Establishing circularity: development and validation of the circular work value scale (CWVS)

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Organizational Behavior
• Human Resources

Background:

• Lack of German-language instruments for measuring work values.
• Need for a culturally fitting questionnaire based on Schwartz's theory of basic human values.
• Importance of assessing Social, Prestige, Intrinsic, and Extrinsic work values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a German-language questionnaire for measuring work values.
• To ensure the questionnaire covers the four broader dimensions of work values.
• To assess convergent, discriminant, and incremental congruent validity.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional online-based panel survey with 1,049 participants working >20 hours/week.
• Utilized a genetic algorithm for questionnaire design.
• Assessed measurement invariance, construct validity, and person-organization fit.

Main Results:

• Developed an 11-item work values questionnaire with three items per value.
• Demonstrated good data fit and strict measurement invariance.
• Empirical associations supported construct validity, incremental congruent validity, and theoretical circularity of work values.

Conclusions:

• A theory-based, valid, and economical questionnaire for measuring work values in German has been developed.
• The questionnaire facilitates efficient data collection on employee value structures for practitioners.
• Future research should explore the development of work values over time and construct distinctiveness.