personality final(7)

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MA² Personality Test

MA² LLC

Alison Tubay, Ashley Borja,

Madlen Zamfirova & Mandy Maloney

Elmhurst College

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The MAPT

Previous Research:

Many organizations seek to hire individuals that are successful not only at their assigned job

tasks, but also socially within the organization’s community. Although research has been

conducted to find out what contributing factors make a good employee, one aspect is often

overlooked; culture fit. Cultural fit between an individual and the organization should be

determined prior to hiring rather than after. Cornelius, Booker, Arthur, Reeves, & Morgan

(2004) explored the impact culture fit had on organizational success. The study concluded that

organizations that had attempted to hire employees based on their personality fit within the

organization had a higher retention rate than those that hired on job skill alone. Similarly,

Heathfield (2016) found that culture fit had a direct-link to job retention. Organizations that

determined a potential employee’s culture fit based on said organization’s beliefs and values had

a heavy influence on retention rates (Assessing Organizational Culture, 2016). These studies are

examples that job skills are not the only thing to consider when hiring employees. It is therefore

important we begin to identify and develop a way to determine if an individual is a good fit for

the intended hiring organization.

 

Determining culture fit can be a confusing task. First, one must determine what the culture of the

organization is. Then, one must determine if a potential employee matches those set values

and/or beliefs. It was from this confusion that the concept of the MA² Personality Test (MAPT)

was created. The goal of the MAPT was to assess an organization's culture to determine which

constructs were most essential for successful employees to have. Those constructs are then used

to measure an individual's fit in an organization by seeing how high they score on each construct.

Differing from existing tests of its kind, the purpose of the initial culture assessment within the

MAPT would be for organizations to better understand their own culture and values.

About the test:

The MAPT was first developed in 2013 by MA², LLC. A retention issue was becoming apparent

with many of our clients, so we developed a tool that would not only be helpful in determining

the true values and beliefs of the organization, but also utilizing those same values and beliefs in

a personality test to aid in hiring the right individuals. The utility of the tool is for hiring

purposes only. If results from this test are used for developmental reasons, the results may be

more harmful than helpful (Shultz, Whitney & Zickar, 2014).

It was critical for us to remember that each organization has separate and specific sets of values,

beliefs, and ingrained behavioral patterns that characterize it. With that knowledge, we knew

that we could not create a universal test that would function effectively from organization to

organization; instead, we decided to make it adaptable. Although the process of the test is the

same for each organization, it is the initial assessment that makes this test unique. It was

important to determine the fit between a person and an organization during selection and hiring

processes to see if values between the two match up. We did this by interviewing 4 top

executives from the given organization to determine what behaviors were essential for an

employee to have. The CEO, Vice-President, Human Resources Director, and Chief Financial

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Officer were used in the cultural assessment to determine their organization’s essential

constructs. If a company did not have anyone working one of these specific positions, a person

in equivalent standing would be used. Typically, receiving input from more subject matter

experts (SMEs) would be more beneficial, however when trying to get to the core of the

organization, it can be more useful to start with the top executives to see their vision of what

their employees should exhibit. During this interview, we worked with the executives to create a

competency model, which described the different behaviors they would hope for a future

employee to portray (Jeanneret & Silzer, 1998). A portion of this competency model can be

viewed in Appendix A of the Test Manual.

Based on the constructs and behaviors determined from the competency model, the MAPT is

constructed. We develop 50 questions, 10 questions per construct, which are used to measure

how much of each personality construct a potential employee possesses. Each question is close-

ended and written at an 8th

grade reading level to keep responses simple and comprehension of

the questions at an easy level (Shultz et al., 2014). The response choices range from 1 (disagree)

to 3 (agree). These numerical values are used to calculate scores for each individual construct, as

well as an overall score across all constructs. An applicant is required to obtain a certain

minimum score in order to be considered for the position and asked back for a follow-up

interview. We used the Angoff method to determine these cut-off scores. We had the same 4

top executives create a description of what a minimally competent person (MCP) would be based

off of the job analysis that they had created. They then were asked to go through each test item

and determine the probability that an MCP would answer that item correctly, or the way they

wanted (Shultz et al., 2014). The probabilities were then averaged and used to create the cutoff

scores distinguishing the score levels of high, moderate, and low (Shultz et al., 2014). Specific

items were posed negatively so that individuals did not rush through the test; these items should

be reversely scored. At the completion of the test, each individual will receive a score, high,

moderate, or low for each personality construct, and the organization will receive an overall

score for the individual, scoring high, moderate, or low for all of the constructs as a whole. Both

the individual and the organization will also receive a detailed description of what the scoring

means.

Descriptive statistics were conducted to evaluate the MAPT. The test measures inter-individual

differences because we are comparing multiple people on the same constructs to see which

individual is the best fit for the job (Shultz et al., 2014). Through over 200 analyses of the test

with past clients, the internal consistency reliability between test questions yielded results of .82.

This finding supports the claim that our test is a reliable measure of personality. If the internal

consistency value was any higher, there may be an issue with questions being redundant or too

similar with other items in the test (Schultz et al., 2014). Similar to the internal consistency of

the test, the internal validity reported a measure of .75, making this test not only reliable, but also

valid. Due to both the reliability and validity tests receiving accurate scores, this test can be used

with certainty in the testing of personality constructs.

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MA² Personality Test:

Assessor Manual

March 2016

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Overview of the Assessors Responsibilities

Introduction:

The MA² Personality Test (MAPT) works to provide hiring professionals a systematic tool to

help determine person-job fit for their company. The MAPT evaluates five specific personality

constructs, which are defined by top executives at Eureka:

1. Reliability: individual can be held accountable by their coworkers and themselves for

their actions. They are punctual, display infrequent absenteeism, and can be trusted to

follow through with their commitments.

2. Commitment: individual should complete required tasks and meet deadlines. They

should feel a strong sense of dedication to their work and the company as a whole.

Committed individuals should maintain an internal motivation to succeed, despite any

obstacles that present themselves.

3. Vision: individuals should value the mission of the organization and put effort into

progressing its worth through the design and development of their own ideas. They

should enjoy thinking outside of the box and should not be afraid to take risks.

4. Openness: individuals are able to compromise and incorporate others’ ideas with their

own. They should be open to change, be excited about finding new ways to do things,

and display a level of curiosity that leads to new ideas.

5. Teamwork: individuals have a strong sense of comradery with their coworkers. This

person can work with people of all backgrounds, will go above and beyond the call of

duty, and consider their team a single unit that aims to function like a well-oiled machine.

The MAPT is made up of 50 questions that will help evaluate each applicant’s level of specific

personality constructs. Each question is allowed a response on a modified Likert scale with

answers ranging from disagree (1) to agree (3). These values will be scored later through a

computerized system. At the completion of the test, each applicant will receive a score high,

moderate, or low for each personality construct as well as a description of what the scoring

means. An overall score will also be computed for the use of the hiring professional only. This

score will be used as a “cut-off” score for which applicants can move onto the next step in the

hiring process. These results will hopefully provide the applicant insight into their personality

qualities, but more importantly will help hiring professionals find candidates that will have a

strong person-job fit to their specific company.

General Instructions:

The hiring professional, or assessor, administering the MAPT is responsible for maintaining the

safety and confidentiality of each applicants' results. Results are to be used for hiring purposes

only and may only be discussed in a follow-up interview. When each applicant is finished with

the test, the computerized MAPT software will save all of the applicant’s inputted data and score

the items accordingly. The individual results are not to be seen by anyone except for the assessor

and the applicant. The applicant should not use the report to compare their results to other

applicants completing the test.

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The MAPT should be given in a computer lab that is quiet and well-lit. The test can be

administered either individually or in group settings, provided that there is adequate privacy for

all test takers so that their responses are honest and not influenced by others. The computers

should be owned by the company, not the applicant, so that all superfluous computer searches

and usage can be tracked and monitored by the company. It is suggested that these computers

have no applications or internet connection to prevent any temptation for applicants to become

distracted from the test. Applicants should be distanced far enough apart so they cannot see

another applicant’s computer screen. The room should stay at a consistent 70 degrees Fahrenheit

so that any irregularities in body temperature (getting too hot or cold) do not distract the

applicants from their comprehension of the test items, and therefore impact their results.

Assessment Supplies:

We provide:

MAPT Software (for both testing and scoring)

Assessor manual

Applicant manual

You need:

Computer

Prohibited during testing:

Electronic devices (cell phones/iPods/iPads)

Watches with an alarm

Headphones

Any computer usage aside from the test (internet searches/games)

Applicants with Disabilities:

Any applicant with a disability should first refer to the job analysis provided by the company to

make sure they are eligible for the specific position. If so, they should be accommodated with

the means necessary to have little to no effect on the results of their test.

Timing for Assessment Completion:

The MAPT should be completed in 25 minutes. This will give the applicant adequate time to

read all items thoroughly, but not an abundance of time that would cause them to over think their

answers.

Scoring:

All scoring will be done through the MAPT electronic software, but can also be completed

manually if necessary. The program will give a score for each construct ranging from the

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minimum low score of 10 points (all responses coincided with the “1 point” choice) to the

maximum high score of 30 points (all responses coincided with the “3 point” choice). These

construct specific scores will allow the hiring professional to see which personality traits the

applicants have most strongly developed and which traits are still lacking.

To score manually, add together the responses for the following 10 questions for each

personality construct:

Reliability: 1, 3, 10, 13, 16, 20, 27

Vision: 2, 4, 8, 11, 21, 22, 34, 37

Openness: 9, 24, 33, 40, 42, 44, 45, 50

Teamwork: 5, 17, 26, 30, 38, 39, 43, 46

Commitment: 7, 15, 28, 32, 41, 47

Certain test items were negatively posed. They were designed this way to prevent an applicant

from going through the test and answering the same way without reading the item. The

responses for these questions should be reversely scored (if the response was “agree” which is

worth 3 points, the response will counted the same as a “disagree” response for 1 point): 6, 12,

14, 18, 19, 23, 25, 29, 31, 35, 36, 48, 49

At the completion of the scoring, each applicant should have 5 different scores each representing

a different personality construct. The following table explains the distribution between low,

moderate, and high construct scores:

< 15 points Low Score

16-24 points Moderate Score

25-30 points High Score

All item responses will be added together for one overall score as well. This overarching

number will be helpful for the use of only the hiring professionals when determining if an

applicant was above or below the cut off score before spending additional time looking into the

construct specific scores they also received. The following table explains the distribution

between low, moderate, and high overall scores:

< 60 points Low Score

61-100 points Moderate Score

101-150 points High Score

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Reports:

Reports will be created electronically through the MAPT software. Sample reports of both

Report A, individual construct scores given to the applicant, and Report B, overall score given

only to the hiring professional, have been included in Appendix A for your reference. These

personalized reports should be kept private and given only to the hiring professional and

applicant accordingly.

Results:

Depending on how each individual applicant scored overall and in each of the personality

constructs, they can receive a different set of detailed results. All of the possible results are

listed below, organized depending on overall score or individual personality constructs, followed

by score level (low, moderate, or high).

Overall:

High results: The applicant’s overall score was high. This applicant displays strong

characteristics from many or all of the personality constructs. They exhibit essential

traits and can utilize these strengths to contribute to the organization’s goals and overall

mission. This score reflects an ideal candidate, and the individual construct scores can be

looked at for supplemental information into exactly how much of each personality

construct the individual displays.

Moderate results: The applicant’s overall score was moderate. This applicant displays

moderately strong characteristics from a few of the personality constructs, but not all of

them. They can utilize their strengths, and potentially develop their lesser traits over time

with experience. This score reflects potential, and the individual construct scores should

be looked at and discussed in a follow-up interview to determine the specific strengths

and weaknesses of this applicant.

Low results: The applicant’s overall score was low. This applicant displays few

characteristics from any of the personality constructs. They may have qualifications and

experience necessary for the job, however, their score does not reflect a good personal

match with the organization. This individual did not surpass the cut-off score; a second

interview will not be necessary.

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Reliability:

High results: Your score for Reliability was high. Reliable employees can be held

accountable by their coworkers and themselves for their actions. They are punctual,

display infrequent absenteeism, and follow through with their commitments. They can be

trusted not to partake in any behaviors counterproductive to the workplace, such as

gossip, misuse of company equipment, or lack of productivity without supervision.

Employees who are regarded as reliable are typically:

Trustworthy

Productive

Moderate results: Your score for Reliability was moderate. Reliable employees can be

held accountable by their coworkers and themselves for their actions. They are punctual,




Because you only scored moderately for this personality construct, you may exhibit a few

of these characteristics.

Low results: Your score for Reliability was low. Reliable employees can be held

accountable by their coworkers and themselves for their actions. They are punctual,




Because you scored low for this personality construct, you likely exhibit few or none of

these characteristics.

Commitment:

High results: Your score for Commitment was high. Committed employees maintain an

internal motivation to complete required tasks and meet deadlines, despite any obstacles

that present themselves. They have a strong sense of dedication to the quality of their

work, team, and company as a whole.

Employees who are regarded as a committed are typically:

Motivated

Strong-willed

Moderate results: Your score for Commitment was moderate. Committed employees

maintain an internal motivation to complete required tasks and meet deadlines, despite

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any obstacles that present themselves. They have a strong sense of dedication to the

quality of their work, team, and company as a whole.



Low results: Your score for Commitment was low. Committed employees maintain an

internal motivation to complete required tasks and meet deadlines, despite any obstacles

that present themselves. They have a strong sense of dedication to the quality of their

work, team, and company as a whole.



Vision:

High results: Your score for Vision was high. Employees with vision value the mission

of the organization and put effort into progressing its worth through the design and

development of their own ideas. They enjoy thinking outside of the box and are not

afraid to take risks.

People who are regarded as having vision are typically:

Creative

Progressive

Moderate results: Your score for Vision was moderate. Employees with vision value the

mission of the organization and put effort into progressing its worth through the design

and development of their own ideas. They enjoy thinking outside of the box and are not




Low results: Your score for Vision was low. Employees with vision value the mission of

the organization and put effort into progressing its worth through the design and

development of their own ideas. They enjoy thinking outside of the box and are not



these characteristics

Openness:

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High results: Your score for Openness was high. Open employees are able to

compromise and incorporate others’ ideas with their own. They display a level of

curiosity that leads to new ideas, and are excited by change and finding new ways to do

things.

Employees who are regarded as open are typically:

Inventive

Accommodating

Moderate results: Your score for Openness was moderate. Open employees are able to



things.



Low results: Your score for Openness was low. Open employees are able to



things.



Teamwork:

High results: Your score for Teamwork was high. Employees that are experienced with

teamwork have a strong sense of comradery with their coworkers. They work cohesively

with all people, regardless of background or personality type, to reach a specific goal.

They go above and beyond the call of duty, and consider their team a single unit that aims

to function like a well-oiled machine.

Employees who are regarded as being successful in teams are typically:

Selfless

Helpful

Moderate results: Your score for Teamwork was moderate. Employees that are

experienced with teamwork have a strong sense of comradery with their coworkers.

They work cohesively with all people, regardless of background or personality type, to

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reach a specific goal. They go above and beyond the call of duty, and consider their team

a single unit that aims to function like a well-oiled machine.



Low results: Your score for Teamwork was low. Employees that are experienced with

teamwork have a strong sense of comradery with their coworkers. They work cohesively

with all people, regardless of background or personality type, to reach a specific goal.

They go above and beyond the call of duty, and consider their team a single unit that aims

to function like a well-oiled machine.



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MA² Personality Test Booklet

March 2016

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MA² Personality Test Overview

Objective:

This personality test was designed specifically for applicants applying for the Creative Director

of Marketing position at Eureka. Eureka is a new start-up company that specializes in Media

Marketing. They have 50 employees and are currently looking to grow their brand, so they are

looking to hire an experienced Creative Director to assist them in generating new and innovative

ideas. It was important to current employees that future employees fit the mold of the company,

so we performed a cultural assessment with the CEO and top executives to see what traits were

most important for an employee to possess. We determined that the following test will evaluate

these essential constructs thoroughly.

This personality test is comprised of 50 questions that will help evaluate how much of each

personality construct you possess. Each question is allowed a response on a Likert

scale. Possible answer responses range from disagree (1) to agree (3). These numerical values

are later used to complete the scoring process. At the completion of the assessment, you will

receive a score, high, moderate, or low for each personality construct, as well as an overall score

that will only be seen and used by the assessor. The results will also provide a written

description to explain what your score means.

Scoring:

A computer system will score you on each of the five personality constructs represented in the

test. At the completion of the test, you will receive a score for each construct reporting as low,

moderate, or high score as well as a detailed explanation of what the score means.

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Directions:

This test consists of 50 statements. Please read each statement carefully. While you are reading

each statement, please answer as it would pertain to you in a work setting. After reading the

statement, you will see a scale beside it that ranges from 1 (disagree) to 3 (agree). Pick the scale-

point that most closely reflects you. Please only circle one number per question. There are no

right or wrong answers, so it is wise to choose what best pertains to you to receive the most valid

results. Please refer to the example below for a depiction of the test format before you begin.

  Disagree Neutral Agree

My peers hold me accountable for my decisions.  1 2 3

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Personality Test

Please circle only one answer for each question and answer to the best of your ability.

Disagree Neutral Agree

1. My peers hold me accountable for my decisions. 1 2 3

2. I have a strong desire to express my ideas and visions. 1 2 3

3. I am reliable. 1 2 3

4. I enjoy thinking outside the box 1 2 3

5. I would assist a coworker in finishing a project, even if it meant more

work for me.

1 2 3

6. I feel comfortable missing work. 1 2 3

7. I meet deadlines. 1 2 3

8. I am inspired by future possibilities. 1 2 3

9. I prefer variety to routine. 1 2 3

10. I find value in constructive criticism. 1 2 3

11. I enjoy planning, designing, and developing my ideas. 1 2 3

12. I dislike changes. 1 2 3

13. I stick to my commitments. 1 2 3

14. I do not feel comfortable owning up to my mistakes. 1 2 3

15. I like to finish what I start. 1 2 3

16. I am punctual. 1 2 3

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17. I believe that equal contribution is most fair and effective. 1 2 3

18. I get more work accomplished while working alone. 1 2 3

19. I prefer to stick to things I know. 1 2 3

20. I do not make excuses for my actions. 1 2 3

21. I agree with the values of this organization.

1 2 3

22. Having the freedom to carry out my thoughts and ideas is important

to me.

1 2 3

23. I find it difficult to get down to work. 1 2 3

24. I carry the conversation to a higher level. 1 2 3

25. I am easily distracted. 1 2 3

26. I value other’s input. 1 2 3

27. I can admit when I am wrong. 1 2 3

28. I finish tasks, despite obstacles in the way. 1 2 3

29. I often have to explain my actions. 1 2 3

30. Peers would describe me as helpful. 1 2 3

31. I lose motivation when the end is not in sight. 1 2 3

32. I demand quality. 1 2 3

33. I enjoy hearing new ideas. 1 2 3

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34. The mission of this organization is valuable. 1 2 3

35. I am afraid of taking risks. 1 2 3

36. I am attached to conventional ways. 1 2 3

37. I love to dream, and putting those dreams into practice. 1 2 3

38. I feel comfortable working with people of all personality types. 1 2 3

39. I am a team player. 1 2 3

40. I have a vivid imagination. 1 2 3

41. I get things done quickly. 1 2 3

42. I enjoy wild flights of fantasy. 1 2 3

43. I give credit where credit is due. 1 2 3

44. I believe there is no absolute right and wrong. 1 2 3

45. I get excited by new ideas. 1 2 3

46. I prefer working in teams. 1 2 3

47. I plunge into tasks with all of my heart. 1 2 3

48. I have a hard time compromising 1 2 3

49. I get discouraged easily. 1 2 3

50. I enjoy being creative. 1 2 3

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MA² Personality Test:

Appendix A

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MA² Personality Test: Senior Management Competency Model Draft

Competency Factors and Dimensions

1. Creativity Factor

a. Thinks outside the box

b. Has a vivid imagination

c. Enjoys generating new ideas

2. Reliability Factor

a. Accountable for their actions

b. Trustworthy

3. Interpersonal Factor

a. Works well with others (in teams)

b. Creates relationships with others

4. Openness Factor

a. Adaptable

b. Open to new ideas/new ways of thinking

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MA² Personality Test Sample Report: Report A

Reliability

Score: __27__

Description:

Your score for Reliability was high. Reliable employees can be held accountable by

their coworkers and themselves for their actions. They are punctual, display infrequent

absenteeism, and follow through with their commitments. They can be trusted not to

partake in any behaviors counterproductive to the workplace, such as gossip, misuse of

company equipment, or lack of productivity without supervision.

Employees who are regarded as reliable are typically:

Trustworthy

Productive

Commitment

Score: __25__

Description:

Your score for Commitment was high. Committed employees maintain an internal

motivation to complete required tasks and meet deadlines, despite any obstacles that

present themselves. They have a strong sense of dedication to the quality of their work,

team, and company as a whole.

Employees who are regarded as a committed are typically:

Motivated

Strong-willed

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Vision

Score: __22__

Description:

Your score for Vision was moderate. Employees with vision value the mission of the

organization and put effort into progressing its worth through the design and development

of their own ideas. They enjoy thinking outside of the box and are not afraid to take

risks.



Openness

Score: __18__

Description:

Your score for Openness was moderate. Open employees are able to compromise and

incorporate others’ ideas with their own. They display a level of curiosity that leads to

new ideas, and are excited by change and finding new ways to do things.



23

Teamwork

Score: __14__

Description:

Your score for Teamwork was low. Employees that are experienced with teamwork have

a strong sense of comradery with their coworkers. They work cohesively with all people,

regardless of background or personality type, to reach a specific goal. They go above and

beyond the call of duty, and consider their team a single unit that aims to function like a

well-oiled machine.



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MA² Personality Test Sample Report: Report B

Overall

Score: __92__

Description:

The applicant’s overall score was moderate. This applicant displays strong

characteristics from a few of the personality constructs, but not all of them. They can

utilize their strengths, and potentially develop their lesser traits over time with

experience. This score reflects potential, and the individual construct scores should be

looked at and discussed in a follow-up interview to determine the specific strengths and

weaknesses of this applicant.

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References

Assessing Organizational Culture. (2016). Retrieved March 11, 2016,

from http://tribehr.com/blog/assessing-organizational-culture.

Cornelius, L. J., Booker, N. C., Arthur, T. E., Reeves, I., & Morgan, O. (2004). The Validity and

Reliability Testing of a Consumer-Based Cultural Competency Inventory. Research On

Social Work Practice, 14(3), 201-209. doi:10.1177/1049731503257886.

Heathfield, S. M. (2016). What Is Organizational Culture? Retrieved March 11, 2016, from

http://humanresources.about.com/od/organizationalculture/a/culture.htm.

Jeanneret, R., & Silzer, R. (1998). Individual Psychological assessment: Predicting behavior in

organizational settings. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass.

Margolis, S. (2016). Organizational Culture Assessment Questions - Sheila Margolis. Retrieved

March 11, 2016, from http://sheilamargolis.com/consulting/organizational-culture-

change-initiatives/organizational-culture-assessment-questions/.

Shultz, K. S., Whitney, D. J., M.J. Zickar (2014). Measurement Theory in Action: Case Studies

and Exercises. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

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