Lecture IntentLecture Intent  Position my scholarship within ideas and streams introduced in seminar to this point  Provide initial introduction to organizations as sites of implementation activity  Share two analytical tools (worksheets)  Introduce understanding of individual agency / strategic action often attributed to “ leadership ”

Strategic Action Fields (Fligstein & McAdams 2011; 2012)  Strategic action fields are mesolevel social orders with individual and collective actors that interact around “shared understandings about the purposes of the field, relationships to others in the field, and the rules governing legitimate action in the field ” (9).  Coercion, competition, cooperation around specific issues.  Shared understanding of power distribution and dominants beliefs, even if contested.  Legitimacy is an important driver of strategic action.  “Social Skill” is the ability to induce cooperation by appealing to legitimate authority, creating shared meaning and collective identity.

Core ComponentsCore Components Implementation takes place within… Multi-level implementation systems Policy field, organization and frontlines Organized around a core program technology Change occurring through strategic action bounded by legitimate authority Laws and regulation Market forces Associations & norms Beliefs & values Led and sustained by people with Social Skill within that context

Assumptions 1.The starting point for implementation research is a core program technology around which strategic action occurs at multiple levels within the implementation system; WINTER (2012) 2.The core program technology adopted within a system is not necessarily that most likely to lead to the desired change in the behavior or conditions of the target population; REGIME PERSPECTIVE 3.The processes and practices integrated within an implementation system are those perceived of as legitimate by the actors within that system; ORGANIZATIIONAL MANAGEMENT 4.To change processes and practices within the implementation system, field actors utilize social skill to alter legitimate authority within the system, or to capitalize on exogenous shocks to create new authority for action. LEADERSHIP

Simple, Multi-level ModelSimple, Multi-level Model Policy Fields Program technology Organization Program technology Front line Program technology

Simple, Multi-level Model: Affordable Care Act Policy Fields Program technology Organization Program technology Front line Program technology + 25 groups, agencies, and companies engaged

Change in the implementation system that leads to sustained, desired change in the behaviors or conditions of the target group. Indicators of EffectivenessIndicators of Effectiveness

Multi-level AnalysisMulti-level Analysis

Policy Field Organization Frontlines

Analysis of Organizations in Implementation Systems Authorizing Organizations  Provide financial and legal authority in the field Service Organizations  Operationalize the program technology and create offerings for target group Different analysis than conventional org. science

Executive Director Organization A Program Manager A1 Program Manager A2 Program Manager A3 Org FundersBoard of Directors From the perspective of the executive director who has to manage the expectations of key stakeholders of the organization… Executive Director Organization B Program Manager B1 Program Manager B2 Org FundersBoard of Directors

Program Manager A1 Program Funders …it’s a very different view from the perspective of the program manager! There lies a potential for tension. Executive Director Organization C Program Manage r C1 Program Manage r C2 Executive Director Organization A Program Manager A2 Org Funders Board of Directors Program Manager A3 Executive Director Organization B Program Manager B1 Program Manager B2

Analytical Tool: Organization-Program Integration Audit (OPIA) OrganizationProgram Target Audience /Constituency Core Program Technologies Structure Financial Resources Culture & Power External Environment

Organizations’ Adaptations to Change (Miles & Snow, 1977)  Entrepreneurial problem - identifying new or expanding existing lines of business. Domain  Engineering problem – transform inputs into outputs. Logic of change  Administrative problem – supervisory and coordination of activities. Coordination of activities

Decisions about Domain within Organizations  What do we already know how to do? Programmatic Capacity  Manuals and Materials  Staff Knowledge from Experience  Staff Professional Orientation and Beliefs about Core Program Technology  What management infrastructure and skills do we already possess? Management Capacity  Supervision Processes  Information Technology systems Path Dependency

Logic of Change: Program Process Flow

Program Process Flow: One Service Providing Organization Investigating Partnerships in Early Childhood Education study, Sandfort, Selden & Sowa

Program Process Flow: Another Service Organization Investigating Partnerships in Early Childhood Education study, Sandfort, Selden & Sowa

Program Process Flow: Still Another Service Organization Investigating Partnerships in Early Childhood Education study, Sandfort, Selden & Sowa

Sandfort & Moulton (2015)

Competing Sources of Legitimate Authority Laws and regulation Market forces Associations & norms Culture and values

Levers Shaping Program Core Professional Norms Laws & Regulations Market Forces Organization Core program technology Beliefs and Values

“Leadership”  Social Skill of Context, understanding these levers  Focused on change that improve process and outcomes in system operation that are aligned with change desired in target population  Knowledge relevant to Technical Challenges  Gather and Assess evidence about public problem and solutions  Develop procedures to improve Efficiencies  Abilities to help others grapple with Adaptive Challenges  Engage others and use emotional intelligence  Work with “facilitative devices” as boundary objects to communicate  Deploy reflective practice and improvisation

N PF L PF M PF Policy Fields Program technology PF B PF N O1 L O1 M O1 Organization Program technology O1 B O1 N F1 L F1 M F1 Front line Program technology F1 B F1 N O2 L O2 M O2 Organization Program technology O2 B O2 N F2 L F2 M F2 Front line Program technology F2 B F2 A Model of a Complex System

Building Systems Thinking Capacity Source: Waters Foundation