Managerial Communication in the Context of Organizational Change

• Author: Mirela Arsith
• Position: Associate Professor, PhD, Faculty of Communication and International Relations, 'Danubius' University of Galati
• Pages: 250-254

European Integration - Realities and Perspectives 2014

250

Interdisciplinary Dimension of Communication Science

Managerial Communication

in the Context of Organizational Change

Mirela Arsith

1

Abstract: The hypothesis from which we start in initiating our approach is th at according to which

managerial communication is an important tool to change an organization's strategy. Our purpose is to argue

in favor of the fact that this type of communication contributes significantly to adjusting the attitudes and

changing behaviors of the organization members. In the context of change, managerial communication should

be transformative, in order to ensure the adaptation of the organization to a new extra-o rganizational

environment, which is, in turn, towards a significant change. What we intend to highlight is the fact that

communicative interaction must occur at all levels and to be forceful, visionary and empathetic, to maintain

wellness in the organization, as th e essential element of the organizational change is the human change.

Whatever the type of change - unplanned, p lanned, imposed, negotiated or participatory – it is very important

to harmonize the measures of change between each other and with the processes that normally take place in

the organization. Finally, we propose a case study that reveals the ro le of the transfor mative leadership and

communication in the successful implementation of the new strategy.

Keywords: managerial communication; change; organizational trust; transformative communication

1. Introduction

The changes of the objectives and strategies of an organization are generated by the search of new

markets or introducing new products. “When opera ting a change, it must be united every time with

changing individuals” (Stanciu & Ionescu, 2005, p. 86). The success of any organizational change

depends on the pace of adaptation and change of the people. “The change involves a sequence of

organizationa l events or psychological process that unfolds in time.” (Johns, 1998, p. 526)

Changes can be unplanned, then they are not initiated or planned by the management; it they are

anticipated, they can be properly prepared. Also, changes may be required by the leaders, but also

negotiated, when two or more people or groups discuss the measures which will be introduced, the

obtained benefits and the costs from the point of view of all people concerned. There is a participative

change when people want to know what changes are prepared, thus being able to influence those

changes affecting them, through discussion and consultation.

Knowing the conducting framework of the change it reduces the anxiety of the members of the

organization and it supports the feelings of control over their lives, of participation, the effect of

reducing the resistance to change. Also, the change of organizational success depends on the quality of

1 Associate Professor, PhD, Faculty of Communication and International Relations, “Danubius” University of Galati,

Address: 3 Galati Boulevard, 800654 Galati, Romania, Tel.: +40.372.361.102, fax: +40.372.361.290, Corresponding author:

arsith.mirela@univ-danubius.ro.