Chair: TUCKER, SUSAN A.
DAI-B 58/03, p. 1190, Sep 1997

This dissertation presents methods for analyzing metaphors used during an evaluation of a family practice residency orientation, predicated on the following assumptions: metaphors play a central role in the way we communicate about the world; metaphors can serve as a bridge between shared meaning among individuals, organizations and cultures; and metaphors play an important role in the process of meaning change and acceptance. Metaphors can clarify purposes roles, practices, and expectations within an organization, and reveal interactive patterns within and among cultural subgroups. Metaphor analysis as a tool for evaluation has not been systematically explored in practice, and can be an effective alternative to traditional methods to determine beliefs and values about an organization. Metaphor analysis has the potential to contribute data to the evaluation process, leading to more comprehensive judgements, recommendations, and decisions for action. The metaphor analysis was built into a naturalistic, semiotic-based evaluation paradigm. The purposes of the study were to determine the value of a systematic metaphor analysis as a component of program evaluation and to evaluate the findings of the metaphor analysis with respect to their relevance and utility for program improvement. Eight methods of data collection were utilized: an Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI), interviews, benchmarks, debriefings, a metaphor identification activity, direct observation, summative and post-evaluation questionnaires. Analysis of the data indicated that a systematic metaphor analysis is feasible within an
evaluation context. The findings indicated four data collection methods were effective in yielding valuable data for program improvement strategies, including the OCI, interviews, the metaphor identification activity, and direct observation. The analysis also provided a rich source of information to base decisions for program improvement. Findings indicated that metaphors appeared to be effective tools for identifying resident and faculty expectations, roles and beliefs; that faculty utilized metaphors more than residents; that residents adopted negative metaphors generated by more experienced residents and faculty; that the nature of metaphors used by support staff differed from physician faculty in their focus on organizational efficiency and continuity of services versus patient care, and, metaphors used by faculty and residents revealed a continuum of perspectives regarding concepts of family practice medicine and community medicine.