The Evolution of Internal Communication

Table of Contents
Abstract 3
Introduction 4
Importance of the Study 4
Statement of Purpose 5
Organization of Remaining Sections 6
2 Literature Review 6
Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks 6
Taylorism – Classical Management Theory 7
The Hawthorne Effect 9
The Human Resource Approach 11
Summary of the Literature 14
Research Methodology 15
Scope 15
Methodology 16
Sample and Population 17
Confidentiality and Anonymity 18
Data Analysis 18
Limitations of the Research Data 19
Participants 19
How employees would like to receive messages that are Formal and Optimistic 20
How employees prefer to receive messages that are Formal and Pessimistic 21
How employees prefer to receive messages that are Informal and optimistic 22
How employees prefer to receive messages that are Informal and Pessimistic 23
Preferred method of internal communications 24
Conclusions and recommendations 25
Conclusions 25
Recommendations 27
Website (Intranet) 27
Internal Newsletter 27
References 28
Appendices 30
Appendix A - Survey Questionnaire and Confidentiality Statement 30
Appendix B - Research Request Letter 30
Appendix C - Communication Tip Sheet 31

Abstract
Communication is a vital tool in any organization. However, the role of communication has evolved from a formal, top down communication that allowed routine tasks to be completed efficiently, into an informal, horizontal network that allows for complexity and innovation. This paper aims to explore the evolution of Internal Communication; from Taylorism (1911) up until the Human Resources Approach (1950’s). In order to evaluate this thesis, a research survey was carried out to gauge employee perceptions, and find out which communication methods are best suited for conveying different types of messages. From the data that was retrieved, the researcher was able to create a “Communication Tip Sheet”. This tip sheet could provide managers with a shortcut that provides the best medium of communication for conveying any kind of information

References: Argenti, P.A. (1996), “Corporate communication as a discipline: toward a definition”,Management Communication Quarterly, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 73-97. Bain, P., Watson, A., Mulvey, G., Taylor, P., & Gall, G. (2002). Taylorism, targets and the pursuit of quantity and quality by call centre management. New Technology, Work and Employment, 17(3), 170-185. Cliff, T. (1970). The Employers ' Offensive: Productivity Deals and How to Fight Them. Pluto Press. Cole, Gerald A. Management theory and practice. Cengage Learning EMEA, 2004. Cramer, D. (2003). Advanced quantitative data analysis. McGraw-Hill International. De Vaus, D. (2002). Surveys in social research. Psychology Press. Farace, R., Monge, P., & Russel, H. (1977). Communicating and organizing. Communicating and Organizing, 1077. Farace, R. V., Monge, P. R., & Russell, H. M. (1977). Communicating and organizing (Vol. 1077). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Finch, K., & Alexander, R. (2010). A manager’s guide to communicating with employees. Gray, R., & Robertson, L. (2005). Effective Internal Communication Starts at the Top Help executives understand the need for clear, concise communication. COMMUNICATION WORLD-SAN FRANCISCO, 22(4), 26. Gilmore, S., & Williams, S. (2007). Conceptualising the “personnel professional”: A critical analysis of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 's professional qualification scheme. Personnel Review, 36(3), 398-414. Guffey, M. E., Almonte, R., & Karka, A. M. (2009). Essentials of business communication for English language learners. Cengage Learning. Heizer, J. H., Render, B., & Weiss, H. J. (2004). Operations management (Vol. 8). Pearson Prentice Hall. Magretta, J. (2003). What Management Is. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological review,50(4), 370. McGregor, D. (1960). The human side of enterprise. New York, 21. Muchinsky, P. M. (2006). Psychology applied to work: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology (Vol. 1). Cengage Learning. Miller, K. (2011). Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes: Approaches and Processes. Cengage Learning. Morgan, G. (1986). Images of Organization. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Neuman, L. (2006). Basics of Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (Second.). Powell, W. W., & Snellman, K. (2004). The knowledge economy. Annual review of sociology, 199-220. Paetkau, T. (2007). Hiring and Firing. Entrepreneur Press. Roethlisberger FJ, Dickson W. Management and the worker. Cambridge (MA): Havard University Press, 1939 Roethlisberger, J., & Dickson, W Stewart, J. (2013). Looking for a Lesson in Google’s Perks. The New York Times. Retrieved May 09, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/16/business/at-google-a-place-to-work-and-play.html?_r=0 Taylor F Ursrey, L. (2014). Picking Your Start-Up Or A Corporate Job? Don’t -- Do Both. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved May 06, 2014, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/lawtonursrey/2014/05/04/picking-your-start-up-or-a-corporate-job-dont-do-both/ Weber, L Weber, L. (2009). Marketing to the social web: How digital customer communities build your business. John Wiley & Sons. Welch, M. (2011). The evolution of the employee engagement concept: communication implications. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 16(4), 328–346. Wickström, G., & Bendix, T. (2000). The “Hawthorne effect” - what did the original Hawthorne studies actually show? Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 26(4), 363–367. doi:10.5271/sjweh.555 Waring, S Zimbardo, P. (2012). Psychology Core Concepts (8th ed.). Pearson Education Inc.