Investigating the susceptibility of measurement invariance tests: The effects of common method variance

Although the topic of measurement equivalence/invariance (ME/I) is an ongoing concern in organizational research, we have little understanding of how accurate the analytical procedures involved in tests of ME/I really are. In particular, there is a need to investigate the susceptibility of ME/I tests to such contextual influences as common method variance and construct reliability. The present study addresses this need by using a Monte Carlo simulation to manipulate configural and metric invariance across two groups along with varying levels of method bias and reliability, and we assess how successful ME/I tests are at detecting group differences under such conditions. Based on these results, the likelihood of drawing false inferences from ME/I tests is evaluated. Finally, recommendations are presented for dealing with potential common method bias in organizational research, and avenues for future research are suggested.