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Description:
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This study developed and tested a contingency model of group
communication in Korean workgroups that posited that the communication
effectiveness and group performance of workgroups is determined by the â  fitâ  of
communication practices with organization structure and group relational
climate .
A contingency model incorporates three variables : contingency variables ,
response variables , and performance variables . Based on a review of the
literature on Korean organizations and groups , the model incorporated two
contingency variables : organizational structure and group relational climate .
Organizational structure was indexed by the level of centralization and
formalizations in the organization . Group relational climate was indexed by the
level of closeness and group conformity among members . The response variables , communication practices of Korean workgroups , was measured in
terms of the frequency of formal and informal meetings held by the workgroups .
Two types of performance were measured : communication effectiveness and
performance level . The contingency model hypothesized that the level of
communication effectiveness and group performance of a workgroup that
engages in communication practices which fit the requirements of organizational
structure and group relational climate will be higher than that of a group whose
communication practices do not fit the requirements of organizational structure
and group relational climate . It also hypothesized the communication
effectiveness group performance would be lower in groups which faced
conflicting contingencies than in groups that faced consistent contingencies .
A survey of 409 members of 84 workgroups in 37 Korean organizations
was conducted . Results of this study supported the predictions of the
contingency model . In particular , centralization , formalization , and closeness
were significant contingency variables . The hypothesis regarding conflicting
contingency was not supported . Implications of the study regarding the
contingency theory , group communication and group effectiveness , and the
nature of Korean groups and organizations are discussed . |