A study of the organizational effectiveness of telecommunication advisory panels

James Owen Hill, Purdue University

Abstract

A combination of factors created the need for studying the perceptions of panel participants towards the effectiveness of telecommunication consumer advisory panels and the organizational characteristics of panels. First, there was a lack of pertinent information regarding the most effective organization characteristics for application with consumer advisory panels in private industry. Second, even though private industry has made an attempt at self-regulation within recent years, there were no unified provisions for the creation of systematic guidelines of effective characteristics for panels in the private sector. If this self-regulation process is to be a success, guidelines of effective characteristics for panels should be established. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which relationships existed between paticipant perceptions of panel effectiveness and the organizational characteristics of panels. There were several objectives for the study. First, consumer member attitudes, management attitudes, and organizational characteristics of advisory panels were measured. Organizational characteristics of the panels to be examined include goals, structure, operational practices, and demographic profiles. Second, these organizational characteristics were related to effectiveness of panel functioning as perceived by panel members. Recommendations as to how the panels can improve their performance were suggested. A model and system for analyzing organizational effectiveness, one which may also be used for analyzing panels in other industries, was also developed. Descriptive survey and correlational research procedures were employed in this study. Consumer panel members and company representatives were mailed a participant opinionnaire. The opinionnaire was designed to assess attitudes toward the advisory panel's functioning. A descriptive questionnaire was also used to collect descriptive characteristic data from the consumer panels. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the hypothesized consumer panel effectiveness model was confirmed. In the consumer model the significant predictors of perceptions of effectiveness for advisory panels were: company group size, stated goals, and consumer group size. The hypothesized company representative effectiveness model was also confirmed. The important predictors of perceptions of effectiveness for the company model were: meeting place, stated goals, company support, panel duration, educational level, and frequency of meeting.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Williams, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Business costs

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