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HELPING TOP TALENT TO THRIVE: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RELATIONAL CAPACITY, TEAMWORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT

Cola, Philip A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1426357375

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Management.
Talent management is important in any organizational setting. Physician scientists are highly talented professionals who contribute significantly to the field of medicine in terms of research and practice which impacts society. Yet, they struggle with dynamics at the individual, team and organizational levels. These individuals feel pressured at Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) to choose one role over another and therefore often do not capitalize on their extensive skills and training. In response to these challenges scholarly publications over 35 years have sought to offer solutions that ensure effectiveness of the physician scientist role. However, there have been no broad studies attempting to identify the most salient factors that influence thriving, satisfaction and happiness of such top talent. In this thesis, I develop models across four empirical studies offering insight into understanding what factors influence physician scientist thriving (role balance plus academic productivity) and contribute to talent management methods. The dissertation employs a sequential mixed methods approach to explore the nature and antecedents of thriving. The initial inquiry utilizes a grounded theory approach to identify factors that influence the lived experiences of physician scientists. The study offers evidence that effectiveness of such talented individuals is partly explained by relational capacity, the person’s ability to balance dualistic roles, and perceptions of working in teams. These are influenced by their feelings and perceptions about organizational support, role conflict and psychological job control. Based on findings from the initial qualitative study, I articulate a research model to study the relational capacity of the physician scientist on thriving. I also seek to determine effects of role conflict, relational capacity, and psychological job control as mediated by organizational support on job and life satisfaction and happiness. Findings show that relational capacity is significantly related to job satisfaction (.125; p=0.04), life satisfaction (.254; p<0.001) and happiness (.158; p=0.02). Also, organizational support is significantly related to job satisfaction (.367; p<0.001), life satisfaction (.227; p<0.001), and happiness (.255; p<0.001) with important mediating effects. A final study clarifies the importance of relational capacity as mediated by teamwork on thriving and to what extent these are moderated by gender and educational degree. We show that relational capacity (.127; p=.011), psychological job control (.090; p=.083T) and teamwork (.115; p=.025) are all significant antecedents to thriving while role conflict (-.081; p=.107), job satisfaction (.106; p=.188), life satisfaction (.144; p=.212) and happiness (-.007; p=.924) do not predict thriving. Perceived organizational support and teamwork mediate the effects of relational capacity, role conflict and job control on thriving. Also, we note important group differences between physician scientist gender and degree (MD versus MD/PhD). In sum, these four studies offer novel insights into what physician scientists (as top talent) need in order to thrive in AMCs. A dynamic framework is proposed involving relational capacity (individual level), perception of teamwork (team level) and organizational support (organizational/management level) as factors to help top talent thrive. Relational capacity and teamwork are important to physician scientists, but also for top talent in any discipline, industry, or work environment. These findings extend concepts in organizational management theories, connective leadership theory, and scholarship on teamwork related to individual effectiveness.
Tony Lingham, PhD (Committee Chair)
Kalle Lyytinen, PhD (Committee Member)
Mahmoud Ghannoum, PhD (Committee Member)
Peter Whitehouse, MD, PhD (Committee Member)
240 p.
Management; Organizational Behavior
Talent Management; Relational Capacity; Teamwork; Organizational Support; Thriving; Physician Scientists; Academic Medical Centers

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Cola, P. A. (2015). HELPING TOP TALENT TO THRIVE: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RELATIONAL CAPACITY, TEAMWORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1426357375

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Cola, Philip. HELPING TOP TALENT TO THRIVE: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RELATIONAL CAPACITY, TEAMWORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT. 2015. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1426357375.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Cola, Philip. "HELPING TOP TALENT TO THRIVE: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RELATIONAL CAPACITY, TEAMWORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1426357375

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.