Scale Overview
The Structural Properties Questionnaire – Form 4 (SPQ) was developed by Leslie K. Bishop and Julius R. George (1973). It is designed to measure School Organizational Structure. The scale is intended for use with Teachers and school administrators.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 45 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Centralization, Formalization, Complexity.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Centralization |
1,2,3,4,6,11,18,20,24,32,35,37,40,42,43 |
15 |
| Formalization |
5,7,10,12,13,17,19,23,25,26,27,29,30,33,34,38,39,41,44,45 |
20 |
| Complexity |
8,9,14,15,16,21,22,28,31,36 |
10 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, 4 = Very Frequently.
The scale includes 11 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 41 to 164. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Bureaucracy / Structure: 41 – 82
- Moderate Bureaucracy / Structure: 83 – 123
- High Bureaucracy / Structure: 124 – 164
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Overall Cronbach alpha of 0.94; subscales range from 0.74 to 0.85.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.