ABSTRACT
Most organizational communication handbooks treat socialization and organizational culture separately. This chapter examines how individuals’ understanding of an organizational culture changes over the socialization process. During anticipatory socialization individuals typically develop an integrated understanding of an organization’s culture. Then during the encounter phase, they may be exposed to subcultures within the organization, representative of a differentiated culture. During metamorphosis as the develop relationships and experience organizational change, they may develop a fragmented understanding of the organization’s ambiguities. After someone exits the organization, those remaining must gain a new understanding of the organization’s culture.
