4.3 Validity and Reliability Tests
4.3.2 Pre-testing of the Questionnaire
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Table 4.4 Operationalization of the AOT Employees’ Demographic Factors
Variable Operational
Composition
Level of Measurement
Question No.
Gender 1) Male 2) Female
Nominal Scale 1
Education Attainment
1) Lower than Bachelor 2) Bachelor
3) Higher than Bachelor
Ordinal Scale 2
Work Sites 1) Main Office and Don Mueang Airport
2) Suvarnabhumi Airport
Nominal Scale 3
Tenure 1) < 1 years 2) 1 – 5 years 3) 5 – 10 years 4) > 10 years
Ordinal Scale 4
Rank 1) Level 3 - 4 2) Level 5 – 6 3) Level 7 – 8 4) Level 9 - 12
Ordinal Scale 5
situation. This process is likely to produce reliable measures even though it takes time and effort. Moreover, it will provide direct information and better material than providing mediocre material immediately. Kalaya Wanichbancha (2003: 27) stated that the number of respondents should be at least 25 to conduct a pre-test. In this case, the researcher attempted to remove the respondents’ misunderstandings about the questions by testing validity and reliability of the questionnaire in order to achieve a higher percentage of representations. Therefore, 35 questionnaires were pre-tested by distributing them to 35 employees at Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, and 32 questionnaires were returned.
After the researcher analyzed the pre-testing responses, the questionnaire was revised in order to obtain higher validity and reliability. The items for each variable that were used in the questionnaire are shown in tables 4.5 – table 4.10.
Table 4.5 Improvement of Individual Capability in Knowledge Transfer Items
Construct Items Improvement of Individual
Capability in Knowledge Transfer
1) When I learn something new, I like to share it with my colleagues. (Question no.36)
2) I share regularly what I am doing with my colleagues. (Question no.37)
3) My colleagues are willing to share or transfer the way they do things. (Question no.38)
4) When my colleagues are good at something, they teach me how to do it where necessary and appropriate. (Question no.39)
5) If my performance is not what it should be, my colleagues will help me to improve.
(Question no.40)
6) I regularly have conversations with my colleagues about how to improve my knowledge. (Question no.41)
77 Table 4.5 (Continued)
Construct Items 7) I engage in knowledge sharing or knowledge
transfer among the individuals in my organization. (Question no.42)
For the first, second, fourth, and sixth items, the scales were based on what was indicated by De Vries et al. (2006). The third item was supported by Goh (2002).
The fifth item was suggested by Argote and Ingram (2000), and the seventh item was from Garvin (1993).
Table 4.6 Mechanistic Structure Items
Construct Items Mechanistic Structure 1) My organizational structure encourages
interaction among employees. (Question no.1) 2) My organizational structure facilitates the
transfer of knowledge across structural boundaries. (Question no.2)
3) My organization has processes to facilitate co- workers’ knowledge exchange across functional boundaries. (Question no.3)
4) My organization uses technology that allows employees to collaborate with other persons inside the organization. (Question no.4)
5) My organization uses technology that allows for the search of new knowledge. (Question no.5)
The scale was based on what was offered by Walczak (2005) for the first item.
The second and third items were used by Pugh et al. (1968). The fourth item was from Gold et al. (2001). Further, the fifth item presented in the scale was suggested by Davenport and Prusak (2000).
Table 4.7 Organic Structure Items
Construct Items Organic Structure 1) I am encouraged to share knowledge between project
teams. (Question no.6)
2) My organizational structure promotes collective rather than individualistic behavior. (Question no.7)
3) My organizational structure encourages employees to go where they need to for knowledge. (Question no.8) 4) My organization has many cross-functional teams.
(Question no.9)
5) The structure in my organization is rather flat so employees can easily communicate ideas about their work across divisions or departments. (Question no.10) 6) My organization uses technology that allows people in
multiple locations to learn as a group from a single source or at single point in time. (Question no.11) 7) My organization uses technology that allows people in
multiple locations to learn as a group from multiple sources or at multiple points in time. (Question no.12) 8) My organization uses technology that allows for the
generation of new opportunities in conjunction with its partners. (Question no.13)
79
The first and second organic structure items were supported by Burns and Stalker (1961). The third and fourth items were from Amiri et al. (2010). The fifth item that was shown in the scale was confirmed by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995).
Finally, the sixth, seventh, and eighth items were proposed by Nidumolu et al. (2001).
Table 4.8 Training Items
Construct Items Training 1) Training will increase my personal productivity.
(Question no.14)
2) With technology involvement, training will be effective. (Question no.15)
3) Technology provides additional data for learners to gain more knowledge in training. (Question no.16) 4) I would understand less than I used if the training did
not provided technology equipment (such as computers or projectors). (Question no.17)
5) After training, I always share the knowledge I have learned with my colleagues. (Question no.18)
6) My colleagues encourage me to use the new skills that I have learned in training. (Question no.19)
7) The methods used in training are similar to how we do it on the job. (Question no.20)
The first item in the scale was confirmed by Holton (1996). Bloodgood and Salisbury (2001) suggested the second, third, and fourth items. For the fifth and sixth items, they were proven by Baldwin and Ford (1988). The last item was supported by Broad and Newstrom (1992).
Table 4.9 Incentives Items
Construct Items Incentives 1) My organization provides appropriate monetary
rewards for employees that help to implement changes.
(Question no.21)
2) Appropriate incentives are provided to encourage knowledge sharing/transfer behavior. (Question no.22) 3) Incentives are visibly rewarded to the person/ work
group that shares knowledge in the organization.
(Question no.23)
4) Incentives are visibly rewarded to the person/ work group that uses knowledge in the organization.
(Question no.24)
5) Incentives are given to employees with emphasis on group performance. (Question no.25)
6) Incentives for employees are communicated personally.
(Question no.26)
7) Incentives for employees are communicated within group-related work. (Question no.27)
8) Technology (such as computers, the organization’s network system) plays an essential role in informing us about motivational information within the organization.
(Question no.28)
The first item was from Frey and Osterloh (2005). Churchill (2013) confirmed the second item in the scale. The third, fourth, sixth, and seventh were proposed by Levine and Gilbert (1998). The fifth item was proven by Marshak and Radner (1972).
Furthermore, the eighth item was recommended by Davenport and Prusak (2000).
81 Table 4.10 Information Technology Items
Construct Items Information Technology 1) I have access to technology that allows me to locate
specific knowledge that helps me in my job.
(Question no.29)
2) I have access to technology that allows me to search for knowledge. (Question no.30)
3) I have access to technology that allows me to use knowledge about my organization’s products and services. (Question no.31)
4) I have access to technology that allows me to access organizational knowledge. (Question no.32)
5) I have access to technology that allows me to systematically store knowledge. (Question no.33) 6) I have access to technology that allows me to
collaborate with people inside the organization.
(Question no.34)
7) I have access to technology that allows me to collaborate with co-workers regardless of location.
(Question no.35)
Blurton (1999) suggested the first item. The second and third items were supported by Davenport and Prusak (2000). The fourth and fifth items were offered by Daniels (2004), and Gold et al. (2001) confirmed the sixth and seventh items.