Internal and External Communication

12 Key excerpts on "Internal and External Communication"

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  eBook - ePub

  Internal Communication and Employer Brands

  • Ana Tkalac Verčič, Dejan Verčič, Anja Špoljarić(Authors)
  • 2022(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  Our research project has shown that even a marginal increase in effort to manage internal communication can bring sizeable increases in employee satisfaction with internal communication. The digitization of communication has brought challenges. To help organizations deal with this and myriad other challenges, we launched our project to explore the scope and practice of internal communication and offer a theoretical definition that reflects the reality of practice. We approached internal communication mainly from a public relations point of view, beginning with the idea that internal communication means managing relationships with internal audiences. In trying to shape an overall definition that reflects our new digital reality, we considered the general approaches such as “sharing information in an organization” and “all communication within an organization”. We also considered some definitions established by public relations scholars.

  In previous studies, we proposed that internal communication creates and maintains communication systems between employers and employees (Tkalac Verčič, 2019 ). Bahtijarević-Šiber and Sikavica (2001) defined communication in organizations as an exchange of information, ideas, attitudes, and emotions from one person to another, with the common goal of changing behavior. Kalla (2005) defined internal communication “as integrated internal communication, i.e., all formal and informal communication taking place internally at all levels of an organization” (2005, p. 304), while Welch and Jackson (2007) defined it as “the strategic management of interactions and relationships between stakeholders within organizations” and specific interrelated dimensions that include “internal line manager communication, internal team peer communication, internal project peer communication and internal corporate communication” (p. 184). Men and Bowen (2017) described it as “the strategic management of internal communication in managing interdependence and building mutually beneficial relationships between the organization and its employees” (p. 12). We relied on all these definitions in our attempt to determine what internal communication is today.

  We argue in Chapter 3

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  Responsible Business

  The Textbook for Management Learning, Competence and Innovation

  • Oliver Laasch, Roger Conaway, Alex Hope(Authors)
  • 2017(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  have roles inside and outside the company� Imagine a Google employee who learns from a suppos-edly “internal” newsletter about his company’s algorithm to identify dissatis-fied employees (Ballowe, 2009), a topic which becomes scandalous discussion at a party with his or her friends� Is that internal or external communication or a combination of both? Clearly, the effects of the communication transcended the company’s borders� There is a growing overlap between the external and the internal sphere of communication, which is why in this book communication will be considered integrated external and internal processes, producing a consistent and congruent message outside and inside the company borders� Creating such a message requires that all communication tools and all organizational communica-tors become tuned in to the joint message� However, integrated communication here is understood even wider it means integration of: • Internal and External Communication • All communication channels

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  Communication in Organizational Environments

  Functions, Determinants and Areas of Influence

  • Anna Rogala, Sylwester Bialowas(Authors)
  • 2016(Publication Date)
  • Palgrave Macmillan

    (Publisher)

  Employees who identify with the organization contribute to building a competitive advantage through their contacts with customers (Hardaker and Fill, 2005, pp. 365–376). Therefore, internal communication should increase the understanding of corporate objectives among employees as well as their own role in the company, and encourage them to strive to achieve these objectives. Research shows that organizations which attach more importance to the process of information transfer can boast a higher level of employee involvement (Thomson and Hecker 2000, p. 57) and a better reputation (Dortok 2006, pp. 322–338). However, the actions undertaken under internal communication will most probably fail if the messages directed within a company are not consistent with those sent without. It should be noted that the needs of the staff and customers should be regarded as equally important. Because of the subject matter of this work, in this section the authors will discuss the impact of internal communication on the perception of a company by its employees. 6.2 The Importance of Communication in an Organization Regarding Marketing Communications Activities 1 The activity of companies in the areas of internal marketing, public relations, and personnel marketing, with particular emphasis on the communication aspect, seems to be crucial in the context of the multiplicity of areas that should be taken into account when considering the internal dimension of marketing communications. Modern societies are bombarded with messages, many of which are regarded as annoying, distracting, or unnecessary. As a result, companies are facing a huge challenge in relation to their communication activities. The literature on the subject recognized the necessity of reaching consumers by various channels and tools a long time ago

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  Financial Public Relations

  • Pat Bowman, Richard Bing, Pat Bowman, Richard Bing(Authors)
  • 2014(Publication Date)
  • Butterworth-Heinemann

    (Publisher)

  They observed that, while most companies said they regarded internal communication as increasingly important, relatively few had backed this up in terms of management priority and investment in resources. It was also evident that a high proportion of the sample did not measure communication effectiveness through any formal process. They concluded that while all companies shared the broad intention to 'do more' to improve internal communication in the next decade, the survey revealed that individual companies are at different stages of sophistication in managing internal communication, and have require-ments that differ in relation to their culture and state of corporate development. To switch from the Cinderella metaphor to that of the builder, internal communication is as important to the enduring success of a company as solid foundations are to the longevity of a building. One can design the most prepossessing building in the world - a facade radiating confidence and corporate pride (intrinsically another arm of external public relations, it could be argued) - but if the footings are unsound, eventually the cracks will begin to show. Similarly with internal communication. An uninformed staff becomes an apathetic staff, and apathy, like rising damp, weakens the edifice upon which relations with the outside world are built. Employees have to be regarded as a company's most valuable asset, a fact recognized by the best employers in the amount of time and money spent on their welfare and training. Employees should also be a company's best ambassadors. If well informed about the activities and attitudes of the company, they not only feel a strong sense of corporate loyalty but can spread the message to the outside world through daily contacts with family and friends. They can become an enduring advertisement for the corporate image, as vital and effective as any solus site or editorial column inch in the press.

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  Organizational Communication

  Perspectives and Trends

  • Michael J. Papa, Tom D. Daniels, Barry K. Spiker(Authors)
  • 2007(Publication Date)
  • SAGE Publications, Inc

    (Publisher)

  5. Coordinate Internal and External Communication programs to support the same goals. The two lists do not agree completely, but they do suggest generally a basic model for effective employee communications. We hasten to repeat our earlier caution about the quest for tried–and-true formulas for effectiveness. Perhaps the kinds of communication practices described by Barrett and Roberts are necessary for successful strategic initiatives, but this does not mean that they are sufficient. External Communication J. W. Hill (1977) argued that every private-sector corporation in contemporary America is faced with two tests: maintaining profitability and meeting the expectations and demands of society. A similar admonition can be offered to public-sector and nonprofit organizations by changing “maintaining profitability” to “providing services within budget.” In either case, contemporary organizations are faced with the problem of meeting societal demands as well as the needs of the organization itself as a community. Public disenchantment with large corporations and institutions is not a new phenome-non. Gallup surveys were pointing to this problem in 1979. Hill believed that this problem developed, in part, because of public dependence on large organizations—dependence that brings about public frustration when such organizations fail to meet legitimate public needs and expectations. In recent years, cases of executive fraud that bankrupted major corpora-tions such as Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom; multilevel ineptitude of government disaster response during and after Hurricane Katrina; an intractable war in Iraq; and other institu-tional failures have undermined public confidence in these systems. External communication ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION 358 is a means through which organizations can understand and respond to public expectations in ways that allow an organization to meet its other tests.

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  BCOM

  • Carol Lehman, Debbie DuFrene, Robyn Walker, , Carol Lehman, Debbie DuFrene, Robyn Walker(Authors)
  • 2019(Publication Date)
  • Cengage Learning EMEA

    (Publisher)

  They value work teams that integrate work-flow processes rather than specialists in a single function or product. Such work teams can break down communication barriers between isolated functional departments, and commu-nication patterns take on varying forms to accommodate team activities. 1-3b Levels of Communication Communication can involve sending messages to both large and small audiences. Internal messages are intended for recipients within the organization. External messages are directed to recipients outside the orga-nization. When considering the intended audience, communication can be described as taking place on five levels: intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, organizational, and public. Figure 1.5 depicts the five audience levels. An effective communicator has a clearly defined purpose for each message, and has selected strategies for targeting his or her intended audience. 1-4 CONTEXTUAL FORCES INFLUENCING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION All communication occurs within a context , which is the situation or setting. Context can influence the content, the quality, and the effectiveness of a communication event. The effective communicator will recognize the importance of context, identify the contextual elements that will influence communication, and adjust his or her messages in response. Four important contextual forces influence the communication process today and help determine and define the nature of the communication Although necessary and valuable, upward com-munication involves risks. The box above on Upward Communication, lists several important features to consider. When effectively used, upward communication keeps management informed about the feelings of lower-level employees, taps the expertise of employees, helps man-agement identify both difficult and potentially promot-able employees, and paves the way for even more effective downward communication.

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  Essentials of Corporate Communication

  Implementing Practices for Effective Reputation Management

  • Cees B.M. Van Riel, Charles J. Fombrun(Authors)
  • 2007(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  Chapter 1 What is Corporate Communication? DOI: 10.4324/9780203390931-2

  Speak out

  Let us have some variation on the theme

  Speak freely

  Clear

  Not thoughts you think we like to hear

  But thoughts that sear and form and grow

  To change

  Change our cluttered cramped ideas

  Speak out

  For that is why you are here

  Egal Bohen

  Organizations are networks of people who communicate with each other. In all organizations, communications flow vertically and horizontally, internally and externally, formally and informally, linking employees internally to each other, to various layers of management, and to the many external resource-holders of the organization. Not all of the communications in an organization are workrelated, nor are they necessarily relevant to fulfilling organizational objectives. All communications, however, influence to some extent the perceptions of participants and observers about the organization and its activities, and so affect the organization’s image, brand, and reputation.

  In this chapter, we focus specifically on the formal task-related communications that link internal and external audiences of the organization. After reviewing the three principal types of communications in organizations, we propose the concept of corporate communication as an integrative communication structure linking stakeholders to the organization. A corporate communication structure describes a vision of the ways in which an organization can strategically orchestrate all types of communication. In the rest of the book, we propose a coherent approach to the application of a corporate communication perspective to all organizations.

  Types of communication

  There are three principal clusters of task-related communication activity within organizations. They are typically classified as management communications, marketing communications, and organizational communications.

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  A Primer on Organizational Behavior

  • James L. Bowditch, Anthony F. Buono, Marcus M. Stewart(Authors)
  • 2015(Publication Date)
  • Wiley

    (Publisher)

  The context in which the communication is taking place, such as organizational structure (e.g., within or between departments or levels), physical space (e.g., distance between sender and receiver), and social surroundings (e.g., in whose office; dress codes) INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Communication is essentially an interactive, person-to-person process. It is a dynamic transactional process in which individuals construct meaning and develop expectations about their experiences, what is occurring, and the world around them, and then share these meanings and expectations with one another through the exchange of symbols. 9 These symbols can be verbal or nonverbal and are influenced by intended and unintended factors (such as our emotions and sentiments). There are five basic functions of interpersonal communication: 10 1. Control: Clarifying duties, setting standards, and establishing authority and responsibility 2. Informational: Providing the basis for making decisions and carrying out orders and instructions 3. Motivational: Influencing others and eliciting cooperation and commitment to various goals and objectives 4. Emotional: Expressing feelings and emotions 5. Developmental: Sharing and learning that can provide a basis for revising beliefs, attitudes and behaviors Thus, interpersonal communication has a number of different purposes and in- formation is often exchanged for a variety of reasons, not all of which are focused on a specific task. Interpersonal Communication 115 Communication Modes During the course of a normal workday, the typical manager spends an extraordinary amount of time meeting, talking, corresponding via e-mail, and interacting with others. Yet, despite the importance of these activities, we have a tendency to take commu- nication for granted.

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  Airlines: Managing to Make Money

  • (Author)
  • 2017(Publication Date)
  • Routledge

    (Publisher)

  For example, we have spent £7 million on cabin crew training alone. I would go so far as to say that I think we could even come to the conclusion that in a future change we could limit external communication to a targeted audience, via mailing for example, and concentrate the rest of the spend on internal development. Whilst the major re-launch of a service is always likely to be accompanied by a significant external communications programme (as was, in fact, the case with regard to BA's re-launch of Club World in 2000/2001), the fund- amental point in the quotation is absolutely sound: internal audiences are critical to external effectiveness. Communications within alliances Alliances pose several challenges to the corporate communications effort. 1. Internal communications within alliances have to be made relevant, meaningful, and non-threatening to staff. Unless this can be done, they will have little positive impact on customers. 2. They have to be made relevant and meaningful to customers. 3. A credible modus vivendi has to be found between the identity of the alliance and the corporate (as well as sub-brand) identities of its mem- bers. Clear, consistent, timely internal communications are the key to building sound alliance relationships (Bleeke and Ernst, 1993), particularly in the early implementation stage when alliance-building activities are still likely to be more symbolic than real and uncertainties abound. Perspectives need to be understood from both (or all) sides. External communications are also important, because to varying degrees different stakeholder groups affected by an alliance will want to know where they stand.

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  Megaphones Out, Smartphones In

  • Rozália Del Gáudio, Paulo Henrique Leal Soares(Authors)
  • 2020(Publication Date)
  • Aberje Editorial

    (Publisher)

  These days, companies provide information devices (such as smartphones) to employees and there are employees who possess those themselves, so social media type intranets that can participate in a specific pass are becoming widespread. However, in order for employees to voluntarily post information, share it, and to recommend to their bosses, all the employees need to understand what the organization’s problems and goals are, what the purpose of sharing conversations and opinions are for. In fact, there are lots of companies that are not able to break through from the top down messaging by not being able to share that information.

  Today, the flow of business development to overseas and the acceptance of multinational employees is rapidly accelerating, so it is urgent to understand the value of recognition, the share of work and to comprehend diversity.”

  Kaz Amemiya (Japan) – President of Crossmedia Communications, Inc. and Director of Japan Society for Corporate Communication Studies

  Everybody is an agent of communication

  “The major challenge of internal communication is that there is no longer internal communication. After all, in a society of relationships built in networks, the concept of internal communication has become small. Everybody is an agent of communication. The great challenge, then, is to promote the connection between people, areas, and sites, ensuring closer relationships and expanding the dialogue and collaboration within the organization. The result is an area focused on internal relations, acting to ensure that they are productive – oriented to the result – and healthy – valuing the human being and contributing to its growth.”

  Rosana Aguiar (Brazil) – Graduated in Social Communication with a postgraduate degree in Business Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas

  Internal communication: Bubbles in Finland

  “As most Finns are online and active in various new and social media services, even internal communication is moving from control to no-control. Organizations no longer hold monopoly for their employees’ attention, but employees are increasingly inside their own communication bubbles. All messages to these bubbles go through pull-communication: the kind of answers the employees are currently looking form the organization. In fact, the traditional push messages of mailing lists, press releases and information bulletins are turning into spam, as employees pick and choose which messages and from which senders can enter into their own, personal communication bubble.

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  The IABC Handbook of Organizational Communication

  A Guide to Internal Communication, Public Relations, Marketing and Leadership

  • Tamara Gillis(Author)
  • 2006(Publication Date)
  • Jossey-Bass

    (Publisher)

  257 S S AN AUDIENCE-CENTERED APPROACH Designing successful internal communication media as part of an internal com- munication program hinges on making an honest and meaningful connection between the organization’s business plan, management, and employees. To that end, the media selected to deliver the messages must ultimately meet the infor- mation needs and preferences of the end users: the internal audience members. Internal audience members can be the employees of a company or members of an organization. For the discussion here, I will refer to employees or members and internal audience interchangeably. Internal media that are readily accessible, reliable, and universal throughout an organization can be successful in keeping information flowing to those who depend on it. However, the audiences must see the information as useful, mean- ingful, and valuable. Otherwise they will find ways to discredit it, which leads to a breakdown in the relationship between the audience and the organization. DEFINING OBJECTIVES OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION MEDIA Internal communication media are conduits to share with employees information about the company’s business strategy, business environment, and financial situ- ation and build relationships. More important from the employees’ perspective, they want and need to know information about how they contribute to the com- pany as well as the business plan: information about pay and benefits, career development and career opportunities, what the company needs from employees to reach organizational goals, and what employees get in return for doing what the company needs (Towers Perrin, 2004).

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  Critical Corporate Communications

  A Best Practice Blueprint

  • Naomi Langford-Wood, Brian Salter(Authors)
  • 2003(Publication Date)
  • Wiley

    (Publisher)

  Customers and Clients Business success depends upon customers. And since the advent of the Internet and other technologies, never have real customer com- munications been more important. Fifty years ago in the austerity Critical Corporate Communications years following the war, most people were satisfied if their products simply worked. Choice wasn’t really an issue and service wasn’t some- thing that the Brits were famous for! It was a sellers’ market through and through. Purchasing was more often made on the basis of need rather than want. But everything has been turned on its head as companies have grown larger and become more global. Increasing competition and a rise in customer expectations means that today’s company cannot ignore the need to communicate brilliantly with its customers or it will simply die. Why should a prospective customer bother with you if your main competitors are only too happy to communicate with them and you’re not? ‘Enlightened’ companies of yesteryear were good at basic customer care solutions such as training their receptionists to be courteous and 70 Figure 5.1 External communications External Audiences helpful. Today’s organisation needs to concentrate on marketing communications as well as providing customer service and aftercare in a way that will retain those customers in the long term. Here traditional customer relationship management (CRM) techniques are important. Poor service, a lack of understanding of customer needs and arrogance on the part of the organisation are usually listed as the main reasons that customers become one-off and do not come back for more, rather than just on price alone. Marketing communications cover many different areas, from deciding who prospective customers are in the first place – as well as their needs and desires – to letting them know what products are available. Measuring Opinion Measuring opinion is a crucial part of building an appropriate or successful communication plan.

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