THE IMPACT OF OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY ON HOSPITAL PERFORMANCE IN JORDANIAN HOSPITALS - SOME EMPIRICAL EVIDENCES

Studies on the implementation of operational flexibility have been limited, particularly in the developing countries. This research attempts to address this gap, explores the extent of the impact of applying operational flexibility on hospital performance in Jordanian hospitals. The study included two health sectors: public sector (King Abdullah University Hospital) and private sector (Jordan Hospital and Medical Centre). The researcher distributed 400 questionnaires among a convenient sample in order to collect data, and the response rate is 57%. Operational flexibility dimensions (external flexibility and internal robustness as independent variable), and hospital performance as dependant variable were taken. Therefore, this paper identifies the implementations of operation flexibility in Jordanian hospital, and the impact of operational flexibility on hospital performance. This study aims at studying and analysing the relationships between the independent variables (operational flexibility) and dependant variable (hospital performance). The finding found that the frequency of operational flexibility level respondents was high and the frequency of level hospital performance respondents, medium .Based on a correlation test results there is strong relationship between operational flexibility with hospital performance. Where the value of r= .836** with p<0.05. By using multiple regression test, there are significant effect of operational flexibility on hospital performance, in which the value F=532.549 with p<0.05. The model of this regression equation predictor variable gives an effect of 69.9 % to hospital performance.