sfsorganizational climate
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This paper examines the interdependent relationships between
organiza
tional climate and comm unication climate. Six critical dimensions of
org niz tion lclimate re discussedin terms of their perceivedimpact on
dual typologies of the comm unication climate. The paper concludes with
an analysis of the suggested relationship between org niz tion l climate
and communication climate.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN ORGANIZATION CLIMATE AND
COMMUNICATION CLIMATE'
R. Duane Ireland, Oklahoma State University
Philip M. Van Auken, Baylor University
Phillip V. Lewis, Oklahoma State University
COMMUNICATION CAN BE REALISTICALLY viewed as the
most fundamental of all managerial activities and as the core
process of organizational behavior. A wealth of research has
demonstrated the pervasive impact of communication on intra-
organizational psychosocial dynamics and the effective perform-
ance of managerial activities. However, comparatively little
research has been conducted in the area of how patterns of
communication are influenced by aspects of the foirmal and
informal organization comprising the organizational climate.^
This paper is concerned with examining the interdependent
reiationship between organizational climate and communication
climate and, more specifically, focuses on how si^: critical
dimensions of the organizational climate have an imp act on dual
typologies of the communication climate. A discussion of speci-
fic typologies of organizational and communication climates
will be followed b y an analysis of their perceived inte rde pe nd en t
relationships.
ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE
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4 THE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS COM MUN ICATION' 1 6 : 1
env ironm ent and . . . assumed to be a major force in influencing
their behavior on the job. ^ Katz and Kahn indicate that these
properties, which interact and result in behavioral impacts, are
shaped in part b y th e values and norm s of the organization's for-
mal hierarchy and th e rein terpreta tion of these tw o social system
components within the informal system. Other factors which in-
terac t in this process are the organization's histo ry of internal
and external struggles, the types of people the organization at-
tracts, its wo rk processes and physical layo ut, the m odes of com -
munication, and the exercise of authority within the system. *
A related view of the properties which interact to create an
organization's climate has been advanced by Hellriegel and
Slocum. They indicate that an organization's psychological
climate is developed when unique belief systems, brought to
the organization in the form of individual employees, interact
with the organization's formalized values, attitudes, norms,
leadership styles, and structure.' This perspective serves as a
reinforcement of the Katz and Kahn proposition that organiza-
tional climate is evolved through both formal and informal (or
interpretive) processes.
Organizational Climate Dimensions
A six-dimensional scheme for classifying organizational cli-
mates has been developed by Litwin and Stringer. According to
their research, the following variables converge to mold the
overall organizational climate:*
1.Structure: the emp loyees ' perception of the breadth and
dep th of organizational rules, con straints, and regulations.
2 Individual responsibility:
the employe es ' perceptions of
the degree of autonomy extended to them by the organization.
3 .Rew ards:
the employees ' perception of the adequacy and
appropriateness of organizational rewards received for exhibit-
ing desired performa nces.
4.
Risk and risk taking:
the employees ' perceptions of the
extent of risk and challenge offered within the work setting.
5. Warmth and support: the emp loyees ' perceptions of the
fellowship and helpfulness pervading the work environment.
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ORGANIZATION CLIMATE IRELAND
ET AL.
5
alternative configurations of the previous six variables: the
power-motivated climate, the affiliation-oriented climate, and
the achievement-oriented climate. ' ' The power motivated organ
izational climate is one wherein employees perceive that most
decision-making processes are designed and enacted at the top
of the hierarchy; that pattems of communication activities ajre
clearly defined; and that a minimal quantity of discretionmy
action is offered to th em (e.g., the m ilitary).
If the organization places a greater depee of emphtisis upon
the development of warai working relationships instead of for-
mal task ac com plishm ent, it may be characterized as displaying
an
affiliation oriented organ izational climate.
W ithin such a cli-
mate, it would not be uncommon for mang^ers to fulfill a
patern alistic role of cou nselor to em ploy ees (e.g., a cha ritable
organization or a family-operated business).
The
achievement oriented organizational climate
is described
as one where the in stit uti on al level of m anagem ent allovre
other mans^erial levels to participate in goal-setting processes.
An MBO approach, in which the entire managerial subsystem
com m unicates e xpe ctation s of high performance to all em-
ployees, m ight typically be ad op ted to facilitate accom plishme nt
of oi^anizational and member goals. Continual task-oriented
feedback would be provided to individual workers in order that
the y m ight develop their abilities to th e fullest exte nt (e.g., a
consulting firm).^
COMMUNICATION CLIMATE
These three types of organizational climate influence the
develop m ent of tw o identifiable co m m unica tion clim ates: th e
defensive and the supportive.
The Defensive and Supportive Communication Climates
Gibb indicates that supportive communication climates facUi-
tate efficient and effective message transmissions, while defen-
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6
THE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
'16:1
Table
Comparisonof Communication Climates^
Supportive Climate Defensive Climate
1. Description 1. Evaluation
2.
Problem Orientation 2. Control
3. Spontaneity 3. Strategy
4. Empathy 4. Neutrality
5.
Equality 5. Superiority
6. Provisionalism 6. Certainty
^Adapted from Jack R. Gibb, Defensive Communication, Joumal of
Communication XI (1961), 143.
Description-evaluation. Within the supportive climate em-
ployees perceive criticisms transmitted to them asbeingade-
scriptive
a t t emp t to assist them in achieving their potentialas
valued organizational members.
In a
defensive climate
em-
ployees perceive that they
are
being und uly criticized
in com-
parisonto thenumberofrewards received andtha t theyare be-
ing continually evaluated
by
superiors.
Problem orientation-control. A
supportive climate encourj^es
employees
to
adop t aproblem orientation wherein they develop
num erous poten tial altemativesto thesolutionof oi^anizational
dilemmas in responseto the mane^erial solicitation of suchin-
put. Those organizations with a defensive climatedo notsearch
for inp ut from th eir em ployee s; rathe r wo rkers are extended
the impression that most decisions related to vital corporate
mattersare
con trolled
by theupp er echelon.
Spontaneity-strategy.
The enac tment of
spontaneous
com-
m unication action s within certain tolerance limits serves
as a
backdropto thetransm issionofhones tandfreque ntly desirable
messages from one organizational member to another. Such
communication spontaneity would probablynot be observable
within a defensive climate asemployees would feel tha t m ost
organizational messages
are
t ransmitted
as a
par t
of a
strategy
designed to con trol their actions. Accordingly these employees
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ORGANIZATION CLIMATE IRELAND ET AL. 7
with them and express a genuine concern for their feelings aitid
opinions. On the oth er ha nd , a stance of neutrality characteris-
tic of a defensive climate, is oftentimes perceived by employees
as revealing a lack of co nce rn for o the rs.
Equality-superiority. Although th e concep t of total equality
between superiors and subordinates is probably an ideial and un-
attainable state, i t is noteworthy that development of mutual
trust and respect among members of these two oi^asnizational
groups tends to cause the reduction and/or elimination of arti-
ficial impediments to communication. In contrast to this situa-
tion, a defensive climate will tend to evolve if the development
of mutual trust and respect is not considered by superiors as a
legitimate organizational goal.
Provisionalism-certainty. The con ce pt of provisionaJism indi-
cates th at all decisions are considered as tem por ary in natu re .
Such a temporal perspective, when coupled with a caU for other
opin ions, facilitates meaningful co m m un ication am ong organi-
zational members. The opposite approach to this philosophy,
which is characteristic of the defensive climate, is certainty. A
climate of certainty transmits the message to employees that
the decision has been made, and that additional opinions
regarding the matter are not encouraged.
THE IMPACT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE
ON COMMUNICATION CLIMATE
The establishm ent of com m unication processes as one casual
inpu t t o the dimensions of organizational climate has been pre-
viously suggested.^ This perceived recip rocal rela tions hip be-
tween organizational climate and com m unication climate is con-
ceptualized in Table 2. For example, a power-motivated organi-
zational climate (such as that found in the military) would
likely lead to the development of a defensive communication
climate (notice the prep ond eranc e of lo w managerial dimen-
sions). This perceived relationship is based on the following
observations:
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THE JOURN L OF BUSINESS COMM UNIC TION
16:1
2. Em ployees would perceive the re to be a low degree of
au ton om y reflecting a strategically con trolled climate charac-
teristic of a pow er-motivated organization.
3 .
Em ploye es wou ld have a low level of confidenc e relating
to the appropriateness of rewards due to the neutral organiza-
tional climate with its resulting lack of e m pa thy .
4. Employees would perceive there to be a low degree of risk
and challenge in the work setting due to the organizational cli-
mate of administrative certainty and strategic planning.
5.
Em plo yee feelings of general fellowship and helpfulness
within th e work se tting wou ld be low reflecting an emphasis
within the organizational climate on supervisory superiority.
6. Em ploye es wo uld have little confidence in th e organiza-
tional climate tolerating differing opinions reflecting the
con trol-orientation of a pow er-motivated organization.
TABLE 2
Perceived Relationship Between
Organizational Climate and Communication Climate
Managerial
Dimensions
S t r u c t u r e . . . .
Individual
responsibil i ty .
R ew ards . . . .
Risk and
risk taking . . .
Warmth and
s uppor t
Tolerance
and conflict . .
Power-motivated
Organizational
Climate
High
L ow
L ow
L ow
L ow
L ow
Affiliation-oriented
Organizational
Climate^
Minimal
9
9
Minimal
High
9
Achievement-
oriented Or-
ganizational
Climate^
L ow
High
High
High
High
High
1. Tends to cause the development of a defensive com munication
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ORGANIZATION CLIMATE ' IRELAND ETAL 9
Those organizations having an affiliation orientation, with
the attendant lack of role clarity and formal organization (such
as a charity or a family-operated business), would show less pre-
dictability in the managerial dimensions appraised in Table 2.
As a result of this relative lack of predictability, either type of
communication climate, defensive or supportive, could possibly
develop, depending upon each organization's potentially unique
pattem of managerial dimensions.
Finally, organizations characterized by an achievement-
oriented climate (such as a consulting firm) would probably
develop a supportive climate of communication. This percep-
tio n is based up on the configuration of hi gh managerial di-
mensions. For example:
1. In an achievement-oriented climate, employees would per-
ceive there to be a low number of organizational niles, con-
straints, and regulations.
2. Employees would perceive there to be a very high level of
autonomy extended them by the organization.
3 . Em ployees would have a high level of confidence tow ard
the adequacy and appropriateness of organizational, rewards
received for exhibiting desired performances.
4.
Em ployees wou ld perceive there t o be a high degree of risk
and challenge offered within the work setting.
5.Em ploy ee feelings of general fellowship an d helpfulness
pervading the work environment would be
verj'
high, reflecting
an emphasis within the organization climate on shsired responsi-
bility.
6. Employees would have very high confidence in the ability
of the organization to tolerate differing opinions.
CONCLUSIONS
The communication climate of an organization must be
viewed as having an intimate relationship with patterns of
organizational success. The feelings people have about work-
ing where and with whom help define the climate which pre-
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THE JOURNAL
OF
BUSINESS CO MM UNICATION
16:1
It is hoped that future research will focus on empirically vali-
dating the interdependence between organizational and com-
munication climates and further investigate the reciprocating
impacts of these climates.
NOTES AND REFERENC ES
1. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 1976 National
Academy of Management meeting.
2. Daniel Katz and Robert L. Kahn,The Social Psychology of Organi-
zations
New York, John Wiley Sons, Inc., 1966 , p. 66.
3. James L. Gibson, John M. Ivancevich, and James H. Donnelly,
Or-
ganizations: Structure Process Behavior Dallas, Texas, Business Publica-
tions, Inc., 197 3 , pp . 314 , 328.
4. Katz and Kahn, p. 66.
5. Don Hellriegel and John W. Slocum,
M anagement: A Contingency
Approach Reading, Massachusetts, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company,
1974, p. 43 0.
6. Joh n P. Campbell, Marvin D. Dunne tte, Edwin E . Lawler, and Karl E.
Weick, Environm ental Variation and Managerial Effectiveness,
Motiva-
tion and Work Behavior
ed. RichardM.Steers and Lyman
W
Porter, New
York, McGraw-Hill Book C ompany, 1 975 , p. 30 3 .
7.
Hellriegel and Slocum, p. 430.
8. Hellriegel and Slocum, p. 430.
9. Jack R. Gibb, Defensive Commu nication,
Journal of
Com munica-
tion XI, 19 61 , pp. 141-148.
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