Researchers in organizational climate have used data relating to individual
perception of organizational properties in identifying organizational climate.
Even in this context there is a great amount of diversity. For example, Litwin
and Stringer have included six factors which affect organizational climate.
These are:
1.
Organization
structure perception of the extent of organizational constraints, rules,
regulations, red tape.
2.
Individual
responsibility – feelings of autonomy of being one’s own boss.
3.
Rewards
feelings related to being confident of adequate and appropriate rewards.
4.
Risk
and risk taking – perceptions of the degree of challenge and risk in the work
situation.
5.
Warmth
and support – feelings of general good fellowship nd helpfulness prevailing in
the work settings and
6.
Tolerance
and conflict – degree of confidence that the climate can tolerate differing
opinions.
A broader and somewhat more systematic study of climate dimensions
described by Schneider and Bartlett includes six items that should be included
in determining organizational climate. These are managerial support, managerial
structure, concern for new employees, inter – agency conflict, agent dependence
and general satisfaction. Taguiri has identified five factors in organizational
climate on the basis of information provided by managers. These are:
1.
Practices
relating to providing a sense of direction or purpose to their jobs – setting
objectives, planning and feedback.
2.
Opportunities
for exercising individual initiative.
3.
Working
with a superior who is highly competitive and competent.
4.
Working
with co- operative and pleasant people and
5.
Being
with a profit – minded and sales – oriented company.
The results of these studies show that it is very difficult to
generalize the basic contents of organizational climate based on these studies.
Other studies in this respect do not elicit different result and present the
vastly different orientations or sets. However some broad generalizations can
be drawn and it can be concluded that four basic factors are somewhat common to
the findings of most studies. There are individual autonomy, the degree of
structure imposed upon the people, reward orientation and consideration, warmth
and support.
