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Extent and styles of dean and faculty participation in decision making within selected schools of nursing

Veda Lillian Andrus, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify, describe, and analyze the extent of faculty participation in administrative decision making within selected schools of nursing. The style of participation was analyzed. The secondary purpose of the research was to observe whether the dean and faculty shared similar perceptions regarding the extent and style of participation in administrative decision making. This qualitative research study utilized in-depth interviews with the dean and two faculty members from three randomly selected baccalaureate schools of nursing in New England. The dean and faculty members were interviewed regarding the extent and style of participation in administrative decision making. For the purpose of this study, administrative decisions fell into the following areas: (1) budget, (2) policy formulation, (3) facilities utilization, (4) faculty tenure, and (5) faculty workload. The formulation of these decision making areas were, in part, taken from a study conducted by O'Kane in 1984. Although categories for the styles of participation emerged as the investigation proceeded, Lawler's (1985) classifications of styles of decision making were utilized as guidelines. Conclusions from this study included the following: (1) In each of the five areas of administrative decision making, the extent of input from the deans and faculty members depended upon the type of decision to be made. (2) Perceptions expressed by each participant regarding the extent of participation in decision making were shown to be parallel. The dean and the faculty viewed both the process and the individuals engaged in the process similarly. (3) The style of decision making utilized depended upon the area of decision making addressed. (4) The following themes were commonalities within and across schools as identified by the researcher: organizational climate, structure, and the dean's style of leadership. These themes direct the style of decision making employed within the schools of nursing.

Subject Area

School administration|Nursing|Higher education

Recommended Citation

Andrus, Veda Lillian, "Extent and styles of dean and faculty participation in decision making within selected schools of nursing" (1991). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9132808.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9132808

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