> Resources and Publications > PHC RIS infonet > April 2007 > Strategic alignment & the Divisions Network

Divisions Network matters: Strategic Alignment and the Divisions Network

I am a part of the ADGP Management and Leadership Program which is run with the University of New England. It provides an opportunity for executive officers and aspiring executive officers to broaden and enhance management skills. One of the four assessments is a syndicate project which enhances teamwork skills and allows participants to explore a broad range of Divisions Network issues, as opposed to individual Division issues.

The members of my syndicate chose to develop a project plan to explore the extent to which the Divisions' Network is strategically aligned. We defined ‘Strategic Alignment' as a shared and agreed approach to advocacy, support, knowledge management, communication and representation. We thought it would be worth exploring the extent to which the ‘Divisions Network' is an actual network as opposed to a term without substance.

Our logic in developing the project plan was that Divisions of General Practice, State Based Organisations (SBOs) and Australian Divisions of General Practice (ADGP, now the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN)) were established at different times, with separate purposes and as separate legal entities. For many years there was no formal relationship between SBOs and ADGP causing confusion about roles and relationships. The concept of a Divisions' Network, inclusive of Divisions, SBOs and ADGP was first mooted about 2000, but did not gain acceptance until the 2003 release of The Future Role of the Divisions Network.

Syndicate members based the project plan on alignment literature as well as their knowledge of the network. The limitation of much of the literature is the relevance to single organisations with hierarchical structures through which strategy may be cascaded. The challenge for the Network is aligning the various units to create synergy without a hierarchical structure.

Even if the project plan is not implemented, this opportunity to work together on strategic alignment and network concepts has influenced our ideas and work.

Carolyn Searle
(on behalf of Syndicate A)
Executive Officer, North West Melbourne Division of General Practice
E: carolyn@nwmdgp.org.au