Bernard H. Baum

Bio: Bernard H. Baum is an academic researcher from University of Illinois at Chicago. The author has contributed to research in topics: Organizational performance & Health promotion. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 12 publications receiving 103 citations.

Centralization of Organizational Control: An Empirical Study of Its Meaning and Measurement

Abstract: T HIS study is aimed at clarifying the meaning of a key variable in theories and models of organizations -centralization of organizational control. To do so, it is necessary to first examine the concept of control. The study is empirical as well as analytical. We compare certain proposed measures of control, the comparison being designed both to test our inferences about the control concept underlying each of the measures and to assess the degree to which the concepts and measures are interrelated. Study of the growing literature of organizations makes one aware that, until recently, the centralization variable has usually been lamely handled in empirical research. The probable explanation is that both control and centralization have always been ambiguous concepts. In view of the importance of the concepts of control and centralization in theory and the growing emphasis on empirical research for the purpose of testing and refining theory, empirical exploration of the meaning and measurement of centralization of control appears urgently required. The study focuses upon three measures of control already suggested in organizational literature: (1) individual compensation,' (2) perceptions of interpersonal influence recorded on a questionnaire, and (3) the span of control in the formal organization.3 It appears to us not only that these three measures are based upon different concepts of the process of control in organizations but also that the concepts themselves represent different orders of explanation, with the compensation-related concept being broader than the other two. *This study was jointly planned. Baum and Sorensen are responsible for data collection and for the task analysis and ranking described on p. 17. Whisler and Meyer are responsible for the analysis and preparation of the manuscript. Responsibility for the article is shared jointly. Support for the research was provided by NASA grant NSG-370.

Organizational Control and Effectiveness in a Voluntary Association

Abstract: (1975). Organizational Control and Effectiveness in a Voluntary Association. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 95, No. 1, pp. 125-126.

Information Technology, Manpower Development and Organizational Performance

Abstract: This study of some 70 large business firms suggests that many companies, some of considerable size, continue to reflect a lack of appreciation for uses of information technology in managerial decis...

Thailand: Current public health perspectives

Abstract: Thailand's public health system is in transition, reflecting the economic status of the country. The decentralized system has made great strides in improving the health of its people. But paradoxes exist. While some urban areas have an oversupply of CT Scanners, rural villages still cope with hygiene-related illnesses. Malaria and Yellow Fever no longer dominate health resources. Now AIDs, heart disease and accidents top the problem list. Like other countries, Thailand also struggles with health financing to address the unmet needs.

The Measurement of Intraorganizational Power: The Application of the Control Graph to Organization Development

Abstract: This is a review of work done in the past twenty years with the Control Graph, including the evolution of Control-Graph studies, its relationship to other perspectives of organizations, and an overview of study findings. These findings are reviewed within the context of contingency theory, and attention is given to the use of the Control Graph in the implementa tion and measurement of organizational change. Advantages of the Con trol Graph for applied research are cited, including its integration with theory, acceptance by practicing managers, and limited demand on re spondent's time. Greater attention needs to be given, however, to the need to tailor the instrument to each organization; systematic evaluation of its use in survey feedback; its relationship to more objective measures of control; and study findings that cannot currently be explained by con tingency theory.

Power in Top Management Teams: Dimensions, Measurement, and Validation

Abstract: Top managers' power plays a key role in strategic decision making. However, although numerous scholars have recognized its importance, very few have attempted to measure the phenomenon. In this article, I present a set of dimensions measuring top managers' power and suggest a measurement methodology to facilitate empirical inquiry. Data from a group of 1,763 top managers in three industries were used to assess the validity and reliability of the power dimensions in three studies. Results demonstrate strong support for the proposed power dimensions.

CEO Duality as a Double-Edged Sword: How Boards of Directors Balance Entrenchment Avoidance and Unity of Command

Abstract: When a firm's chief executive officer is also the chairperson of its board, directors have opposing objectives. According to organization theory, such CEO duality establishes strong, unambiguous le...

Implementation Structures: A New Unit of Administrative Analysis

Abstract: This article argues that a multiorganizational unit of analysis, an implementation structure, should be used when describing and evaluating the implementation and administration of programmes.Programmes are implemented by clusters of parts of public and private organizations. An implementation structure is the administrative entity which programme implementors use for accomplishing objectives within programmes. An organizationally rooted analy sis is therefore inadequate to rationalize the activities surrounding programme imple mentation.This article defines implementation structures and argues the advantage of using a multiorganizational analytic perspective over the perspective of single organizations.

A Cumulative Study of the Effectiveness of Managerial Training

Abstract: The published and unpublished literature on the effectiveness of managerial training has produced conflicting results and left more unanswered questions than definitive statements concerning the effectiveness of managerial training. In the present study, meta-analysis procedures were applied to the results of 70 managerial training studies to empirically integrate the findings of the studies. The metaanalysis results for 34 distributions of managerial training effects representing six training content areas, seven training methods, and four types of criteria (subjective learning, objective learning, subjective behavior, and objective results) indicated that managerial training is, on the average, moderately effective. For 12 of the 17 managerial training method distributions, the 90% lower bound credibility values were positive, and thus the effectiveness of these training methods, at least at a minimal level, can be generalized to new situations. It is stressed that although this meta-analysis assisted in clarifying what we have learned about managerial training, a great deal of empirical research on managerial training is needed before more conclusive statements can be made.