Personal Value Systems of Managers and the Operative Goals of the Organization: An In-Depth Analysis of One Firm

The study had as its objective the identification and hierarchical ranking of the operative goals of a large, established firm under government regulation, and possessing strong commitments to both profit and public service motives. Interviews with managers at all organizational levels, review of company documentation, and observation of normal operations were included. Identified goals were incorporated into a questionnaire. Each respondent was classified into one of four possible orientations on the basis of his/her responses to the personal values section, and this information was used to determine behavioral relevance scores for the goals. The organization studied was New York Telephone.