Regionalizing Healthcare in Alberta: Legislated Change, Uncertainty and Loose Coupling

In this paper, we examine the re-organizing attempts of the Alberta government in healthcare from the viewpoint of uncertainty, loose coupling and the frequently unrecognized consequences of such change. We suggest that our understanding of change processes can be enhanced by conceptualizing the impact of task and environmental uncertainty through the nature of coupling between organizational elements. Based on our findings, we propose that the greater the degree of loose coupling in an organization, the more difficult change is likely to be, and the more likely the occurrence of unanticipated consequences.

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