chapter thirteen assessing organizational communication quality

Chapter Thirteen

Assessing Organizational

Communication Quality

Chapter Objectives

• Define the term communication audit.• List what an audit must test in order

for it to be valid.• Describe the strengths and

weaknesses of various audits.• Describe the components of the ICA

audit.• Identify responsibilities and challenges

related to reporting audit results.

Organizational Communication: Foundations for Business and Management, 2e Thomson, 2006 ©

Communication Audits

A communication audit is an examination of the quality of communication within an organization.


Values of using Communication Audits

• Gordon identifies several values of conducting audits. They. . .

– Portray the overall nature of communication in a particular organization.

– Describe the value and relevance of specific communication tools.

– Assess whether employees have received key messages.

– Help organizations develop a strategic plan for overall communication quality.

– Develop an ongoing process for measuring effectiveness of communication in an organization.


Audit Qualities and Components

Any test should be both valid and reliable.

• A valid test is one that tests what it is designed to test.

– Communication is more than a set of basic skills, it is multidimensional.

– Therefore, a valid test of organizational communication must also be multidimensional.

• A reliable test is one that can be replicated.

– This means that if the test was repeated, the results of the test would be the same.


The Relationship Between Reliability and

Validity• Reliability does not determine validity.

– A test can have consistent results, but could be testing something unrelated to the concept needed to be tested.

• Although reliability does not determine validity, it is a precondition for validity.

– If a test cannot be replicated, it cannot be accurately testing what it is designed to test.


Audit Components

• Two questions should guide all audits.1. What are those dimensions that need to

be tested?

2. What does each dimension entail?

• Dean suggests that an audit must examine1. Organizational networks

2. The communication climate

3. Individual skill sets


Audit Components: Information Management• Tests if information is getting to

employees and if the vehicles used to transmit information are effective.

– Are job tasks, policies, and assessments of performance being communicated?

– Are these messages timely?

– Are they considered credible and pertinent?

– Are messages communicated clearly and accurately?

– Does the organization use appropriate methods for communicating information?


Audit Components: Communication Networks

• Regarding Upward Networks– Are the channels that link

subordinates to superiors credible?– Can subordinates comfortably

communicate problems, suggestions, and feedback about messages sent downward?

– Is there a mechanism for providing feedback to upwardly sent messages?



• Regarding Downward Networks– Are there channels that allow

management to communicate to subordinates?

– Do serial transmissions create serial distortions or untimely communications?


(continued)


• Regarding Horizontal Networks– Do networks exist that allow

interaction between interrelated departments?

– Are there “redundancies” ensuring interdepartmental “penetration”?

– Does interdepartmental communication reflect cooperation?


(continued)


• Regarding External Networks– Are there navigable channels that

permit prospective clients, or current clients, an opportunity to communicate with the organization.

– Are there channels that allow organizational representatives easy access to clients and potential clients?


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• Regarding Formal Network Systems

– To what extent does information travel through the grapevine?

– Is the informal network overwhelming the formal network?

– Who are the isolates, bridges, and liaisons within the organization?

– How would employees describe the grapevine in the organization?


(continued)

Audit Components: Communication Climate

Tests if the climate is conducive to quality communication.

• Is the climate supportive or defensive?• Do employees consider the organization’s

communications credible?• Do employees regard the organization as open

or “transparent” in their willingness to share information?

• Do communications reflect a credible desire to emphasize excellence?

• Are employees encouraged to participate and voice their opinions?

• Do employees feel supported by management?


Audit Components: Communication Skill SetsTests employees basic competencies to communicate.

1. Predisposition to communicate.

2. Knowledge of communication principles.

3. Public speaking capabilities.

4. Interviewing skills.

5. Listening skills.

6. Conversational performance.

7. Communication in small groups.


Methods for Conducting Audits

• Focus Groups– a set of people who convene to discuss

a particular issue.

• Communication Logs – a diary that asks participants to

document communication-related activities.

• Observation– Also called shadowing, involves

following certain participants around, observing and recording information regarding communication activities.



• Executive one-on-one interviews

– As opposed to focus groups, an interviewer meets with executives one-on-one

• Surveys/Questionnaires– A questionnaire offers

many advantages• Anonymity• Quantitative analysis• Easy demographic

comparisons



• Communication Experience or Critical Incident Interviews.

– Only two questions.• one asks participants to discuss an

excellent communication experience.• The other asks participates to discuss

a poor communication experience.

• Publication Content Analysis– A quantitative procedure used to

examine the content of internal and external organizational publications.



• ECCO analysis– Stands for Episodic

Communication Channels in Organizations (ECCO)

– Developed to see how information flows through organizations.• Has participants answer a

questionnaire about their knowledge of certain events in their organization.

• Follow up questions target the sources of information to gain more insight of networks.



• Skill Testing– These activities are geared to

test participant’s communication skills.• In different contexts.• With different

technologies.


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The ICA Audit

• Developed in the 1970’s by the International Communication Association to be used as a standardized tool to assess organizational communication. – It has been in the public domain

since 1979.– It is typically modified by people

towards their specific organizational auditing needs.


Five Elements of the ICA Audit

1. The questionnaire.• Originally 122 questions including

demographic questions.• People answered the audit anonymously

(Important). • People were given a “short report” of the

findings once the audit was completed and analyzed.

• Questions focused on several communication areas including networks, information management, climate, and perception of skill sets.




Sample Format of the ICA Communication Audit Survey

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2. Interview Procedure• Two objectives of interviewing

employees.1. Obtain corroboration for quantitative

analysis.

2. To encourage respondents to elaborate to obtain more in-depth information.

3. Communication Experience– This is the same as a Critical Incident

Report described on page 356 and slide #18.


(continued)


4. Network Analysis– Involved a brief questionnaire to

uncover who interacts with whom and to assess who is an isolate, bridge, or liaison.

5. Communication Diary– Similar to the communication log,

except that ICA provided a form and a brief training session for participants.


(continued)

Reporting Results

• The written report should include:– A detailed explanation of the findings.– A set of specific recommendations that

could be implemented by the client.– A schedule for implementation and

follow-up assessment.• An oral presentation may also be

included• If not, then questions should be invited

by researchers.


Reporting Results

• An oral presentation may also be included.– If not, then questions should be invited by

researchers.

• It requires skill and diplomacy to communicate undesirable information– Administrators aren’t always accepting of

information.• The information may be different than their

expectations.• They themselves may be a source of some

communication issues.


(continued)

chapter thirteen assessing organizational communication quality

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