Normal practice: The institutionalization of a professional activity

This study examines why the prevalence of a professional practice, cesarean sections, increased over a twenty year period. Today almost 1 in 4 babies born in the United States are delivered surgically compared to only 5.5% in 1970 (Placek and Taffel, 1988). Using organizational theory, three explanations for the diffusion of cesarean sections were examined: technical efficiency, i.e. adoption of the most efficient technology, institutionalization, i.e. adoption of practices in response to norms, and interest motivated institutionalization, i.e. adoption in response to norms reflecting self interests. To evaluate these three perspectives, a variety of types of data related to the increases in cesarean sections were examined.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Business Administration

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Date dc:date

10000-01-01

Author dc:creator

• Goodrick, Elizabeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Leblebici, Huseyin

• Business Administration, Management
• Sociology, General
• Health Sciences, Health Care Management

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1992 Goodrick, Elizabeth

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9236472
(UMI)AAI9236472

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/20842