The relationship between perception of environmental uncertainty, creative thinking and strategic thinking: A research on private hospital managers

Hospitals operate in an environment where uncertainty and dynamism are intense. Managers of organizations operating in such a dynamic environment need a set of thinking skills when making decisions and predictions for the future. At this point, strategic thinking, which envisages a way of thinking that can perceive environmental threats and opportunities and question the final state of competitors, comes to the fore. One of the basic conditions for strategic thinkers to exhibit different approaches and make decisions that can outperform their competitors is creative thinking skills. In this context, the main purpose of the study is to reveal the effect of environmental uncertainty perception and creative thinking on strategic thinking. The population of the study consists of private hospital managers working in senior positions in Kocaeli and Istanbul provinces. The data of the study were collected by questionnaire method between 01.01.2024 and 12.05.2024. The data collection tool in the study consists of socio-demographic characteristics of the individuals, "Perceived Environmental Uncertainty Scale" developed by Desarbo et al. (2005), Turkish validity and reliability analysis conducted by Ark (2008), "Creative Thinking Scale" developed by Doyague (2008), Turkish validity and reliability analysis conducted by Çiçek (2011), and "Strategic Thinking Scale" developed by Pisapia et al. (2005), Turkish validity and reliability analysis conducted by Çiçek (2011). The data were collected face-to-face and online and descriptive statistical methods, reliability analysis, difference analysis (independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance), correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. According to the findings of the study, there is a positive and high level relationship between environmental uncertainty and creative thinking, environmental uncertainty and strategic thinking, and creative thinking and strategic thinking. Environmental uncertainty perception has a positive and significant effect on strategic thinking close to medium level, and creative thinking has a positive and significant effect on strategic thinking close to high level. There are differences in the levels of environmental uncertainty perception, creative thinking and strategic thinking according to the socio-demographic characteristics of managers (gender, marital status, age, educational status, title and working time). According to the results of the study, it is seen that hospital managers operating in an uncertain environment need strategic thinking skills. In addition, in order for organizations operating in an uncertain environment to use strategic thinking more effectively, it is recommended to develop creative thinking skills by self-motivating, daydreaming, having a flexible way of thinking, creating concept maps of events, learning to look at things from a broader perspective and being aware that new things will take time to emerge. Keywords: Hospital, Perception of Environmental Uncertainty, Creative Thinking, Strategic Thinking.