Questionnaire validation to measure the degree of use of high involvement work practices

Abstract

Purpose: This article examines the construct definition and validation of appropriate scales to measure the degree of display of the high involvement work practices. The ultimate goal is to propose a measurement model of high involvement practices to ensure the configurational invariance of the three samples and pass the tests of convergent and discriminant validity.

Design/methodology/approach: Using a confirmatory factor model with data from Spain (N1 = 105) and United States (N2 = 212, N3 = 145), checking whether the grouping of items in the categories proposed in the theoretical models fit the data set.

Findings and Originality/value: It is found that a single construct that groups all high involvement practices is not an appropriate model and the model scales reflective communication and training and have passed the tests for validation, while the participation and rewards scales have not been able be validated from a reflective point of view and perhaps should be treated as a formative model.

Originality/value: We extend previous research by checking  the reflective second order factor model used in many previous studies without being informed the validation.