Comments on: Human Metrics http://www.sixsigmatraining.org/six-sigma-tools/human-metrics.html?source=rss Lean Six Sigma Training and Information Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:04:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: mannionp http://www.sixsigmatraining.org/six-sigma-tools/human-metrics.html/comment-page-1#comment-28 mannionp Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:26:51 +0000 http://www.sixsigmatraining.org/?p=1785#comment-28 Another concern with survey taking as a measurement system lies in cultural norms. While some cultures encourage complaints and indications of problems (Anglo-American cultures do this well in my experience), others do just the opposite and encourage highlighting of the positive and a distinct lack of comment on the negative (Some Asian cultures are good examples of this). Don't make the mistake that national or racial cultures are the scope to be aware of, either; company or location-based culture can have this effect (the small office that just "goes along" with all the decisions of the parent company no mater how painful, or the office that willfully disregards edicts from above are two typical examples). As such, surveys in contained and defined populations are usable as you describe; cross-cultural populations, however, require some cultural sensitivity - even if the survey technique is made as objective as possible. Another concern with survey taking as a measurement system lies in cultural norms. While some cultures encourage complaints and indications of problems (Anglo-American cultures do this well in my experience), others do just the opposite and encourage highlighting of the positive and a distinct lack of comment on the negative (Some Asian cultures are good examples of this).

Don’t make the mistake that national or racial cultures are the scope to be aware of, either; company or location-based culture can have this effect (the small office that just “goes along” with all the decisions of the parent company no mater how painful, or the office that willfully disregards edicts from above are two typical examples).

As such, surveys in contained and defined populations are usable as you describe; cross-cultural populations, however, require some cultural sensitivity – even if the survey technique is made as objective as possible.

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