Sociometric Applications in a Corporate Environment

Abstract

We have discovered that an organizational development team in the corporate setting of a major gas and electric utility can use the techniques of sociometry effectively. We present a brief historical background of the science of sociometry and then discuss our experiences in applying sociometric techniques to both large and small groups in a large corporation. We present specific step-by-step techniques that have proved effective in an organization development intervention in a system of 40 people. Our experience suggests that as a method of working with groups and a method of measuring results, sociometry has great potential for usefulness in organizational settings. The evaluation method used in the 40-person system application represents a major contribution to the organizational development field, which has in the past had difficulty measuring the effect of its work in a system in a change process.