Research Proposal-organization Communication 6eg5y

CHAPTER 1

1.1

Introduction

Internal communication is considered a strategic tool for binding an organization, enhancing employee morale, promoting transparency and reducing attrition. Ironically, while

everybody

understands

and

talks

about

the

significance

of

internal

communications, very few are able to manage it efficiently. Both long-term and shortterm fallout of ineffective internal communications can be damaging for an organization. It can start from the spread of rumors to disillusionment among employees to a gradual destruction of the company's brand image. Worse, it may also lead to the slow death of the organization. A lower rate of attrition, employee engagement and satisfaction levels (determined through surveys) are all pointers to an organization’s successful internal communications initiative. Effective use of internal communications can enhance direct sales force productivity. E-mails, voice mails, etc can quickly disseminate educational, tactical and motivational information. It helps in staying abreast of regulatory changes and scientific developments for drugs in and out of the market A strong internal communications strategy ensures that employees are aware of how the values and ethos of the company is linked to the business goal. "This provides the people of an organization the glimpse into the bigger picture which propels the

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growth of an organization and frees them from the blinkers of simply focusing on the growth of their division, or facility or market," (Glenmark, 2001).

1.2

Statement of Problem

Effective internal communication in an organization is perceived as one of the important factor which contributes to a superior financial results and a greater organizational stability (Watson Wyatt 2003, 2005). Thus, organizations without a proper internal communication practice are more likely to be exposed to poor employeremployee relationship. Miscommunication at the company level not only impacts internal customers (managers, supervisors, departments and employees), it also impacts external customers. Lack of effectiveness communication between executives, managers and supervisors with employees will definitely lead to poor performance of business. What was once considered a “soft” skill is now seen to have “hard” business impacts. The costs to business of poor employee communication include: •

increased employee turnover

•

increased absenteeism

•

dissatisfied customers from poor customer service

•

higher product defect rates

•

lack of focus on business objectives

•

stifled innovation

(Based on results of research by Watson Wyatt, Gallup Consulting and Towers Perrin.)

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1.3

Research Objectives

The core objective of this research study is to identify the importance of effective internal communication in an organization in four fundamental levels of communication in an organization: a) Organization wide communication – involving all employees b) Departmental communication – specific to one department or unit c) Team communication – within one cohesive team or group d) Individual communication – specific to one employee at any one time Some of other research objectives identified which is related to the research objectives are the importance of effective internal communication in building and nourishing employee relations, establishing trust and in providing timely and reliable information.

1.4

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will lead organization to the awareness and to a better understanding of the importance of effective internal communication in the four fundamental levels of communication. Subsequently, it will encourage the organization to reorganize its internal communication strategy in accordance to the levels of communication (between and within organization). Thus, organization would be able to improve their business performance indirectly.

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1.5

Summary

This chapter explains on the definition and importance of effective communication in an organization. Furthermore it gives an overall view on the significance of the existing problems occurred due to lack of effective communications at workplace.

Purpose of the research study is also mentioned here followed by the

probable outcome or contribution of this research towards the organization, society and academicians. Chapter two mainly discusses on the summary of the literature review on the studied topic. Some important facts and figures are quoted for reference and knowledge purposes. A framework is associated in order to hypothesis of the research study. Some background or information of the company studied for the research is also included in this chapter. The last chapter for this research proposal focuses on the methods use for the research study. It specifies on the research criteria’s such as on the populations, sampling size and methods, instrumentations to be use for data collection and data analysis methods.

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CHAPTER 2

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Definition and Importance of Internal Communication Internal communications may be defined as transactions between individuals and groups at various levels and in different areas of specialization (Frank and Brownell,1989) and these transactions are intended to design (and redesign) organizations and coordinate day-to-day activities. Communication dynamics in organizations are necessarily multifaceted and intricate (Buckley et al., 1998), reflecting the complex norms, values, climate and goals of the organization, perhaps because communication is a multidimensional construct (Smidts et al., 2001). Wright (1995) suggested that management should devote as much attention to employees as it does to stockholders and customers. Therefore, internal and external communications need to be harmonized (Van Riel, 1997). As in any relationship, communication is the key to a strong business relationship. This can be the relationship between business and customer, or, equally as important, the internal relationships among different employees within the company. Communication can be improved in virtually every workplace, no matter the industry or size. After all, it is the only way for information to effectively spread throughout the

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business so that everybody can be informed to the degree that they required to properly achieve their goals. At the subject company, the employee communication function took a different approach. The company defined a body of knowledge (a set of topics) that the organization’s management deemed most important for its employees to know and set about to inculcate the studied topics into its employee communication strategy. (Julie O’Neil, 2008). Internal communications within a firm is becoming an increasingly important component of business and must assume a central, aggressive role (Grates 1993). According to Sonnenberg (1992), internal communication is a philosophy, not an activity. If a firm’s employees do not accept the firm’s mission, goals, and objectives, the firm has little hope for success in the competitive environment of the 21st century. ‘‘If employees don’t understand how they contribute to the (business) plan, it’s doomed to failure’’ (as quoted in Hauss 1993).

2.2 Company background

Shin-Etsu Malaysia was established in the year 1989. It is a multi-national company (MSC) which has its plants in many locations. Shin-Etsu’s corporate policy is “Together we build our company by giving our customers continuously high quality products at competitive price and on schedule without forgetting our obligations to society”. Almost every activities or processes in this organization require communication internally and also externally. Thus, both internal and external communication plays a

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vital role in determining its secret of obtaining a MNC status. However, this research study will be based on the internal communication among four fundamental levels as mentioned in Chapter 1. A simple framework has been designed in order to study the importance of internal communication in this organization.

Organization – among all

Departmental – within department

Internal communication

Team – within team/group

Individual – one to one

Figure 1

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CHAPTER 3

3.0

Proposed Methodology This study is a qualitative study using the survey approach.

3.1

Population of the Study The population of the study is to be selected from a manufacturing company, Shin-Etsu (Malaysia) Sdn.Bhd. The total population of the company is approximately 2000 employees. Shin-Etsu is a company that manufacture voice coil motor (VCM) – a component for Hard Disk drive (HDD). Basically the population will be categorized by gender and designation.

3.2

Sample Size Out of the 2000 employees, 200 respondents will be selected for sampling

purpose. There are plenty of departments in this company. However respondents will be selected equally from main departments which are production, quality assurance and general istration.

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3.3

Sampling Procedure Systematic sampling procedure will be adopted to identify the respondents. The aim is to obtain a representative sample and the findings can be generalized to the population at large.

3.4

Pilot Studies Pilot study will be carried out to test the questionnaire designed prior to the exact research. Its main purpose is to ensure that the questionnaire which has been designed is viable and reliable. In other words, it is to check whether our respondent understood the questionnaire as our understanding without misinterpreting it. Pilot study will be done among at least 50 staffs of this company.

3.5

Research instrument The research instrument for this study will be the questionnaires to be

adapted and re-designed from Julie O’Neil, (2008), public relation journal, vol.2. Basically the questions will be divided into two main sections to cover the main four fundamental objectives to test the importance of internal communications among : 1) Organization, 2) Department, 3) Team and 4) Individual. 

The first section will contains demographic information such as

gender, marital status, years of experience, department .

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

Second section will consists of opinion type of questions whereby

the questions will be distinguished between organization, departments, team and individual. For example; ( 5 questions will lead to importance of internal communication among organization – all employee, another 5 questions will lead to importance of internal communication between departmental and so on for team and individual ) The types of questions which will be included in the questionnaire is as below stated.  Closed ended questions – questions such as gender, designation, age, income level, years of experience(s) will be included in here.  Attitude questions – questions will be emphasizing on the opinion of the respondents. The questions will be categorized based on the objectives of the importance of effective internal communication in building and nourishing employee relations, establishing trust and in providing timely and reliable information. The answers will be given in Likert scale.

3.6

Reliability Reliability of the designed questionnaires and associated framework will be evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach-alpha using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 12.

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3.7

Data Analysis The data which have been collected will be coded using SPSS. The results will then be analyzed using statistical analysis tools as in SPSS. Data or results obtained from the research study will be analyzed with respect to the objectives of the study. It will be analyzed in accordance with the  Internal communication status within and between organization  Gender : results distinguishing between gender  Designation: characteristic of results based on different level of designation. From operator to the management level.

3.8

Limitation of the study

The research study is limited only on one organization. Further research could be done on overall manufacturing organization

3.9

Research plan – as attached behind

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4. References

Anna Katharina Mortelmans, Peter Donceel, Dirk Lahaye & Simon Bulterys, ( July 2007) An Analysis Of The Communication During An Enhanced And Structured Information Exchange Between Social Insurance Physicians And Occupational Physicians In Disability Management In Belgium. Disability and Rehabilitation, 29(13).pg 1011 – 1020 Candace White, Ph. D., Antoaneta Vanc, Gina Stafford. Internal Communication, Information Satisfaction and Sense of Community: The Effect of Personal Influence Danielle Harder, (October 2008).Communication pushes firm to the top.21, 18; ABI/Inform Global pg. 20 Dov Te'eni, (June2001). Review : A Cognitive-Affective Model Of Organizational Communication for Deg IT. MIS Quarterly ,Vol. 25, No. 2. pg 251-312

Gloria Mark and Volker Wulf (1999). Changing interpersonal communication through groupware use. Behaviour & Information Technology, Vol.18, No. 5, pg 385 395 Henrik Simonsen,(2009).Communication policy, corporate language policy and Corporate information portal A Holy Trinity in corporate communications? Journal of Communication Management Vol. 13 No. 3, pg. 200-217 J. David Johnson, Hui-Jung Chang ,(July 2000). Internal and External Communication, Boundary Spanning, and Innovation Adoption: An Over Time Comparison of Three Explanations of Internal and External Innovation Communication in a New Organizational Form. The Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 37, pg 238263 Julie O’Neil, (2008). Measuring the Impact of Employee Communication on Employee Comprehension and Action: A Case Study of a Major International Firm. Public Relations Journal Vol. 2, No.2, Spring 2008

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Kevin Herring ,(2008). Management in Real Life: Top Communicators. Management Quarterly; Winter; 49, 4; ABI/Inform Global pg. 28-31 Maartje Maarleveld. Measuring employee satisfaction in new offices – the WODI toolkit. Journal of Facilities Management Vol. 7 No. 3, 2009 pg 181-197 Maril MacDonald, (Mar 2002). How companies can find renewed focus during uncertain times. Journal of Communication Management;6, 3; ABI/Inform Global pg. 220 Matthew S. Eastin, Ph.D., Carroll J. Glynn, Ph.D., And Robert P. Griffiths, Ph.D.,(2007). Psychology of Communication Technology Use in the Workplace. Cyberpsychology & Behavior Vol 10, No.3 Michael Duffy, (June 2008). Communication tools limits effective interaction if coworkers aren’t as connected as they assume No. 2, Spring 2008

Michael H. Cohen, MA (2008). Professional Communication and Teamwork Nora Carr, (2006). Keys to Effective Communications. American School Board Journal Paul Sandwith, (January 1992). Effective Communication. Training and Development Roger D’Aprix, (2009). Communication Challenges in the Workplace The Credible Company: Communicating with Today’s Skeptical Workforce. Timothy McCollum, Glen T. Cameron Competing Corporate Cultures: A Multi-Method, Cultural Analysis of the Role of Internal Communication. Journal of Public Relations Research, 5(4), 217-250

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