Goldhaber, G., et al. (1977). The ICA communication audit survey instrument. International Communication Association.
Comments: This survey is composed of two related questionnaires: the Communication Relationships Scale and the Receiver Information Scale. The Communication Relationships Scale is a 15-item questionnaire that measures communication skills between supervisor and subordinates. It taps behaviors applicable to an organizational setting. The Receiver Information Scale consists of 13 items focusing on organizational topic areas extracted from the Communications Relationships Scale.
Sample: One study used 300 faculty from a midwestern university.
Reliability: The Receiver Information Scale had coefficient alpha estimate of 0.88. The Communication Relationships Scale had four subscales (factors): immediate supervisor, 0.94; personal influence, 0.81; coworkers, 0.76; and top management, 0.88.
Validity: No validity studies were mentioned other than the factor analysis discussed below.
Factor Analysis: A principal component analysis produced four factors for the Communication Relationships Scale. The factor names are listed under Reliability. The Receiver Information Scale is considered to be a unidimensional scale.
References
Goldhaber, G., et al. (1977). The ICA Communication Audit Survey Instrument: 1977 Organizational Norms. Paper presented at the International Communication Association Convention.
Goldhaber, G., et al. (1978). Organizational communication. Human Communication Research 5:79–96.
McDowell, E. E. (1985). Faculty members’ perceptions of information adequacy and communication relationships in their world of work. Paper presented at the Speech Communication Association. ERIC ED 263 638.
Communication Relationship Scale
1. My relationship with the chair/head of my department is satisfying.
2. I trust my chair/head.
3. My chair/head listens to me.
4. My chair/head is honest with me.
5. My chair/head is friendly with his/her faculty members.
6. I can tell my chair/head when things are going wrong.
7. My chair/head praises me for a good job.
8. I have a say in decisions that affect my job.
9. I influence operations in my department.
10. I have a part in accomplishing my organization’s goals.
11. I trust my coworkers.
12. My coworkers get along with each other.
13. My relationship with my coworkers is satisfying.
14. I trust top management.
15. Top administrators are sincere in their efforts to communicate with faculty members.
Scoring: 1 = Strongly Agree; 2 = Agree; 3 = Uncertain; 4 = Disagree; and 5 = Strongly Disagree.
Receiving Information Scale
1. How well I am doing in my position
2. My job duties
3. Department policies
4. Pay and benefits
5. How technical changes affect my position
6. Mistakes and failures of my department
7. How I am being judged
8. How my job related problems are being handled
9. How department decisions are made that affect my position
10. Promotion and advancement opportunities in my department
11. Important new program developments in my organization
12. How my job relates to the total department
13. Specific problems faced by administration
Scoring: 1 = Very Little; 2 = Little; 3 = Some; 4 = Great; and 5 = Very Great.