Chapter 13, Problem 1DQ

Summary Introduction

To determine:

Organizational benefits of managers cultivating an open communication climate.

Introduction:

Communication, whether it is through formal channels or informal channels, is what keeps an organization on its feet. In an open communication climate, employees have complete freedom to talk freely and to express their opinions on important matters, voice their complaints, and offer suggestions and ideas to their superiors. Employees are free to speak amongst themselves on vital policy decisions and production, marketing or personnel concerns. This way, information is passed on without any distortion throughout the organization.

Answer to Problem 1DQ

Solution:

Open communication climate has three distinct attributions or characteristics:

1) Supportive environment

2) Participative environment

3) Trusting environment

Explanation of Solution

According to research an open communication climate has three distinct attributions or characteristics.

1. Supportive environment

   In a supportive environment, employees are able to share information to their superiors as there are no hierarchical, functional or interpretational barriers that will disrupt this flow of material.

2. Participative environment

   In these environments, the participation of employees is valued and taken to effect in the betterment of the organization.

3. Trusting environment

   In a trusting environment all parties involved in the exchange of information must share the truth ensuring the information is credible. Here, all employees have full access to all organizational information.

Open communication paves the path for the promotion of values such as:

• Conflict resolution

  Although conflict amongst fellow employees are unavoidable, an open communication climate allows for any conflict to dim down without much effort as this type of communication builds up trust and comfort amongst one another.

• Transparency

  When employees are able to communicate with one another and their superiors without fear of retaliation are more likely to be active in the participation of identifying issues and solving them. Also, when future obstacles of the company are informed to its employees, more brains will be behind the solving of these problems.

• Innovation

  When employees are exposed to more information about the organization, they become better at handling problems and solving them. This also improves the innovation of the worker.