Exploring the Impact of Politically Appointed Leadership on HRIS Implementation and Health Practices

The influence of politically appointed leadership on human resource information systems (HRIS) implementation and health practices in the management of public sector organizations has received attention in several jurisdictions. Evidence shows that issues surrounding healthcare policy, recruitment and transfer are mostly controlled by political actors. However, within teaching hospitals in Ghana, despite the continuous appointment of leaders by successive governments, little is known about how these appointments influence the management of human resource practices. Using a qualitative approach, a purposive sampling technique was used to select 27 respondents across selected teaching hospitals in Ghana to answer a semi structured interview guide. The study revealed that while all CEOs acknowledged the benefits of HRMIS in enhancing transparency and improving human resource planning, their individual commitment to its implementation varied significantly. The findings suggest that the success of HRMIS implementation is strongly influenced by the leadership style and technical competence of the CEO.