2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

Using Survey and Interview Data: An Example 1
Dr. Susann Nourizadeh and Dr. Alma G. Steinberg
U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
5001 Eisenhower Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22333-5600
nourizadehs@ari.army.mil
Introduction
In general, surveys are useful in providing quantitative data from large samples across a
wide geographical area. They allow the same questions to be asked to all respondents in the same
way. Supplementing surveys with focus group interviews adds qualitative data that provide a
context to interpret survey results. Focus groups also facilitate an in-depth examination of issues
that are difficult to examine with surveys (e.g., why individuals responded a certain way to the
survey) and aid in finding solutions to problems. The purpose of this paper is to present an
example which uses survey and interview data to address an applied concern related to
mentoring.
Currently, the U.S. Army is examining issues related to mentoring, including its
definition, its role in leader development, and ways to increase its occurrence. However, there is
no shared understanding about the meaning of mentoring and how it should be implemented in
the Army. In the literature, the mentoring relationship is described as a “developmental
relationship between senior and junior individuals in organizations” (McManus & Russell, 1997,
p. 145). Thus, mentors are considered to be individuals who are superior in both rank and
experience (e.g., Bagnal, Pence, & Meriwether, 1985; McManus & Russell, 1997). In the U.S.
Army, currently there is confusion over the differentiation between leadership and mentoring.
The problem arises because similar behaviors appear to apply to both (e.g., teaching job skills,
giving feedback on job performance, providing support and encouragement).
In addition to definitional concerns, the Army is looking at how mentoring can be
implemented as part of leader development and whether the amount of mentoring can be
increased by tapping additional sources of mentors. Since Soldiers often learn much from the
first non-commissioned officers (NCOs) with whom they work (e.g., their platoon sergeant) and
also from their peers, the Army decided to examine whether these two groups might be
considered additional sources of mentors.
Approach
The survey data collection instrument was the Fall 2001 Sample Survey of Military
Personnel (SSMP). The SSMP is a semi-annual omnibus survey conducted by the U.S. Army
Research Institute. It is sent to an Army-wide random sample of Active component
commissioned officers and enlisted personnel. The survey addressed whether Soldiers felt they
ever had a mentor, who the mentor was (e.g., their rater, senior rater, someone else who was
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45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003