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Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework for the study of communication during organisational change. Although there is an enduring interest in studying (internal) communication during organisational change, there is still little or no empirical research on the topic.
Design/methodology/approach - In this conceptual paper a framework is presented on how to study communication during organisational change and how communication could prevent resistance to change. The framework leads to six propositions in which aspects of communication, such as information, feelings of belonging to a community, and feelings of uncertainty, have an influence on resistance to change, which will affect the effectiveness of the change effort.
Findings - A distinction between the informative function of communication and communication as a means to create a community was made. In the suggested model communication has an effect not only on readiness for change, but also on uncertainty.
Originality/value - This framework can be used by researchers and practitioners to study, guide, frame and model empirical research into this area in the future, and can be used to compare different change programs, within different organisations, to study the contribution of (internal) communication in the success or failure of the change.
Keywords Organizational change, Corporate communications, Competences
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
"The only thing constant within organisations is the continual change of these organisations." This line is widespread and famous within organisational and management literature. Organisational change has become a topic of many textbooks and other scientific and management literature. Despite this growing attention and research, still many of the efforts of organisational change fail. It is computed that at least more than half of all the organisational change programs fail, reach a deadlock, or do not reach the results, which they initiately were aiming at (Bennebroek Gravenhorst et al, 1999). There are many reasons for the failure of so many organisational change efforts, such as the organisational culture, the timing of the change effort, and the role of change-agents (Bennebroek Gravenhorst et al, 1999). In this paper I will focus on the role of communication during organisational change.
Communication is vital to the effective implementation of organisational change (DiFonzo and Bordia, 1998; Lewis and Seibold, 1998; Schweiger and Denisi, 1991)....