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The Dimensionality and Effectiveness of Influence Methods Used in a Matrix Organizational Environment

This thesis is an attempt to expand the knowledge of 
management practices used in matrixed organizations . 
Its purpose is to provide a better understanding of the independ— 
ence and effectiveness Of influence methods used in Air 
Force üÄtrix Organizations. Since the matrix organization 
is used throughout industry and government in development, 
an understanding Of power and influence within such an 
environment is highly important. Hopefully the results of 
this effort will be useful to both those working in a 
matrix organization, and to those with a theoretical interest. 
I would like to thank Dr. Michael J. Stahl for his 
enthusiastic support and advice which were a tremend ous 
asset throughout this effort, to Dr. T. Roger :vhnley and 
Dr. Raymond H. Klug for the wealth of background material 
they provided, and to my wife, Terry, for her continuous 
support and typing assistance. This gratitude also extends 
to the many individuals who took time from their busy sched- 
ules to provide the data for this thesis. Without their 
forthright and candid answers, this effort would not have 
been possible •

The matrix organization generates authority ambiguity 
whereby there is multiple supervision of project personnel. 
Further, the project manager has much less authority than 
responsibility. To compensate for this, a variety of influence 
methods are used. The purpose Of this study is to investigate 
the independence and the effectiveness of the influence 
methods used by project and functional managers in the matrix 
organizati onal environment . 
To accomplish this, 264 personnel answered a question— 
naire. These personnel were in six different System Program 
Offices at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base • 
The question—naire dealt with six different effectiveness variables and 
ten influence methods, and the responses were subjected to 
a statistically based multivariate analysis .