Developing and facilitating managers’ communication of strategy
Vuojakoski, Sofi (2018)
Vuojakoski, Sofi
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018052910971
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018052910971
Tiivistelmä
This qualitative research was conducted to find out how the communication professionals of the case organization can support, facilitate and develop middle-level managers’ communication of strategy in the case organization. Secondary aims of the research were to find out how middle-level managers in the case organization perceive communication of strategy and what were their expectations towards the case organization’s communication professionals regarding communication of strategy. In the theoretical part of this research earlier theories and research on communication of strategy, managers’ role in communication of strategy and strategy in general were identified and collected into a theoretical framework for this research. Empirical findings were formulated based on data that was collected in eight semi-structured interviews with middle-level managers across the case organization. The findings were organized in groups according to what was discusses in the interviews. Based on these groups, recommendations for developing, facilitating and supporting communication of strategy in the case organization were created.
Communication of strategy is not separate from formulating and implementing strategy, but an integral part of a strategy cycle process that covers formulating, implementing and communicating strategy. It requires everyone’s input in the organization, but managers’ role in it is irreplaceable. Managers recognized their important role in communication of strategy. The managers expected support for communication of strategy from the case organization’s communication professionals. They wished to get support for concretizing strategy to their teams, delivering messages from the middle-level to the organization’s management team, developing measurement systems for strategy on unit level, making sense of the timeline of the strategy, involving middle-level managers more in strategy formulating, target setting and some organization specific topics. Many managers highlighted that all actions of the organization must support communication of strategy, otherwise communication and validating strategy to their teams becomes very difficult.
Communication of strategy is not separate from formulating and implementing strategy, but an integral part of a strategy cycle process that covers formulating, implementing and communicating strategy. It requires everyone’s input in the organization, but managers’ role in it is irreplaceable. Managers recognized their important role in communication of strategy. The managers expected support for communication of strategy from the case organization’s communication professionals. They wished to get support for concretizing strategy to their teams, delivering messages from the middle-level to the organization’s management team, developing measurement systems for strategy on unit level, making sense of the timeline of the strategy, involving middle-level managers more in strategy formulating, target setting and some organization specific topics. Many managers highlighted that all actions of the organization must support communication of strategy, otherwise communication and validating strategy to their teams becomes very difficult.