| This foundational research identified and applied a survey instrument to measure organizational climate factors as perceived by leaders of higher education institutions participating in the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). AQIP is an alternate process for maintaining regional institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The AQIP process incorporates concepts of continual quality improvement, systems thinking, organizational learning, mental models, involvement, development of human resources, appreciative inquiry, and dialogue. The organizational climate survey instrument used in this research measured factors related to the AQIP categories and principles. The organizational climate factors were: conflict resolution, culture management, customer orientation, disposition towards change, employee participation, goal clarity, human resources orientation, identification with the organization, locus of authority, management style, organization focus, organization integration, performance orientation, reward orientation, and task structure.; Responses to the survey were obtained from leaders of higher education institutions participating in AQIP. Data were analyzed to determine the distribution of the participating institutions' organizational climate scores. Significant differences were found for all of the factors by level of leadership position, and for some of the factors by type of institution (using Carnegie classification). Based upon this research, the survey instrument was found to be an effective tool for measuring leaders' perceptions of organizational climate at institutions participating in AQIP. |
