School is an educational organization that exists to achieve the common educational objectives that are shared by every member and requires more active participation of members, or teachers, for decision-making. With an environment that acknowledges ...
School is an educational organization that exists to achieve the common educational objectives that are shared by every member and requires more active participation of members, or teachers, for decision-making. With an environment that acknowledges the personality and capabilities of each teacher and encourages them to demonstrate professional skills and potentials to the fullest, it would be possible to build good schools and contribute to effective school management and creative education.
The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of communication style in organization on career satisfaction to be able to cognize the importance of communication in organization and provide basic information for elementary school teachers to improve satisfaction with communication in organization.
For this purpose, elementary school teachers in Chuncheon-si were surveyed. A total of 304 recollected copies were analyzed and a study model was designed for a substantial analysis. Independent variables for the model were upward communication, downward communication, and horizontal communication of official communication, and unofficial communication, and dependent variable was career satisfaction.
SPSS 12.0 Program was used to analyze the data. The demographic characteristics of responders were analyzed in frequency analysis and the relationship between each characteristic and each variable was examined through t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Scheffe's post-hoc analysis. To examine the correlation between communication styles in organization and factors of career satisfaction, Pearson's correlation analysis was implemented. Simple regression analysis and multiple regression analysis were implemented to examine the influence of communication style on career satisfaction.
The following summarizes the results of examining the hypotheses:
First, in result of examining the difference between communication style according to demographic characteristics, it was found that male teachers shows more downward communication than female teachers and managing teachers, experienced teachers with more than 21 years of teaching experience, and teachers in 40s show differences in upward and horizontal communication styles. Also, homeroom teachers and teachers educated at 2-year educational colleges and 4-year general universities showed differences in upward communication style. Size of school affected all of upward, downward, and horizontal communication styles. Schools with less than 24 classes showed higher responses in upward and horizontal communication styles, whereas schools with more than 25 classes showed higher responses in downward communication style.
Second, in result of examining career satisfaction according to demographic characteristics, it was found that male teachers and managing teachers showed differences in career and organization systems. By age, teachers in 40s showed difference in organization systems, but no significant difference was found according to homeroom service or type of graduated school. There was difference in organization systems according to years of experience, but no difference was found in result of post-hoc analysis. Size of school affected career and organization systems. In particular, schools with 13-24 classes showed higher average career satisfaction than schools with more than 25 classes and schools with less than 24 classes showed higher career satisfaction than schools with more than 25 classes.
Third, in result of simple regression analysis and multiple regression analysis to examine members' career satisfaction according to communication style in organization, it was found that satisfaction with career, organization systems, and compensations were higher when upward and horizontal communication was more active. This means that efficiency of organization and effective development of organization and individuals are critical factors of development. Satisfaction with career and organization systems was higher with more active unofficial communication, but downward communication did not affect any of the three variables - career, organization systems, and compensations. Lastly, the influence of communication styles on satisfaction with career was as follows in descending order: horizontal, upward, downward, and unofficial communication.
In order to improve teachers' career satisfaction in organization, it would be necessary to encourage upward and horizontal communication styles. This requires an open environment for subordinates to communicate with supervisors, a better suggestion system for teachers, and official channels for departments and members to exchange information and opinions. For this purpose, responses to teachers' suggestions should be shared with teachers regularly, teacher clubs should be revitalized, teachers' professional career training opportunities should be actively supported, and managing teachers' attitudes toward downward communication should be changed. As examined in this substantial study, downward communication has no influence on career satisfaction and managing teachers should be able to give advice, instead of bureaucratic orders or directives, for teachers to solve problems spontaneously. It would be also necessary to offer training and education programs for teachers to learn how to communicate with subordinates. In addition, vice-principal or managing teachers should be authorized to handle general affairs and unofficial communication channels should be utilized. Although teachers share a lot in common in the field of education, they rarely communicate with open hearts because their jobs are independent. Unofficial gatherings should be encouraged for teachers to create an open atmosphere to help one another with efficient task-processing and instructing techniques beyond social exchanges.
In sum, the limitation of this study was that it cannot be generalized for all teachers in Korea as the subject of this study were limited to elementary school teachers in Chuncheon-si. Also, use of survey forms for gathering resources is not effective when generalizing responses as all responses are subjective opinions of responders. Observations and/or interviews could have been more effective for achieving more generalized results.