The Relationship Between Faculty Research Productivity and Organizational Structure in Schools of Nursing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between faculty research productivity and the organizational structure in schools of nursing. The need for nursing research has been widely recognized by members of the nursing profession. However, only 25% of faculty in schools of nursing have indicated current involvement in conducting research (Nieswiadomy, 1984). While contextual variables have been investigated which facilitate and inhibit nursing research, the relationship between organizational structure and nursing research productivity has not been examined. The research question which was investigated in this study was: What is the relationship between nursing faculty research productivity and the organizational structure in schools of nursing?

A survey methodology was used for data collection. Data on individual faculty research productivity and organizational structure in the school of nursing were obtained through the use of a questionnaire. A random sample of sixty masters and doctoral nursing schools in the United States was used. The chief administrative officer in the school of nursing was asked to recommend, according to selected criteria, the names of five faculty teaching in the masters and/or doctoral nursing programs for participation in the study. The instruments for data collection were based upon those developed by Fisher (1987) on publication productivity and by Hall (1968) on organizational structure. Descriptive statistics were used to interpret demographic findings; and Pearson Product Moment Correlations and multiple correlation/regression techniques were used to analyze relationships between faculty research productivity and organizational structure.

Subjects were informed of their rights to participate or decline participation in the study and their rights to privacy and confidentiality through a cover letter. Willingness to participate in the study was indicated by returning a completed questionnaire. Questionnaires were coded to provide for confidentiality. Subjects were informed that findings of a general nature may be published; however, individual results would be kept in strictest confidence.

Results of the study indicated that scholarly research productivity by nursing faculty and procedural specifications in a highly bureaucratic organization were significantly related at the.05 level. Additionally, prepublication and research activities and procedural specifications in a highly bureaucratic organization were positively related.