Peer Review

Monochronic/Polychronic Self Test

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Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This site provides a simple 16-question survey, which assesses one?s preference for operating in monochronic versus polychronic time in the workplace. Differences in temporal orientation effect how one interacts with others, organizes projects, makes decisions?and these differences are often a reflection of cultural differences.
This site is more of a personality characteristic assessment/evaluation instrument/test for use in an Organization Behavior or for establishing basic differences between superiors/subordinates/peers in a performance management or even culture fit context- than for use in an International Business class in terms of organization, region or culture fit as the original submitter proposed when submitting to MERLOT.
Type of Material:: This site is an assessment.
Technical Requirements:: Basic Internet Access is required for this module to be used.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The learning goal of this material is to identify one?s own orientation toward monochronic versus polychronic time, by taking the survey. Other learning goals could be attached to this module with additional assignments and supplemental readings.
Target Student Population:: The target student population for this material is undergrad or graduate business students, particularly International business students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Introduction to Management is recommended for students to gain maximum benefit from this simulation.

Rating:
Strengths:: This site provides an assessment instrument that measures the degree to which one operates in monochronic versus polychronic time with respect to both work style and management style. Different temporal styles are discussed as they relate to one?s preferences for organizing, communicating, making decisions, etc. The instrument places you somewhere on a five-point (alphabet) scale from strongly ?monochronic? to strongly ?polychronic.?
Concerns:: This module could be improved by linking to academic research on these concepts as well as provide more real-life examples, perhaps using cases from different countries where the differences in time orientation are pronounced. Although the site does not define what these temporal styles are in the introduction there are definitions of the two polar and intermediate types of what you test out as at the end of the instrument.

Rating:
Strengths:: The site does what it indicates it does-?assist you in understanding your personal?work and management style? in terms of doing one/many things at a time. Per above, if that is the learning objective, it does it well with a short instrument that can be completed in 15-20 minutes.
Concerns:: The site has promise and potential as a learning tool, but the author needs to provide more background information on the concepts. The author could also improve this site by reinforcing concepts, providing concrete examples, and showing the relevance of temporal orientations to management. The site does not explain the value of finding your individual work and management style in a course or broader learning objective context.

Rating:
Strengths:: The survey is only 16 questions, which can be self-scored without difficulty. The submitter felt that the site could be used in terms of identifying an individual compatibility with certain ?organizations, regions and cultures? in an International Business course context.
Concerns:: The site could be made more useable by placing the survey on-line with immediate results. The test was more personality, than cultural preference. It appears to be more of a work sequence preference instrument for use in comparing with peers/superiors/subordinates in terms of managerial and work styles?for compatibility/incompatibility insight- than for ?cultural preference.