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Peter Lok: Australian Graduate School of Management, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and
John Crawford: University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Organizations can be conceived of as highly interdependent subgroups or sub-systems (Burke and Litwin, 1992; Katz and Kahn, 1978). That is, the impact of any factor in an organization such as structure, team cohesiveness, leadership, strategy or culture must not be seen in isolation from other factors. The interdependence of these factors and the need for diagnostic tools for their assessment have been extensively discussed (Church et al., 1995; Hendry, 1994). Organizational diagnostic models and surveys have often been demonstrated by practitioners to be very effective in supporting organizational development programs (Goldstein and Burke, 1991).
The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between employees' responses on Preziosi's (1980) Organizational Diagnosis Questionnaire and ratings on Steele's (1987) Organizational Effectiveness Questionnaire, in two organizations. This study also examines the reliability and factor structure of these frameworks: Weisbord (1976), Preziosi (1980) and Steele (1987). More specifically, it is of interest to determine the extent to which any differences in the two organizations' effectiveness rating can be explained by the employees' evaluation of the organizations on the Organizational Diagnosis Questionnaire. The data collected in this study will also allow us to examine the factor structure of these instruments.
Organizational diagnostic models
Organizational diagnostic models are designed to assist organizational development practitioners (Burke, 1994) to:
- categorize data about the organization;
- enhance understanding about organizational problems;
- interpret data systematically;
- provide appropriate change strategies.
Organizational diagnostic models, such as those of Weisbord (1976), Nadler and Tushman (1977), Tichy (1983) and Burke and Litwin (1992), have often been used by practitioners to examine organizations. For example, the Burke and Litwin (1992) survey was used in a study of British Airways to show causal relationships between organizational variables and to establish a team effectiveness change program (Goldstein and Burke, 1991). Although these models generally incorporate different dimensions and measures, the diagnostic outcome is often similar (Ann Howard & Associates, 1994).
One of the most effective tools for organizational development practitioners to understand and evaluate organizational issues is the questionnaire-based survey. An organizational survey serves as an effective tool for providing feedback and in inducing positive...