Validating a measure of productive organisational energy in the South African context

Abstract

Despite the inroads that are currently being made into research in the area of organisational energy, measuring instruments for this construct remain scant. This research explores the construct of POE with the aim to determine whether significant differences exist in the respondents perceptions of POE based on their biographical characteristics. A cross-sectional survey design was used, with a convenience sample (N = 302) taken from various demographic groups. The Productive Energy Measure was administered. Exploratory factor analysis with target rotations resulted in a three-factor model of productive organizational energy, consisting of the Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Dimensions of Productive Organizational Energy. The scales showed acceptable internal consistencies and construct equivalence for the Black and White ethnic groups. This research provided evidence of the utility of the Productive Energy Measure in the South African context as a diagnostic tool for assessing the levels of productive organisation energy in organizations. The research makes an important contribution towards the field of Positive Psychology and Social Sciences by exploring and confirming productive organisational energy as a construct that can be used to assess positive psychological states in the workplace.