Toward a Further Understanding of and Improvement in Measurement Invariance Methods and Procedures

Abstract

Recognizing that measurement invariance was rarely tested for in organizational research, and that it should be, Vandenberg and Lance elaborated on the importance of conducting tests of measurement invariance and proposed an integrative paradigm for conducting sequences of measurement invariance tests. Building on their platform, the current article addresses some of the shortcomings in our understanding of the analytical procedures. In particular, it points out the need to address (a) the sensitivity of the analytical procedures, (b) the susceptibility of the procedures to contextual influences, (c) how partial invariance affects the tests of substantive interest, and (d) the triggers or causes for not supporting invariance. In the hopes of stimulating further research on these topics, ideas are presented as to how this research may be undertaken.