Internal communication in academic libraries: Challenges and opportunities

The idea to investigate the communication of the Council of Lithuania first came up after analysing the process of the representation of the Council of Lithuania from 21 September 1917 to 11 November 1918 and realising that internal and external communication was closely intertwined and each was important in its own way. The analysis of the communication of the Council of Lithuania is important for several reasons. Firstly, it helps to identify internal and external communication channels and to understand their role in establishing and maintaining close contacts with the local and foreign public; secondly, it provides an opportunity to see the actual scope of activities pursued by the Council of Lithuania and its Presidium, and, thirdly, it sheds light on the specificities of the functioning of the little-studied administrative apparatus of the Council of Lithuania. The aim of the study is to examine internal and external communication channels of the Council of Lithuania and to reveal the specificities of their functioning (21 September 1917–11 November 1918). To that end, the research made use of published (collections of documents, information in the press) and unpublished sources stored at the Lithuanian Central State Archives, the Manuscripts Department of the Wroblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, the Political Archive of the German Foreign Office, and studies by historians and legal historians. The research covers the chronological period from 21 September 1917 to 11 November 1918, i.e., from the election of the Council of Lithuania during the Vilnius Conference (18– 23 September 1917) to the formation of the Provisional Government of Lithuania. Methods of qualitative analysis and synthesis (the new material of the sources was supplemented with the information circulating in historiography), the comparative method (the facts from Lithuanian and German archives and the press are compared), the descriptive and inductive methods were employed. To process the primary sources in Lithuanian and German languages, the logical-analytical method (analysis of the notional content and information) was applied. The research revealed that external and internal communication of the Council of Lithuania was the responsibility of the Presidium of the Council of Lithuania. Its members organised and coordinated internal communication through the head of the Central Office. The members of the Council of Lithuania used to communicate among themselves and with the members of the Presidium and exchanged information at official plenary sessions, verbally and in writing, by phone and telegraph. In exceptional cases, authorised persons and delegations served as intermediaries. Most problems in internal communication used to arise from the failure to provide information in writing (copies of documents not prepared, forwarded, or delivered in time) and belated invitations to the plenary sittings during the sessions of the Council of Lithuania. The members of the Presidium and the heads of the commissions and administrative divisions of the Council of Lithuania used to communicate and exchange information verbally (at sittings and meetings) and in writing (through letters, documentation). All direct and indirect channels available at that time were utilised for the Council’s external communication with local and foreign public, Lithuanians abroad, and German civil and military administration: (1) direct channels include visits to the Secretariat of the Council of Lithuania during the publicly- announced reception hours established by the members of the Presidium and the members of the commissions of the Council of Lithuania, meetings of the members of the Council of Lithuania with Lithuanian residents, their organisations, and the representatives of the German Military Administration in Lithuania (Militärverwaltung Litauen), conferences abroad, reception of the delegates (authorised representatives) of Lithuanians living abroad or delegations; (2) indirect channels comprise newspapers (they used to print reception hours, minutes of sittings, and other important information), letters and telegrams, and special information publications (Bėgamosios Lietuvos Tarybos žinios).

In the fast growing of higher educational institutions, internal communication and its impact on employee engagement is a significant factors for institutional growth and awareness. The current study aimed to ascertain how internal communications in an organisation will impact on employee being engaged. This research therefore investigated the internal communication and the nexus to employee engagement with emphasis from staff of the Presbyterian University, Ghana. The study used a quantitative approach and administered closed-ended questionnaires. A purposive sampling technique was adopted and acquired 150 respondents for the study. The obtained data was analysed using SPSS. The findings reveal that there is a moderate impact of internal communication on employee’s behaviour at the workplace. Also, analysed data provided a significant relationship between Internal Communication and Employee engagement. The findings indicate that enhanced Employee engagement, specified as a committed worker, and improved productivity. The outcomes conclude that there are multifaceted factors influencing the relationship between internal communication and employee engagement in higher educational institution settings.

The study aims to explain what dimensions of the satisfaction of Croatian police officers with internal feedback are predictors of their readiness to explain their actions to citizens. The survey was conducted in 2020 on a convenience sample of 1260 police officers. The questionnaire measures satisfaction with feedback as one of eight dimensions of satisfaction with internal communication and police legitimacy in two dimensions of police and citizen interaction: accountability (citizens) – attitude and behaviour. The purpose is to compare feedback in internal and external police communication and examine to what extent the satisfaction of police officers with feedback contributes to the understanding of their attitudes and behaviour towards explaining actions to citizens. The results indicate the weak predictive power of variables that measure satisfaction with feedback in understanding the attitudes and behaviour of police officers related to explaining their actions to citizens. However, when introduced into the predictor model that contains the criterion variable "Behaviour related to explaining police actions to citizens" is the variable of attitude, the proportion of the variance explained increases significantly. The contribution of the paper is an analysis of the connection between internal and external communication of police officers in Croatia, and communication research is extremely important in police organizations in transition countries that undergo a transition from the traditional policing models to citizen-oriented policing models. A limitation of the paper is that only one aspect of internal communication has been examined in isolation. Therefore, new research should examine the complex nature of internal communication within a police organization in the context of the quality of police officers' relations with citizens, especially in relation to the willingness to explain police actions, as an important dimension of trust in the police.

This study aims to analyze group communication activities conducted by Pokdarwis Bua Lawah in promoting Poto Tano Tourism Village. This qualitative research collected data through interviews, observations, and photo documentation. The findings reveal that group communication consists of internal and external communication. Internal communication is carried out through regular meetings but faces challenges with irregular member attendance. As an alternative, Pokdarwis utilizes WhatsApp groups for coordination. External communication follows a wheel communication model, with Pokdarwis acting as the central hub of information shared with businesses such as homestays, culinary services, and MSMEs when tourists visit. Additionally, the implementation of dual community practices shows Pokdarwis engaging local small businesses by offering tour packages and fostering a sense of ownership in the village. These findings highlight the importance of effective communication in collaboratively managing a tourism village.

Effective internal communication is essential to library staff being able to fulfill their duties, work together as a cohesive unit, and carry out the library’s mission. However, there is often a lack of coordinated focus on clear internal communication that includes all staff members in libraries. This can create environments where there is disconnect among staff and library departments leading to rumor mills and lowering morale. This exploratory study looked at the current state of internal library communications in public libraries and ideas to improve internal communications. Library leadership has the potential to create environments and cultures where internal communication is effective and supports library staff, their work, and the effective functioning of the library as a whole.

Internal communication and employee engagement are crucial factors in improving the performance of medical workers, especially in clinical environments that demand efficiency, coordination, and high-quality services. This study aims to analyze the role of internal communication and employee engagement in the performance of medical workers at Klinik Ismail Medika. The research method used is a quantitative approach with a survey technique conducted among medical personnel in the clinic. Data were collected through questionnaires measuring the effectiveness of internal communication, employee engagement levels, and medical staff performance. The study results indicate that effective internal communication positively contributes to increasing employee engagement, which ultimately impacts the performance of medical workers. The implications of this study emphasize that clinic management needs to develop more effective internal communication strategies and create a work culture that supports employee engagement to enhance the quality of healthcare services.

This study discusses the analysis of human resource (HR) communication management planning at the Indrasari Rengat Regional General Hospital through a literature review. The main objective of this research is to analyze how HR communication management planning is implemented in the hospital context. A comprehensive literature review was used to identify key concepts related to HR communication planning, as well as the factors that influence the success of their implementation. The results of this study reveal that HR communication management planning has a crucial role in achieving optimal efficiency, coordination and productivity in hospitals. Factors such as internal communication, use of information technology, effective leadership, and active HR participation are important elements in designing a successful communication planning strategy. In addition, challenges in dealing with dynamic changes in the hospital environment must also be considered in HR communication planning. This study provides an in-depth view of the practice of HR communication management planning in hospitals, by describing a conceptual framework that can assist hospital management in increasing the effectiveness of internal and external communications and optimizing the utilization of human resources. Further research can be conducted to observe the direct implementation of the HR communication planning strategy in this hospital and its impact on overall organizational performance.

IntroductionThe primary purpose of this case study is to investigate how the leaders in the Norwegian company, Statoil, could by relying on the extensive use of information communications technology (ICT), strategically use available communication tools to change from a matrix structure to a virtual and networked organization. Management believed that this new structure would not only allow better communications and knowledge sharing across this widely dispersed organization, but also enhance productivity and motivation among the employees by enabling them to access knowledge and share work experiences globally. The secondary purpose was to develop an understanding of how the leaders in a specific Statoil site, Stjordal in Norway, could use internal communication tools to sustain motivation and productivity among the employees during the change process into a virtual and networked organization.Background on Statoil's Changing Business PositionStatoil was established in 1972 as a state owned company to handle the Norwegian oil resources in the North Sea. Mobil, Exxon, Elf, BP, and others had already located large oil resources both in the British and Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Statoil started out as the enforced business partner and the Norwegian controller of the resources. For the following thirty years, Statoil focused handled only on the Norwegian market and did not bother much with global externalities. This changed in 2001 when Statoil was introduced into the global stock exchange. Today it has more foreign employees than Norwegian employees. Although Statoil depended for its first twenty years on government protection like those companies in South America and the third world get from their governments, it is today, as are its partners in the Norwegian oil service sector, competitive in all respects. Consequently, its current focus is more on the global scene than the Norwegian scene and the company has become a preferred partner, especially for other state controlled oil corporations. Statoil was in 2012 and 2013 the no.1 oil operator in finding new oil and gas resources. The main challenge is to make them profitable in spite of a higher cost level than their competitors.Norway has some unique challenges in its work force. Although its free educational and health care system has secured equality and high female participation in the work force (82% in 2013), immigration is important in filling the jobs. . There is an agreement in all businesses that Norway needs a strong immigration of skilled workers. Although Norway had the second largest European emigration in percentage of its population to USA in 1860-1930 (Lovoll, 1979), immigration in 2009-2013 was the third largest in Europe. This influx of workers gave Norway access to the unemployed working market in EuropeThe current global engagement has increased the external complexity for the company. The organization had moved from a hierarchy to a matrix organization but Statoil's management wants to become more of a team and network based organization as 80% of all activities are executed by contractors and partners. Statoil has a very close link to the Norwegian oil service companies and has facilitated their emergence into the world market. Many of them, like Aker Solutions, Aibel, and Subsea 7, are world leaders in providing engineering services to the energy sector. Statoil's Norwegian leaders continue to manage these networked projects thereby dramatically increasing the need for managing internal and external communication between teams, projects, and partners. The transfer of knowledge in and between projects is an important part of their knowledge and communication strategy. Creating effective communication linkages through ICT and team-/project leaders has consequently become crucial in fulfilling Statoil's overall strategy.The success story of Statoil has been explained as ordinary people delivering extraordinary results (Olaisen, 2012). …

Objectives The aim of the article is to analyse legal measures that shape the process of local law making by LGUs in the aspect of identification of participants in this process and their communication-related obligations. The analysis is aimed at determining the extent to which the forms of communication of the entities involved in it, available and sometimes necessary at various stages of the legislative procedure, have an impact on the final content of legal measures. Since authorities that make local law need to communicate with the environment and to ensure the flow of information within the structure of the administrative apparatus, it is justified to group the assigned duties into those carried out as part of external and internal communication respectively. The text also highlights the effectiveness of specific forms of communication used at various stages of the legislative process. Material and methods The analysis and interpretation of the existing legal measures required the method of investigation of the law in force. This method allowed the author to determine the participants of the resolution-giving procedure and forms of communication they use at its individual stages and to assess the effectiveness of these forms. In turn, the investigation of and comparison of views of legal scholars and commentators on communication in the process of law-making required the theoretical legal method. Results The intensity of internal and external communication activities undertaken at different stages of the legislative procedure varies and is intended to achieve the results expected at a given stage of the procedure. Conclusions However, it should be believed that comprehensive regulation at the statutory level of the legislative procedure would highlight its importance and unify the information activities carried out.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) impacts both internal communication and employee engagement from a more global perspective by interviewing professionals who live in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and work for multinational companies. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture the experiences of communication professionals who live and work in the UAE, which is an epicenter of multinational corporations and international public relations agencies. Participants oversee internal communication and employee engagement for large, multinational companies. Findings The shared narratives demonstrate that AI can be an enhancer in the workplace as long as humans are involved in the process. Internal communication requires an attention to detail and nuance that cannot always be generated by AI. The professionals expressed concern from their own personal experiences with AI, suggesting that an overreliance on such platforms threatens their professional identity and impedes their creative edge. Last, when AI is used for employee engagement purposes, it lacks the human touch and dialogic components that are necessary and essential for employee engagement. Originality/value AI is only successful when it is seen as a human enhancer, not a replacer. Also, caution needs to be exercised with using and implementing AI in the workplace to aid in the management of employee engagement. By design, AI platforms lack human communication and limit connection, both of which are essential for employee engagement.

The communication in an organization involves agreeing on the objectives of the organization by achieving an optimal dosage between internal communication and external communication. Internal communication in an organization is the link that binds its departments, and leads to the smooth running of the business. The relationship between internal communication and external communication within an organization is the result of cooperation between its departments, and the result is the image it transmits externally. In order to have communication within an organization, one must know who is communicating, in what atmosphere, and especially what they are communicating. It is no secret that the importance of knowing a foreign language influences almost every aspect of multinational business. Language can be a barrier in everyday activities, when branches that speak different languages have to communicate with each other. Knowledge of a foreign language can be an aspect that facilitates the flow of communication, both internally (within the same department) and externally (between several departments). The employees with language skills who know one or more foreign languages have more opportunities to work with people from different departments and can keep in touch without effort. Also, speaking the same language, both employees and managers can more easily maintain relationships with other affiliates, not depending on each other and thus saving valuable time. In the same time, as a result of the many cultural contexts, the workplace faces additional communication issues and even when employees in different locations or offices speak the same language, there are some cultural differences to consider in order to improve communication between the two parties. An effective communication strategy begins with the recognition that the message sender and recipient come from different cultures and backgrounds. Thus, this adds a layer of ambiguity to conversations, making them much more difficult. Therefore, this paper considers to demonstrate that without diving into cultures and subcultures, it is perhaps most crucial for individuals to grasp that cultural variety is the key to success.

Employees play a key role in organisation success through enacting behaviours that support organisational strategic goals. While managers are expected to contribute strategically, this thesis investigates if subordinates could move beyond an engaged state. Using mixed methods, this research conceptualised and measured the attributes of a strategic subordinate as a significant outcome of internal manager-subordinate communication. The findings of this research theoretically contributes to employee engagement and internal communication, and practically guides organisations to identify and support subordinate contributions to organisational success.

By effectively utilizing internal communications, CEOs are able to influence organizational culture and communications, inspire employee loyalty and engagement, and build brand image at both company and personal levels. In fact, some scholars believe that the CEO is more responsible for fostering forthright, transparent internal communications than the organization’s actual communications function. CEOs who are successful in promoting internal communications can positively influence organizational stakeholder relationships and better achieve their strategic goals. Through interviews with five CEOs, this paper determined that two-way internal communications was regarded by senior leadership as being necessary for organizational cohesiveness, strategy development, strategic reputation management, boundary spanning, and preemptive problem prevention. The CEOs interviewed also considered it their responsibility to model and nurture internal communications and regarded the function as contributing to the achievement of their organization’s strategic goals. Keywords: internal communications, IABC Excellence Theory, CEO, senior leadership, goal achievement

During Covid-19 pandemic most activities in higher education institutions have experienced changes, most of them being moving to the online environment even internal communication. This study aims to explore whether internal communication during Covid-19 pandemic has had any effect on communication between university and his audiences/members. This study analyzes previous literature about the concept of internal communication and knowledge management and then it approaches the internal communication in a higher education institution in Romania, the University of Bucharest (UB) during Covid-19 pandemic. It explores the possibility the university has had starting with March 2020 to communicate with its audience/members through more informal channels in parallel with the formal channels. Internal communication (IC) is considered one of the most important parts in the functioning of a university. Its impact goes beyond the routines and the collaboration between different departments depends on the employee motivation and engagement. In order to create a friendly, productive, harmonious and respectful work environment an adequate internal communication with a positive impact on the environment is necessary. The image of an institution is created through communication which can improve the interaction. Internal communication during Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity to analyze this practice from the perspective of multi-cultural and cross-disciplinary, institution performance, personnel commitment and trust in management (Men, L.R., Yue, C. A., 2019) in higher education during health crisis. There is potential for studies on the impact of internal communication on crisis moments and the opportunity for the universities to reinvent and to adapt to the new challenges imposed by the pandemic.

In order to improve internal communication within organizations, it is necessary to understand it better. This study explores the potential impact of internal communication on employee engagement and employer attractiveness by testing the mediating effects of social exchange quality indicators. A survey of 1,805 employees was used to test the relationships between internal communication satisfaction, employee engagement, and employer attractiveness and the potential mediating variables; reflecting the perception of the social relationship between an organization and its employees. The results showed that communication satisfaction correlated positively with the social exchange quality indicators (psychological contract fulfillment and perceived organizational support) and both outcomes—employee engagement and employer attractiveness. Additionally, the social exchange quality indicators partially mediated the relationship between internal communication satisfaction and both employee engagement and employer attractiveness. Our findings were consistent with the theoretical models in which internal communication satisfaction leads to higher employee engagement and employer attractiveness.