The relationship between psychological climate and work motivation in a retail setting

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among work motivation and the components of psychological climate in the retail environment. The sample consisted of 295 management employees of a major southeastern retailer with management employees divided into three groups.;The survey research method was used. The self-administered questionnaire included three sections: Work Motivation, Psychological Climate, and Demographics. Data analysis procedures used were coefficients of correlation, regression analysis, analysis of variance and analysis of covariance. In testing the relationship between the 13 subscales of psychological climate and work motivation (Hypothesis 1), results indicated that Job Importance, Organizational Identification, and Leader Goal Emphasis were significantly positively related to work motivation.;The effect of the management group structure on work motivation (Hypothesis 2) and the 13 subscales of psychological climate (Hypothesis 3) was tested. Results provided no evidence that the degree of structure of management groups affects work motivation. Six of the 13 psychological climate subscales produced significant results: Role Clarity, Leader Goal Emphasis, Organizational Identification, Leader Interaction, Leader Trust and Support, and Psychological Influence.;Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the effect of the 13 subscales of psychological climate in the presence of demographic variables on work motivation (Hypothesis 4). Job Importance, Organizational Identification, and Leader Goal Emphasis were found to have a significant effect on work motivation in the presence of age and management group.;Results from this study confirm that an employee's psychological climate beliefs have a significant effect on work motivation within the retail industry. Results can benefit both retail management and educators.