An internal communications audit of Sundstrand Corporation

Includes bibliographical references (pages [61]-62)An organization's communication effectiveness is critical to its success; however, too frequently corporate communications professionals fail to measure their company's communications effectiveness. In this study, an internal communication audit was conducted at Sundstrand Corporation to measure the company's communications efforts by generating meaningful feedback from employees. A communication audit applies social science methodology to achieve a structured approach in documenting an organization's communication behavior and environment. In this study, a stratified random sample of 165 employees completed a nine-page questionnaire during small group meetings. The questionnaire measured their views concerning current and preferred communication sources, the degree and frequency of exposure to current communications, the communications climate, knowledge of the company and its environment, and current communications trends. The results suggest that employees highly value receiving company information from their supervisor, either one-on-one or in department meetings. Other current communication sources were well received, yet employees expressed a healthy interest in more information about the company's business, markets, products and competition. The effect of recent turmoil and organizational changes at the company was reflected in the results, with most employees agreeing that communications had improved. Employees were also quick to indicate that much more improvement was needed, specifically correcting middle management's tendency to restrict the two-way flow of information and improving the communication process during layoffs. Several innovative recommendations were made to address the findings, such as including communications as a factor upon which future promotions and pay increases are based. Further, employees' annual evaluation of supervisors' role as a communicator would affect the supervisors' salary reviews. Also recommended was supervisory training, a communications plan during layoffs, a plan to improve internal customer awareness and a lateral communications structure to feed the company's communications functions.M.A. (Master of Arts