Evolving Experiences
Asynchronous Session
Beyond Structure: - the Critical Role of Culture in Organizational Adaptability: A Holistic Framework for Cultural Transformation View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Claudia Santin
This paper investigates the role of culture in an organization's structure and design in facilitating successful change initiatives. Drawing on systems thinking principles, the structure and culture of an organization impact stakeholders and significantly influence the organization's performance and adaptability. Dysfunctional or missing subsystems can lead to organizational stress, poor morale, and resistance to change. Effective organizational design requires a holistic approach that deeply considers the interconnectedness of various components, external and internal stakeholders, and drivers, including leadership, departments, and individual roles, all comprising the organizational culture. This interconnectedness underscores the complexity and depth of the organizational design process. Organizations can create a supportive culture that nourishes innovation, efficiency, and long-term sustainability by aligning the organizational structure with the strategic goals and understanding and considering the impact of changes on the organization's stakeholders.
Promoting the Organizational Evaluation Capacity of Nongovernmental Organizations: The Experience of the Jockey Club MEL Institute Project View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Steven Sek-yum Ngai
In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on enhancing evaluation capacity at the organizational level, particularly among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). However, empirical evidence assessing the effectiveness of program evaluation capacity-building (PECB) initiatives remains limited. This study seeks to address this gap by evaluating the second phase of the Jockey Club Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Institute Project, a PECB initiative implemented in Hong Kong. Utilizing a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design, we engaged 429 participants in our analysis, comparing outcomes between a training group (N = 188) and a control group (N = 241). Employing multivariate repeated-measures analyses of covariance, our findings reveal that the training group exhibited notable improvements across all three core dimensions of organizational evaluation capacity: evaluation readiness, infrastructure, and utilization. Remarkably, the aspect of organizational evaluation readiness demonstrated the most pronounced enhancement. These results underscore the substantial positive impact that PECB can have on the evaluation capacity of NGOs. By fostering a robust framework for organizational evaluation, this initiative not only strengthens individual organizations but also contributes to the broader field of non-profit effectiveness. The implications of this study extend both theoretically and practically, offering valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in the field of evaluation. Through the lens of the Jockey Club MEL Institute Project, we highlight the critical importance of investing in evaluation capacity as a means of driving meaningful change and improving organizational outcomes in the NGO sector.
Exploring the Four-Day Workweek as a Social Innovation in Germany’s Healthcare System: Balancing Efficiency, Well-being, and Gender Equality
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Katharina Hast
Like other Western healthcare systems, Germany faces interlinked challenges (e.g., underfunding, shortages, high workloads), in balancing economic efficiency, professional ethics and patient-centered care. Nurses, mainly women, face poor working conditions in Germany. Shift work, unstable schedules and demanding tasks hinder full-time employment and raise gender equality concerns. A cultural change is needed that integrates ethical responsibility, well-being and regulatory requirements. The four-day workweek (4DW) is a possible social innovation, discussed with and without reduced working hours. However, its implementation raises questions about organizational change and power structures. This paper examines which stakeholders favor different models of 4DW and the limitations and paradoxes that arise when dealing with staff shortages and high workloads. Based on the Cajaiba-Santana (2014) model of social innovation, the macro, meso, and micro levels of the 4DW debate are analyzed by zooming in/out. The paper shows how cultural values, and institutional norms influence change processes. Twenty-seven interviews were conducted in 2024/2025 with stakeholders in the healthcare system. The data were analyzed using Mayring's (2022) qualitative content analysis. The findings highlight the need to reduce nurses’ workload and implement new working-time models. The 4DW is seen as a possible solution, but views on implementation differ. A compressed 4DW is considered feasible, whereas a reduced 4DW faces financial and structural barriers. Women could benefit, as shift work and inflexible schedules often hinder work-life balance. The 4DW is thus relevant to gender equality and poverty in old-age. However, professional values and altruism make rapid adoption a challenge.
