Communication as a Strategic Tool in Change Processes

Abstract

The aim of the study was to develop, test, and partly validate a set of organizational communication factors for use in an organizational-change setting. Based on literature reviews and pilot interviews, a survey study was conducted using three samples. First, the testing involved construct validation through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Second, the sample was divided into three groups: employees who experienced change, those who had recently had finished a change process, and those who had not experienced any change processes. The communication factors were then examined as predictors of employee assessment of communication in these three groups, respectively. The results of the study indicated eight robust dimensions included in five categories: social contact, central leadership, information, influence, and barriers to improvement. The results of the factor analyses indicated satisfactory reliability and construct validity of the communication factors, and the confirmatory factor analysis revealed a satisfactory model fit.