Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop a Management Error Orientation Questionnaire (MEOQ) to be used as an instrument to measure the attitude of management towards errors in the workplace. The sample comprised of 232 managers from a variety of business sectors. A factor analysis on 59 items yielded three factors and these factors were interpreted as the attitude of dealing with errors, the risk of errors and error strain. The three factors were subjected to an item analysis and yielded acceptable levels of reliability.
A discussion of the areas that were researched, namely errors and attitudes, provide the context in which the research should be viewed. The discussion of the methods which were employed, was followed by a critical and in depth discussion of the results that were obtained.
The dissertation recommends that the Management Error Orientation Questionnaire could be used as an instrument to measure the attitudes of managers towards errors (with specific emphasis in the manufacturing sector). The MEOQ has a number of practical applications in the human resource management science. The study can be extended to ensure that the same questionnaire can be used in other business sectors. The findings of this study are valuable because of the lack of previous research on error orientation at managerial level.
Prof. CJH Blignaut