CONCEPT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE

ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE IS THE MANIFESTATION OF THE ATTITUDES

OF ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS TOWARDS THE ORGANIZATIONA ITSELF.
CLIMATE MAY BE THOUGHT OF AS THE PERCEPTION OF THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ORGANIZATION.
ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE CONVEYS THE IMPRESSIONS PEOPLE HAVE
OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH THEY
WORK.
IT MAY ALSO BE VIEWED AS THE DEGREE TO WHICH ORGANIZATIONAL
RULES ARE ENFORCED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPONENT.
IT MAY REFER TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH PERSONS ARE TREATED AS
“HUMAN BEINGS” RATHER THAN ‘COGS’ IN A MACHINE.
FOREHAND AND GLIMER HAVE DEFINED ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE AS “
A SET OF CHARACTERISTICS THAT DESCRIBE AN ORGANIZATION AND
THAT: (a) DISTINGUISH ONE ORGANIZATION FROM ANOTHER, (b) ARE
RELATIVELY ENDURING OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AND (c) INFLUENCE THE
BEHAVIOUR OF PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION”

DIMENSIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE

(i) MEMBERS ORIENTATION: THE DOMINENT ORIENTATION OF AN

ORGANIZATION IS THE MAIN CONCERN OF ITS MEMBERS, AND
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINENANT OF CLIMATE. IF THE
DOMINENT ORIENTAION OR CONCERN IS TO ADHERE TO
ESTABLISHED RULES AND REGULATIONS, THE CLIMATE WILL BE
CHARACTERISED BY CONTROL; ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE
ORIENTATION IS TO PRODUCE EXCELLENCE, THE CLIMATE WILL
BE CHARACTERISED BY ACHIEVEMENT.
(ii) INTERPERSNAL RELATIONSHIPS: AN ORGANIZATION’S
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP ARE REFLECTED IN THE WAYS
INFORMAL GROUPS ARE FORMED, AND OPERATE TO SATISFY
THE SOCIAL NEEDS OF MEMBERS. IF INFORMAL RELATIONS
SUPPLIMENT THE FORMAL PROCEDURES, THE ORGANIZATION
WILL BE BENEFITTED. BUT IF SOME POWERFUL GROUPS
DEVELOPS WHO ACQUIRE POWER IN THE ORGANIZATION, THEY
MAY DISPLACE THE GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION, RESULTING
CONFLICT.
(III) INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM: IF THE INDIVIDUAL ARE GIVEN
SUFFICIENT FREEDOM OR AUTONOMY TO WORK AND EXERCISE
AUTHORITY, THERE WILL BE EFFICIENCY IN OPERATIONS. SELF-
CONTROL WILL LIGHTEN THE BURDEN OF THE HIGHER LEVEL
EXECUTIVES.
(IV) DEGREE OF CONTROL: THE CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY BE EITHER
RIGID OR FLEXIBLE. IF THE CONTROL IS REGIDLY FOLLOWED,
THERE WILL BE IMPERSONAL OR BUREAUCRATIC ATMOSPHERE
 IN THE ORGANIZATION. THE SCOPE FOR SELF-REGULATION WILL
BE HE MINIMUM.
(V) TYPES OF STRUCTURE: IT CLARIFIES WHO IS TO DIRECT WHOM
AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO WHOM. IF AUTHORITY IS
CENTRALISED AT THE TOP LEVEL, THE SCOPE FOR
PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISION-MAKING BY THE
SUBORDIBNATES WILL BE LOW.
(VI) MANAGEMENT ORIENTATION: THE DOMINENT STYLE OF
MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS MAY BE TASK-ORIENTED OR
RELATION-ORIENTED.
(VII) REQRD SYTEMS
(VIII) COMMUNICATION
(IX) CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
(X) DEGREE OF TRUST
(XI) RISK-TAKING

SIGNIFICANCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE

INDIVIDUAL
MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEE OUTCOMES
POLICIES CHARACTERISTICS SATISFACTION
, PERCEPTIONS, COMMITMENT
GOALS, ABILITIES

ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE

ORGANIZATIONAL
CLIMATE
ORGANIZATION
TECHNOLOGY

EXTERNAL
ENVIRONMENT