Core Work Evaluation: The Viability of a Higher-order Work Attitude Construct

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

12 p.

Publication Date

8-2014

Publisher

Elsevier

Source Publication

Journal of Vocational Behavior

Source ISSN

0001-8791

Original Item ID

doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2014.03.008

Abstract

A great deal of research examining work attitudes has shown that they are related to important employee behaviors. Most of this research has parsed attitudes into ever more refined assessments of specific features of the work environment. Although this research has yielded valuable insights, for practical, theoretical, and empirical reasons we argue that an examination of a more global evaluative summary of the work environment is needed. In the present study we develop, conceptualize, and provide empirical evidence for a global work attitude construct called Core Work Evaluation (CWE). The conceptual foundation for CWE is drawn from classic and modern theory on attitudes and attitude formation. To test our theoretical assertions we follow recent recommendations for the development of higher order constructs in a series of three empirical studies. The results found that CWE: (1) explains meaningful shared variance across the more specific indicators (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and work engagement) that is not merely the result of common method variance, (2) is distinguishable from nonevaluative features of the work environment and stable individual differences, and (3) predicts important work-related outcomes above and beyond its constituent indicators. Overall the results provided evidence of the viability of the CWE construct.

Comments

Accepted version. Journal of Vocational Behavior, Vol. 85, No.1 (August 2014): 27-38. DOI. © 2014 Elsevier. Used with permission.

Link to Full Text
adams_6106acc.docx (180 kB)
ADA Accessible Version

Share

COinS