Spanning the boundaries of work: Workplace participation, political efficacy, and political involvement

Based on the political spillover theory, this study examines the boundary-spanning aspect of workplace participation—the association between participation at work and in politics. A telephone survey was conducted using a regional probability sample. Results indicate that decision involvement at work is positively associated with political voting while work community participation is positively associated with involvement in local communities and political party and campaign activities. The study reveals that internal political efficacy mediates the relationship between job autonomy and political participation

Spanning the boundaries of work: Workplace participation, political efficacy, and political involvement

Based on the political spillover theory, this study examines the boundary-spanning aspect of workplace participation—the association between participation at work and in politics. A telephone survey was conducted using a regional probability sample. Results indicate that decision involvement at work is positively associated with political voting while work community participation is positively associated with involvement in local communities and political party and campaign activities. The study reveals that internal political efficacy mediates the relationship between job autonomy and political participation

Voicing complaints in the public arena

This study draws on several literatures--the Tichenor et al. (1980) pluralism model stressing community constraints, the spiral of silence literature stressing the importance of the climate of communication, and the currently popular emphasis on democratic discussion in the public sphere. In the Tichenor et al. (1980) model, media stress consensus and avoid conflict in more homogeneous communities. Here we extend the issue to question whether community characteristics affect perceptions of the climate of communication and one\u27s comfort in voicing complaints in public. The results present some support for existing theory as well as some contradictions

Voicing complaints in the public arena

This study draws on several literatures--the Tichenor et al. (1980) pluralism model stressing community constraints, the spiral of silence literature stressing the importance of the climate of communication, and the currently popular emphasis on democratic discussion in the public sphere. In the Tichenor et al. (1980) model, media stress consensus and avoid conflict in more homogeneous communities. Here we extend the issue to question whether community characteristics affect perceptions of the climate of communication and one\u27s comfort in voicing complaints in public. The results present some support for existing theory as well as some contradictions

The impact of third places on community quality of life

Older cities struggling with issues of survival focus on jobs and the economy, but competition requires all cities to pay attention to the quality of life that attracts residents. Creating such an inviting environment includes “third places” that foster community and communication among people outside of home and work, yet we have little empirical evidence that speaks to the subject, or their importance for a community’s quality of life. Here we report on a national U.S. survey that asked people to identify such places in their community, producing a wide variety of “third places” that ranged from the most popular community centers, coffee shops and restaurants to parks and malls. While a few relationships are found between population/diversity and the popularity of particular third places, the most important result confirms a hypothesized relationship between perceptions that third places are accessible in their community and the perceived quality of life

Viewing the public sphere with influentials and citizens

The currently popular emphasis on democratic discussion in the “public sphere” often is critically viewed by observers commenting on issues of participation, empowerment, and efficacy without input from influentials, whose voices often are the content of public debates. Habermas was critical of the quality of democratic discourse, arguing for an “ideal speech situation” where participants are free to question all proposals; introduce proposals; and express their attitudes, wishes, and needs. This article examines perceptions of the climate of communication in the public sphere by influentials and the general public of a major urban area

Conceptualizing Communication Capital for a Changing Environment

With rapidly evolving technologies, boundaries between traditional modes of communication have blurred, creating an environment that scholars still describe from viewpoints as researchers in interpersonal, organizational or mass communication. This manuscript looks at the social capital literature and argues for conceptualizing “communication capital” to help understand the impact of communication phenomena in a changing environment. The literature has treated interpersonal communication variables as components of social capital and mass communication variables as factors affecting social capital, but scholars long ago recognized their reinforcing nature, leading us to develop a concept of communication capital merging symbolic activity across domains in its potential for impacting civic engagement, defined as persistent communication patterns that facilitate social problem solving in the community. Analysis of survey data shows that 4 dimensions of communication capital explain variance in civic engagement beyond that accounted for by traditional measures of social capital, media use, neighborhood communication, and efficacy

Understanding employees\u27 willingness to contributeto shared electronic databases: A three-dimensional framework

Work organizations increasingly adopt shared electronic databases. However, employees\u27 unwillingness to contribute to shared resources undermines the utility of such technologies. Current research is limited to either a utilitarian or normative perspective. To advance understanding in this area, this study proposes a three-dimensional framework. It includes the utilitarian and normative perspectives as two complementary dimensions in addition to a third collaborative dimension. Based on this framework, the study identifies three key organizational processes and advances an additive model to predict employees\u27 willingness to contribute to shared electronic databases. An empirical test was conducted to assess the model in a large manufacturing organization. The test showed both significant overall effects of the model and significant main effects of each predictor variable. The article will discuss the findings and address both theoretical and practical implications

Stimulating citizens to community action in urban areas: Media, interpersonal networks and organizations

The relationship between citizens and local government in urban areas has had a colorful history. Here we ask how communication channels—interpersonal and mass—and organizational involvement affect citizen attempts to influence their local government through grassroots activities such as personal contacts, letter writing, attending meetings. Data from a survey of a metropolitan area in the Midwest are analyzed to examine the influence of these measures of social capital. Analyses support the importance of organizational involvement, neighborhood communication networks, and attention to public affairs content in the media as stimulants for grassroots attempts to influence local governance in urban areas

Stimulating citizens to community action in urban areas: Media, interpersonal networks and organizations

The relationship between citizens and local government in urban areas has had a colorful history. Here we ask how communication channels—interpersonal and mass—and organizational involvement affect citizen attempts to influence their local government through grassroots activities such as personal contacts, letter writing, attending meetings. Data from a survey of a metropolitan area in the Midwest are analyzed to examine the influence of these measures of social capital. Analyses support the importance of organizational involvement, neighborhood communication networks, and attention to public affairs content in the media as stimulants for grassroots attempts to influence local governance in urban areas