Designing a framework for organizational characteristics affecting organizational entrepreneurship in medical universities

According to the Transformation and Innovation Package in Medical Education, medical universities are expected to move to third generation (i.e., entrepreneurial) universities. This study endeavored to design a framework for organizational characteristics affecting organizational entrepreneurship in medical universities.

Using content analysis method, 16 health management and higher education specialists were included in the study by purposive and snowball sampling. The method of data collection was semi-structured interview and interviews were conducted in the participants’ professional contexts between April and October of the academic year 2020. To ensure the validity of the data, methods such as continuous review and simultaneous analysis of data, feedback to participants and observer review were used. Data were analyzed and coded manually by the researchers.

In this study, the framework of organizational characteristics affecting organizational entrepreneurship in medical universities was designed and the dimensions, criteria, and indicators of this framework were identified. According to this framework, organizational characteristics affecting organizational entrepreneurship consists of seven dimensions are like this: community responsiveness, knowledge and innovation, organizational intelligence and adaptability, financial independence, culture of partnership and entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial manpower, an entrepreneurial and technology-based curriculum.

The framework of organizational characteristics affecting organizational entrepreneurship can be a good basis for the movement of medical universities towards organizational entrepreneurship. It is suggested that based on the framework of organizational characteristics, the current situation of organizational entrepreneurship in medical universities and its distance from the desired situation need to be evaluated.