Background: Organizations today are having to initiate the necessary changes as they are pressured to keep up with market environments that often yield unpredictable and complex events. When initiating, and more importantly, attempting to implement these changes, the theory states that 70% of these efforts fail. One of the reasons behind this high rate of failure is the ineffective internal communication during strategic change, which results in misunderstandings and perhaps even resistance among employees. Here, building on previous research, it is argued that visual management can play an important role. However, the current theory lacks empirical research that investigates or examines the current usage of visualizations as a strategic tool during change, as the majority focuses on providing literature reviews or theoretical frameworks. Research question: To what extend do organizations use visualizations within the process of organizational change? Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation is to get a better understanding of the usage of visualizations as a strategic tool during the process of organizational change. Method: In order to fulfil the purpose of the thesis and to be able to explore the research question, a quantitative research design was chosen. The data for this thesis was collected through a web-based questionnaire among organizations situated in The Netherlands. A specification was made towards organizational structure whereas the retail sector can be characterised as having multiple hierarchical levels. The survey consisted of three parts each dedicated to a sub-question relating to the main research question. In total, 282 respondents participated in the research. Theoretical framework: An overview of the current literature is provided starting with describing the topic of change, where several aspects such as the factors supporting and hampering change and the process of strategic change are discussed. In addition, a specification is made towards communication, where especially internal communication during change is highlighted. The final component in this theoretical framework is visualizations, which is discussed by summarizing what the current theory states regarding characteristics, types, strategic usage and the field of visual management. All of this through a strategic scope and within the setting of organizational or strategic change. Findings: In this dissertation, it was discovered that a very low amount of organizations perceives their change efforts to be successful. This may be due to things not always going according to plan, where interestingly, a high number of organizations did state that plans are created during strategic or organizational change. Secondly, the data showed how organizations are already showing a significant use of visualizations as a strategic tool during change. However, the more ‘complex’ visualizations scored noticeably lower on usage and frequency. Lastly, within the findings of this thesis it became apparent that organizations perceive the usage of visualizations during change to be very positive. Especially high numbers were found on how using visualizations can lead to employees better understanding why the changes are needed.

This study examines employees' perceptions of digital internal communication channels in relation to their effectiveness and usability within a specific organization. By employing a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data from surveys, various themes were explored. The study investigates participants' preferences, the primary communication channels utilized, and their perspectives on the effectiveness and usability of these channels. The findings indicate that employees predominantly favor Microsoft Teams and email as their preferred communication channels, citing ease of use, functionality and information sharing as key factors. Recognizing and understanding employees' preferences can enable the organization to identify and optimize effective communication channels for internal processes, fostering an environment that is more efficient and conducive to collaboration.  It is crucial to acknowledge the study's limitations. The findings are context-specific and may not be readily generalizable to other settings. Alternative interpretations of the results are possible, necessitating further research to delve deeper into these aspects. By considering the insights from this study, organizations can make informed decisions to improve and select appropriate digital internal communication channels tailored to their specific requirements.

Hållbarhetskonceptet utvecklades som svar på intressenternas krav och alla intressenter är viktiga, men medarbetarna är bland de viktigaste i att föra företags hållbarhetsarbete framåt. Tidigare forskning på medarbetarnas uppfattning om hållbarhet i den kvalitativa vetenskapliga kontexten är däremot inte väl utforskad. Syftet med studien är därmed att beskriva medarbetares perspektiv på hållbarhet i ett statligt gruvföretag. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna var att undersöka vad medarbetarna förknippade med hållbarhet och företaget, hur de upplever kommunikationen om hållbarhet samt hur de upplever sig involverade i hållbarhetsarbetet. Forskningsfrågorna blev därmed “Hur upplever medarbetare kommunikationen om hållbarhet på företaget?” och “Hur upplever medarbetare att de involveras i hållbarhetsarbetet på företaget?”. Tidigare forskning inom ämnet samt en kommunikationsstrategi användes för att analysera empirin. I studien framkom det att kommunikationen om hållbarhet inom företaget sker i stor utsträckning via envägskommunikation eller asymmetrisk tvåvägskommunikation. Företaget hade därmed behövt lyssna mer på de anställda. Medarbetarna upplever även att alla inte får samma förutsättningar via rätt utbildningar och att företaget har utmaningar att kommunicera ut hållbarhetsmålen enhetligt. Ett sätt att förbättra kommunikationen är via fysiska träffar enligt tidigare forskning. Hållbarhet är även ett svårtytt begrepp tycker medarbetarna. Förslag till fortsatt forskning är att undersöka hur företag ska arbeta för att effektivare engagera medarbetarna i hållbarhetsarbetet på ett bättre sätt. / The sustainability concept was developed in response to stakeholder demands, and all stakeholders are important. However, employees are among the most crucial in advancing a company's sustainability efforts. However, previous research on employees' perceptions of sustainability in the qualitative scientific context is not well explored. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe employees' perspectives on sustainability in a state-owned mining company. The theoretical framework was used to examine what employees associate with sustainability and the company, how they perceive the communication about sustainability, and how they perceive their involvement in sustainability efforts. The research questions thus became "How do employees perceive the communication about sustainability in the company?" and "How do employees perceive their involvement in sustainability efforts in the company?". Previous research in the field and a communication strategy were used to analyze the empirical data. The study found that communication about sustainability within the company largely occurs through one-way communication or asymmetric two-way communication. The company would therefore have needed to listen more to its employees. Employees also perceive that not everyone has the same opportunities through proper education, and the company faces challenges in communicating sustainability goals consistently. One way to improve communication, according to previous research, is through physical meetings. Employees also find sustainability to be a difficult concept to interpret. Suggestions for further research include investigating how companies can more effectively engage employees in sustainability efforts.

This quantitative study examines the interaction between technology-based instant messaging applications (technology applications) and employee engagement. Technology applications are frequently used as a mode of communication between managers and employees. Internal communication is cited as an antecedent of employee engagement and employee engagement is positively correlated with productivity and organisational success. Hence, the study is directed at understanding the impact of communication technology on employee engagement, due to the indirect link between internal communication and organisational success. In the current context of the global Covid-19 pandemic, this topic is of renewed interest as leaders and employees grapple with new ways of working and communicating. The existing literature provides contradictory conclusions on the relationship between technology use and employee outcomes. A quantitative, deductive approach was adopted to measure (i) the relationship between the frequency of use of technology applications (independent variable) and the antecedents of employee engagement (psychological climate, affective commitment, perceived supervisor support), (ii) frequency of use of technology applications as a moderating variable on the relationship between the antecedents of employee engagement and employee engagement (meaningfulness, safety, availability) and (iii) frequency of use of technology applications as a moderating variable on the relationship between the employee engagement and the outcomes of employee engagement (discretionary effort and intention to turnover). The correlation test revealed a weak correlation between frequency of use of technology applications and the antecedents of employee engagement. The moderated regression analysis revealed that frequency of use of technology applications does not moderate the relationship between (i) the antecedents of employee engagement and employee engagement (meaningfulness, safety, availability), and (ii) the relationship between the employee engagement and the outcomes of employee engagement (discretionary effort and intention to turnover). The findings have relevance for academic research and practical implications for managers. / Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

This study investigates the phenomenon of internal communication, which is a mainstay of successful companies. Good internal communication has many positive effects, one of them is employee engagement. Previous international research supports the importance of internal communication for employee engagement, but it is still a relatively unexplored area in Sweden. This study therefore aims to fill this knowledge gap, and by using the AVID framework investigate whether there is a relationship between perceived good internal communication and employee engagement in Sweden. The questions that the study answers are as follows:  Is there a correlation between customized information and the feeling that the individual work effort contributes to the success of the organization, and increased employee engagement? (Alignment)  Is there a correlation between employees' ability to make their voice heard, and increased employee engagement? (Voice) Is there a correlation between employees' understanding the company's future goals and vision, and increased employee engagement? (Identification)  Is there a correlation between employees whose company encourages dialog, and increased employee engagement? (Dialogue)  All questions are based on the AVID framework, which is a theoretical framework for achieving good internal communication within organizations. The framework is based on four dimensions that are linked to each question, indicated in parentheses after each question. These dimensions are alignment, voice, identification and dialogue. Additional theories discussed concern the importance of internal communication, the importance of good internal communication and its link to employee engagement. The study is based on a quantitative survey study that includes 114 answers. The results of the survey have been analyzed in relation to theory and previous research and show that there is a connection between the first question linked to alignment in the AVID framework, and increased employee engagement. There is also a strong correlation between the second question, which is linked to voice, and increased employee engagement. However, the results do not show a correlation between the third question linked to identification. Nor does the fourth question linked to dialogue have a connection with increased employee engagement according to the results of the study. The conclusion is that we cannot draw a general correlation between all dimensions of the AVID framework and employee engagement, due to the different results of the study. However, we can note that two of the four elements of the framework have a clear correlation with increased employee engagement. Regarding the two remaining parts where it is not possible to discern a correlation, it is important to keep in mind that engagement depends on many different aspects and thus the importance of identification and dialogue for engagement in a larger context is not excluded. / Denna studie behandlar fenomenet internkommunikation, vilket är en grundpelare för framgångsrika företag. God internkommunikation har många positiva effekter, en av dem är medarbetarengagemang. Tidigare internationell forskning som gjorts stödjer internkommunikationens betydelse för medarbetarengagemanget, men det är ännu ett relativt outforskat område i Sverige. Denna studie syftar därför till att fylla denna kunskapslucka och med hjälp av AVID-ramverket undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan upplevd god internkommunikation och medarbetarengagemang i Sverige. De frågeställningar som studien besvarar är följande: Finns det ett samband mellan att information anpassas samt känslan av att det enskilda arbetet bidrar till organisationens framgång, och ökat medarbetarengagemang? (Alignment) Finns det ett samband mellan de anställdas möjlighet att få komma till tals på arbetet, och ökat medarbetarengagemang? (Voice) Finns det ett samband mellan de anställdas förståelse för företagets målsättningar och framtida planer, och ökat medarbetarengagemang? (Identification) Finns det ett samband mellan anställda vars företag uppmuntrar till dialog, och ökat medarbetarengagemang? (Dialogue) Samtliga frågeställningar är formulerade utefter AVID-ramverket, vilket är ett teoretiskt ramverk för att uppnå god internkommunikation inom organisationer. Ramverket bygger på fyra dimensioner vilka är kopplade till varsin frågeställning, angivna i parentesen efter respektive fråga. Dessa dimensioner är alignment, voice, identification och dialogue. Ytterligare teorier som tas upp berör internkommunikationens betydelse, vikten av god internkommunikation samt dess koppling till medarbetarengagemang. Studien är baserad på ett empiriskt material från en kvantitativ enkätstudie som inkluderar 114 respondentsvar. Resultaten av enkätstudien har analyserats i relation till teori och tidigare forskning och visar att det finns ett samband mellan den första frågeställningen kopplad till alignment i AVID-ramverket, och ökat engagemang. Det finns även ett starkt samband mellan andra frågeställningen, som är kopplad till voice, och ökat engagemang. Däremot visar resultatet inte ett samband mellan den tredje frågeställningen kopplad till identification, och ökat engagemang. Inte heller den fjärde frågeställningen, kopplad till dialogue, har ett samband med ökat engagemang enligt resultatet i studien. Slutsatsen är att vi inte kan dra ett generellt samband mellan alla delar i AVID-ramverket och medarbetarengagemang, på grund av studiens skilda resultat. Däremot kan vi konstatera att två av fyra delar i ramverket har ett tydligt samband med ett ökat medarbetarengagemang. Vad gäller de två resterande delarna där det inte går att utläsa ett samband är det däremot viktigt att ha i åtanke att engagemang beror av många olika aspekter och därmed utesluts inte betydelsen av identification och dialogue för engagemanget i en större kontext.

Att tillgodogöra sig information och sprida den vidare har i alla tider varit väsentligt för att vi skall kunna utvecklas och fungera tillsammans på jobbet och i övriga relationer i vår vardag. Varje enskild individ exponeras dagligen för en stor informationsmängd, vilket ökar trycket på en bra och tydlig informationshantering. En skolmiljö är ett tydligt exempel där alla individer ständigt utsätts för ett ökande flöde av information både internt och extern. Avsikten med min uppsats har varit att identifiera och belysa de eventuella brister som finns i det interna informationsflödet på en medelstor gymnasieskola. Min undersökningsgrupp är pedagoger, elevvårds- och administrativ personal. Till att börja med undersökte jag hur alla uppfattade att informationsflödet fungerade på arbetsplatsen. Detta gjordes med en öppen fråga via e-post för att se om det fanns ett problem, hur omfattande problemet var och hur många det berörde. Baserat på de mest förekommande synpunkterna utformade jag en enkät med frågor och påståenden, om de förslag och önskemål personalen själva uttryckte utifrån min första fråga. Detta skulle ge mig förbättringsunderlag som personalen själva uttryckte För att verifiera vilka som har ansvar för hur informationen distribueras och genom vilka kanaler de ska presenteras intervjuade jag gymnasiesekreteraren på skolan. På så vis fick jag svar på en del av personalens frågor och ett bättre underlag för en analys och diskussion. Personalen upplever att informationen kommer helt ostrukturerat och i alla möjliga kanaler medan informationsansvarig tydligen har en plan för hur informationen distribueras. Information om information kunde säkert eliminera dessa problem. En inventering av vad som ska distribueras i vilken kanal skulle underlätt för alla. Med tanke på att det finns sjutton kanaler, så är det lätt att information hamnar i fel eller för många kanaler samtidigt. Respondenterna hade många funderingar och bra förslag på förbättringar. Tydligast är att det saknas information om informationen. Känslan av att informationsflödet var ostrukturerat var en återkommande synpunkt. Ofullständig information var ett annat dilemma som många irriterar sig på eftersom informationen hela tiden måste ändras.Undersökningen gav bra förslag på hur man kan förbättra informationsflödet och dess struktur för att alla berörda skall kunna tillgodose sig den information de behöver på ett enkelt och hanterbart sätt. Informationsträd, sökfunktioner och ett intranät var några av förslagen på förbättringar. / Spreading and collecting information is and has always been essential in order to communicate and cooperate on daily basis in a society like owns today. All individuals are being exposed to a large amount of information daily. This increases the demand for reliability and accuracy of the information and also the source that distribute the information. In an environment such as a school both pupils and personnel are exposed to a constant flow of information from both external and internal sources. The purpose of this study was to illustrate and identify the possible and in some cases obvious shortcomings in the internal flow of information in a medium sized upper secondary school. My group of interest have been educationalists, student council personnel and administrative personnel. Initially, I sent out a questionnaire determine general opinion of the flow and distribution of information in our school. Based on the answers, I then designed a questionnaire with more specific and detailed questions about the requirements and complaints my colleagues had expressed initially. The crux after problems seems to be the flow of information is somewhat unstructured and to some extent incomplete. To substantiate where the responsibility lies in distributing information and through which channels they are allocated, I interviewed the school secretary. Thus, I got answers to most of my colleagues questions and a robust foundation for my analysis and ultimately, my discussion. Finally I approached management to interview the person in charge of these questions and how they experienced the situation. My study resulted in many useful suggestions of how to eliminate obsolete and superfluous channels in order to get the most accurate and precise information provided.

Background: Much has happened in information technology in the last decade, and the amount of information someone can be exposed to is enormous. There are many digital information channels today used at different organizations. This research study has investigated which channel is used the most, and if there are any methods for handling the flow of information. With these tools and methods, together with a sufficient literature review a proposed model was developed to aid organizations with their information flow. Aim: To conduct research in the field of internal communication with focus on digital channels, to finally come up with what tools and methods can be used for improved internal communication, and to propose a model for this. Method: Three sources of data collections have been used. The first one is semi-structured interviews, where six volunteers have participated, the age ranging from 31-60. The targeted volunteers were the managers, and the employees of the organizations. The second is surveys where 14 volunteers contributed, where we used snowball sampling. The third is a document study that consists of research-generated literature review. Results/Conclusion: Our analysis concluded that the most useful tools for communicating with digital channel sare, namely, email, intranet and telephone. However, the usefulness of the tools decline rapidly when too much unnecessary information flows in the wrong channels. What this research study came up with regarding contribution was an easy to use four step model to be able to classify the information and use the correct channel for it. Working alongside this model, will help with minimizing information overload in the channels used for communication. It is also important from an organization perspective when onboarding employees to learn which channels are used for which kind of information.

”It´s this position in between that´s very tricky.” ­– A comparative case study of the Swedish University of internal communication with employees   The study aims to examine how three Swedish universities in Linköping, Lund and Umeå handle their internal communications with employees. The study intends to specifically examine communications concerning events surrounding the crime, ethics and morality, in gray scale in between crisis and everyday communication. The theoretical framework of the study was based on the organizational communication, crisis communication, the consequences of a lack of internal communication and preparatory actions. The empirical material that this study assumes consists of qualitative interviews with selected employees at the Universities of Linkoping, Lund and Umeå. A total of six interviews.   The study shows that all three universities have a crisis organization that is represented by the different functions of the University. They have a similar approach where emergency aid is sewn together, depending on the nature of the crisis. But as social media rampage and information society of rapid change, universities must work proactively and consciously, and at the same time be able to quickly adapt to change. Furthermore, it strengthens the credibility of the organization as they also have obligations to the public. It is still unclear whether there are procedures to write down every single case of a sensitive nature. Whether it is about an anonymous threat or an employee accused of misconduct or sexual harassment needed more concrete to the work as well as possible in the future. The best is of course to try to avoid these situations at all, but if not crisis communication or daily routine functions optimally at these sensitive cases are part of the problem. Hence the need for written procedures for the gray scale in between crisis and everyday communication. That, along with a proactive approach, support groups at local level and clear accountability lines are steps in the right direction.   Keynotes: Organizational communication, internal communication, crisis communication, consequences, crisis management

Intern radiokommunikation ombord på fartyg är viktigt för att höja effektiviteten på arbetet samt säkerheten under dagliga operationer. Brister i den interna radiokommunikationen kan leda till allt från irritation till storskaliga olyckor. Syftet med detta arbete är därför att ta reda på vilka lösningar som finns ombord på fartygen idag, både tekniska och fartygens egna lösningar, för att förbättra den interna radiokommunikationen. Ambitionen är att fartygen ska kunna lära sig av varandra och på så sätt göra kommunikationen effektivare. För att undersöka det så har en kvalitativ forskningsmetod och semistrukturerade intervjuer används för att intervjua sjömän som arbetar på fartyg ägda av svenska rederier med multikulturell besättning. Studien fann att det inte är tekniken som är problemet och att samtliga fartyg upplever att de har godtagbar kommunikation ombord men det saknas vilja och tid till att förbättra den. Resultatet visar också på en okunskap om vikten av att följa arbetsspråket och därför bör inställningen förändras för att en förbättring av radiokommunikationen ska kunna ske. / Internal radio communication onboard ships is vital in order to increase the efficiency and security during daily operations. Lack of efficient internal radio communication can result in irritation among the crew all the way to severe accidents. The purpose of this paper is to find out what is being done onboard ships today, both technical and shipboard inventions, in order to improve the internal radio communication. Our ambition is for ships to be able to share knowledge among each other in order to improve internal communication. In order to examine this, seafarers with background in the Swedish fleet working with a multicultural crew have been interviewed using a qualitative study. A semi structured interview has been used in order to conduct this study. The results concluded that the technical solutions are not the root cause and that all ships feel they have adequate communication but a lack of will and time leads to no improvement. The results also show a lack of knowledge about the importance of following the working language and therefore the mindset regarding internal communication should change in order to improve radio communication onboard.

Background: The loss of experienced workers impact organizations significantly, but a positive work environment fosters job satisfaction, influencing retention rates. Employer branding emerges as a crucial strategy, aiming to enhance worker loyalty. However, the shift to remote work poses challenges, effecting internal communication and organizational culture.   Purpose: This study delves into the relationship between employer branding, internal communication, organizational culture in shaping employee retention, particularly in hybrid working environments.   Method: This study focuses on interpretivism as the guiding philosophy and inductive qualitative research was implemented to pursue the objective of the study. Semi-structured interviews with five respondents from four different industries were conducted. Thematic analysis was adopted for data interpretation, facilitating pattern identification.  Conclusions: Key findings reveal that hybrid working significantly influences employer branding, affecting organizational reputation, employee satisfaction, and talent retention. Flexibility in hybrid environments enhances positive employer branding perceptions. Effective internal communication, transparent processes, and inclusive cultures that prioritize employee well-being and recognition are critical. Competitive salaries, flexible work arrangements, and career development opportunities also play significant roles in retaining top talent.