Developing a qualitative measure of key characteristics of wisdom

Various studies in recent years have indicated that wisdom is a complex and elusive concept, and several research instruments have been constructed in an attempt to measure it. For the purposes of this research, an existing Wise Action Model (WAM) was used to identify the key characteristics of wisdom, and then a new multidimensional qualitative measure of wisdom was created around those key concepts.
Methodology: To achieve the purpose of this research, a convenience sample of key research works was identified from the literature that had proposed or used some measure(s) of wisdom. The popular measures identified from those studies included Three-Dimension Wisdom Scale (3D-WS), Berlin Wisdom Paradigm (BWP), and Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS). The proposed target audience for this new measure is knowledge workers in managerial/leadership positions. The data collected will be measured for wisdom characteristics as per the guidelines provided in WAM.
Results: A new qualitative measure has been developed to be used in a proposed study to investigate the presence/absence of wisdom related characteristics among knowledge workers. The questions developed for this measure focus on prior knowledge, understanding of the knowledge, and role of other contextual factors as are proposed in WAM.
Originality/value: This study is significant as previous studies have indicated that wisdom still lacks deserving attention in knowledge management literature, and there is a need for a deeper understanding of the philosophical roots of wisdom in organisational settings to counter the ongoing conflicts in personal and work lives of workers.