MANAGEMENT THEORY AND SPIRITUALITY:

ABSTRACT

Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the

Graduate School of Argosy University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Degree of Doctor of Business Administration

MANAGEMENT THEORY AND SPIRITUALITY:

A FRAMEWORK AND VALIDATION OF THE INDEPENDENT

SPIRITUALITY ASSESSMENT SCALE

Ronald Raymond Rojas

March, 2002

The potential for spirituality theory in the management disciplines has generated a large volume of primarily theoretical literature. Yet at the threshold of this newly formed discipline stand the sentinels of field research methodologies. It is within the gap between the excitement of a new field in management theory generating an abundance of theoretical discourse, and a sparse availability of empirical studies characterized by scientific rigor that the present study is conducted.

This study posits that a reliable and valid spirituality scale founded on a relational-ideopraxis construct can be developed to meet the empirical research needs of management theory development in spirituality. The relational-ideopraxis construct is defined as a way to integrate a worldview (ideology) inclusive of spiritual subjects, into everyday activities (praxis) through an alternative human developmental process framed against relational attributes. The construct consists of thirteen independent variables also known as relational modes. A relational mode is a conforming arrangement of personal behaviors selected as a response to a contextual, relational demand. For each relational mode, three specific behaviors are operationalized into statements and are subject to item validation through panels of experts. This instrument, called the Independent Spirituality Assessment Scale (iSAS), demonstrated normality (p = 0.09, n = 234), homogeneity (a = 0.88, n = 508), and stability (r = 0.92, n = 40), with an improved a = 0.91 after refinements. Construct validity is demonstrated through two control groups, concurrency with two spirituality instruments, namely Howden's © (r = 0.53, n = 220), and Beazley's © (r = 0.31, n = 113) scales, and factor analysis. These statistical analyses from a population of 508 respondents obtained from seven major metropolitan areas in five states suggest that spirituality measured by a relational-ideopraxis construct is possible. Further validation of relational modes, causalities, and effects within all three aspects of spirituality are warranted.