Improving Organizational Surveys New Directions, Methods, and Applications

by Paul Rosenfeld; Jack E. Edwards; Marie D. Thomas

• ISBN13: 9780803951945
• ISBN10: 0803951949
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1993-05-05
• Publisher: Sage Publications

Summary

"Timely and original, this publication presents the latest tools, techniques, and applications for conducting sucessful organizational surveys." --International Review of Administrative Sciences Surveys are part of our culture. From political polls predicting who the new president of the United States will be, to consumer surveys determining which new ice cream flavor is best-liked, surveys reach out and touch everyone. However, recent technological and methodological advances, as well as changes in the demographics of the workforce, have posed new and unique challenges to those charged with gathering survey information. Timely and original, Improving Organizational Surveys presents the latest tools, techniques, and applications for conducting successful organizational surveys throughout a wide range of settings (private sector, government, and the military). Separated into three sections, some of the relevant topics reviewed are how a survey is conducted, including a step-by-step guide; how to go about asking sensitive and potentially embarrassing questions; the advantages and disadvantages of computer-administered surveys; what to do about measurement error; lessons learned from conducting sexual harassment surveys; and a review of the definitional, methodological, and practical aspects of conducting a quality-of-work-life survey. This diverse volume is a must for individuals who develop and administer organizational surveys, for managers who utilize survey information, and for researchers and students who are interested in surveying public and private sector organizations.

Table of Contents

Introduction

PART ONE: METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES - Jack E Edwards and Marie D Thomas

The Organizational Survey Process

General Steps and Practical Considerations - Jamshid C Hosseini and Robert L Armacost

Gathering Sensitive Data in Organizations - Solomon Dutka and Lester R Frankel

Measurement Errors in Organizational Surveys

PART TWO: NEW DIRECTIONS IN PRACTICE - Stephanie Booth-Kewley, Paul Rosenfeld, and Jack E Edwards

Computer-Administered Surveys in Organizational Settings

Alternatives, Advantages and Applications - Richard A Dunnington

New Methods and Technologies in the Organizational Survey Process - Gary W Morris and Mark A LoVerde

Consortium Surveys

PART THREE: APPLICATIONS - Marie D Thomas and Patricia J Thomas

Surveying Pregnancy and Single Parenthood

The Navy Experience - Amy L Culbertson and Paul Rosenfeld

Understanding Sexual Harassment Through Organizational Surveys - Elyse W Kerce and Stephanie Booth-Kewley

Quality of Work Life Surveys in Organizations

Methods and Benefits - Dan Landis, Mickey R Dansby, and Robert H Faley

The Military Equal Opportunity Climate Survey

An Example of Surveying in Organizations - Robert A Giacalone and Stephen B Knouse

Identifying Security Risks in Organizations

Development and Use of a Security Exit Survey Instrument