The Generality of the Strategic Contingencies Approach to Sub-unit Power

This study examines the generality of the strategic contingencies theory of intra organizational power. It tests the effects of coping with uncertainty, workflow centrality, and non-substitutability on sub-unit power within small, simple-structure health service organizations. As these organizations combine highly professionalized with non-professionalized sub-units, professionalization was also tested as a source of intraorganizational power. Twenty seven subunits of 9 health-care clinics in Israel were studied. The results show that coping with uncertainty and pervasiveness of work relations are significantly related to power: when the effects of these two factors are controlled, non-substitutability and professionalization have no significant net effect on power. Most of the results are highly consistent with results obtained in larger and more complex organizations in North America, thus considerably enhancing the generaliza bility of the theory. The workflow arrangement of the clinic is suggested as an explanation for certain results that are different from those obtained in other organizations.