Method
The base-line study
As a first step, management commissioned an exploratory attitude survey of hourly
employees, first-line supervisors, middle and upper managers, conducted by the
academic-based consultants. Following organizational data collection and diagnosis
models suggested by Nadler and Tushman (1980), the study’s objectives were established
as identification of those employee attitudes and work practices associated with
productivity and establishment of a base-line measurement against which change projects
could be planned and results measured. A series of interviews were conducted with crosssections
of employees to ascertain what sorts of data might be usefully collected.