governance models for communication in statistical institutions by leon Østergaard, statistics...
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Governance Models for Communication in Statistical Institutions
By Leon Østergaard, Statistics Denmark, [email protected]
UNECE Work Sessionon Statistical Dissemination and Communication
13-15 May 2008, Geneva
Organizational issues in statistics
• Centralization• Data collection• IT governance• Human ressources• Etc.• Why not communication governance?
Why this lack of attention?
• Is communication unimportant?• Is there only one sensible way
to organize it?• Has everybody by intuition found
just that way?
My main argument:
• Communication governance may not be the result of a conscious choice
• But rather a result of the historical development of the organization
Development of communication
• from dissemination• from IT• from press office• from marketing• from human resources
Growing out of Dissemination
• Dissemination vs. communication?• An appendix to statistics…• … receiving low status• Professionals may be seen as a threat…• … resulting in conflict
General Director
Staff Staff
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Communication
Administration
Human Resources
General Director
Corporate Services Corporate Services
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Communication
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Internet
Press
Publishing
Printing
General Director
Staff Staff
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Economy
Administration
Human Resources
Dissemination
Growing out of IT
• Websites and databanks require IT skills
• Governance in the IT area allready well established
• IT professionals accepted - not necessarily communication pro’s
• Internet communication and dissemination may amalgamate later…
• … or continue as separate entities
General Director
Staff Staff
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Dissemination
Administration
Human Resources
Internetcommunication
General Director
Staff Staff
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Dissemination
Administration
Human Resources
Internetcommunication
Growing out of Press Office
• Oriented towards policy issues• Placed close to top management• Press Office may expand into other
fields of communication and grow big…• … or more likely: Dissemination will
develop elsewhere in the organization
General Director
Staff Press Office
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Dissemination
Administration
Human Resources
General Director
Staff Press Office
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Dissemination
Administration
Human Resources
Growing out of Marketing
• Only in commercial organizations• Marketing may expand into
other fields of communication…• …or the organization may develop
two (competing) divisions• Hardly encountered in NSI’s
General Director
Staff Staff
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Marketing
Administration
Human Resources
XCommunication
General Director
Staff Communication
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Marketing
Administration
Human Resources
Growing out of Human Resources
• Recognizes the need for internal communication
• May take responsibility for Intranet• HR professionals accepted - not
necessarily communication pro’s• Internal and external communication
may amalgamate…• …or continue as separate entities
General Director
Staff Staff
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
Externalcommunication
Administration
Human Resources Internal communication
General Director
Staff Staff
Statistics DepartmentStatistics Department Corporate Services
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
Statistics
IT
External communication
Administration
Human Resources
XInternalcommunication
”Centralized” communication?
• Overall responsibility placed with a single unit
• Actual communication operations may be very decentralized
Advantages of central responsibility
• Makes professionalism possible• …depending of course on
management support!• Diversified communication environment
possible• Bigger unit makes bigger projects
possible
Disadvantages of central responsibility
• Big unit with lots of operational activities…
• …hence not easy to place close to top management
• Compensation may be sought
Communication in the 21st Century
• Communication is taught in many educational programs
• Communication skills are required in many jobs
• Communication operations may be carried out at all levels of the organization…
• …leaving the Communication Division to concentrate on supervision, coaching and development