Introduction organizations

When one walks the streets, one will notice that everywhere one looks are organizations. Our
lives are flooded by them. Without them, the world would look totally different. Our actions,
thoughts and work often depends on them. Where to eat, where to work, or where to shop, all
are determined by organizations. Living in a society of organizations characterize our lives.
Our lives are so intertwined with organizations, that it is important to know how these work.

What is an organization
According to Keuning and Eppink (2012), there are three forms of organizations. The first
one, is the institutional organization. This organization is perceptible when one speaks about
Nkhoma hospital being an organization. In this case, one perceives organizations with all its
employees as a whole. Secondly, one can speak about the organization of an organization.
This way one means the way how an organization is structured. In this case, one speaks about
an instrumental organization: the way an organization is managed, what place everyone has in
it, etcetera. Thirdly, the organization of activities within an organization is the functional
organization. One speaks about an activity or process. These three forms impact each other.
Where the institutional organization is well organized, the instrumental organization benefits
which can impact the functional organization with goals and successes. The definition used
for organizations in this paper: “A group of people who work together in an organized way
for a shared purpose.” (Cambridge Dictionary, 2020b)

Objectives and organization culture

The objectives of an organization can vary from an environmental objective to making profit.
Each organization has its own objective, this objective is made through influence from both
internal and external stakeholders, those who depend on the organization and have
expectations, stakes or aspirations regarded to an organization. The behavior of employees is
partly formed by the organizational culture. This culture is brought out in behavior, behavior
which consist of the way leaders lead, how people act around each other, activities and things
that do not happen and choices that are made. The behavior brings out values, norms, and
beliefs that many within an organization share. These norms and values are important within
organizations. The beliefs are built on experiences and can be misleading when trying to look
at something objectively, for example ‘If you want to do it good, you have to do it yourself’
or ‘never trust the IT department’, these thoughts can cloud your mind. (Keuning & Eppink,
2012, pp. 30–33)

The goals of an organization

An organization is formed through people having the same goal and creating a way to practice
this goal. How does one measure the effectivity of an organization? Goals of an organization
change through time and there are multiple of them. The multiple goals should be in balance
for the benefit of both internal and external stakeholders. (Keuning & Eppink, 2012, p. 54)
This balance shifts each time these stakeholders change their demands or influence. For the
definition of effectivity, this paper uses the following: “effectivity is the extend in which
organization goals are achieved”. (Keuning & Eppink, 2012, p. 54)

A successful organization
Organizations that are successful are both effective and efficient. Efficiency is the extend to
which goals can be reached through the least amount of resources/materials. Successful
organizations also have a high level of satisfaction in their work. Efficiency and satisfaction
are measurements for a successful organizations. (Keuning & Eppink, 2012, p. 55) These two
measurements focus on the review of the internal organization. Two components that focus on
the review of external organization are: behoeftevoorziening and self-enforcement.
Behoeftevoorziening makes that external stakeholders stay involved with the organization,
this can be measured by the contribution of the stakeholder. Behoeftevoorziening can consist
of a good customer service, a good product, or a return in corporate social responsibility.

If an organization is successful, it will be likely to have a positive overall score on self-

enforcement consisting out of: efficiency, behoeftevoorziening and satisfaction. Self-
enforcement is needed in a shifting environment to ensure continuity. (Keuning & Eppink,
2012, p. 55) Apart from these three factors, two other factors are even more important:
flexibility and decisiveness. Continuity asks an organization to be adaptable and flexible in a
changing environment. The decisiveness is needed to go along with the changing
environment. To be decisive, is to see obstacles and chances and to make decisions based on
these to maintain continuity.

Meaning of internal communication

The importance of the definition of internal communication

In the literature of internal communication, there are many terms that substitute internal
communication where many terms (almost) mean the same. Terms as: employee
communication (Argenti, 1996, p. 94), internal relations (Grunig & Hunt, 1984, p. 240), and
staff communication (Stone, 1995, p. 115). One can argue that this is because of the need for
a clear definition that is overarching all these terms: internal communication.

Looking for a definition

When looking for a definition for internal communication, many come back to the definition
given in 1989 by Frank and Brownell. (Welch & Jackson, 2007, p. 178) They give the
following definition of internal communication: ‘The communications transactions between
individuals and/or groups at various levels and in different areas of specialisation that are
intended to design and redesign organisations, to implement designs, and to co-ordinate day-
to-day activities.’ (Frank and Brownell, 1989, pp. 5-6).

The line between external communication and internal communication is disappearing.

External and internal communication are so intertwined that the boundaries are vague.
(Cheney and Christensen, 2001, p. 231) Therefore the definition of Frank and Brownwell
(1989) is too much one sided, and does not recognize the need to include stakeholders
(external as well as internal) in the definition. To illustrate the need for the definition
including stakeholders, here are a few examples: an important email that is forwarded to an
external partner, a performance on the radio that internal and external stakeholders hear, and
one being employee and client at the same organization. Additionally, sayings about this
disappearing line illustrate the importance of the acknowledgement as well. A dutch saying,
extern winnen is intern beginnen (Michels, 2013, p. 112), which can be translated into: start
internally and you win externally, shows the connection of internal with external
communication. This is why a good definition is needed before going into the components of
internal communication.

Scholes (1997) comes with a stakeholder approach on the definition of internal

communication: ‘The professional management of interactions between all those with an
interest or ‘a stake’ in a particular organisation.’ (Scholes, 1997, p. 18) The way Scholes puts
it, internal communication is done on a strategic management bases with involved ones and
stakeholders. The downside of this definition is that interactions can be seen as equally
internal as external. A study (Welch & Jackson, 2007) suggests that the outcome of
interactions, in the definition given by Scholes, are relationships, and thus should be
incorporated in the description of internal communication. (Welch & Jackson, 2007, p. 182)

Previous paragraph, a strategic/stakeholder approach of internal communication was

portraited. Cornellisen (2004) gives a definition focusing on the tactical part of internal
communication: ‘all methods (internal newsletter, intranet) used by a firm to communicate
with its employees.’ (Cornellisen, 2004, p. 189) In this rather simple definition, the
importance of tactical methods is made clear. Although this definition lacks the strategic layer
and stakeholder issue of internal communication given before.

‘Corporate communication is the set of activities

involved in managing and orchestrating all internal and
external communication aimed at creating favorable
starting point with stakeholders on which the company
depends.’ (van Riel & Fombrun, 2007) Both van Riel
and Argenti conclude that corporate communication
comprises of three points of departure for
communication: strategy, image, and identity. These
three have the outcome of three levels where corporate
communication takes place: management,
organizational, and marketing. See figure …. below.
Figure … illustrates van Riel’s view with the
overlaying trapezoid illustrating Argenti’s view The Source: Rethinking internal
management communication comprises of access to resources communication:
including human resources. Marketing communication is a stakeholder approach
addressed as promoting, email, sales and sponsorships. (Welch (Welch & Jackson, 2007)
& Jackson, 2007, p. 182) The point that both van Riel and
Argenti miss is that internal communication also happens within management
communication and marketing communication. The example of an important email being
forwarded to an external party is proof of this. (Welch & Jackson, 2007, p. 182)

Combining the previous given definitions of corporate communication and internal

communication, the following definition can be made: ‘Internal communication is the
strategic management of interactions and relationships between stakeholders at all levels
within organisations.’ (Welch & Jackson, 2007, p. 183). This definition will be explained in
the upcoming paragraphs.

Importance of internal communication

Four reasons by Koeleman (2018) why efficient and effective internal communication is
needed for every organization:

1. The facilitating of processes that happen constantly within organizations. Bringing

knowledge from one place to the other.
2. The more people are involved in deciding what the strategic direction is, the bigger the
possibility that employees will be willing to go with the direction decided. This is why
people need to be informed about decision making.
 3. Involvement within an organization is realized when the internal communication is
properly arranged. (Koeleman, 2018, p. 18) Communication on personal level is
successful in this.
4. To change an organization is surely to fail when not using internal communication to
facilitate.

Components of internal communication

….

Theorie zover niet heel duidelijk, modellen zoeken, geen modellen te vinden die de
componenten goed weergeven. Actie visie interactievisie, employee engagement,
motivation, Maslow, Internal Communications as a Factor of Company’s Efficiency Milica
Slijepčević, Ana Bovan, Ivana Radojević,

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