Managers’ Perceptions of Criteria of Organizational Effectiveness

Abstract

This research explores managerial perceptions of organizational effectiveness and whether they have similarities with perceptions of academics, and with the competing values model of organizational effectiveness (Quinn and Rohrbaugh, 1983). The results suggest that the same values organize the patterning of effectiveness criteria in a cohesion‐based solution for managers and academics. Yet, this cohesion model has inadequate explanatory power for managers’ perceptions and shows no relationship with either their experience or organizational preferences. In contrast, a conflict‐based solution provides adequate explanatory power for managers and relates to their experience and to organizational preferences. If managers play any part in influencing effectiveness in organizations, then incorporating their views into models of organizational effectiveness is therefore likely to improve our understanding of organizational functioning.