Affiliations: Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on
Technology Transfer at University at Buffalo,3435, Main Street, Buffalo, NY
14214, USA | Western New York Independent Living Project,
Inc. (WNYILP), 3108, Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
Abstract: This paper summarizes the second in a series of two research studies
completed by the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on
Independent Living Management (ILM). The study identified management practices
potentially effective for the organizational context of Centers for Independent
Living (CILs) by "taking stock" of current practices across the national
network of CILs. Executive directors from a random sample of 131 CILs were
interviewed over telephone, in a participatory research approach and using a
two-dimensional Kano survey. Findings included 246 practices relevant to CIL
management, and their perceived quality was reported using a Kano
classification as "expected", "revealed", "exciting" and "no-difference"
practices. They were further distributed under the 9 management areas of the
CIL organizational profile collectively identified by a national sample of CIL
stakeholders during our first study. A direct application of this knowledge
relates to improving organizational performance, by empowering CILs to plan,
train, manage, evaluate and advance their organizations. The study conducted a
pilot follow-up to illustrate the implemented practices as part of
organizational snapshots, a planning tool used by the
RRTC-ILM.
Keywords: Independent living, independent living center, inclusion, Kano survey, organizational structure, management practices
