Search

Objective: Adopting a business model in human service agencies has led to service delivery challenges and problematic working conditions. This article reports the initial validation of the Organizational Commitment to Managerialism (OCTM) scale, a tool designed to measure how the business model is operationalized in human service agencies. Method: Data from a purposive nonprobability sample of 2,326 workers employed in New York City metropolitan area human service agencies were collected by an anonymous electronic survey, and the sample was split to conduct discrete exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The exploratory factor analysis established the underlying factor structure of the construct; a confirmatory factor analysis examined the subsample's psychometric properties. Construct validity was confirmed by comparison with validated scales and individual items included in the parent study. Results: Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the OCTM consisted of five internally valid subscales: productivity , accountability , efficiency , standardization , and performance outcomes. Cross-validating confirmatory analysis supported this structure. In addition, OCTM scales correlated as expected with various hypothesized measures, providing strong evidence of construct validity. Conclusions: The OCTM is a useful tool to evaluate workplace factors and improve working conditions, service delivery, and the well-being of human service workers and the clients they serve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]