Communication Openness Scale (Downsizing)

What it measures

Four-item scale measuring the extent to which a downsizing firm disclosed information to customers proactively, promptly, and completely. Reflects three interrelated dimensions of open communication: proactivity (disclosing without being asked), timeliness (responding promptly), and completeness (providing full information to counter rumours). A counterintuitive finding: open communication reduced customer uncertainty only when product importance was high or informal ties were strong; it increased uncertainty otherwise.

Response format

7-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree)

Scale items

• We openly informed our customers about the downsizing.
• We informed our customers proactively about the downsizing.
• We informed our customers about the downsizing in a timely manner.
• Our customers received complete information about the downsizing.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Composite reliability = .87; AVE = .63. Newly developed instrument. Item 4 (‘Our customers received complete information’) has the lowest individual reliability (.39). The effect of open communication on customer uncertainty was moderated by product importance and informal ties—the communication–uncertainty relationship reversed direction depending on these contextual factors.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Homburg, C., Klarmann, M., & Staritz, S. (2012). Customer uncertainty following downsizing: The effects of extent of downsizing and open communication. Journal of Marketing, 76(3), 112–129.

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