Date of Award

2013

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Systems Engineering

Department

Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering

First Advisor

Valerie Maier-Spederelozzi

Abstract

This study presents the assessment of possible characteristics within workgroups that might be influencing the adoption of systems improvement initiatives at the Providence Veterans Medical Center (PVAMC). With the collection of data from a survey, hypotheses were elaborated in order to investigate the relationships between two workgroup characteristics: size and leadership-involvement, and the workgroup’s readiness to adopt systems improvement initiatives. The ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) statistical procedure was used for the testing of such hypotheses. Based on results, there was a significant difference between the small and large workgroup size categories. These results signified that large workgroups are more involved in systems improvement initiatives and have more confidence when it comes to participating or continuing to participate in systems improvement initiatives compared to small workgroups. As for the results of the leadership-involvement characteristic, results showed that workgroups with involved leadership are more knowledgeable, involved, and confident of the systems improvement initiatives compared to the workgroups with uninvolved leadership. Reflections on the findings and recommendations on how to further develop systems improvement initiatives based on workgroup characteristics were made.

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