The validity of collective climates

• Published in: Journal of occupational and organizational psychology Vol. 72; no. 1; pp. 25 - 40
• Main Authors: González-Romá, Vicente, Peiró, José M., Lloret, Susana, Zornoza, Ana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.1999; British Psychological Society
• Subjects: Aggregates; Agreements; Biological and medical sciences; Collectivism; Concepts; Corporate culture; Correlation analysis; Employee turnover; Employees; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Group membership; Hierarchies; Hierarchy; Hotels & motels; Job performance; Job satisfaction; Motivation. Job satisfaction. Attitude; Occupational psychology; Organization theory; Organizational analysis; Organizational climate; Organizations; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Social interaction; Studies; Tenure; Union membership; Validity; Working conditions; Spain; Social environment; Human; Occupational environment; Attitude; Social group; Job satisfaction; Social belonging; Social hierarchy
• ISSN: 0963-1798; 2044-8325
• DOI: 10.1348/096317999166473

The objective of this study is to test the validity of the collective climate concept. It was expected that membership in collective climates was related to membership in the collectivities defined by departmental membership, hierarchical level, shift, job location and organizational tenure. The study sample was composed of 195 employees from a central administration agency. Using a combination of hierarchical and non‐hierarchical clustering methods, three different collective climates were obtained. The results showed that only hierarchical level was related to collective climate membership. Based on all the results obtained, the debate on the validity of collective climates is reconsidered, and research on climate formation and relevant factors in that process is emphasized.