Abstract

Readiness for change is seen as an important factor in organisational change processes, but it is unclear how organisational climate might affect readiness for change. Addressing this important gap, the purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between human relations climate, a dimension of the Quinn and Rohrbaugh’s competing values framework of organizational climate, and readiness for change. More specifically the aim was to investigate the mediating role of perceived organisational support. Employees in the Norwegian Police Service (N = 901) answered a survey measuring organisational culture. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Following a two-step analytical approach, the measurement models were first evaluated and then the relationships between constructs were examined. Evaluations of the original measurement models showed non-satisfactory fit, however after modifications, the measurement models were found to have satisfactory fit. In the second step, both the original and the modified measurement models were applied to the examination of three competing models: a partially mediated model, a fully mediated model, and a non-mediated model. Evaluation of the models showed fully mediated models (original and modified) to have the best fit to data, suggesting that the relationship between human relations organisational climate and employees’ readiness for change is mediated by perceived organisational support. The finding adds theoretically to literature on organisational climate, highlighting the role of perceived organisational support. From an applied perspective actions fostering human relations climate to strengthen perceived organisational support are recommended.

Highlights

  • One of the defining features of contemporary organisations is ‘change’ (Choi & Ruona, 2011) and police organisations are no exception (Holmberg, 2018)

  • The aim of the present study is to address this gap in the climate literature by exploring the paths through which human relations climate, as defined in Rohrbaugh’s competing values framework (Quinn & Rohrbaugh, 1983), influences readiness for change

  • This study addresses gaps in the literature by examining mediating variables between climate and readiness for change, giving new insights into processes related to antecedents of readiness for change

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Summary

Introduction

One of the defining features of contemporary organisations is ‘change’ (Choi & Ruona, 2011) and police organisations are no exception (Holmberg, 2018). In several European countries (including the U.K. and The Netherlands) and Scandinavian countries, police organisations are undergoing major structural reforms. These reforms are based on management theories, such as New Public Management, in order to increase cost efficiency, create perceived higher quality, and improve police operations (Balvig, Holmberg, & Højlund Nielsen, 2011; Christensen, Lægreid, & Rykkja, 2018; Fyfe, Terpstra, & Tops, 2013). The study investigates the mediating role of perceived organisational support between human relational climate and readiness for change. By applying structural equation modelling, this study tests if the effect of human relations climate on readiness for change is mediated by perceived

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