Abstract
Chester L Barnard postulated four criteria by virtue of which organizational communications achieve authoritativeness: (1) the recipient can and does understand the communication; (2) the recipient believes the communication consistent with the purposes of the organization; (3) the recipient believes the communication compatible with his personal interest; and (4) the recipient is able mentally and physically to comply with the communication. These criteria of authoritativeness were made operational in a four-scale instrument (one for each principle) and mailed to 500 K-8 Michigan teachers to determine their perceptions of the authoritativeness of the state's educational accountability program. It was found that the teachers did not regard the communications of educational accountability as authoritative, and the theory predicts that the teachers will withhold their vital cooperation from the program.
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