CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN
3.3 Designing the Quantitative Part of the Study
3.3.2 Operational Definitions
Operational and conceptual definitions are not same. Conceptual definitions have universal acceptance and are more generalized as well as academic, whereas operational definitions are contextual. The operational definitions should be a customized version for a specific research. Operational definitions help to visualize a clear picture of the variables, the scope of the meaning, and also the measurement process. It helps to select suitable and proper measurement techniques (the way it can be measured) for the researcher, which will show the difference between conceptual and operational. Operational definitions and corresponding items are described below.
Table 3.2 Operational Definitions and Corresponding Items
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
Variable Public Service Innovation Outcomes
Definition Conceptual
Definition
Conceptually public service innovation outcomes are the implementation of a public sector organization of new and significantly improved actions (operations) or goods (products), covering the content of the services and products and the instruments used to deliver (OECD, 2010).
Operational Definition
In the current study, public service innovation outcomes are what innovations were actually supported and the actual innovation of a public organization; in short, the range of the innovation of the public organization.
Corresponding Items
Relevance RL1 - Innovated/online/simplified services of our organization aligned with the cabinet guidelines.
RL2 - Innovated/online/simplified
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
services of our organization is need based (for service recipients).
RL3 - Before devising service innovation/ online service simplification, our team consulted service recipients.
Effectiveness EF1 - The results of innovation/online /simplified service are achieved as intended.
EF2 - The service recipients are receiving benefits from innovated/online/simplified services.
EF3 - The service recipient of innovated/online/simplified services are satisfied (as we perceived).
Efficiency Reduced Time
RT1 - Service process simplification under the innovation scheme reduces time for decision-making.
RT2 – The introduction of e-nothi and online service delivery under the innovation scheme reduces extra time and hassle-free service delivery.
RT3 - Innovated/online/simplified service delivery helps to reduce response-time in public offices.
Reduced Cost
RC1 - Innovated/online/simplified services have an impact in reducing delivery costs in public service.
RC2 - Public service innovation results in reducing rent-seeking by public officials.
RC3 - The service recipients need not spend extra money in receiving
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
simplified services and e-services under the innovation scheme.
Reduced Visits
RV1 - Public service innovation results in reducing unnecessary visits to public offices.
RV2 - Receiving online applications reduces visits to government offices by service seekers.
RV3 - Informing service status by sending an SMS to service recipients reduces extra visits to government offices.
RV4 - Online service delivery under the innovation scheme ensures even no visits to government offices.
Variable Transformational Leadership
Definition Conceptual
Definition
Conceptually transformational leadership is a leadership where the leader encourages and motivates followers to attain the outcomes and also to develop their leadership capability through empowering them and coordinating the goals of the leaders, followers, groups, and finally the larger organizations (Bass and Riggio, 2006, p. 3).
Operational Definition
For the present study, transformational leadership is a kind of leadership that preaches values and ideals to staff, encourages creativity, demonstrates moral and ethical actions in being a role model, envisions the future directions of innovation and creativity,
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
articulates and communicates a vision for developing a strong sense of being creative, motivates unleashing potentials for a higher level of creativity, encourages exploring new ways of doing jobs, guides the challenge of the status quo and embraces change initiatives, leads to thinking out of the box, promotes supportive relationships, keeps a line of communication open for everyone, encourages accepting and respecting diverse perspectives of other members, treats individuals for their unique capabilities and competency for creativity.
Corresponding Items
Idealized Influence
II1 - The innovation team leader preaches us about his/her values and ideals about creativity.
II2 - The innovation team leader encourages the necessity of being committed to beliefs about creativity.
II3 - The innovation team leader demonstrates strong conviction in his/her values, ideals. and beliefs about creativity.
II4 - The innovation team leader demonstrates moral and ethical actions for being a role model for us.
Inspirational Motivation
IM1 - The innovation team leader envisions future directions of innovation and creativity.
IM2 - The innovation team leader
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
articulates and communicates a vision for developing a strong sense of purpose for being creative.
IM3 - The innovation team leader motivates for the unleashing potentials of us for a higher level of creativity.
IM4 - The innovation team leader creates a sense of urgency in us for realizing a shared mission to be creative.
IM5 - The innovation team leader tries to develop professional zeal in us for being persistent in achieving intended creativity.
Intellectual Stimulation
IS1 - Our innovation team leader stimulates us to unlock our creativity and innovative ideas.
IS2 - Our innovation team leader encourages us to explore new ways of doing our job.
IS3 - Our innovation team leader prepares us to be ready to challenge the status quo and to embrace change initiatives.
IS4 - Our innovation team leader suggests us to think out of the box.
IS5 - Our innovation team leader makes us ready to accept and respect the diverse perspectives of other members.
Individualized Consideration
IC1 - Our innovation team leader offers support to us to promote supportive relationships.
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
IC2 - Our innovation team leader keeps the line of communication open for every one of us.
IC3 - Our innovation team leader recognizes us personally for the unique creative contribution of each follower.
IC4 - Our innovation team leader mentors’ potential followers for successful completion of creative assignments.
IC5 - Our innovation team leader treats us individually for our unique capabilities and the competences of creativity.
IC6 - Our innovation team leader gives importance to the success and growth of our creativity and innovation.
Variable Perceived Organizational Support
Definition Conceptual
definition
Conceptually Perceived Organizational Support means a situation where employees think about a general perception regarding the degree where the organization evaluates their involvement with valuable contributions and cares about their well-being. Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchinson and Sowa (1986)
Operational definition
For the present study perceived organizational support means the organization that is free to exchange new information and new learning, allows discussion and debate on creative ideas, team members are
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
empathized to train and help weak members for developing creativity, team members learn creative ideas from one another, team members are mutually accountable for being creative, the organization recognizes members’ creative contribution to service innovation, recognizes members’ outstanding performance in innovation with awards and increasing salaries, provides technical support such as computer/laptop/i-pad/lab facilities, free Wi-Fi, internet, e- resources, etc., imparts sufficient training on latest ICT technology, grants sufficient budget for procuring required software for designing online/one stop/faster services, is ready to replicate novel ideas, encourages applying creative ideas, chances for showcasing innovation, and provides a scope for the scaling up of innovation and institutionalize all innovations.
Corresponding Items
Team Cohesion TC1 - Team members are free to exchange new information and new learning.
TC2 - Team members frequently allow discussion and debate on creative ideas.
TC3 - Team members are empathized to train and help weak members for developing creativity.
TC4 - Team members learn creative
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items ideas from one another.
TC5 - Team members are mutually accountable for being creative.
Reward and Recognition
RR1 - Our organization recognizes our creative contribution to service innovation.
RR2 - Our organization recognizes our outstanding performance in innovation (such as innovation awards).
RR3 - The amount of salary increases when we have been awarded an innovation Padak (Jonoproshashon Padak)
RR4 - Our organization considers our achievement of innovation (such as Jonoproshashon Padak) in next promotion
Technological Support
TS1 - Our organization provides us with computer/laptop/i-pad/lab facilities, etc.
TS2 - Our organization provides us with free Wi-Fi, Internet, e-resources, etc., for being creative.
TS3 - Our organization impart sufficient training for us on latest ICT technology.
TS4 - Our organization grants sufficient budget for procuring required software for designing online/one stop/faster services.
Replication Scope
RS1 - Our organization is always ready to replicate novel ideas.
RS2 - Our organization does not create
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
barriers to applying creative ideas.
RS3 - There is enough scope for showcasing innovation in my organization.
RS4 - There is enough scope for scaling up of innovation in our organization.
RS5 - There is enough scope in my organization for institutionalizing all innovations (for sustaining them).
Variable Perceived Organizational Culture
Definition Conceptual
Definition
Conceptually Perceived Organizational Culture is a set of values, beliefs and behavior patterns that form the core identity of organizations and help to shape the employees’ behavior (Kennedy 1982, Maleifar et al., 2014) Operational
Definition
For the present study perceived organizational culture means the situation of the organization where the innovation targets are clear, the common goal regarding the innovation of the team is well-shared by the members, the innovation team is committed to achieving annual innovation targets as per the annual innovation plan, the innovation team’s performance is evaluated in terms of service innovation/service simplification/on-line service delivery, the organization is concerned about the innovation outcomes of the innovation team, the organization usually takes
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
responsibility for the well-being of the innovation team members, the organization looks after the problems of the team members, the organization creates a balance between tasks and personal matters, the organization arranges recreational facilities for its members, the identity of the members is determined by professionalism, the organization values the needs and priority of the service recipients, the organization is flexible enough to accommodate the needs of the service recipients, the organization prioritizes the needs of the service recipients while devising service innovation, the organization is dedicated to creating hassle-free public services for service recipients, the organization is sensitive enough to reform and review the existing rules for encouraging service innovation, and mistakes and errors are tolerated for encouraging innovation.
Corresponding Items
Result Orientation
RO1 - The innovation targets of our organization are clear to me.
RO2 - The common goals regarding innovation of the team are well-shared (owned) by the members.
RO3 - The innovation team is committed to achieving annual innovation targets as per the annual innovation plan.
RO4 – The innovation team’s
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
performance is evaluated in terms of service innovation/service simplification/on-line service delivery.
RO5 - Our organization is concerned about the innovation outcomes of the innovation team.
Employee Orientation
EO1 - Our organization usually takes responsibility for the well-being of the innovation team members.
EO2 - Our organization looks after the problems of the team members.
EO3 - Our organization creates a balance between tasks and personal matters.
EO4 - Our organization arranges recreational facilities for its members.
Pragmatism PG1 - The identity of the members our organization is determined by professionalism.
PG2 - Our organization values the needs and priorities of the service recipients.
PG3 - Our organization is flexible enough to accommodate the needs of the service recipients.
PG4 - Our organization prioritizes the needs of the service recipients while devising service innovation.
PG5 - Our organization is dedicated to devising hassle-free public services for service recipients.
PG6 - Our organization is sensitive enough to reform and review the
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
existing rules for encouraging service innovation.
PG7 - Mistakes and errors are tolerated by our organization for encouraging innovation.
Variable Creativity
Definition Conceptual
Definition
Conceptually creativity emphasizes three aspects: process (the nature of the thinking process or thoughtful and critical activity by which new insights or problem solutions are developed);
the person (individual’s characteristics and intellectual abilities); and products (the distinguishing products with good qualities due to creativity (Arad et al., 1997), Amabile, 1983, Mumford and Gustafson 1988. Creativity is also described as something new and useful (Amabile,1996, Zhou & Shalley, 2003)
Operational Definition
For the present study creativity stands for innovation for service simplification, efficient and effective services for clients, engaging in creative ventures for service process simplification, customizing best practices in the organization, expediting and replicating best practices in the organization, initiating further improvement of existing service delivery line, generating diverse ideas for relevant service innovation, potential solutions for
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
service innovation, being flexible enough to encourage diverse ideas for innovation, generating ideas that are original, discouraging the copying of innovative ideas from other sources, generating exceptional and novel ideas for service process innovation, imagination power of the team- members is sufficient to foresee new possibilities for innovation, the imagination power of our team members is sufficient to visualize unique issues that are yet to real to the sense, and the innovation team is capable of visualizing unusual and non-conventional issues for innovation.
Corresponding Items
Problem Sensitivity
PS1 - Sensitivity to anomalies of the delivery process of the service of our team expedites innovation for service simplification.
PS2 - Sensitivity to the sufferings of the service recipients in our team encourages the innovation of efficient and effective services for clients.
PS3 - The overall empathy for the service recipients of the members of our team expedites creative ventures for service process simplification.
Fluency of Ideas
FI1 - The capacity of fluency of ideas of innovation team member expedites the customization of best practices in our organization.
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
FI2 - The capacity of generating associated ideas of innovation of team members expedites the replication of best practices in our organization.
FI3 - The pragmatic capacity of innovation team members expedites the initiation of further improvement of the existing service delivery line.
Flexibility of Thoughts
FT1 - Our innovation team is capable enough to generate diverse ideas for relevant service innovation.
FT2 - Our innovation team is exceptionally capable of foreseeing potential solutions for service innovation.
FT3 - Our innovation team is flexible enough to encourage diverse ideas for innovation.
Originality OG1 - Our team is competent enough to generate ideas that are original.
OG2 - Our team usually discourages copying innovative ideas from other sources.
OG3 - Our team is competent enough to generate exceptional and novel ideas for service process innovation.
Imagination IG1 - The imagination power of the team members is sufficient to foresee new possibilities for innovation.
IG2 - The imagination power of our team members is sufficient to visualize unique issues which is yet to real to the sense.
Features Definitions of Variables/Factors/Items
IG3 - Our innovation team is capable to visualize unusual and non- conventional issues for innovation