Forty-five organizational units of a complex organization were utilized in a longitudinal evaluation of an MBO program. The organization units were categorized into MBO-supportive, achievement-oriented and nonsupportive, power-oriented sub-climates. It was noted that 62 percent of subunits in the latter category improved while 33 percent of subunits in the former category deteriorated in their climate. Implications of the findings which are contrary to practitioner expectations regarding MBO success are discussed with a tentative identification of causal factors that may be responsible for the observed changes.
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