An organization-environment framework for assessing program implementation

A theoretical framework for examining organizational consequences of program implementation is proposed and observable and structured interview data are used to compare two state funded perinatal projects, one an organizational "success" and the other a costly failure.

Abstract

Evaluations of health programs are typically conducted from a rational bureaucratic framework in which client change and client outcome are seen as logical outcomes of program activity. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for examining organizational consequences of program implementation. Factors in the internal environment (e.g., the hospital) and the external environment (e.g., the community) which contribute to the program's success or failure, are considered. Observational and structured interview data are used to compare two state funded perinatal projects, one an organizational "success" and the other a costly failure. Attributes of external environments which may be important to successful implementation include demand for services, provider competition, access to information, social beliefs, and professional commitment. Important features of the internal environment include host organization commitment and conflict, and structural attributes: complexity, formalization, centralization, and coordination. The paper concludes with theoretically-based questions which serve as guidelines for process evaluation.