Case six. Introducing product line management in a multi-institutional healthcare organization.

This case reports a major shift in growth orientation pursued by a multi-institutional system--systemwide product line management. Competitive response to one environmental disruption led to the initiation of a year-long study to re-evaluate the corporation's mission, goals, strategies, growth and action orientations and organizational structure in light of the dramatic changes occurring in healthcare delivery. Of particular interest in this case is the connectedness between growth and action orientations, organizational culture, management style and organizational structure.