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Using key informant methods in organizational survey research: Assessing for informant bias
Author(s) -
Hughes Linda C.,
Preski Sally
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-240x(199702)20:1<81::aid-nur9>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - psychology , proxy (statistics) , organisation climate , applied psychology , survey data collection , organizational culture , social psychology , statistics , public relations , political science , mathematics
Specification of variables that reflect organizational processes can add an important dimension to the investigation of outcomes. However, many contextual variables are conceptualized at a macro unit of analysis and may not be amenable to direct measurement. In these situations, proxy measurement is obtained by treating organizational members as key informants who report about properties of the work group or organization. Potential sources of bias when using key informant methods in organizational survey research are discussed. Statistical procedures for assessment of rater‐trait interaction as a type of informant bias are illustrated using data from a study in which multiple key informants were sampled to obtain proxy measurement of the organizational climate for caring among baccalaureate schools of nursing. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Res Nurs Health 20: 81–92, 1997