Identifying Influential Factors in Organizational Culture in a Multidisciplinary Academic Pharmacy Department

To measure organizational culture at an academic pharmacy department that employs many faculty types and areas of focus and to explore factors that influence organizational culture at the department.

Case study of 1 multidisciplinary department at an R1 university, comprising contract and tenure-track faculty, including nonpharmacists, clinical pharmacists, and nonclinical pharmacists with different effort allocations. An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach included a cross-sectional survey of the department faculty (N = 20), followed by focus groups to interpret survey results. The survey measured 36 items across 6 Dimensions of Culture. Survey data were analyzed with descriptive statistics to identify organizational culture areas rated high and low. Subsequent focus groups with 8 faculty explored factors influencing these areas. Focus groups transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis to develop themes.

The survey response rate was 75%. Highly rated items were reported in the Dimensions of Culture of Emphasis on Collegiate Support and Stability, whereas low-rated items were reported in Social Responsibility, Innovation, and Performance Orientation. Five themes emerged from the focus groups: Cycles of Action Support Reflection (Theme 1), Adding Supports and Addressing Challenges to Innovation (Theme 2), Fostering Departmental Identity (Theme 3), Contributions are Visible and Valued (Theme 4), and Stability Takes Consistent Effort (Theme 5).

Supporting innovation, fostering a departmental identity, and valuing faculty contributions can affect organizational culture and be leveraged by leaders to improve culture in academic pharmacy.