University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

etween environmental value orientations, while only partial support has been found
for Stern et al. (1993) idea of three value orientations.
721
Non-existing testing in organizational or business context and lack of items related to
environmental issues within organizations are once more the main limitations for use
of this scale in organizational studies. This calls for modifications before the scale is
used in an organizational or business context. However, the distinction between
egoistic and altruistic anthropocentric motives may be relevant within organizations,
where the employees' decisions are affected both by personal (egoistic) and
organizational (loosely, altruistic) goals.
Other Scales with Psychological Foundation
Kaiser, Wölfing and Fuhrer (1999) build on Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) theory of
planned behavior, a psychological model of the relationship between beliefs,
attitudes, and behavior. Scales and measurement instruments rooted in Fishbein and
Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior are often designed to differentiate between
concepts of values, attitudes and behavior. In this theory, values and attitudes are
seen as predictors of behavior. According to an interpretation by Kaiser and
colleagues (1999), behavior is partially a result of values (through norms) and
partially a result of knowledge-based attitudes. Factual knowledge is thus a
prerequisite of attitudes.
Kaiser et al. (1999) studied members of a proenvironmental and an
antienvironmental transportation association. Their General Ecological Behavior
scale contains 38 items measuring mainly general behavior towards environment.
Despite this, in a following factor analysis the researchers could separate three
factors, of which one was related to knowledge, one to values and one to behavior
intentions. This suggests that underlying value and attitude structures can be at least
to some extent derived from a measure of reported behavior towards environment.
Other psychological studies on environmental values are based on value-belief-norm
–theory. In an interesting study by Nilsson et al. (2004), the organizational aspect is
taken into consideration while developing a value-based measurement model for
willingness to accept climate change strategies. The main core of the theoretical
model is the assumption that values impact on behavior is mediated via beliefs
through pro-environmental personal norms. Empirically, managers of public sector
organizations and private (business) organizations are compared and the findings
indicate that environmental values were more important to public sector managers.
The authors also put in organizational goals in to the model, as well as a
measurement of general values drawn from Schwartz (1992) value model.
Unfortunately, the scales applied do not contain any clear section measuring
environmental orientation or concern; consequently the relationship between general
values, environmental orientation and environmental decisions taken remain unclear.
Recently, Hansla et al. (2008) used value-belief-norm (VBN) theory in their
conceptualization of the relationship between general value orientations, awareness
and environmental concern. In the questionnaire used by Hansla and colleagues
(2008) items measuring as well general value orientation than questions addressing