Organizational climate serves as
the guidelines for dealing with people, as n has a major influence on
motivation and productivity of individuals as well as total work group. A sound
group climate is a long term proposition. Managers take an asset approach
meaning that they take the climate as organizational assets.
CONCEPT OF
ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE
Climate, in natural sense, is
referred to as the average course or condition of the weather at a place over a
period of year as exhibited by temperature, wind velocity, and perception.
However it is quite difficult to define organizational climate incorporating
the characteristics of natural climate. This is so because the most frustrating
feature of an attempt to deal with situational variables in a model of
frustrating feature of an attempt to deal with situational variables in a model
of management performance is the enormous complexity of the environment itself.
It makes the definition and measurement of situational variables very
difficult. One way to conceptualize the organizational climate is to consider
its potential properties. Forehand and Gilmer feel that climate consists of a
set of characteristics that describe an organization, distinguish it form other
organizations, are relatively enduring over time and influence the behavior of
people in it. Based on these characteristics Compbell et al define
organizational climate as:
“ A set of attributes specific to
a particular organization that may be induced from the way that organization
deals with its members and its environment. For the individual members within
organizations, climate takes the form of a set of attitudes and expectancies
which describe the organization in terms of both static characteristics and
behavior outcome and outcome – outcome contingencies.”
When organizational climate is
defined in this way, many kinds of organizational factors are relevant
contributors to it. The crucial elements are the individual perceptions of the
relevant stimuli, constraints and reinforcement contingencies that govern human
behavior. Thus the perception of people regarding the functioning of these
factors is important. From this point of view, the discussion of relevant
factors is important.
IMPACT OF
ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE
Organizational climate has a major
influence on human performance through its impact on individual motivation and
job satisfaction. It does this by creating certain kinds of expectancies about
what consequences will follow from different actions. Individuals in the organization
have certain expectations and fulfillment of these expectations depends upon
their perception as to how the organizational climate suits to the satisfaction
of their needs. Thus organizational climate provides a types of work environment
goes a long way in determining his efficiency, organizational climate can be
said to be directly related with his performance in the organization. There are
four mechanisms by which organizational climate affect performance,
satisfaction and attitudes of people in the organization.
1.
Organizational
variables can operate as constraint systems in both a positive and negative
sense by providing knowledge of what kinds of behavior are rewarded, punished
or ignored. The organization can influence behavior by attaching different
rewards and punishments to varying behaviors. This assignment of different
values to behavioral outcomes would then influence the behavior of those people
most interested in those specific values.
2.
Organizational
variables may affect behavior through evaluation of the self and others , and
such evaluation will in turn, influence behavior. There are both physiological
and psychological variables associated with this evaluation process.
3.
Organizational
factors work as stimuli, they influence an individuals arousal level, which is
a motivational variable directing behavior. The level of arousal will directly
affect the level of activation and hence performance.
4.
Organizational
variables influence behavior in that hey influence the individual to form a
perception of the organization. The perception then influences behavior.
FACTORS IN ORGANISTAIONAL CLIMATE
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.
