Strategic predisposition in communication management: Understanding organizational propensity towards bridging strategy

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors influencing an organization’s predisposition to bridging strategy, and tests relationships between those factors and bridging strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

Online survey was conducted in South Korea. Hierarchical regression was used.

Findings

Identified factors are environmental complexity, top management attitude toward stakeholders, analysis orientation, and authoritarian culture.

Research limitations/implications

By adopting the concept and measures of bridging as an organization’s public-engagement strategy, this study was able to capture an organization’s strategic approach for problem-solving in communication management.

Practical implications

Strong analysis orientation allows organizations to look into problems in their complex environments affecting their performance and their key stakeholders before deciding on strategies; resultantly, they are more likely to reduce problems and to improve their performance. In contrast, authoritarian culture discourages an organization’s adoption of bridging strategy.

Originality/value

This study is the first empirical study investigating the dynamics of factors influencing organizations’ strategic predisposition in communication management.

Citation

Kim, S. (2016), "Strategic predisposition in communication management: Understanding organizational propensity towards bridging strategy", Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 232-254. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-06-2015-0050