 |
Assessing Organizational Climate
Using the Scaled Comparison
The Scaled Comparison asks a person filling out a questionnaire to compare two organizational issues using the following format:
| Question: |
Which statement better describes the way your organization functions currently? |
| Work accomplishments are recognized |
 |
Safety procedures are in place and clear |
|
|
In the actual questionnaire, the respondent is presented with a full page of such pairs rather than a single pair. Each issue is paired with each of the others a number of times. The first question intends to learn how the respondent views the current functioning of the organization.
| Question: |
Which statement better describes the way your organization functions currently? |
|
|
The second question attempts to learn how the person completing the questionnaire thinks the organization should be functioning. Thus, the ideal, against which the actual climate is to be compared, is defined internally by the organization, not by external consultants or "industry norms". Should the organization find itself in a transition from one management style to another, the ideal can be defined by a selected group of key people who know the direction they are moving.
| Question: |
Which statement better describes how you think a highly effective organization should function? |
|
|
What do the Reports Look Like?
The value of studying organizational climate this way is being able to compare actual function with an idealized view of organizational function. The following report shows the various issues ranked with the most important ideal issue at the top. The position of the letter "A" indicates where that issue appeared in the way respondents described their actual organization.
|
|
Another way of looking at the results is to separate the views of various groups of respondents so you can see the differences in opinion between them. This alerts you to problems than may exist in certain areas, but not in the entire organization.
|
|
The next illustration shows the same data in slightly different format. Although there are strong statistical data supporting these reports, experience has shown that survey results are most useful when they require little numerical or statistical understanding in order to interpret them.
|
|
Underlying all of the reports shown above is the actual Scaled Comparison score, a true interval index, and supported by actual reliability assessment with each report. You never have to rely on assurances of reliability or studies conducted in some other time and place. You will know the reliability of your results for every single analysis.
|
|
An assessment of organization climate is not a conclusion, it is a starting point. We often implement organizational change based on little more than a few peoples' views about what is needed. A careful, scientific assessment of the climate can identify broad areas of agreement about issues that need attention. This broad agreement translates into greater ownership and a higher probability of success in efforts to change and improve.
How do I get more information?
|
|
|
|
