INFLUENCE STRATEGIES AND THE FEMALE HOSPITAL NURSE EXECUTIVE (LEADERSHIP).
Contributors: Vanderbilt University.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 151
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Health Care Management.; Psychology, Behavioral.
Description: The ability to influence others is an important aspect of effective leadership within organizations. The purpose of this study was to describe the types of upward influence strategies commonly used by female hospital nurse executives functioning within male dominated administrative structures in hospital organizations, and to explore the impact of organizational and individual characteristics on the specific strategies selected. The conceptual framework was drawn from the empirical literature in the areas of business, leadership, and sociology.

This descriptive study involved the development of a questionnaire addressing organizational and individual characteristics, and included the use of the Influence Behavior Questionnaire developed by Yukl (1991). This 60 item questionnaire was sent to 142 nurse executives, with a 74% return rate. Nurse executives were asked to indicate how often they employed specific influence behaviors on a Likert scale which ranged from one indicating the behavior was "never used," to five indicating the behavior was used "very often.".

Frequency analysis was conducted which indicated nurse executives used several different types of upward influence strategies. The most commonly used strategies were rational persuasion, inspirational appeal, and consultation reflecting means of 4.24, 3.45, and 3.19 respectively on a five point scale. T-test and regression analysis indicated selected individual and organizational characteristics had no definitive impact on the nurse executive's use of a specific influence strategy. Although these findings did not permit conclusions of a causal nature, t-test analysis revealed patterns which suggested more frequent use of rational persuasion and inspirational appeal as influence strategies more commonly used by nurse executives who had more administrative experience and education, worked in larger hospitals, and had greater access to opportunities to exert influence.

This study reveals fruitful starting points for describing the use of upward influence by females. These findings can guide nurse executives and other females in leadership positions within male dominated arenas in evaluating and effectively using multiple approaches to exerting upward influence. Nurse educators can use these findings in preparing women for successful leadership roles, as well as better preparing organizational systems for influential women leaders.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-08, Section: B, page: 4242.

Thesis (PH.D.)--VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, 1995.

School code: 0242.