Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Organizational conflict and mental health service system effectiveness

  • Articles
  • Published:
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Conflict is a common feature of mental health delivery systems. However, there are many types of conflict and each requires specification and careful measurement. The authors present a study of mental health delivery systems in eight Oregon counties and the results of five conflict parameters that measured conflict with seriously mentally ill clients, family members, the state mental health division, county agencies, and professional/advocate agencies. Implications of the findings for countywide service systems are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bachrach, L.L. (1981). Continuity of care for chronic mental patients: A conceptual analysis.American Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 1449–1456.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, F., & O'Brien, G. (1971). Intersystem relations and coordination of human service organizations.American Journal of Public Health, 61, 130–137.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Connery, R.H. (1968).The politics of mental health. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coser, L. (1955).The function of social conflict. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fiorentine, R., & Grusky, O. (1990). When case managers manage the mentally ill: A role contingency approach.Social Service Review, 79–93.

  • Goodman, P.S., Pennings, J.M. (Eds.). (1977).New perspectives on organizational effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grusky, O., & Tierney, K. (1989). Evaluating the effectiveness of countywide mental health delivery systems.Community Mental Health Journal, 25, 3–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grusky, O., Tierney, K., Holstein, J., Anspach, R., Davis, D., Unruh, D., Webster, S., Vandewater, S., & Allen, H. (1986). Models of local mental health delivery systems. In W.R. Scott & B.L. Black (Eds.),The organization of mental health services: Society and community systems. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannan, M.T., & Freeman, J. (1977). Obstacles to comparative studies. In P.S. Goodman, J.M. Pennings (Eds.).,New perspectives on organizational effectiveness (pp. 106–131). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasenfeld, Y. (1983).Human service organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, D., & Kahn, R.L. (1966).The social psychology of organizations. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • March, J.G., & Simon, H.A. (1958).Organizations. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulford, C.L. (1984).Interorganizational relations: Implications for community development. New York: Human Sciences Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer, J. (1977). The usefulness of the concept. In P.S. Goodman, J.M. Pennings (Eds.),New perspectives on organizational effectiveness (pp. 132–145). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, D.L., & Whetten, D.A. (1982).Interorganizational coordination: Theory, research, and implementation. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, W.R. (1981).Organizations: Rational, natural, and open system models. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, R., & Black, B.L. (1986).The organization of mental health services: Society and community systems. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, C.H. (1983). The stakeholder approach to evaluation: Origin and promise in stakeholder-based education. In A.S. Bryk (Ed.),New directions for program evaluation (No. 17). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of California, 405 Hilgard Ave., 90024-1551, Los Angeles, CA

    Oscar Grusky Ph.D. & Richard Adams Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Oscar Grusky Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richard Adams Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, MH-14583, Oscar Grusky, Program Director, and ROI MH-38887, Oscar Grusky, principal investigator. A revised version of this paper was presented at the XXXth International Congress of the International Institute of Sociology, Kobe, Japan, in 1991. An earlier version of this paper was also presented to Prof. Steven Segal's NIMH-supported training program at University of California, Berkeley. We are grateful for that group's suggestions and especially grateful to Lance Egley who prompted us to change one of our instruments and also offered other valuable comments.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grusky, O., Adams, R. Organizational conflict and mental health service system effectiveness. Adm Policy Ment Health 22, 145–157 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02106548

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02106548

Keywords

Search

Navigation