The Need for Immediacy in Business Communication Training: Supervisor Immediacy as Influence of Subordinate Organizational Citizenship Behaviors

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session and Reception
  In Interactive Paper Session: Instructional and Developmental Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Immediacy has been noted to be the most influential of all instructional communicative behaviors. Just as instructor immediacy has been noted to increase students’ motivation and satisfaction in the classroom, supervisor immediacy also increases motivation and satisfaction of subordinates in the workplace. The present study seeks to provide evidence to support the importance of incorporating immediacy into business communication training by exploring the influence of supervisor immediacy on subordinates’ organization citizenship behaviors (loyalty, participation, and obedience). A model was tested in which perceived immediacy was predicted to mediate the relationships between supervisors’ immediate behaviors and subordinates’ organizational citizenship outputs. Although the full model was not supported, the data were consistent with a simple causal string from supervisor immediate behaviors  perceived immediacy  subordinate loyalty. The results support the need for incorporating immediacy into business communication training, with perception checks, both on the job and in the classroom.

Authors

• Stephanie Kelly, North Carolina A and T State University

• Patrick MacDonald, West Virginia U