department of Primary Health Care, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden)
Berith Hedberg (School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden and Ryhov Hospital, Jönköping County Council, Jönköping, Sweden)

Journal of Health Organization and Management

ISSN: 1477-7266

Article publication date: 13 April 2015

949

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how organisational culture influences the intentions of primary care staff members (PCSM) to engage in research and development (R&D).

Design/methodology/approach

The participants (n=30) were PCSM employed in a care centre in south-western Sweden. The study had an observational design with an ethnographic approach. The data were collected by means of observations, interviews and analysis of documents.

Findings

The results revealed the perceptions of PCSM in two domains, research and clinical practice, both of which existed at three different cultural levels: visible (structures and policy), semi-visible (norms and values) and invisible (taken-for-granted attitudes).

Research limitations/implications

It is difficult to conduct a purely objective ethnographic study because the investigation is controlled by its context. However, it is necessary to highlight and discuss the invisible level to improve understanding of negative attitudes and preconceptions related to the implementation of R&D in the clinical setting.

Practical implications

By highlighting the invisible level of culture, the management of an organisation has the opportunity to initiate discussion of issues related to concealed norms and values as well as attitudes towards new thinking and change in the primary health context.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the very few studies to investigate the influence of organisational culture on the intentions of PCSM to engage in R&D.

Keywords

Citation

Morténius, H., Baigi, A., Palm, L., Fridlund, B., Björkelund, C. and Hedberg, B. (2015), "Impact of the organisational culture on primary care staff members’ intention to engage in research and development", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 234-251. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-03-2013-0067

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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