Organizational Climate Scale for Public Service: Development and Validation

Abstract

This research presents four studies that developed and validated the Organizational Climate Perception Scale for Public Service (OCPS-PS). The first qualitative study consulted the literature and conducted a focus group to develop the initial version of the scale. The second study involved expert evaluation and pre-testing, aiming at the semantic and face validation of the items. This study resulted in 80 items forming the thirteen dimensions of organizational climate. The third study obtained the first quantitative sample for the exploratory validation phase of the scale. The final study, using a new sample, conducted confirmatory tests for the validation of the scale. A methodology for applying the scale was developed, allowing all interested parties to use the OCPS-PS for the assessment of the organizational climate in public service. The results of the four conducted studies indicate the adequacy of the OCPS-PS according to the proposed criteria of validity and reliability. Finally, the OCPS-OS was built to be applied in different public organizations and at different government levels.

Keywords

• organizational climate
• public service
• scale
• validation
• psychometric procedures