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Popularising Delphi method

Developing an instrument to control technological change for employees

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Abstract

The article reports on a methodical part of a combined substantive and methodical investigation experimenting with a new type of Policy Delphi method. The common problem defined for both parts was the question whether Delphi method could be transformed in an instrument of controlling technological change by employees. The question was answered positively by the participating (bank) employees, all union members engaged with an automatisation project, themselves. Self rating scales, an evaluation questionnaire and numerous data collected about the research process showed that the most relevant social categories of participants managed to serve as “experts” according to the high levels of cognition, effort, involvement and self-confidence required in a Delphi research project. Participants with low job level, women and non-trained union members joined in very well. The special steps required to broaden a successful participation of all categories, particular methods and techniques of information transmitting questioning and reporting, did not violate the quality of scientifically valid information gathering. So the result was a practical and scientific instrument.

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Notes

  1. See Janvan, Dijk (1986). “Methods in Applied Social Research, Special Characteristics and Quality Standards” in: Quality & Quantity 20 (4) pp. 357–370. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.

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  2. Linstone, H. & Turoff, M. (ed.) (1975). The Delphi Method, Techniques and Application. London: Addison Wesley Publishing Company.

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  3. The important social category “age” was left out as its correlation with “job level” and “previous education” was too high.

  4. Jan van Dijk. “Delphi Method as a Learning Instrument”, to be published soon.

  5. Jan van Dijk. “Varieties of Delphi Method”, to be published soon.

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Van Dijk, J. Popularising Delphi method. Qual Quant 23, 189–203 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00151903

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00151903

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