Purpose To present the Organizational Courage Assessment
(OCA) and explore its construct validity.
Design/Methodology/Approach The OCA assesses the
frequency that members (1) observe potential acts of
courage in their organization and (2) fear performing those
acts of courage—which defines four types of organizations:
bureaucratic organizations (little fear with few acts of
courage), fearful organizations (much fear with few acts of
courage), courageous organizations (many acts despite
much fear), and quantum organizations (many acts with
little fear).
Findings Our study validated OCA’s two-factor solution
(internal validity) and statistically supported our research
model that linked courage assessments to perceptions of
an organization’s environment, structures, roles, cultures,
climates, performance, and satisfaction (external validity).
Implications While acting courageously works in the
short term (and seems, at first, to be ideal), it nevertheless
requires members to live with fear on an ongoing basis.
Members acting without fear, however, might be the most
effective approach in the long term. The OCA can thus be
used as a diagnostic tool for assessing organizations (and
its subunits) as bureaucratic, fearful, or courageous and
then conducting change programs to reduce fear while
empowering the membership—thereby creating quantum
organizations for long-term success.
Originality/Value This is the first known study to develop
a quantitative assessment of organizational courage. Rather
than relying on time-consuming interviews or questionable
anecdotal information, it is now possible to proceed with a
great variety of research studies (and change programs)
with a valid—and useful—instrument.