Conclusion: Culture and Climate in Health Care Organizations — Evidentiary, Conceptual and Practical progress

Abstract

In this final chapter we bring the range of contributions to a conclusion. To accomplish this, we provide a synthesis of the terrain we have covered and offer some suggestions about where this might lead us in the future. Health care organizations involve a diverse mix of managerial, professional and ancillary groups of workers the result of which is that health services are made up of culturally complex organizations. This diversity encapsulates multiple value systems, beliefs and attitudes as well as considerable power differentials. Therefore, health care organizations offer a rich landscape for study. ‘Culture’ and ‘climate’ have been central themes in this volume, which has included broad ranging studies that are of interest to health care professionals, managers, policy makers and the informed public as well as the community of health care organizational researchers.