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 mangêrs 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 mansêrial 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 oiânizational 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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THE JOURNAL OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

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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

Âdapted 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 encourjês

employees

to

adop t aproblem orientation wherein they develop

num erous poten tial altemativesto thesolutionof oiânizational

dilemmas in responseto the maneêrial 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

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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

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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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