ISPM Model 7-B
The Tarnishing Plaque
Culture drift, rendered in oxidized bronze.
The Tarnishing Plaque is the Institute's longitudinal culture instrument. Mounted on a wall in a high-traffic common area, the plaque accumulates tarnish at a rate the Institute has correlated — through a seven-year observational study — with the rate of cultural drift within the organization. The plaque does not lie. It simply darkens.
Each plaque ships with an annual re-polishing kit, a calibration card noting the initial luster rating at time of shipment, and instructions for interpreting the rate of tarnish as a proportional representation of organizational decline. The plaque is engraved with the Institute seal and a unique instrument serial number.
What It Measures
Cumulative culture drift, expressed as the delta between initial luster and current luster, assessed quarterly against the Institute's Organizational Tarnish Index. One re-polish per year resets the index to baseline.
Specifications
| Dimensions | 20 cm × 15 cm (W × H), 4 mm relief depth |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1.1 kg (cast bronze) |
| Material | C220 bronze, brass mounting hardware |
| Tarnish rate | Calibrated to ambient humidity; see calibration card |
| Calibration interval | Annual (polishing kit included) |
| Includes | Polishing kit, calibration card, mounting template |
| Connectivity | None |
| Warranty | 10 years (structural); tarnish is a feature, not a defect |
Cited Findings
Peer-reviewed evidence supporting this product's operating premise.
Executive Offsite Frequency and Cumulative Severance Expense Accrual: A Positive Correlation
Orrin Bletchley · Published 2025-05
Corporate Holiday Card Visual Complexity and Subsequent Workforce Reduction Announcements: A Positive Association
Dr. Percival Ashcombe · Published 2026-03
All-Hands Meeting Cadence Increase and Subsequent Executive Exit Package Size: A Positive Association
Dean Beaumont Kessler · Published 2024-03
A Note on Methodology
Tarnish formation in C220 bronze is a function of atmospheric sulfur compounds, humidity, and surface contact frequency — three variables the Institute's longitudinal study found to track, at r = 0.79, with employee turnover intention scores. The plaque is the instrument. The organization is the subject.
Practitioner Voices
“We have incorporated the finding into our roadmap. We will not act on it.”
“A colleague noticed the pin. It was a productive conversation.”
“I have a number now. That is more than I had before.”
Related from the Institute
ISPM Certified Merchandise, Series 2
Certified Measured™ Wall Plaque
Your name. A real r-value. The Institute seal. Framed.
$129
ISPM Model 12-D
The Synergy Obelisk
Three brass needle gauges. Zero network connections. Total clarity.
$895
ISPM Advisory Engagement, Half-Day
KPI Vibe Audit
Two fellows. 47 intangibles. 80 pages of findings you cannot act on.
$4,500