Propensity Score Analysis

The Problem. Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) have long been heralded as antecedent to numerous positive organizational attitudes and outcomes. However, results on FWAs benefits are mixed which may be due to differences in employee characteristics. Not all individuals may desire such arrangements. This can confound group comparisons and may bias the results used in the development of human resource development (HRD) theory. The Solution. Propensity score analysis is a statistical approach that utilizes covariates to match participants (e.g., FWAs vs. non-FWAs) on their likelihood of group assignment. Once matched, these differences are mitigated thus improving the ability to more precisely estimate program effects. The Stakeholders. The intended audience for this article includes HRD scholars and scholar-practitioners interested in reducing non-equivalent group design bias in the context of flexible working arrangements and other HRD-related theory.