THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION PROCESS MANAGEMENT IN PROJECT SUCCESS: BEST PRACTICES AND CASE STUDIES - HARSHA TOYOTA

Abstract

Management is communication intensive and, therefore, managers may derive benefits from computerbased alternatives to the traditional communication modes of face-to-face (FTF), telephone, and written memo. This research examined the use of electronic messaging (EM) by ongoing management groups performing a cooperative task. By means of an in-depth multimethod case study of the editorial group of two daily newspapers, it examined the fit between the interactivity of the chosen communication mode (FTF vs. EM) and the mode of discourse it was used for (alternation vs. interaction/discussion). Two propositions were derived from this exploratory study. The first proposes that FTF, being highly interactive, is appropriate for building a shared interpretive context among group members, while CMC, being less interactive, is more appropriate for communicating within an established context. Groups exhibiting effective communication will use FTF primarily for interactive discourse and EM for discourse consisting primarily of alternating adjacency pairs. The second proposes that to the extent that the appropriate communication modes are chosen, communication will be more effective. Communication is central to the main four management competencies outlined by Warren Bennis: the management of attention, meaning, trust and self. To be truly effective, both leaders and managers must develop their self-awareness, become role models for communication in the organization, and learn to encourage and manage constructive dissent. An important part of the communication professional’s role is to support the organization’s leaders and managers in developing their communication competence. This research focuses on the communication of risk messages among organizations and particularly on communication between IT employees and managers within a bank in Greece. An important aspect of any information systems (IS) security activity is about ensuring the security of its infrastructure, and in doing so, communication is a key necessity for present e-banking security managers.