A two dimensional theoretical model measuring organizational achievement and congruency

• Main Author: Coleman, Donald G.
• Other Authors: Patton, Don C.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: School management and organization.; Leadership.; Executive ability > Testing.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/175588; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/414455

The purpose of the study was to construct and test a theoretical model for measuring degrees of organizational effectiveness, efficiency, and integration. The model, the administrative grid, patterned after the quadrant scheme used by Halpin and the managerial grid by Blake and Mouton, provided a system of accommodating the effectiveness and efficiency measures established by Barnard and a visual interpretation of the administrative technique utilized by administrators in integrating the two basic elements of an organization, the goals and the people.In designing the pilot study to test the model, specific attention was given to a) establishing minimal levels of organizational accomplishment; b) the nature of the orthogonal relationship between goals and people; and c) the psychological constructs of the classroom teacher as a means of measuring administrative activity. The review of the literature included psychological theory and leadership theory as applied to the model.A general hypothesis was made at the beginning of the study that administrators in "good" schools provide leadership differently from administrators in "poor" schools, and the perceptions of teachers could distinguish the difference. A panel of 10 professional educators rated 275 Indiana high schools to facilitate separating higher quality or "good" schools from lower quality or "poor" schools. The ratings were screened for consistency, and the mean scores were placed on a continuum from one to six. Schools were selected for inclusion in the project based upon the mean scores of the ratings at extreme ends of the continuum. Administrators from schools clearly categorized as "good" or "poor" were invited to participate. Eleven randomly selected faculty members from each of 20 "good" and 20 "poor" schools completed an adaptation of the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire-Form XII measuring the amount of structure and production emphasis provided by administrators and the tolerance of freedom and uncertainty among teachers as perceived by the teachers.Seven null hypotheses were established to determine whether differences existed between "good" and "poor" schools on 1) Initiating Structure, 2) Production Emphasis, 3) Goals dimension, 4) Tolerance of Uncertainty, 5) Tolerance of Freedom, 6) People dimension, and 7) Integration. Hypotheses 1, 3, 5, and 6 were rejected beyond the .10 level of significance while 2, 4, and 7 were held as tenable at the .10 level. The data were analyzed by using two-way analyses of variance with the second factor (School) nested. The two-way ANOVA provided the capability of testing for the unique effects associated with the quality of the school classification separately from the unique effects associated with sample schools nested within the "good" and "poor" categories respectively.Mean scores were plotted on the administrative grid and determined to be of assistance in providing school administrators graphic interpretations in how the administrative effort is perceived by teachers. The grid also provides the administrator with direction necessary for corrective action.The study was a pilot project to determine if the method of investigation and application of results warrant further study. The results indicated that perceptions of individuals inside the organization as to the "goal" and "people" orientation of the administration, may provide insight in problem situations. Further research is recommended to sharpen the instrumentation with schools, and replicating the study in various types of organizations was recommended.