Functionality and Interactivity of Internal Communication in a Multicultural Organisation : Case: Lufthansa Cargo Finland
Wild, Laura (2010)
Wild, Laura
HAAGA-HELIA ammattikorkeakoulu
2010
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010122118857
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2010122118857
Tiivistelmä
Organisational communication has become an essential aspect of corporate strategy, as customers and other important stakeholders have become more aware of their choices and demand for greater transparency and service. A company’s own employees also expect to be kept up-to-date and be informed, and they often play a key part in a company’s success, as well-functioning internal communication is the core and starting point for effective external communication. This, however, is not fully recognised or materialised in companies today. Furthermore, interactivity in internal communication has become a hot topic, and these facts justify the relevance and importance of this study.
This study examines the effectiveness and efficiency of internal communication in Lufthansa Cargo Finland. The specific focus is on interactivity of the communication. The objective was to both detect the weak points and improvement areas in the communication processes and to provide recommendations to the management about actions to be taken to tackle these weak points and challenges. The study does not cover internal communication in the whole organisation, but is limited to the Helsinki office, and concentrates mostly on challenges and problems in internal communication.
The study includes theories of internal communication with a focus on communication planning, barriers, best practices, and cultural factors. The study was conducted through qualitative research, as the author aimed to understand a specific phenomenon and wanted to proceed from specific to general, covering several simultaneous factors influencing the outcome. The data was collected through in-person interviews, as this allowed for freer discussion and deeper exploring of the topic. The study was conducted during a seven month period, of which two months were used for the data collection.
During the study, challenges especially in relation to information flow and message coordination were detected. The communication was highly hierarchical, resulting in several relays and blocks in the message distribution chain. This resulted in delays and information gaps among other things. Furthermore, lack of chance for interactivity, especially bottom-up, was detected. These resulted in, for example, lower motivation and bad atmosphere. A need for greater transparency, possibilities to participate, locally adapted communication guidelines, training, and increased cultural awareness were seen as possible solutions to the problems and challenges.
This study examines the effectiveness and efficiency of internal communication in Lufthansa Cargo Finland. The specific focus is on interactivity of the communication. The objective was to both detect the weak points and improvement areas in the communication processes and to provide recommendations to the management about actions to be taken to tackle these weak points and challenges. The study does not cover internal communication in the whole organisation, but is limited to the Helsinki office, and concentrates mostly on challenges and problems in internal communication.
The study includes theories of internal communication with a focus on communication planning, barriers, best practices, and cultural factors. The study was conducted through qualitative research, as the author aimed to understand a specific phenomenon and wanted to proceed from specific to general, covering several simultaneous factors influencing the outcome. The data was collected through in-person interviews, as this allowed for freer discussion and deeper exploring of the topic. The study was conducted during a seven month period, of which two months were used for the data collection.
During the study, challenges especially in relation to information flow and message coordination were detected. The communication was highly hierarchical, resulting in several relays and blocks in the message distribution chain. This resulted in delays and information gaps among other things. Furthermore, lack of chance for interactivity, especially bottom-up, was detected. These resulted in, for example, lower motivation and bad atmosphere. A need for greater transparency, possibilities to participate, locally adapted communication guidelines, training, and increased cultural awareness were seen as possible solutions to the problems and challenges.