QI in organizational work groups ICA ‘04
23
communication quality was positively predictive of both attitude toward QI and willingness to
participate in QI. Communication network variables were also related to behavioral outcomes.
Discussion
This study suggests that several work unit factors, both structural and process, may influence
QI implementation in the regional state agency. In answer to our third research question, patterns of
causation did differ across the different outcome measures. We found good prediction for both
attitudinal and behavioral variables. There were also differences in patterns of prediction between
work unit and individual levels of analysis. Generally, both structural, process and communication
variables predicted at the work unit level, whereas only structural and communication variables
predicted at the individual level. Perhaps process variables may not predict at the individual level
because they are not valid at this level.
When structural, process and communication variables are entered blockwise into the
regressions, entry of the process blocks tends to alter the impact of the structural variables on
predictions of attitudinal variables (and entry of communication variables does the same to preceding
blocks). However, structural/process variables do not drop out when process/communication blocks
are added. This suggests, in answer to research question 4, that structural, process and communication
variables have independent impacts on outcomes. Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the final relationships
among structural, process, communication and outcome variables found in the study that were
significant at p = .05 or less.
---Figures 2, 3 & 4 Here---
Although many of our specific hypotheses were not supported in the various regressions, these
results do indicate some key findings: a) group process variables do mediate the relationship between
structural variables and outcomes; and b) communication, specifically communication quality and
network, is an important predictor of quality improvement outcomes.