Abstract

An organization performing at its optimum level includes achieving desired outcomes and engaging in effective internal processes (Cameron 1981). To conceptualize the way people experience and give meaning to internal processes, organizational climate is a construct often used by businesses, schools, and government (Schneider, Ehrhart, and Macey 2013). However, research in this area is inconsistent. Scholars suggest that the inconsistencies are due to ongoing issues related to measuring and identifying the precise dimensions of organizational climate. Consequently, there is no unified body of research in the literature. This article examines the historical and theoretical underpinnings of organizational climate studies in an attempt to highlight the uniqueness of studying climate. This research also identifies dimensions of climate, instrumentation used to measure climate, and statistical procedures used to measure climate at the organizational level and the sub-unit level. This research suggests that there is a need to adopt a new “Composite Model of Organizational Climate.” Moreover, this study assists with determining future directions for organizational climate studies to benefit both business professionals and educational practitioners.