An enterprise social network can improve your business, help you ferret out knowledge among your staff, and gauge your organization’s internal temperature.
What does gauge your organization’s internal temperature mean? Does it mean estimate?
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I know that meaning. but here measuring temperature in the organization is ambiguous for me.– user5508330Feb 26, 2016 at 8:34
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"To gauge an organization's temperature" is cliche sales-speak. Temperature is a vague figurative word when applied to organizations. What actually does it describe? Employee satisfaction? Employee loyalty? Employee comraderie?– TimRFeb 26, 2016 at 11:58
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1Gauge has many close meanings so the question is well-warranted. The dictionaries include multiple definitions, mostly misleading in this case, so pointing at a dictionary is not enough. I think the negative votes should be reconsidered.– laugh salutes Monica CFeb 26, 2016 at 12:08
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1 Answer
The main meaning of gauge is measure, but in this case it is not a measurement in the scientific or technical sense.
The actual meaning in this case (which unfortunately appears only in the "for kids" or "for English learners" dictionaries) is to make a judgement. It is somewhat weaker than measure, and somewhat stronger than estimate; not any estimate but one based on some information collected specifically for that purpose.
See the first verb definition here.
Temperature is used here allegorically - body temperature is an indication of health, so it refers to the organization's health. Health of an organization is a slippery idea, but it's supposed to predict its ability to survive, grow, and cope with external challenges.
answered Feb 26, 2016 at 11:58
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