Critical Incidents in Communicating Culture to Newcomers: The Meaning is the Message

Abstract

Recent hires (n = 149) in 12 electronics manufacturing firms were asked to relate their experiences of formative events and the messages derived from them. Newcomers also described the behavioral norms characterizing their organization, one facet of its culture. Critical incidents newcomers reported were significantly related to their perceptions of behavioral norms. The messages newcomers interpreted from these incidents were coded in terms of positive or negative frame (emphasizing desirable or undesirable outcomes). Positively framed events were related to experiencing the organization's culture as team-oriented. Negatively framed events were related to describing the culture as more control-oriented. Analyses indicate that the critical incidents impact beliefs regarding cultural norms through their effect on the frame of the message newcomers derive from the events. Moreover, team norms were negatively related to role conflict and positively related to role clarity. Findings are interpreted with respect to proactive and reactive roles played by newcomers in their own socialization.