A Model of Healthy Organization: Conceptual Model and Empirical Validation

Critical review of recent literature leads to the conclusion that there is no single agreed upon definition of a healthy organization and that controversy exists as to its construct validity. Therefore, this research purports to combine organization theory (both micro and macro) with the empirical rigors of psychometrics in order to develop a valid and reliable instrument for healthy organizations by augmenting the perception of employees among knowledge professionals. The healthy organization construct was ultimately refined to entail four dimensions: management commitment, positive culture, job quality and effective HRD practices. This research reports data collection from a large sample of employees working in the information technology sector. Reliability, validity, and stability data involving 626 employees in IT organizations indicate that the HOPE measure has quite satisfactory psychometric characteristics. The results suggest that management commitment, healthy culture, job quality and effective HRM practices are critical for the development of a healthy organization; else the goal of sustained performance will remain elusive. Implications are drawn from the results, and priorities are established for future research.