Contextual factors related to the execution of knowledge strategies in intellectual disabilities organizations

Abstract

The sharing and application of knowledge in intellectual disabilities care are vital and challenging. Therefore, organizations providing care and support for people with intellectual disabilities use strategies to stimulate these processes. To optimize these strategies, we investigated the contextual factors that influence their execution. We conducted individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 11 CEOs of organizations providing care for people with intellectual disabilities in the Netherlands. A thematic data analysis was conducted in which a deductive approach was followed by a bottom-up clustering. We thus identified factors related to both the internal and the external context. The internal context involves persons within the organization and the organizational structures. The external context involves the organization's socio-political environment and collaborative partnerships. We concluded that the execution of strategies to improve the sharing and application of knowledge is influenced by contextual factors which appear to be interconnected. These contextual factors point to the key role played by care professionals.