Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATIQN

PRACTICES AND AFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT:

THE MEDIATOR ROLE OF COMMUNICATION SATISFACTION

Nur ZatiIHidayah Binti Abdul Rahman

HD 58.8 N974 2010

Bachelor of Science with Honours (Human Resource Development)

2010

P.KHIDMAT MAKLUMAT AKADEMIK UNIMAS

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SESI PENGAJlAN : ).009 (:l010

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(HURUF BESAR)

mengaku membenarkan tesis 0 ini disimpan di Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik,

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:

1. Tesis aGE:,"l hakmilik Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. 2. Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akadem ik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan

membuat saJinan unluk tujuan pengajian sahaja 3. Pusat Khidmat MakJumat A kademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan

membuat pendigitan untuk membangun kan Pangkalan Data Kandungan Tempatan. 4. Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan

membuat salinan tesis ini sebagai bahan pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi.

•• sila tandakan (..J )

D (Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau SULlT kepentingan seperti termaktub di dalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972)

(Mengandungi mak lumat Terhad yang telah ditentukan olehDTERHAD organisasilbadan

Pengesahall HasU Kcrja Asal Pelajar (Bahasa loggeris)

Statement ofOrigio8lity

The work described in this Final Vear Projec~ entitled "The Relationship between Leadership Communication Practices and

Affective O rganlzatiooal Commitm ent: The Mediation Role of Communication Satisfaction"

is to the best oflhe author's knowledge that of the author except where due reference is made,

7~' (10 May 2010) (Nur ZatilHidayah Binti Abdul Rahman)

20465

Pusal Khlliroal Maklumar Akademl\

ITNTVEI)~(n MAlAYZJA SARAWAI

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION

PRACfICES AND AFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT:

THE MEDIATION ROLE OF COMMUNICATION SATISFACTION

Nut ZatilHidayah Binti Abdul Rahman

This project is submitted in partia l fulfiLment of the requirements for a

Bachelor f Science with Honours

(Human Resource Development)

Faculty ofCognitive Sciences and Human Development

UNlVERSrn MALAYSIA SARA W AK

(2010)

The Project entitle "Re lationship Between Leadership Communication Practices and A ffective Organizational Commitment: The Mediation Role of Communication Satisfaction" was prepared by Nur ZatilHidayah Binti Abdul Rahman and summated to the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Bachelor in Science with Honours Human Resource Development.

Received fo

Date:

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Gred

~~

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Praise to Allah S.W.T for the strength and blessing given to me throughout completing this research. I would a1 0 like to ex.press my sincere appreciation to several parties who contributed time, energy, ideas, and suggestions in tile completion of this research. The collective wisdom, work and experiences of these particular parties have been the strength of thi s research.

f irst, I would like to thank you to Jabatan Ketua Menteri Negeri Sarawak for granting the permission for me to carry out my research . Besides that, thank you very much too all the management staff and non managerial staff for their corporation during the implementation of his research. Without their help, this research will not be able to be completed.

Secondly, my greatest gratitude goes to my supervisor, Dr.Sopian Bujang for his because had spend time and comparable effort in helping and guiding me to complete this study. His advice, guidance, kindness and unlimited patience develop me and my research skills and this research would not be successful withoutlheir gu idelines and support. I am extremely thankful for that.

Thirdly, thank you to all tbe non-academic staff ofFaculty Cognitive Sciences and Human Development who bad helped me during the process of this research.

Lastly, I would like to thank my father Abdul Rahman Sulaiman and my mother Rahsidah Ahmad for their end less support, prayers and motivation in helping me to complete my project. Not forgetting a special thanks to all my friends and those who involve directly or indirectly in this research. To all of those contributed in making this research possible and successful , I am indebted and thankful.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgement i

Table of Contents Ii

List of Figures vi

List 01 Table vii

Abstract ix

Abstrak x

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study 2·3

1.2 Problem Statement 4·5

1.3 Research Objective

1.3 .1 Main Objective 6

1.3.2 Specific Objective 6

1.4 Conceptual Framework 7

1.5 Research Hypotheses

1.5.1 General llypothesis 8

1.5.2 Specific Hypothes is 9

1.6 Definition ofTenn

1.6.1 Leadership Communication Practices 10

1.6.2 Communication Satisfaction 10

1.6.3 Affective Organizational Commitment 11

1.7 Significant of the Study

1.7.1 Theoretical Contribution 12

1.7.2 Important to Research Methodology 12

1.7.3 Practical Contribution 13

1.8 Scope of the Study 13

1.9 Conclusion 14

II

CHAPTER 2: UTERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction 15

2.1 Concept of Leadership Communication Practices 16

2.2 Concept of Communication Satisfaction 17-18

2.3 Concept of Affective Organizational Commitment 18-1 9

2.4 Theoretical Evidence

2.4. ) Humanistic Theory 19-20

2.4.2 Adair' s Action-Centred Leadership Model 21 -23

2.4.3 System Theory 23-25

2.5 Empirical Evidence

2.5.\ The Relationship between Leadership Communication 25-26

Practices and Affective Organizational Commi tment

2.5.2 The Relationship between Communication Satisfaction and 27

Affective Organ izational Commitment

2.5.3 The Relationship between Leadership Communication 27-28

Practices, Communication Satisfaction and Affective

Organizational Commitment

2.6 Conclusion 28

ti l

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

3. 1 Research Design

3.2 Research Location, Population and Sample

3.3 Research Instrument

3.4 Data Collection Technique

3.4.1 Phase I: Secondary Data

3.4.2 Validity and Reliabili ty Analyses

3.4.2. 1 Phase 2: Pilot Study

3.4.3 Phase 3: Actual Study

3.5 Data Analysis Technique

3.5.1 Data Screening

3.5.2 Result of Data Screening Test

3.5.3 Result ofExploratory Factor Analysis

3.5 .4 Psychometric Assessment

3.5 .5 Pearson Correlation Analysis

3.5.6 Descriptive Statistic

3.5.7 Testing Mediating Model

3.6 Conclusion

CBAYfER 4: FINDING AND DISCUSSION

4.0 Introduction

4.1 Respondent Demographic Characteristics

4.2 Pearson Correlation Analyses and Descriptive Statistic

4.3 Result of Testing Mediating Model

4.4 Summary of Finding

4.5 Conclusion

29

30

30-31

32-33

34

34-35

35-36

36-37

37

37

38-39

39-40

41-42

42-43

43

43

44

45

46-47

48-49

50-52

53

53

IV

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

5.0 lntroduction 54

5.1 Summary of the Study 55-56

5.2 Implication of the Study 56

5.2.1 Lmpl ication to theories 56-57

5.2.2 Implication to Research Methodology 57

5.2.3 Implication to Human Resource Practitioner 58

5.3 Limitation of Study 58-59

5.4 Recommendation for Future Research 59

5.5 Conclusion 60

Bibliography

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

v

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1

The Conceptual Framework 7

Figure 2

Action-Centred Leadership Model 21

Figure 3

Model Theory System 24

vi

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1

Survey Questionnai re 32-33

Table 3.2

Seven Levels of Likert Scale

33

Table 3.3

Reliability test fo r leadership communication practices,

communication satisfaction and affective organizational

commitment

36

Table 3.4

Distribution of survey questionnaire

37

Table 3.5

Data Screening Test Result

38-39

Table 3.6

Result of Collinearity factor analysis

40

Table 3.7

Goodness of data to test the sampling adeq uacy

41

vii

43 Table 3.8

Interpretation of "r" Value

Table 4.1

Respondent Demographic Characteristics

47

Table 4.2

Pearson Correlation Analysis

48

Table 4.3

Result for Stepwise Regression Analysis with the Communication

Satisfaction as the Mediating and Affective Organizational

Commitment as the Dependent Variable

50

Table 4.4

Summarized Hypotheses

53

VIII

- .... ~

ABSTRACT

LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION PRACTlCES AND AFFECTIVE

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT: A MEDIATING ROLE OF

COMMUNICATION SATISFAcrION

Nur Zatilhidayah Binli Abdul Rahman

Communication is a dynamic process and it happens in all organizations. As a manager in an organization. the skill of communication is crucial because the ability to communicate is managerial necessity. Besides that, communication style will affect the workers communication satisfaction. This study was aimed in investigating the mediating role of communication satisfaction in the relationship between leaderslUp communication practices and affective organizational commitment. Therefore, the objective of this survey is to identify the correlation between leadership communication practices in affective organizational commitment is often manipulated by communication satisfactions. A total of 600 employees in Jabatan Ketua Menter! egeri Sarawak were invited to participate in answered the questionnaire. Out of total number of employees, 250 questionnaires has been distributed and only ) 60 samples of responses were returned back and 152 be used in the analysis. Testing mediation by using Stepwise Regression show that communication satisfaction will increase affective organizational commitment when there were leadership communication practices. The findings have showed that communication satisfaction did act as fu lly mediating variable in the relationship between leadership communication practices and affective organizational commitment. It is, hoped that this findi ng might give some insight to tile administrator, programme planner and trainer as to how effectiveness managerial communication is especially to administrator at organization in handling and interaction with their workers towards a better relationship between administration and workers.

Keywords: Leadership Communication Practices, Communication Satisfaction, and Affective Organizational Commitment

ix

ABSTRAK

AMALAN KOMUNIKASI DALAMKEPlMPINAN DANKEBERKESANAN

KOMITMEN ORGANISASI: KEPUASA N KOMUNlKASI SEBAGAI

MEDIATOR

Nur ZatilHidayah Bind Abdul Rahman

Komunikasi adalah satu proses penling dalam sislem pengurusan dalam monamnna organisasi. Apabila seseorang itu terlibal da/am bidang pengurusan secara tidak /angsung individu lersebul juga terl/bat da/am bermmunika.I'i. Kej ayaan atau kegaga/an do/am Iromunikasi akan mel'ljadi penenru !repada pengurllSQII dalam pen/adbirG1l seillruh organisasi !rerana mmllnikasi dan pengurllsan saling bergan/llngan Inl adalah !rerana gaya mmunlkasl pengurusan merupakan sa/ah salu Jaletor penemu !repada tahap !repuasan m munikasi pelcelja tersebut. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengena/posli hubungQII dl anJara amalan mmunikasi dalam !repimpinan dan !reber!resanan kamitmen organisosi dl mana kepuasan kamunikasi bertindak sebagai mediator. Sejumlah 600 pekelja dari Jabatan Ketua Menteri Negeri Sarawale te/ah dipilih secara rawale un/uk menjawab soalan kajian Daripada jumlah keseluruhan pe!rerja. hanya 250 borang kajl soa/ leaji selidik diedarkan dan hanya 160 di!rembalikan semulo dan 152 digunakan untulc proses ana/isis. Mediator dluji menggunakan Regresi Stepwise yang menunjlllclron !repllosan kamunikasi akan meningkatkan keber!resanan kQmitmen mmunikasi apabi/a wujudnya ama/Wl komunikasi do/am !repimpinan, Dapatan leaj ian lelah menunjulckan kepuason kamunikasi bertlndok sepenuhnya sebagai pembolelrubah mediator dolam perhubungan di amara amalan kamunikasi dalam !replmpinan dan keberkesanan komitmen organirosi. Has il kajian ini diharapkan dopa! memberilean maklumat tambahon yang berguna !repuda para pengurus. pegawol diln pe!relja dalam merangcang program-program dan akliviti-ok/lviti bagi mengatasi masalah komunikasi dnlam sesebuah organisosi.

Kala Kunci: Amalan Iromunikasi da/am Kepimpinan, Kepuasan Komunikasi dOli Keber!resanan Komitmen Organisosi

x

CHAPTER }

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

This chapter was divided into of nine sections. First section would be

discussed background of the study. The second section where explained problem

statement of this study. The third section, research objectives would be discussed and

this section included main and specific objectives. The conceptual framework of this

study was shows in fourth section. In the fifth section, general and specific

hypotheses were developed based on the conceptual framework. The operational and

conceptual definition of terms explained in six section and signilicance of this study

were included in seventh section. Finally, concluded of this chapter would be in the

eighth section.

1

1.1 Background oftbe Study

Communication was the important element involved in the relationship

between the employee and employer. Communication was thus the key to effective

leadership and without effective communication, a manager was not an effective

leader (Barrett, 2006). In Malaysia suddenly department in organization and a

manager chose one of the employees to become the Leader. Leader can communicate

with other employee in their organization in order to acrueve organizational objective.

The Leadership communication practices of effective motivated the subordinated and

developed stronger employee commitment towards greater organizational

acruevement (Ab. Aziz Yusof, 2003).

Communication practices for leadership including interpersonal

communication, group dynamic, negotiation and conflict resolution between leader

and subordinators. These elements were important to a leader and there had different

style in communication. This was six of command leadership communication style

such as visionary leader, affinitive leader, coacrung leader, democratic leader,

pacesetter leader and commanding leader. These communication style has different a

characteristic and based on that leader.

The basic to ensure communication practices might successful in organization

was the knowledge of the employee to identify the verbal and non-verbal

communications. In the workplace, these basic of communication are continually for

excbanged in process transferring or sharing what types the information at the

sometime. Communication between leader and the employee might be achieving

communication satisfaction. Communication satisfaction is "the satisfaction with

various aspects of communication in an organization" (Crino & White, 1981) and

related with communication practices. Communication satisfaction referred for

2

employee's affective appraisal of their organization communication practices.

Communication audits consistently show that communication climate,

communication with supervisors (Madlock, 2008) and personal feedback were the

dimensions most strong correlated with overall communication satisfaction (Downs

& Adrian, 2004, p. 155; Downs & Hazen, 1977).

Organizational commitment was a "psychological stabilizing or obliging force

that binded individual to courses of action relevant" to the organization (Bentein et al.

2005). Organizational commitment has three types of organizational commitment

such as affective commitment, continuance and normative commitment. However this

study only focused on affective commitment. Affective organizational commitment

specially referred to "the employee's emotional attachment to, identification with and

involvement in the organization" (Meyer & Allen, 1991). The feelings of belonging

were in tum related to personal characteristics and work experience such as role

clarity and skill variety (Hartmann & Bambacas, 2002).

The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between Leadership

Communication Practices and Affective Organizational Commitment: The mediating

role of Communication Satisfaction among employees. The dimensions of leadership

communication practices where influenced the affective organizational commitment

in this study were important for all organizations.

3

1.2 Problem Statement

In the early study, focused was more on explaining the concept and also the

characteristic of leadership communication practices. The good leadership

communication in the organization was the main issue in the study of leadership

communication practices. Beyond the extensive research done by Foehrenbach and

Ruch in the 1980's, they demonstrated an important link between an employee's

satisfaction with organizational communication and the communication efforts of top

management (pincus, 1986). By explaining leadership communication practices

through its interaction between leader and subordinates in higher quality relationship

it reported higher levels of satisfaction (Green et aI. , 1982) and commitment to

organization (Nystron, 1990).

Current research found that leadership communication practices may directly

affect organizational commitment (Clampitt & Downs, 1993). At this stages,

leadership communication practices was related with relationship between leaders

and subordinates, establishing positive interactions between the two and a significant

existed between the quality of the leader-subordinate relationship and subordinate

commitment (Truckenbrodt, 2000). However, according to Abdul Hamid and

Saracheck (1991), ineffective communication between the leader and subordinates is

the main problem of organization management in Malaysia. The communication

problem was influenced by the culture in Malaysia. For example Malays society did

not prefer disagreement, informal, flexible, and not have been respect each other

(Asma, 1992).

Organizational communication was a process involving the exchange of

information by individual or group to give their opinions, fe ll ing and open discussion.

Organizational communication role was to obtain information, changing attitudes of

subordinate and coordination of basic management functions of organizations

4

Pusal Khuimal MalduDI3I Akademilt

IJNTVUSITI MALAYSIA SAltAWAJ(

(Bedner, 1983; Daniels, Spiker & Papa, 1997; Weiss, 1998). In addition, internal

organization was a main problem to collect the data because the data was not

completed and lack of explanation about the procedure for distribute the

responsibility and power and communication from subordinate to the leader.

Despite the importance attributed to both of internal communication and

organization corrunitment, must known about the relationship between these two

constructs. Only two studies discussing this relationship were published (Ng et al. ,

2006; Varona, 1996). There can be problem to search information for this study.

Besides, past research only focused on one dimension which was aspect commitment

and did not study on the multidimensional aspect of organizational corrunitment

(Lion & Nyhan, 1994). The same suggestion by Romzek (1991), Des, Forster and

Tinline (1 996), Boyle (1997) and Benkhoff (1997) said that it was important to

identify the main dimension of organization commitment.

Although the nature of this relationship has been widely studied, the

mediating role of communication satisfaction was less emphasized the in effect of

leadership communication practices and communication satisfaction (Sulaiman,

2003). Hence, this has encouraged the researcher to explore further on this

relationship, to fill the gap in the literature.

5

1.3 Objective oftbe Study

1.3.1 Main Objective

• To examine the relationship between leadership communication practices and

affective organizational commitment.

1.3.2 Specific Objective

• To examine the mediating role of communication satisfaction in the

relationship between leadership communication practices and affective

organizational commitment.

6

1.4 Research Framework

Figure I showed dle conc ptual framework of dJis study which was based on

the literature of leadership communication practices. Leadership communication

practices model highlighted that the relationship between leadership communication

practices (independent variable), affective organizational commitment (dependent

variable) and was linked by dJe mediating variable communication satisfaction.

INDEPENDENT

VARIABLE MEDlATING

VARIABLE DEPENDENT

VARIABLE

Leadership

Communication Practices

I I '"rllllllll-"'~'r

_

Communication

Satisfaction

Affective Organizational Commitment

Figtlre ]: Conceptual Framework Communication Satisfaction as a mediator in

tbe relationsbip between Leadersbip Communication Practices and Affective

Organizational Commitment

Source: Adapted from the effects of organizational communication on job satisfaction

and organizational commitment in a land ambulance services and dJe mediating role

communication satisfaction (Jules Carriere and Christopher Bourque, 2008).

7

J.5 Research Hypothesis

1.5.1 General Hypothesis

HI : The relationship between Leadership Communication Pmctices and Affective

Organizational Commi tment.

Relevant Empirical Study:

• Leadership communication entails nurturing and maintaining a workplace

environment in which communication flows freely and quickly in all

directions (Mai & Akerson, 2003).

• Further research by Foehrenbach and Ruch (1980) demonstrated an important

link between an employee's satisfaction with organizational communication

and the communication efforts of top management (Pincus, 1986).

• Organizational communication satisfaction and organizational commitment is

important variable in research organizational communication (Clampitt &

Downs, 1981).

• Communication has been linked to organizational commitment in several

ways. Allen (1992), in organizations involved in total quality management,

communication variable explained up to 59 percent of the variance in

organizational commitment.

8

] .5.2 Specific Hypotbesis

Hal : Communication Satisfuction mediates the relationship between Leadership

Communication Practices and Affective Organizational Commitment.

• Porter et aI. , (1 974) further characterized affective commitment by three

factors (1) "belief in and acceptance of the organization 's goals and values,

(2) a willingness to focu effort on helping the organization achieve its goals

and (3) a desire to maintain organizational membership" . Mowday et aI. ,

(1979) further stated that affective communication was "when the employee

identifies with a particular organization and its goals in order to maintain

membership to facilitate the goal" (p.225). Meyer and Allen (1991) continue

to say that employees retained membership out of choice and this was their

commitment to the organization.

• Affective commitment was found to be associated with additional measure of

supportive and caring treatment by employees' supervisor, including leader

consideration (Bycio, Hackett & Allen. 1995; DeCotiis & ummer, 1987;

Mottaz, 1998).

• Communication has been linked to organizational commitment in several

ways. Allen (1 992). for example, found that especially in organizations

involved in total quality management, communication variables explained up

to 59 percent of the variance in organizational commitment. Organizational

communication is regarded as a means to create conditions for commitment

(Postmes et al., 2001).

• Communication audits revealed that greater communication efforts tend to

result in higher levels of communication satisfaction (Hargie et al., 2002).

9