the relationship between management styles and change and innovation skills of administrators in teaching hospitals of shiraz university of medical sciences

background: with regard to novel plans in the health sector, including “health sector evolution” and changes of hospitals’ issues, change and innovation skills are considered essential for hospital administrators. this study aimed to determine the relationship between management style and change and innovation skills of administrators in teaching hospitals of shiraz university of medical sciences in 2009.   methods: this was a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical survey. study samples were 9 managers and 135 headquarter staff of hospitals affiliated to shiraz university of medical sciences. data were collected using  the management style questionnaire of rensis likert and questionnaire of change and innovation skills. data were analyzed through spss16 and using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage and mean) and analytical statistics (t-test and anova .(   results: most hospital administrators of shiraz university of medical sciences had consultative management style. the majority of headquarter staff were in the age group of 20-40 years. there was a significant relationship between change and innovation skills of hospital administrators and their management styles (p<0.001).   conclusion: it seems that in order to implement the change and innovation plans in hospitals, implementing a successful participatory management style is very effective, because with honest participation, the organizational goals will be more achievable.