Assessing Organizational Communication

Cal W. Downs, PhD, is Professor of Organizational Communication at the University of Kansas. Allyson D. Adrian, PhD, is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Management at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University.

This essential guide offers a detailed framework for assessing communication processes within an organization and using the results to develop improved organizational strategies. Presented in clear, accessible prose are the "tools of the trade" for planning and initiating audits, gathering data using a wide variety of methodologies, analyzing the findings, and preparing effective reports. Throughout, practical examples drawn from the authors' influential work in the field help readers understand the real-world applications of the concepts discussed and gain skills for creative problem solving. A successor volume to Cal Downs's popular Communication Audits, the book has been extensively rewritten with many new topics and two entirely new chapters reflecting today's critical issues and best practices. It will serve as both an authoritative primer for human resource and management consultants and a comprehensive text for undergraduate and graduate students in organizational communication.

Communication Audits as Organizational Development. Initiating and Planning an Assessment. David Cook, James Patterson, Cal W. Downs, Conducting Team Audits. Choosing Focal Areas to Assess. The Interview: The Most Basic Assessment Technology. Diagnosis through Questionnaires. The International Communication Association Survey. Phillip G. Clampitt, Cal W. Downs, Downs-Hazen Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire. Critical Communication Experience Survey. ECCO Analysis. D. Thomas Porter, Allyson D. Adrian, Diagnosing Communication Networks. Focus Group Interviews. Final Analysis and Interpretation. The Final Report.