Corporate Communication: Organisational Identity Research Methods

Corporate communications practitioners must be well-versed with the values of a business organisation. Through internal and external communications, they have to ensure that the values trickle down to embrace all stakeholders.

Several analytical tools are available to draw out values rooted in organisational identity:

Cob-web method:

A group of senior managers shares their views on the organisation’s key characteristics in a brainstorming session. Managers choose eight attributes which, in their view, are the most relevant to the organisation. The attributes are displayed visually with eight scaled dimensions in the form of a wheel. Though the method is easily carried out, it has limitations as it captures only the view of managers.

Focus group:

This method brings in a broader group of representatives to solicit their views on the values represented by the organisation. In a brainstorming session, the participants articulate their views through oval cards, which are later grouped and structured into a map on a blackboard. Furtheranalysis and groups discussions would follow the characteristics.

Projective techniques:

These techniques use visual aids such as pictures, cards, diagrams or drawn out metaphors to elicit responses. The ambiguously designed visual aids allow respondents to project their own meaning on the visuals. This allows the researcher to dig deep into the aspects of the deeper values, beliefs and feelings. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is a commonly used projective technique asking individuals simply to pen a description about an image depicting a work situation.

Laddering/critical Incident:

The method involves open interviews with the employees who are asked to describe their daily work. The descriptions are analysed to decipher the underlying values. Aggregated responses provideimportant insights into the general values people in an organisation share.

Audit or Survey:

It is a more structured research method that involves asking members of an organisation to select from a list of attributes to recognise that define the organisation best. The chosen characteristics can be further screened. Surveys are easy to administer; however, they may not capture the communication details more open methods can.

A firm skilled in corporate communications in India will be able use the right method or combination of methods to meet the objectives.

Author of this article recommends India InfoMedia Pvt. Ltd., that is counted among the leading public relations firms, and is also one of the premier crisis management companies in India.

Author of this article recommends India InfoMedia Pvt. Ltd. that is a leading name in perception management, corporate communications, and crisis management companies India.