Managerial Socialization in Short-Term Hospitals: Some Early Evidence

In contrast to business corporations, little has been written about early managerial behavior in short-term, general hospitals. An executive transition into a new organization presents both risk and opportunity. This exploratory study into managerial socialization is aimed at identifying what healthcare executives actually do during the transition period from onset of recruitment to the end of their first 6 months in a new hospital position. The findings of this research should be useful in helping CEOs to plan for their transition into short-term, general hospitals. For these top management executives, the stakes are very high. In many instances, CEOs are expected to change the way their hospitals work. An understanding of the strategic, tactical, political, and cultural approaches they have used should help lead to more successful transition outcomes and effective organizational change.