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.