The case of the disappearing teaspoons: longitudinal cohort study of the displacement of teaspoons in an Australian research institute
BMJ
2005;
331
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.331.7531.1498
(Published 22 December 2005)
Cite this as:
BMJ
2005;331:1498
- Megan S C Lim, research assistant1,
- Margaret E Hellard, director1,
- Campbell K Aitken (aitken@burnet.edu.au), senior research officer1
- Correspondence to: C K Aitken
- Accepted 9 October 2005
Abstract
Objectives To determine the overall rate of
loss of workplace teaspoons and whether attrition and displacement are
correlated with the relative value of the teaspoons or type of tearoom.
Design Longitudinal cohort study.
Setting Research institute employing about 140 people.
Subjects 70 discreetly numbered teaspoons placed in tearooms around the institute and observed weekly over five months.
Main outcome measures Incidence of teaspoon loss per 100 teaspoon years and teaspoon half life.
Results 56 (80%) of the 70 teaspoons
disappeared during the study. The half life of the teaspoons was 81
days. The half life of teaspoons in communal tearooms (42 days) was
significantly shorter than for those in rooms associated with particular
research groups (77 days). The rate of loss was not influenced by the
teaspoons' value. The incidence of teaspoon loss over the period of
observation was 360.62 per 100 teaspoon years. At this rate, an
estimated 250 teaspoons would need to be purchased annually to maintain a
practical institute-wide population of 70 teaspoons.
Conclusions The loss of workplace teaspoons
was rapid, showing that their availability, and hence office culture in
general, is constantly threatened.
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