# Presentation: 690925

## Research Climate at the University of Zagreb School of Medicine

- Vedran Katavic, Ana Vujaklija, Daniela Salopek, Darko Hren

- University of Zagreb School of Medicine

## Setting

- 3 institutions:
- 2 University of Zagreb Schools(Medicine, Dental Medicine)
- 1 research institute
- all in Zagreb, Croatia

## Subjects

- junior members(highest achievement Ph.D.)
- response rate (so far):
- School of Medicine (M) – 24% (52/214)
- School of Dental Medicine (DM) – 33% (16/49)
- Research Institute (RI) – 32% (71/221)

## Methods

- Questionnaire:
- modified questionnaire by Gaddis B et al, Accountability in Research. 2003;10(4):253-88.
- 2 parts
- biodata – individual, group, organizational
- climate measurement
- Sent out by mail or hand delivered (both delivering & receiving)

## Methods (continued)

- originally had 414 questions
- reduced to 231 MCQs:
- 198 biodata (88 individual, 78 group, 32 organiz.)
- 33 climate measures
- Likert-type scale: A-E (with some reverse scoring)

## Methods (continued)

- results organized into “constructs”:
- 17 I, 18 G, 8 O
- 14 C
- lower score  more positive experience/attitude

## Preliminary results

- Biodata measures
- individual
- group
- organizational
- Climate inventory

## Biodata – Individual

-  17 constructs: alienation, competitive pressure, negative peer groups, financial need, anomie, stress, incompetence, lack of situational control/resources, intrinsic work experience, negative professional role models, time frame rewards, negative/positive reward structure, consequences for failure, feedback specificity/ambiguity

## Biodata – Individual

| Construct (min-max)* | M | DM | RI |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| alienation (7-35) | ~19 |  |  |
| competitive pressure (7-35) | ~19 |  |  |
| stress (5-25) | ~14 |  | ~12 |
| negative peer groups (7-35) | ~24 |  | ~20 |
| negative professional role-models (7-35) | ~20 |  |  |
| feedback (8-40) | ~24 |  |  |
| * lower = better for all constructs |  |  |  |

##  18 constructs: transformational leadership vision/individual consideration/intellectual stimulation, accountability, expertise of professor/group members, group trust, normlessness, conflict, unethical norms, competitive/production pressure, uncertainty, instability, pro-social norms, quality, process directiveness

- Biodata – Group

## Biodata – Group

| Construct (min-max)* | M | DM | RI |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| accountability (6-30) | ~17 |  |  |
| leadership (4-20) | ~13 |  |  |
| expertise of professor (4-20) | ~13 |  |  |
| normlessness (6-30) | ~19 |  |  |
| unethical norms (5-25) | ~12 |  |  |
| group conflict (6-30) | ~16 |  |  |

##  8 constructs: turbulence, munificence, integration, accountability, continuity, solidarity, pressure, ethical expectations

- Biodata – Organizational

## Biodata – Organizational

| Construct (min-max)* | M | DM | RI |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| turbulence (4-20) | ~7 |  |  |
| munificence (5-25) | ~15 |  |  |
| solidarity (6-30) | ~19 |  |  |
| competitiveness (5-25) | ~13 |  |  |
| ethical expectations (5-25) | ~9 |  |  |

##  14 constructs: challenge/involvement, freedom, trust, idea time, humor, lack of conflict, idea support, debate, risk taking, social caring, procedural/distributive justice, law and cone emphasis, socio-emotional support

- Climate Inventory

## Climate Inventory

| Construct (min-max)* | M | DM | RI |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| challenge (3-15) | ~9 |  |  |
| trust (3-15) | ~9 |  |  |
| law & code emphasis (3-15) | ~11 |  |  |
| challenge (3-15) | ~9 |  |  |
| socio-emotional support (3-15) | ~10 |  |  |

## Conclusions

- ongoing study
- 1st assessment of climate in Croatia
- very low response rate

## Conclusions continued

- unsatisfactory expertise of group members
- young scientists do not appreciate team leaders
- not getting adequate feedback
- low observed unethical behavior
- social improvement necessary

## Open questions

- size of questionnaire – response rate (RR)
- delivery method of questionnaire – RR
- disillusioned young scientists – RR
- limitation – cross-sectional study(NO causative conclusions)