Date of Award
1-1-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Specialization
Communication and Leadership
School or Department
School of Leadership Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Nobuya Inagaki
Second Advisor
Dr. Kipp Preble
Abstract
Research on subordinate-supervisor communication has revealed that employees in civilian organizations often stay silent about workplace problems. Comfort levels between subordinates and supervisors, was a major factor to this silence. Currently, there exists very little literature on upward communication from subordinate to supervisor amongst U.S. Naval Officers. The purpose of this thesis was to explore Junior Officer (JO) feelings and perceived obstacles about communicating up the chain of command with senior officers. Interview questions from a previous study (Milliken, Morrison, & Hewlin, 2003) on subordinate-supervisor communication were adapted for an electronic survey and used to explore JO feelings and perceived obstacles when communicating workplace problems with senior officers. Results answered the research question, revealing that while JOs are generally comfortable when communicating with their senior officers, the hierarchy does negatively affect their communication upward. Other major reasons to remain silent were attributed to feelings of futility and fear of being perceived negatively by others.
Recommended Citation
Fuentes, Neva R., "Subordinate-Supervisor Communication: Junior Naval Officer Feelings And Obstacles When Communicating Up The Chain Of Command" (2013). Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses. 176.
https://repository.gonzaga.edu/comlead_etds/176
Included in
Communication Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Military and Veterans Studies Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons
Comments
All rights reserved.