Organizational transformation dynamics in hospitals, Crisis lessons

Abstract

Organizational transformation is a multifaceted process that involves altering an organization’s structure, culture, processes, systems, and strategies to better adapt to internal and external changes. This transformative process is characterized by interprofessional interactions that aim to foster collective dynamics. The likelihood of organizational transformation failure is considerable, especially in pluralistic organizations. Our study’s research question centered on the interactional mechanisms that come into play in the dynamics of organizational transformations within hospitals during a health crisis, treating the crisis as a valuable learning opportunity. Following a six-month period of observation, 28 semi-structured interviews were conducted between September 2021 and December 2022 with various professionals from different hierarchical levels and professional categories in two French hospitals. The research emphasizes the mechanisms that facilitate the development of a social structure and social systems in pluralistic organizations and govern individual and collective actions that regulate the process of organizational transformation.