What the OQM research actually shows
Stephan Wesely’s dissertation explains how OQM developed, how its dialogue-led improvement cycle was intended to work, and what evidence existed for a historical questionnaire. We distinguish those findings from claims about today’s products.
Four documented starting points
Origins
OQM developed from Natural Church Development. The dissertation identifies the adaptation of its eight quality characteristics for the Malteser Hilfsdienst as OQM’s starting point.
Wesely, dissertation (2011), printed pages V-VI, 6-8Dialogue-led cycle
Preparation, assessment, shared interpretation, choosing measures, implementation and reassessment form a recurring process. An essential constraint is the initial focus.
Wesely, dissertation (2011), printed pages 38-41Six principles
The principles address how change is carried out. Wesely derives them from Christian social principles and uses nature analogies from Natural Church Development.
Wesely, dissertation (2011), printed pages 20-38Historical measurement evidence
For a version used around 2008, the dissertation reports reliability coefficients from .82 to .94 and correlations with other measures. This does not validate today’s OQM 80.
Wesely, dissertation (2011), printed pages 42-45
What this source does not establish
Published in 2011, the dissertation does not document today’s OQM 80, current norms, products or reach. Figures of 70-plus countries and more than 60,000 profiles refer to Natural Church Development, not OQM.
Read the figures in context
Our evidence brief transcribes the eight reliability values of the historical questionnaire and explains which version they describe.
View the evidence brief and CSVAnswers with sources
The researched answers are available in a searchable FAQ and a structured export for other systems.
Open the research FAQExplore the journal
Each article examines one focused aspect of the method and links to the relevant pages of the dissertation.