Research Methods (STA-630)
Concept to be tested: Type of Literature Review
Organization theorists have defined organizational effectiveness (OE)
in various ways. OE has been described in terms of objectives
(Georgopolous & Tannenbaum, 1957), goals (Etzioni, 1960), efficiency
(Katz & Kahn, 1966), resources acquisition (Yuchtman &
Seashore, 1967), system resource approach (Price, 1972),employee
satisfaction (Cummings, 1977), interdependence (Pfeffer, 1977) and
organizational vitality (Colt, 1995). Cameron (1978) mentioned that
there was difficulty in empirically assessing organizational
effectiveness because no one ultimate criterion existed, later on,
Coulter (2002) remarked, that there is little consensus on how to
conceptualize, measure, or explain OE. Researchers are now moving away
from a single model and are taking contingency approaches to
conceptualize OE (Cameron, 1996; Wernerfelt, 1998; Yetley 2001). However
they are still limiting themselves to examine the impact of dominant
constituencies served and the organization’s life cycle on OE instead of
taking a broader, more dynamic approach (Dahl, 2001, p.25).
What type of literature review has been conducted in given case? Support answer with logic.
Solution:
The type of review used in this case I theoretical review because
different theorists are comparatively addressing an issue of OE. In this
case the researcher is describing the same thing of organizational
effectiveness in terms of objectives, efficiency, resources acquisition,
system resource approach, employee satisfaction, interdependence &
organizational vitality with reference to different theorists.
Later Cameron, Coulter & others including Wernerfelt, Yetley are
seemed to be more focused to examine the consistency of predictions
about OE with findings, logical consistency & scope of explanation
by describing OE as:
- to access empirically concepts of OE
- Little consensus how to conceptualize, measure or to explain it.
- Contingency approaches to explain it.
In first phase of this case the theorists are more focused to
describe the concept of OE in different ways by using the theoretical
review of literature review. In second phase the late theorists are
explaining the concept of OE by using this type of review but are
examining the predictions about OE that it is difficult to empirically
assess the OE, Coulter remarked there is no particular consensus to
conceptualize, measure or explain OE, contingency approaches should be
used to explain OE by Cameron, Wernerfelt, Yetley.
