An examination of the cross-cultural construct equivalence of perceptual fit constructs: implications for the use of universal fit measures

Abstract

As organisations become more involved in international business and management, there has been an increased attention to the issue of cross-cultural assessment and the utility of an assessment measure across cultures. Although advantages to using universal measures may exist, at issue is the cross-cultural construct equivalence of the constructs measured by such assessments. Cultural factors may impact the nature of constructs across cultures. This study examines the cross-cultural construct equivalence of perceptual fit constructs across two countries: the USA and the Netherlands. Results indicate differences in the structure of the perceptual fit constructs across these countries, suggesting that the use of a universal fit measure may not yield valid measurement of the fit constructs in each of these countries.