How Executives Handle "Hot" Questions

Abstract

Mr. Henderson of the University of Southern California's School of Public Administration reports his use of content analysis to examine the practices of governmental executives in coping with sensitive interview questions. In an ex tensive sample, less than 40 per cent of interview questions received unequivocal answers. We suggest that social science moves in part by the ramifying use of technique, and feel that Mr. Henderson has broken open a new area for content analysis. It is an area of substantive importance and of considerable scope, for the interview is a primary means of communicating organization activities to a group's participants, clientele, and the larger public.