„‚ CONDITIONS THAT HINDER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

in meaningful ways. Each definition incorporates the frame of reference, beliefs,
attitudes, education, and work experience of the person developing and using it.
Definitions may also reflect a service or product orientation and incorporate aspects of
the organization’s culture.
Key-result areas apply equally to services and products. Information from the
product area is relatively easy to obtain, measure, and document. Customers readily
compare cars, computers, and clothes on a wide range of standard, often well-known
and accepted dimensions. The descriptive information from service areas is more
elusive.
Validity
Simply stated, a measure is valid when it is designed to measure something, and it does
exactly that. For example, a measure of mathematical skills is valid if good
mathematicians perform well on the test. The proof is in the performance.
Measures are considered basically valid when they are sufficiently well constructed
or fine tuned to detect small differences in what they are measuring, whether it is
mathematical skills, quality, or personal or organizational attributes. Appropriate use of
valid techniques produces valid or meaningful results. Organizations with successful
quality and improvement programs have developed valid models for organizational
change and also for quality.
Validity of Definitions
Validity of definitions can be verified by determining whether those using the definition
understand it and whether they can define the concept in very similar ways. This
information can be obtained through conversations, either in person or by telephone, and
surveys and questionnaires.
Some definitions may appear to address a specific factor or variable but actually
measure only the outward or surface representation of quality, like “looks good.” These
invalid measures should be discarded.
Data from readily available information or records should be used only if they are
considered to be valid. Easy paths to information seldom lead in the right direction.
When in doubt, ask the person doing the job about the meaningfulness of the data and
also ask those using the product or service.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
Operational definitions are not new concepts. Bridgeman, a physicist, used operational
definitions early in the 20th Century. The most common use and application are in
benchmarking, the core of total quality management.
Major topics are (1) descriptions and uses of operational definitions, (2) guidelines
for developing and using operational definitions, and (3) using operational definitions to
benchmark.
The Pfeiffer Library Volume 6, 2nd Edition. Copyright ©1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer ❚❘ 447