PERCEPTIONS OF POWER AND EXPRESSED POWER BALANCING OF NURSING ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS IN COLLEGIATE VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAMS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 212
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This investigation focused on the association between power orientations, certain demographic characteristics, and expressed power balancing style in a group of predominately female collegiate vocational nursing academic administrators.

A descriptive correlational design was utilized for this hypothesis generating study. Instruments were pilot-tested for the purposes of confirming the factor structure of the Power Orientation Scale (Cavanaugh, 1979), and identifying differences in response patterns on the Situation Reaction Checklist (Cotton, 1974). The research technique employed a mailed survey to a national sample of three hundred and fifty-six (356) administrators in collegiate vocational nursing programs. The sample was chosen from the population of all academic administrators of collegiate nursing programs in the United States.

Factor analysis of the Power Orientation Scale identified a significantly different factor structure than that identified by Cavanaugh (1979). The instrument was determined to be unstable following consideration of reliability estimates and the newly identified factor structures.

The overwhelming majority of nursing academic administrators (76%) preferred a single method of power balancing style. This result was compared with those for the pilot-study group of two hundred and two (202) nursing academic administrators. For both groups, the response pattern was nearly identical. Use of the instrument in other studies where male respondents predominated demonstrated a more normally distributed response pattern. This unusual response pattern indicated a high likelihood of a gender-specific bias in behavior choice.

In addition, positive relationships (p = $<$.001) emerged between the administrators' perceived degree of central administration support and three variables: visibility of the nursing academic administrator, discretionary control of the budget, and the degree of contribution of the nursing program to the goals of the institution. There were positive relationships (p = $<$.05) between the concept of power as Sanction (control of outcomes), the concept of power as Natural Drive (instinctive), and Style 3 on the Situation Response Checklist. Style 3 characterized the individual who utilizes primarily institutionally-approved power strategy methods, who is not a risk-taker, and who seeks the security and anonymity of popular opinion. Certain behaviors associated with powerless individuals were evidenced in the results of this study, and were consistent with other studies wherein being female biased power strategy choice towards typically powerless directions.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-07, Section: B, page: 1938.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1987.

School code: 0227.