Frågeställning: Hur kommunicerar och skapar mellanchefer mening under kris? Syfte: Vi vill skapa en större förståelse för hur mellanchefer arbetar med intern kommunikation och sensemaking under kris. Vi vill även undersöka på vilka sätt social distansering påverkar mellanchefers arbete med sensemaking och intern kommunikation under kris.   Metod: En kvalitativ tvärsnittsstudie har genomförts utifrån en deduktiv forskningsansats.  Resultat & Slutsats: Den viktigaste upptäckten är att mellanchefer tar på sig rollen som ett kommunikationsfilter i sensegiving processen, vilket kan leda till att medarbetarna inte får samma information i slutändan, vilket i sin tur ökar mängden informell kommunikation (ryktesspridning). Om den informella kommunikationen blir större än den formella kommunikationen kan det minska förtroendet för mellancheferna och i värsta fall resultera i intern kommunikationskris. Vi fann också att social distansering till följd av Folkhälsomyndighetens begränsningar kan öka risken för intern kommunikationskris på grund av bristande kontroll gällande den informella kommunikationen samt försvagat förtroende för ledarskapet. Slutligen framträder sensegiving och sensemaking som viktiga verktyg för mellanchefen i arbetet med att förebygga och förhindra psykisk ohälsa under krisen. Nyckelord: Sensemaking, sensegiving, internal communication, internal communication crisis, crisis management och crisis leadership / This study aims to examine how the middle manager creates meaning and communicates during an exceptional crisis. The purpose of the study is to raise awareness, and create a greater understanding of the importance, of the middle manager during a crisis, like Covid-19, in terms of sensemaking and internal communication. Our research question is: How does middle managers communicate and create meaning during a crisis?  To investigate the phenomenon, a cross-sectional study was used to provide a wider picture and enable comparisons between organisations. The study was done through a deductive research approach, and empirical data was obtained through a qualitative strategy.  The most important finding, is that middle managers take on the role of a communication filter in the sensegiving-process. This role, may result in employees not getting the same information, which in turn raises the amount of informal communication (spreading rumors). Moreover, if the informal communication becomes greater than the formal communication, it may threaten leadership confidence, which may result in an internal communication crisis.  We also found, that sensegiving and sensemaking become important tools for the middle manager to prevent mental illness, during social distancing and its restrictions, enforced by the Public Health Authority.   Finally, we present a theoretical contribution to increase understanding of the phenomenon.   Keywords: Sensemaking, sensegiving, internal communication, internal communication crisis, crisis management and crisis leadership

This thesis deals with internal communication at the CzechInvest Investment and Business Development Agency. Its main objective is to analyze the current system of internal communication, identify its strengths and weaknesses and propose solutions for its improvement. Data for the analysis was obtained mainly from the author's own qualitative and quantitative research and the organization's internal documents. The thesis is divided into two parts. The theoretical part covers the general characteristics of internal communication (definition, stakeholders, content, goals, communication channels and means, significance); the practical part was prepared on the basis of the results of qualitative and quantitative research and brings the actual analysis of internal communication as well as specific proposals that should increase the effectiveness of the current system

This master's thesis deals with the internal communication. The main goal is to examine and assess the current level of the internal communication in the international advisory organization, to identify any problems and try to propose more effective internal communication in the company. The thesis is divided into theoretical and practical parts. The first part focuses on the clarification of key concepts such as communication, communication process, internal communication, assumptions and objectives of the internal communication, internal communication tools. In the practical part an international advisory company is presented and the current situation of the internal communication is described and there is evaluation of the internal communication by employees. In the conclusion of the thesis, there are suggested measures to improve the effectiveness of communication within the company.

The importance of enhancing internal communication and its content during organisational change appears to be neglected by many organisations. Although change management literature agrees generally about the role that communication plays in facilitating change, there is still a dearth of empirical studies that focus on improving internal communication during organisational change phases. The evolution of communication technology has provided some new tools that can enhance internal communication within an organisation. This study explores the role of using of one of these new communication technologies in communicating organisational change through the development of a novel conceptual model. The developed model covers the communication needs in each phase of a planned change, and combines the benefits of communicating organisational change with the benefits of using Enterprise Social Networks (ESN), as found in the literature. The aim is to investigate empirically how ESN as a new internal communication technology can be employed to communicate organisational change effectively in order to facilitate that change. To do so, the researcher in this study has applied a qualitative approach through a case study strategy in order to validate the conceptual model being proposed. The researcher conducted 32 interviews and analysed all of them qualitatively using Nvivo software. The findings of the conducted study revealed that using ESN had many positive impacts on employees, such as increasing their awareness, engagement and participation, which helped to facilitate the overall change projects. Moreover, the study proved the suitability of the validated novel model to contribute in facilitating organisational change through ESN, which can guide leaders, managers, change agents and academics on how ESN can be used to communicate planned change effectively in order to facilitate it.

The research conducted in ‘The Internal podcast’ aims to answer how podcast could be used for internal communication in organizations and what its weakness and strength is. The study has gathered theories such as storytelling, affordance and sensemaking and combined them into a unique framework for this study. Based on multimodal analysis we have studied three podcasts content and content design to help answer the questions of the study. The three podcasts: Kackellackan, Fast forward and Radio Samhall all have their coworkers as the primary target group. From these podcasts the study analyzed at a total of 60 episodes (20 from each podcast). The results showed that all three podcasts have different content design that suggests multiple possibilities for organizations to form the content for their own needs. Because of its intimate and close character, it also suggests a usefulness for sensemaking in organizational changes. But one of the weaknesses that the result pointed at is the lack of interaction between producer and listener, because one key part in empowerment is the possibility for feedback.

<p>In a competitive environment which needs constant strategic adaptation, the companies look for the best way to stick to markets’ trends. The way the company is organized can optimize both the required strategic adaptation and the performance of the human capital by enhancing the flow of information for instance.</p><p>Some companies are organised in a very special way and adopt a project-structure. We therefore have inquired about these project-structures and their ability to favour communication in order to enable better performance. Then comes the reason for our work, we wonder: How is information flow processed in project-based companies compared to others and how it affects strategic drift?</p><p>Existing theories concerning strategy, communication and organisation has been confronted in order to create an original lens through which we look at companies. Based on this lens are qualitative interviews led to collect empirical data from two hierarchical levels in four companies with very different businesses.</p><p>After analysis, the study shows that the strategic drift is well known by companies. Good communication is recognised as a way to tackle this strategic drift and is high on companies’ agenda. The project-structure owns several assets (like customization, size and resilience) which make it better to process information flow and which eventually reduce or eliminate the strategic drift. Yet, classical organisations and project-structures seem to create synergy for a company which uses adequately both, regarding the type of business.</p>

<p>Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine if POC manage to keep cohort interplay between their identity and image.</p><p>Theoretical framework: This paper is led from theories in area about communicating identity and image. The theories that are relevant to this paper to see the interplay between identity and image is communication theory and brand theories based on associations. From these theories we have composed a model that shows the communication led from identity throughout image in company’s with many distribution channels. It shows what associations that build identity and image and also the complication and threat that the interplay is being exposed to.</p><p>Methodology: We have chosen to do this examination as a case study. The case study has been made through a market survey including only respondents with knowledge about POC and several interviews with employees within the POC organization.</p><p>Results and analysis: The quantitative market survey gave a clear picture of POCs image and the qualitative interviews described how POC wanted the identity to look like. We saw a clear connection between these two, but also some differences. For example was safety one of the most important identity characteristics, while the most common image characteristic was design.</p><p>Conclusion: The interplay between identity and image is very difficult to control. Especially in company’s that includes many distribution channels. The solution is to be aware of the problem this might cause and on daily basis work with improvements on the interplay between identity and image.</p>

<p>Abstract</p><p>Purpose/Aim: The purpose of this paper was to identify the communication process at the company Cherry casino and see what opinions the employees had about it. Moreover, an evaluation of the used strategies was done and an analysis about what perhaps could be done to improve the attitude, communication and in the end the result for the company.</p><p>Material/Method: The empirical material was gathered through qualitative interviews and theory application.</p><p>Main results: The transmission of information regarding the regular work related information works just fine and the channels used are well chosen. But more large-scale information that deals with the company’s plans, strategies and targets is not handled in the right way. Neither is the respond. Many express a lack of dialogue. Therefore my main conclusions is to develop a more friendly touch within the company, create a dialogue and let people at the bottom of the hierarchy know what is happening. The best way to do this is through the Intranet and the increase of positive feedback.</p><p>Keywords: Organizational communication, internal communication, casino, communication audit</p>

In a competitive environment which needs constant strategic adaptation, the companies look for the best way to stick to markets’ trends. The way the company is organized can optimize both the required strategic adaptation and the performance of the human capital by enhancing the flow of information for instance. Some companies are organised in a very special way and adopt a project-structure. We therefore have inquired about these project-structures and their ability to favour communication in order to enable better performance. Then comes the reason for our work, we wonder: How is information flow processed in project-based companies compared to others and how it affects strategic drift? Existing theories concerning strategy, communication and organisation has been confronted in order to create an original lens through which we look at companies. Based on this lens are qualitative interviews led to collect empirical data from two hierarchical levels in four companies with very different businesses. After analysis, the study shows that the strategic drift is well known by companies. Good communication is recognised as a way to tackle this strategic drift and is high on companies’ agenda. The project-structure owns several assets (like customization, size and resilience) which make it better to process information flow and which eventually reduce or eliminate the strategic drift. Yet, classical organisations and project-structures seem to create synergy for a company which uses adequately both, regarding the type of business.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine if POC manage to keep cohort interplay between their identity and image. Theoretical framework: This paper is led from theories in area about communicating identity and image. The theories that are relevant to this paper to see the interplay between identity and image is communication theory and brand theories based on associations. From these theories we have composed a model that shows the communication led from identity throughout image in company’s with many distribution channels. It shows what associations that build identity and image and also the complication and threat that the interplay is being exposed to. Methodology: We have chosen to do this examination as a case study. The case study has been made through a market survey including only respondents with knowledge about POC and several interviews with employees within the POC organization. Results and analysis: The quantitative market survey gave a clear picture of POCs image and the qualitative interviews described how POC wanted the identity to look like. We saw a clear connection between these two, but also some differences. For example was safety one of the most important identity characteristics, while the most common image characteristic was design. Conclusion: The interplay between identity and image is very difficult to control. Especially in company’s that includes many distribution channels. The solution is to be aware of the problem this might cause and on daily basis work with improvements on the interplay between identity and image.