Abstract
Purpose. Meeting the health needs of a community involves developing relationships with a wide range of partners. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of environmental uncertainty on the level of interorganizational relations among non-profit hospitals with the intent of providing community benefit. Community benefit provision is associated with tax exemption for non-profit hospitals and has been conceptualized as a form of public trust. Methodology. This study analyzed the perceptions of Community Benefit Managers from seventy-one non-profit hospitals in California. A survey questionnaire was administered to collect information on non-profit hospital characteristics, perceived environmental uncertainty, and level of interorganizational relations. Findings. The findings of this study indicate that non-profit hospitals in California are collaborating to provide community benefit. There is a relationship between the variable of time spent on community benefit, a perceived turbulent environment, a perceived stable patient population, and the component of formalization. Time spent on community benefit was also found to significantly influence the level of intensity of the interorganizational relations. Finally, time spent on community benefit and the level of formalization were found to be significant factors in influencing the component of intensity. Conclusions and recommendations. Significant relationships were found between select hospital characteristics, perceived environmental uncertainty, and components of interorganizational relations. Non-profit hospitals in California are working together to provide community benefit. Identification and measurement of the internal organizational factors that support or impede interorganizational relations, in conjunction with the external environmental factors, is one area for future research.