Socio-Demographic Profile, Decision Space, and Management Capacity of Hospitals: A Causal Model on Work Environment

Aim: To develop a Causal Model that fits the working environment and assess the correlation between the working environment and socio-demographic characteristics, the level of decision space, and management capacity among training hospitals in region 10. Methods: This Causal-Comparative Research utilized a questionnaire from the decision space model, the Black Box Model of Public Management Capacity, and the Nursing Work Index answered by 185 randomly chosen hospital staff from two DOH hospitals in Northern Mindanao. Results: Results showed a wide level of Decision Space (M = 3.90), a high level of Management Capacity (M = 4.01) and Working Environment (M = 3.85). The result also showed a moderate to significant solid relationship between Decision Space (r = .44), Management Capacity (r = .83), and Working Environment; a strong relationship between and working environment. There is no relationship between Socio-Demographic profiles. Among the variables Managing for Result (b = .307), Human Resource Management (b = .258), Capital Management (b = .162), and IT Management (b = .124) predict a positive Working Environment. Lastly, among the causal models tested, a model that explains that an indirect relationship of Human Resource Management (b = .258) and IT Management (b = .405) to Working Environment through Managing for Results and a direct correlation between Human Resource Management (b = .298), Capital Management (b = .185), Managing for Results (b = .325) and Working Environment, showed meets the predetermined criteria for best fit." Conclusion and Implications: The study concludes that Managing for Results or the ability to integrate results in the planning and implementation, human resource management, and capital management are essential skills that would improve the working conditions of healthcare workers.