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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR
COMMUNICATION PROCESSES IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC
INSTITUTION
ABSTRACT OF THE PhD THESIS
SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR:
Prof. univ. dr. DOINA BANCIU
PHD CANDIDATE
Daniela Maria FLUCSĂ
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THESIS CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1 I. CONCEPTUAL ASPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION AS A SYSTEM. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
13
1.1 Organization as a system 13
1.2 Knowledge-based organization 21
1.2.1 Theories of organization 21
1.2.2 Characteristics of the knowledge-based organization 23
1.3 Organizational culture 24
1.3.1 The notion of organizational culture 24
1.3.2 Organizational culture of public academic institutions 27
1.3.3 Organizational culture and climate 27
1.3.4 Functions of organizational culture 28
1.3.5 Manifestations of organizational culture 30
1.3.6 Changes in the relationship between organizational culture and
organizational climate
32
1.4 A modern approach to organizational culture and quality 33
1.5 Creative organization 37
II. MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
43
2.1 Fundamental management concepts 43
2.1.1 Etymology and significance of the management concept 43
2.2 Definitions of the management concept 45
2.3 Management in public academic institutions 48
2.4 Strategy and strategic management in public academic institutions 49
2.4.1 Strategic vision, method of strategy design in public academic
institutions
49
2.5 The concept of managerial strategy in public institutions 52
2.5.1 Strategic mission in public academic institutions 53
2.6 Knowledge-based management, organization and economy 55
2.6.1 Knowledge-based economy 55
2.6.2 Public academic institution - knowledge-based organization 58
2.6.3 Knowledge-based management 59
2.6.3.1 General principles and regulations regarding knowledge-based
management
59
III. THEORETICAL-METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN MODERN ORGANIZATIONS
63
3.1 Quality. Definition and particularities 63
3.2 Quality standards 64
3.3 Concepts of total quality and total quality management 65
3.3.1 Total quality – organizational strategy in the field of quality 65
3.3.2 Modern philosophy of quality and total quality management 67
3.4 Further approaches to quality management in public institutions 72
3.4.1 Principles of quality management in public institutions 72
3.4.1.1 Quality management and quality management principles 72
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3.4.1.2 Patterns of quality management systems 74
3.4.1.3 Principles of quality management in public academic institutions 75
3.4.1.3.1 Customer orientation 75
3.4.1.3.2 Leadership 77
3.4.1.3.3 Staff involvement 78
3.4.1.3.4 Process-based approach 79
3.4.1.3.5 Systemic approach to management 80
3.4.1.3.6 Continuous process improvement – fundamental principle of the
public academic institution
82
3.4.1.3.7 Fact-based decision making 83
3.4.1.3.8 Win-win relations with all partners 83
3.5 Managerial responsibility in public academic institutions 84
3.5.1 Management commitment 84
3.5.2 Customer orientation 85
3.5.3 Quality management system planning 86
3.5.4 University leadership commitment to the implementation of quality
management system. Responsability, autoritaty and comunication
87
3.6 Services in public academic institutions 88
3.7 Communication quality. Methods of information transmission and
possibilities of customer satisfaction assessment
89
IV. CURRENT AND FUTURE PROBLEMS REGARDING THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
92
4.1 Fundamental concepts in communication 93
4.2 Specific elements of the communication process 93
4.3 Types of communication 95
4.3.1 Communication in public academic institutions 99
4.3.2 Managerial communication as strategic advantage 101
4.3.3 Methods of organizational communication 101
4.4 Communication channels and systems in public institutions 105
4.4.1 Techniques of organizational communication 106
4.4.2 Systems of information and documentation in public institutions 107
4.5 Communication strategies and policies in public institutions 109
4.5.1 Communication strategies in public institutions 109
4.5.2 Levels of communication in public institutions 109
4.5.3 Communication with the student community 111
4.5.4 Barriers in the communication system in public management 112
4.5.5 Role and goal of public relations within the organization 113
4.5.6 Defining public relations in the current context 114
4.5.7 Types of models in public relations 116
4.5.8 The process of public relations and its general characteristics 118
4.5.9 Image and identity of public academic institution as a result of public
relations activity
119
4.5.10 Functional elements, activities and practices in public relations 121
4.5.11 Excellence in communication, a quality characteristic of the corporate
communication management system
122
V. COMMUNICATION MODELING IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC INSTITUTION
126
5.1 SWOT analysis of the organization 126
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5.1.1 Theoretical considerations of organizational assessment 126
5.1.2 SWOT analysis of communication. Higher education case study 130
5.2 Research of communication modeling in public academic institution 135
5.2.1 Presentation of research and its objectives 135
5.2.2 Qualitative indicators. Definition and weight 136
5.3 Selective questionnaire-based research regarding communication
modeling in public academic organization
143
5.3.1 Theoretical aspects regarding the employed research 144
5.3.2 Presentation of performed studies and undertaken research on teaching
staff. Data processing and interpretation
156
5.3.3 Presentation of performed studies and undertaken research on
administrative staff. Data processing and interpretation
185
5.3.4 Presentation of performed studies and undertaken research on student
community. Data processing and interpretation
209
5.4 Preliminary conclusions regarding the two researches 241
VI. CONTRIBUTIONS TO DESIGNING A NEW QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE FOR COMMUNICATION PROCESSES IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
243
6.1 General considerations 243
6.2 Regulating the implementation procedure of quality management program
for organizational communication
244
6.3 Terms 245
6.4 Procedural principles regarding the implementation of a quality
management program for organizational communication
247
6.5 Procedural description regarding the implementation of a quality
management program for organizational communication in keeping with the
design algorithm
248
6.5.1 Procedure planning 248
6.5.1.1 Procedure parts regarding implementation of a quality management
program for organizational communication
249
6.5.1.2 Competences. Authorizations 250
6.5.2 Procedure organization 251
6.5.3 Quality management assessment and control for organizational
communication
254
6.5.4 Procedure implementation 255
6.5.4.1 Adopting the Program regarding the implementation of a quality
management system for organizational communication. Content
255
6.5.4.2 Information transmission specific procedures 256
6.5.4.3 Transparency and institutional aspects 257
6.5.4.4 Efficacy analysis and improvement of the informational system and
program of quality management for organizational communication
261
6.6 Model of operational procedure regarding the implementation of a quality
management program for organizational communication
262
6.6.1 Procedure goal and objectives 263
6.6.2 Field of application 264
6.6.3 Reference documents 264
6.6.4 Abbreviations 265
6.6.5 Definitions 265
6.6.6 Responsibility and authority 266
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6.6.7 Procedure description 267
6.6.8 Records 269
VII. FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS 270 BIBLIOGRAPHY 277 APPENDIX 1 287 APPENDIX 2 291 APPENDIX 3 295 LIST OF FIGURES 299 LIST OF TABLES 301 LIST OS KEY WORDS 302 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 306
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INTRODUCTION
Communication is a sine-qua-non element for a proper functioning of any human community,
irrespective of its organization, size and specific activities. The continuous exchange and glow of
messages entails a unity of perspectives and, consequently, of actions by harmonizing knowledge
regarding the goals, means, and methods to attain them, by promoting necessary abilities; relative
group homogeneity from an affective dimension (emotional and sentimental) as well as a
motivational one (opinions, interests, beliefs, attitudes).
Communication – as an exchange of information and ideas – represents an interpersonal
process of transmitting and receiving symbols with attached meanings. Communication is also a
phenomenon that enables information-based connections among people, institutions as well as
between institutions and individuals. Communication is an essential component for each of these
entities. Quality communication, firmly rooted on principles and regulations with consequent
determination of social, economic and cultural values of high interest to community members, is
meant to increase the performance of public institutions organization and functioning, with the
ultimate goal of satisfying the public interest of citizens – as direct beneficiaries of the services
provided by the institutions.
The title of the present doctoral thesis and its principles agree with the conclusions set forth
by some experts, stipulating that the important components of managerial roles are: communication
– verbal or written exchange of various types of information; traditional management – planning,
decision making and control; correlation-interaction, mediated by communication with the internal
and external organizational environment; human resource management. The common denominator
of all these managerial-specific activities is communication as a fundamental principle.
Many organizations from high-performing economies evince a proclivity for decentralization
and a transition from vertical to horizontal communication; it is also testified an expanding adoption
of quality principles, the idea of human resource empowerment and involvement in all the structures
of an organization, as well as team organization of activities. Thus effective internal communication
is a key element of organizational strategy. Therefore its essential components are: the
communication process should occur ceaselessly and by any means; communication should be an
emotional rather than intellectual process.
Public academic institutions are organizations in permanent connection with the community
to which it belongs and its target audience, hence efficient communication is an instrument of
organizational change strategy. It is imperative that the public academic institution introduce a
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quality management system for communication in their strategies for institutional development, as
an underlying principle of organizational management. Here, the institutional communication
program represents a means to create and shape institutional image and its representation to all
categories of customers, with the immediate and direct result of enhanced reputation and degree of
public perception.
Most public institutions manage information – on the one hand necessary to its internal
operation, on the other aiming at community – most often in order to inform the target audience – as
part of the organizational mission. Any misfunctionalities, at the level of society, community or
institution, are the direct consequence of: missing professional culture of communication,
noninvolvement of top management in strategy elaboration meant to improve the communication
process.
1. OBJECTIVES OF THE DOCTORAL THESIS
The main goal of the present doctoral thesis entitled “CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE QUALITY
MANAGEMENT FOR COMMUNICATION PROCESSES IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC
INSTITUTIONS” is to design a structural model of the quality management for communication
processes that might be adopted by public institutions in this area of society and further applied in
view of increased institutional efficiency as implicitly improved relations between organizations and
its customers.
The following research objectives were established in this respect:
• Analysis of the current status of communication quality in higher education public
institutions, by defining the concepts of public institution, institutional management, managerial act
• Discussing the notions of communication and information, as well as the main
elements of the communication process, functions, models and methods
• Setting forth the technical, legal and administrative framework necessary for a high-
performing communication process
• Tackling the fundamental principles and elements of quality management,
organizational system management, fundamental concepts concerning quality, identifying internal
and external factors that influence quality as well as the significant elements for organizational
strategic management
• Defining, highlighting and analyzing the main significant aspects of the concepts of:
knowledge, economy, organization and knowledge-based management
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• Shaping the characteristic features of knowledge, economy, knowledge-based
organization and knowledge-based economy
• Emphasizing the role of quality, quality assurance and quality management in the
future knowledge-based organization
• Organizational culture – predictable changes and implications of the concept in
quality culture in the knowledge-based organization
• Defining and analyzing the concept of quality and related fundamental concepts in the
knowledge-based economy
• Tackling organizational management in its interdependence with quality management
as a component of management science
• Evincing the relevance of the customer-oriented principle without minimizing the
significance of the other principles of quality management – when taking into account both internal
and external customers
• Evincing the whole staff involvement principle, i.e. an active and fair participation to
the communication process in view of disseminating public information in due time and with no
content alteration, by encouraging human resource creativity and developing the feeling of
belonging to the institutional environment as a response to organizational culture assimilation.
• Setting forth a theory that advocates the notion of excellence in communication as
an essential characteristic of the quality in organizational communication
• Performing studies and research on the level of institutional information
dissemination as well as the information transmission to the external environment
• Undertaking two complex research studies, both qualitative and quantitative ones, on
the design and development of a quality management program for organizational communication.
Designing, distributing and processing the results obtained from specific questionnaires
• Proposal and approval of a set of qualitative indicators regarding communication
process modeling in a higher academic institution
• Designing a specific procedure, both system and operational, accompanied by related
instructions
• Drawing conclusions, identifying causes and solutions for case studies. Establishing
further steps to be taken in approaching the quality of communication by means of new
informational technologies and modern programs for information management
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• Suggested open tasks in the field of communication and communication management
for a knowledge-based organization and particularly a higher education institution, a knowledge-
crating organization.
•
2. Extent and structure of the doctoral thesis:
The present doctoral thesis has 7 (seven) chapters, 321 pages, 87 figures, 19 charts, 1 mathematical
relation, 170 bibliographical reference and 3 appendices.
2.1. Thesis content
The author of the present thesis has resorted to ample and relevant bibliography, however personal
opinions and approaches have not been overlooked.
Chapter 1 presents certain conceptual aspects regarding the organization, organizational
culture, systems approach to the organization. The chapter has five sub-chapters and special
emphasis has been given to section on the knowledge-based organization which also includes main
issues from current theories on the organization.
Likewise, this chapter amply discusses the theories regarding organizational culture and it
also sets forth the fundamental elements of organizational culture. Bibliographical research in the
field of organizational culture has contributed to an accurate presentation of its various types and
further to valuable remarks on modern approaches to organizational culture and quality.
Chapter 2, entitled Management and strategic management in the public academic
institution, approaches fundamental management concepts, elements of public academic
institutional management, as well as the notion of strategic management. The chapter has six sub-
chapters and tackles a personal approach to the concepts of strategy and strategic management, the
components of strategy and strategic mission in the public academic institution, starting from the
etymology and significance of the concept of management as well as its well-known definitions in
specialized literature. These notions on strategic perspective were dealt with as a means to design the
strategy in the public academic institution, and the concept of managerial strategy in the context of
the knowledge-based organization and knowledge-based economy.
Globalization and the emergence of a knowledge-based organization will trigger a force field
meant to provide added value to organizations, particularly by a transition from to a competitive
knowledge- and innovation-based economy. Since the doctoral thesis deals with the problem of
quality assurance in higher education, we are entitled to say the universities should be considered as
having a key role due to their role in society, by ensuring the most important component of the
knowledge-based society, i.e. highly qualified human resource.
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The knowledge-based organization represents a strategic organization in the context of the
knowledge-based economy. Therefore, a significant component of the chapter dealing with
management is the approach of knowledge-based management in the context of economy and
organization.
The third chapter entitled Fundamental theoretical-methodological considerations of the
thesis approaches the notion of quality; the chapter includes eight sub-chapters where the concept of
quality is substantiated by the most comprehensive studies and treatises in the field.
Starting from the definitions available in quality theories, we have set forth the standard
notion of quality and approached the concepts of total quality and total quality management.
Moreover, regarding the public institution, we have outlined several potential approaches to quality
management in public academic institutions and its principles.
Based on complex bibliographical references we have highlighted some definitions of the
concept of quality that have been widely accepted and promoted as well as related concepts of the
we knowledge-based economy. Since the research undertaken for the case study of this doctoral
thesis has been performed in a higher education institution, we have emphasized the importance of
management responsibility in the public academic institution and presented the topic of services in
this type of public institutions. Likewise, we have adapted the principles of quality management to
the public academic institution, thus harmonizing the academic context to the standard definitions in
the field of quality.
Sub-chapter 3.8 includes some prefatory remarks to chapter 4 entitled Present and future
problems of communication in public academic institutions, meant to approach the concept of
quality communication, methods of information dissemination as well as potential assessment of
customer satisfaction based on the communication process.
Chapter 4 deals with Present and future problems of communication in public academic
institutions, as an important axis of the thesis structure, and it includes six sub-chapters.
Thus we have presented the major aspects and specific elements of the communication
process – mentioning the types of communication – with particular emphasis on communication in
public academic institutions, approaching managerial communication as strategic advantage and
setting forth main methods of organizational communication.
Information society can be defined as the type of society based on the use of information
techniques, handling and processing information from various fields of activity, either concurrent or
diverging. In a wider acceptance, information society may also be defined as the information-based
society. In the sub-chapter entitled Communication channels and systems in public institutions we
have presented communication techniques in public institutions and focused on the functions of
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information and documentation systems as well as highlighting the significance of information
technology in information and documentation systems.
Sub-chapter 4.6. tackles communication strategies and policies. We have presented the levels
of institutional communication, hindrances in the communication system and the importance of
communication with the student community. The public relations department includes a particular
component of institutional communication strategy. Thus we have highlighted the role and goal of
public relations in any organization, and provided current definitions of public relations, in view of
outlining the process of public relations and its general characteristics.
As regards the public relations activity of any institution, the section of the present thesis
dealing with this matter shows that the image and identity of a public academic institution, an
organization in general is also the result of public relations activity. In this respect, special attention
has been paid to the functional elements of public relations activity and practices.
Given the fact that the thesis deals with constitutive elements of the concepts of
communication, management and quality management, on the basis of theories regarding excellence
in communication, we have set forth a personal perspective of the principle stipulating that in any
organization excellence in communication is a feature of the management system for institutional
communication.
In view of supervising the communication process within a higher education institution and
setting forth certain measure for its improvement, it was imperative to undertake two research
studies, a quantitative and a selective one, based on questionnaires described in chapter 5.
Chapter 5, entitled Modeling the communication process in public academic institutions, is
grounded on two research studies.
The first one, entitled Qualitative research on modeling the communication process in
public academic institutions, mainly deals with the set of indicators recommended to the public
academic institution subject to research, substantiated by a justification, definition and establishing
of indicator rate.
The second research study included in the fifth chapter, is entitled Selective questionnaire-
based research on modeling and optimization of the communication process in a public academic
institution, and in keeping with the indicators established and agreed upon by the above-mentioned
institution, we have identified and formulated several questions whose answers illustrate the
objective reality regarding the communication process.
In this respect, three types of questionnaires have been designed that accurately meet the
needs of decision making factors regarding the knowledge of objective reality on the organizational
communication.
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The questionnaire-based study took into account the following:
• Identifying the level of organizational recognition by its own human resource and external
target audience
• Establishing the degree of integration, identification of human resource with the
organizational mission and goals
• Establishing the degree of access to information, with particular focus on the following
items: if the information is received in due time; if the information is received form authorized
persons; if the information is incidentally made available which might trigger malfunctions not only
the communication process but in the entire activity of the organization
• Identifying communication barriers and its causes
• Establishing the degree of communication hindrance because of false, inaccurate or
incomplete information
• Analyzing the degree of functional relations within organizational structures
• Identifying the degree of interest evinced by organizational administration or internal
structures for communication improvement.
The study is grounded on three documentary and selective researches meant to determine the
reality regarding the organizational communication process.
The first questionnaire-based selective research refers to a study addressed to associate
professors and full professors affiliated with the university and in direct contact with the students.
The second questionnaire-based selective research refers to a study addressed to university
employees in view of performing a diagnosis of the extent to which administrative staff is integrated
in the organization as well as their perception of the communication process within the institution.
The third questionnaire-based selective research refers to a study addressed to senior
students and graduate students in view of identifying their perception of the interaction with
university administration, the relation and dialogue with the faculties they belong to, dialogue with
faculty administration, tutors, mentors and teaching staff.
The three documentary and selective research studies mainly aimed qualitative aspects, some
of these very hard others downright impossible to identify from available auxiliary research sources.
We have set objectives and formulated hypotheses for each of the three studies, and further, based on
graphic representations we pointed out either their confirmation or denial, as well as some
concluding remarks.
Chapter 6 entitled Contributions to designing a procedure for communication
management in a public academic institution, presents various methods of procedural design by
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employing the accepted and accredited terms both in the specialized literature in the fields of:
communication, law, management as well as in the field of quality management, which have to be
used in presenting certain stages of procedure formulation and drafting. However, any other term,
stage or activity throughout the final drawing up and implementation of a program of quality
management for organizational communication, may also be employed provided it is considered
appropriate for such an enterprise.
The chapter represents a personal contribution of the author to the present doctoral thesis and
it has six sub-chapters, the last one dealing with an original design of an operational procedure
regarding the implementation of the program of quality management for organizational
communication. The entire procedure is accomplished by observing the structure and content of
legal norms, where terms employed and included sub-chapters have a mandatory not optional
character for each of the organizational structures to which it applies.
According to the Deming cycle – characteristic for management – PDCA: Plan (analysis), Do,
Check, Act; the entire procedure was designed by an accurate mention of competences, necessary
authorizations, and establishing procedural documents. Likewise, special attention was paid to the
control and evaluation stage that requires regular reports and analyses of transparency.
The application of the procedure took into account the adoption of the Program regarding the
implementation of quality management for organizational communication, as an inherent condition;
establishing specific procedures for information transmission as well as formulation – abiding by
existing laws in force – of the notions of public interest information and information exempt from
free access.
Subchapter 6.6. presents the model of actual adoption of the operational procedure regarding
implementation of the quality management program for organizational communication.
Starting from the reference framework subject to research, i.e. a traditional, competitive
higher education institution, firmly rooted in the academic environment, we proceeded to design the
operational procedure model so that it might be applied to any university with a complex structure,
faculties ranging from all fields of study, diverse departments, therefore a highly qualified human
resource for each segment of activity. Throughout the process of designing the operational procedure
model, six renown titles have been used in drafting the structure of a procedure built on scientific
principles. Thus we defined the goal and objective of the procedure, fields of application, we named
reference documents, defined the employed terms. Moreover, we formulated in the model prior to
the practical description of the procedure, the limitations of responsibilities and authorities for each
structure involved in procedure design and application.
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Chapter 7 focuses on the formulation of general concluding remarks and setting forth open
tasks, highlighting original contributions (theoretical and practical) to quality management for the
communication process in higher education institutions.
Our scientific undertaking was founded on a research methodology that separately included:
• Bibliographical study of general and specialized documentary materials that has generated a
thoroughly scientific-based doctoral thesis
• Performing analyses of several concepts and phenomena
• Accomplishing and presenting scientific research meant to deepen, advocate, demonstrate
certain aspects, concepts at the level of Romanian higher education institutions, directly
connected to quality and quality management in the knowledge-based economy, organization
and management.
3. PRESENT AND FUTURE PROBLEMS OF COMMUNICATION IN PUBLIC
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
High performance management, where communication structure operate impeccably, is able to
generate efficiency, alleviate tensions and conflicting situations, promote active participation,
encourages informal human interaction, based on solidarity, friendship and mutual trust, associated
to a structure of institutional relations.
Any discussion of communication in a public institution and its importance in the activity of
process management, the starting point of a scientific analysis should be the relations between the
actors from the institutional environment – that make up the human resource of a public institution –
and external audience, partner institutions, members of the social community where the institution is
integrated. The higher education institution, as an organization in permanent relation to the
community it belongs, should boast the full trust of audience. Thus the organization should develop
a management program for quality communication in order to acquire and maintain this sensitive
process.
The main instrument for image development is communication. Communication process
organization is a responsibility of organization management, indispensable for a proper distribution
of roles and functions. This system favors the exchange of information, response to external
“stimuli”, able to trigger reactions. In order to accomplish the planning and control of
communication functions, one should consider the following: relations with public opinion; relations
with opinion leaders; relations with the business community; relations with other public institutions;
communication with employees; communication with students.
15
Efficiency may only be attained provided that the public academic institution drafts, as
mentioned in chapter seven of the present thesis, a management program for quality
organizational communication. This program should include: principles, objectives, strategies,
tactics, resources, responsibilities, assessment and alternative options. A coherently structured
program – as part of the quality management system in the academic organization – shall be
implemented by means of special procedures, applicable to all levels of the academic structure.
The public academic institution may develop an identity besides an image. The development
of organizational identity may be a complex and interesting process, that requires ample analyses of
what the organization is, intends to be and would like to be perceived. Thus communication is a
significant tool for image development however, it should be performed by specialists for efficient
and effective results.
4. EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATION AS AN ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTIC
OF THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN ORGANIZATIONAL
COMMUNICATION
According to the excellence theory, communication is invaluable for an organization, since it
enables the development of firm relations with it strategic audience. This theory has initially
developed by a group of researchers at the University of Maryland – USA, under the supervision of
J.E. Gruning. The researchers involved in this project started from an identification of the factors
that determine “excellence” in public relations of any organization and thus studied over 300
organizations, some of them famous for the quality of communication, others known for their failure
in public relations. Such investigations led to the principles of excellence in communication [1]: 1)
leadership preoccupation for the quality of communication; 2) the contribution of communication to
the attainment of organizational strategic plans: public relations should also be in strategic planning;
3) the assignment of a managerial position for public relations activity in keeping with the principle
that performance is inextricably connected to public relation specialists who further become
“managers”, creators of communication strategies, based on research, planning and counseling; 4)
adoption of the bilateral symmetrical communication model: according to this model communication
is a two-way process (audience – organization; organization – audience), considering the audience
response, in order to identify methods of changing organizational behavior rather than audience
responses; 5) attaining efficiency in public relations by developing the potential of the
communications department in the application of the bilateral symmetrical communication model as
well as enlarging the role of strategic management for communication: wherever there are available
competences for performing research, by means of quantitative and qualitative methods, and to exert
16
managerial functions (human resources, budget creation and application, campaign planning, etc.);
6) demonstrating high-quality communication by engaging the communications departments in
tackling certain matters of public interest, as a response to a series of actions initiated by civic and
community organizations; 7) performance public relations occur in institutions based on organic,
participative organizational cultures, endowed with internal dialogue mechanisms and a high degree
of work satisfaction; 8) enhanced quality of communication in organizations promoting diversity.
One might add to these above-mentioned factors a focus on ethics, i.e. the organization`s
commitment to abiding by the principles responsible communication and encoding these values in
ethical codes, thus preparing its employees for a moral behavior in their internal and external
interaction.
Excellence in communication represents a characteristic of the quality management system
for institutional communication, whereas the two principles of quality management, i.e. customer-
orientation and staff commitment, contribute to the achievement of excellence. [2]
A holistic approach to the term customer may assign this feature even to the human resource
of the organization. The human resource of an organization may implicitly be assigned the position /
role of customer. The human resource involved in organizational development projects may benefit,
as customers, from all facilities and may access all key factors in view of personal development.
This may only be possible if the human resource has a well-defined role in the organization, and the
institutional mission and objectives coincide with own aspirations for professional development.
Modern organizations, based on the sustainable development principles, have to cope with
ever higher standards in the fields of technology, management based on innovative development
strategies and trends, as well as in view of increasing human resource performance, improving the
level of knowledge and communication abilities both within and outside the organization. According
to the modern organization strategy, excellence may also be defined as a managerial preoccupation
for the development of human resource prospects in continuous training, opening up to staff
introduction and involvement in projects that provide value-added knowledge both to the
organization and implementation teams, in academic research projects that entail results for the
initiating university, and further to the teaching staff that are members of such programs. [3]
A characteristic of excellence in communication is given by the structure of performance
public relations, in institutions based on organic, participative organizational cultures, endowed with
internal dialogue mechanisms and a high degree of work satisfaction. The human resource –
customer benefiting from access to information as a result of organizational adoption of bilateral
symmetrical communication, and thus identifies its own development objectives in the
organizational objectives; consents and testifies that it benefits from necessary information in due
17
time and from authorized sources, therefore it is a human resource who expectations are observed
and met. All these considerations lead to a substantiation of the previously mentioned quality
principle – staff commitment – in our situation, developing an efficient communication system, by
encouraging the creativity of human resource and developing the sense of belonging to the
institutional milieu as a response to organizational culture assimilation.
5. MODELING THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC
INSTITUTIONS
Nowadays, higher academic institutions represent more than mere “cognitive machines”, they
undertake additional responsibilities, and thus have multiple functions. It provides services to the
community, i.e. value orientation; actional model; cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral styles.
Considering the prior mentioned concepts, university mission may take specific forms such as:
• Higher education institutions promote education and research in keeping with the
requirements of a knowledge-based society and continuous education integrated in the
European and global network;
• Higher education institutions contribute to the local, regional and national development from
a social, economic, cultural and political perspective, by means of a strong engagement with
the external environment
• Universities – as public institution – promote and support in the local, regional, national and
international community, the development of a culture of action based on innovative and
systematic knowledge; a culture of proactive and participative attitude; a culture of personal
development, and of integration in diversity and globalization.
Given the context of competitiveness in higher education milieu, the public academic institution
subject to research provides high quality; accessible, challenging academic and research
programs; expert services based on a strong motivation, commitment and professionalism from
both teaching staff and student community. Further to the implementation of higher education
reform based on the Bologna Declaration, the main objective regarding the drafting an
educational offer by means of research aimed at the evolutions of the labor force market has
triggered an increased number of student places, especially for postgraduate studies. In the field
of quality management, university administration has created quality management structure,
taking into account the expertise of academics in specialized organizations. Thus, a set of
procedures and recommendations for quality assurance were drawn up in most fields of activity,
abiding by approved regulations.
18
5.2. Research regarding the modeling of the communication process in public academic
institutions
5.2.1. Presentation of research and study objectives
Academic quality assurance is one of the major concerns of the Bologna Process, which involves
all public academic institutions in Romania. Its accomplishment is dependent on the
correspondences established among the meanings of academic quality and the changes that
confront higher education. Since these characteristics and changes are able to influence
significantly academic quality assurance, the correspondences among the dynamics of the system
or higher education institutions, on the one hand, and approaches to quality, are essential. The
internal dimension of academic quality evolves from the current legislation in force and in
keeping with the specificity of each university, its tradition or cultural heritage. This is solely the
responsibility of each individual university.
According to this approach, quality assurance is a process that may be adapted to the existing
institutional specificity and it also represents a mechanism meant to continuously improve
academic results or performance. In the academic institution subject to research, quality
management is focused on strategies, structures, techniques and operation testifying that the
higher education institution is able to assess its quality assurance and improvement performance
in the field of educational processes, and it has an information system that endorses the results
obtained by learning and research. The significance of this field is twofold: on the one hand, it
emphasizes to what an extent the academic institution is able to manage quality assurance for all
its activities, and on the other, it disseminates the information and data that substantiate a certain
level of quality.
Quality management for communication is an integral part of institutional quality
management, and in this respect the public academic institution has undertaken the task of
formulating general criteria, quality standards and indicators so that the emphasis should be not
only on organizational observance of a predetermined or predefined set of quantitative and
qualitative requirements, but also the conscious, voluntary and proactive commitment of the
institution to accomplishing certain performance testified by real results.
Qualitative indicators. Definition and weight
In order to perform a qualitative research, abiding by existing assessment procedures available in
the institution and the harmonization to general indicator weight, we have set forth a set of
indicators presented below. The indicators have been accepted by the university administration
and have also been accepted and employed in institutional assessment processes. These were
19
institutionally approved, and according to practices, they were structured in groups and
subgroups.
The set of indicators is structured in 7 groups aimed at:
1. Harmonization of institutional mission and objectives on the one hand, and personal
development objectives of the human resource
2. Internal communication. Quality of information and assessment of the
informational system
3. Communication with the student community in the assessment of teaching staff
4. Communication management. Communication with human resource
5. Integration of student community in the educational system
6. Student communication with academic structures
7. Communication of student associations with academic structures
The groups were further divided in subgroups aimed at global or particular aspects identified in the
case of a quantitative analysis of communication management within the institution.
GROUP 1. HARMONIZATION OF INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND OBJECTIVES
AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES OF THE HUMAN RESOURCE
This group includes qualitative indicators for the entire staff of the public academic
institution, the community of teaching and administrative staff. Let us proceed to presenting
the definitions of the two sub-groups, and the definition of indicators is meant to highlight
two significant elements for institutional management, thus:
Sub-group I A – level of human resource integration in the organization
Indicator 1. human resource integration in the organization. The indicator defines
the level of human resource integration and identification in the organizational values.
Sub-group I B – capitalization of human resource within the institution
Indicator 2. Degree of institutional interest for human resource development.
The indicator reflects the managerial approach to the strategies for human resource,
development, capitalization and continuous improvement.
GROUP 2. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION. QUALITY OF INFORMATION AND
ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATIONAL SYSTEM evinces a description of
information capitalization, by means of its sub-groups and included indicators, thus:
Sub-group II A. – information dissemination in keeping with its further relevance
Indicator 3. Access to information related to the transmission – reception factors. This
indicator illustrates the extent to which the time factor may increase or decrease the value of
an information disseminated via the system.
20
Sub-group II B. – quality of information according to its source
Indicator 4. Qualitative level of information in keeping with source authority. This
indicators illustrates the qualification of information sources, their authorization in using and
transmitting information.
GROUP 3. COMMUNICATION WITH THE STUDENT COMMUNITY IN THE
ASSESSMENT OF TEACHING STAFF includes three sub-groups of qualitative indicators
that reflect the teaching staff assessment in relation to the knowledge students have about the
organization, significant indicators in the assessment of information quality available to the
student community. Let us proceed to a detailed presentation of the group and included
indicators:
Sub-group III.A. – teaching staff assessment of the level of student integration
Indicator 5. Student instruction in view of their integration in the system. This indicator
defines the quality of teaching staff preoccupation, in charge of promoting the educational
system that will further assimilate students.
Sub-group III.B. – teaching staff assessment of the student access to information
Indicator 6. Degree of student information. Similar to the previous indicator, this one
defines the quality of teaching staff preoccupation, in charge of making interesting
information available to students, including a notification of hazardous information
Sub-group III.C. – quality of teaching staff – student partnership
Indicator 7. Student access to professional development mechanisms. This indicator
reflects to what an extent teaching staff support communication with students outside and
within the educational process in view of ensuring a partnership meant to provide student the
opportunity for professional development by means of training programs, internship or
scientific events mutually designed.
Indicator 8. Preoccupation for student involvement in projects. This indicator illustrates
the teaching staff preoccupation for enlarging the knowledge horizon of their own students.
GROUP 4. COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT. COMMUNICATION WITH HUMAN
RESOURCE includes the quality sub-groups and indicators able to facilitate a qualitative
assessment of the entire informational system in relation to the existence of communication
barriers, qualification of information sources, hindering the communication process by
information that are not true to reality. The structure of this group of indicators is given
below:
Sub-group IV.A. - designing the communication system
21
Indicator 9. Efficiency of the communication system. It defines the degree of human
resource knowledge of the internal communication system and evaluation of the
communication methods design.
Indicator 10. Quality of information transmission process. This indicator reflects
information quality in relation to the qualification of sources and connections established
among organizational structures in view of efficient information transmission with a
significant weight in the assessment of the entire system.
Sub-group IV.B. – level of perceiving communication barriers
Indicator 11. Information quality. This indicator evaluates the value of the information
disseminated via the internal communication system related to the managerial interest for
system improvement and alleviating all disturbing factors that might prevent its proper
functioning.
Sub-group IV.C. - human resource management
Indicator 12. Quality of the management – human resource relationship. This indicator
may be defined as a reflection of managerial structure receptiveness towards the solutions
brought about by employees in view of improving communication quality of communication
system. The presentation of values obtained from evaluations performed during research will
highlight – just like all documents on quality assurance in higher education – the significance
of student assessment of institutional management quality, in particular communication
management within the organization. The set of indicators includes three groups (with the
associated sub-groups and quality indicators with a significant rate in the assessment of the
communication process) mean to quantify the percentage of the quality of communication
with the entire student community within the whole process.
GROUP 5. INTEGRATION OF STUDENT COMMUNITY IN THE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM includes the semi-groups and indicators reflecting the sense of commitment,
motivation and belonging to institutional values and mission.
Subgroup V.A. – degree of student familiarization with institutional mission, vision,
objectives and values in the process of student assessment.
Indicator 13. Quality of student information about the educational system. This
indicator reflects the extent to which university students are familiar with the operation of
institutional structure and strategies.
Indicator 14. Quality of student access to information. This indicator reflects the degree
of student information and the extent to which they have access to information sources.
22
GROUP 6. STUDENT COMMUNICATION WITH ACADEMIC STRUCTURES
cumulates the defining sub-groups and indicators for the assessment of student relationship
management, and the extent to which their projects, problems and objectives are relevant for
the public academic institution.
Sub-group VI.A. - management of student communication process
Indicator 15. Quality of student communication with managerial structures. This
indicator reflects the extent to which institutional administration evinces responsiveness
towards student objectives.
Indicator 16. Quality of communication with students ensured by individuals or
structures in charge. This indicator has a significant weight in assessing the activity and
efficiency of the actors in charge of student relationship management (mentors, tutors,
institutional structures).
Sub-group VI.B. - quality of student problem management
Indicator 17. Degree of responsiveness to student problems. The indicator reports to what
an extent the student community receives feedback to their requests from university or
faculty administration.
Indicator 18. Quality of student counseling and mentoring. This indicator expresses the
degree of communication between students and tutors, between students and mentors
providing assistance in view of a better knowledge of institutional operation mechanisms,
and identifying and optimum solutions for professional development.
GROUP 7. COMMUNICATION OF STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS WITH ACADEMIC
STRUCTURES Indicators included in this group reflect the accomplishment of a
partnership with the student community that requires not only an accurate understanding of
the problems confronting young people, but also the initiating a permanent dialogue aimed at
identifying and analyzing situations that require support and assistance.
Sub-group VII.A. – quality of relationship management with student associations
Indicator 19. Quality of the extent of relationship between student associations and
academic structures. This indicator reflects the interest and proclivity for encouraging and
supporting student association activities.
Indicator 20. Quality of communication between student associations and academic
structures in charge of student service management. This indicator quantifies the extent to
which specific academic structure are able to provide support and counseling, facilitate the
relationship between student organizations and external environment, public institutions that
are engaged in a partnership with the higher education institution.
23
5.2.3. ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT IN KEEPING
WITH QUALITATIVE INDICATORS
GROUP SUB-GROUP QUALITATIVE INDICATORS
PERCENTAGE %
DESCRIPTION
I.A
level of human
resource
integration in the
organization
Indicator 1 human resource integration in the organization
1,4 Knowledge and
understanding of
university mission,
correspondence
between human
resource and
organizational
objectives and mission
1. 1. 1. Harmonization of institutional mission and objectives on the one hand, and personal development objectives of the human resource
I. B
Capitalization of
human resource
in the
organization
Indicator 2 Degree of
institutional
interest for human
resource
development
2,8 Supporting human
resource for personal
development, and
encouraging staff
initiative
II. A
Information
dissemination in
keeping with its
further relevance
Indicator 3 Access to
information
related to the
transmission-
reception factors
5 Access to information
in due time and during
the optimum duration
for its use
2. Internal communication. Quality of information and assessment of the informational system
II. B
Quality of
information
according to its
source
Indicator 4 Qualitative level
of information in
keeping with
source authority
7 Information
conformity in keeping
with source authority,
satisfaction for
methods and channels
of information
dissemination within
the organization and
designing internal
communication
methodology
3. Communication with the student community in the assessment of teaching staff
III A. Teaching staff
assessment of the
level of student
integration
Indicator 5 Student
instruction in
view of their
integration in the
system
3,9 Evaluation of the
degree of student
instruction in
understanding
university values and
its organizational
culture
24
GROUP SUB-GROUP QUALITATIVE INDICATORS
PERCENTAGE %
DESCRIPTION
III. B.
Teaching staff
assessment of the
student access to
information
Indicator 6 Degree of student
information
0,8 Degree of student
access to necessary
information for an
efficient
communication within
the organization, and
degree of student
knowledge of their
own rights
Indicator 7 Student access to
professional
development
mechanisms
4 Existence of a
partnership between
teaching staff –
student and its proper
functioning outside
the educational
process
III. C
Quality of
teaching staff –
student
partnership
Indicator 8. Preoccupation for
student
involvement in
projects
3,9 Teaching staff
involvement in
student professional
development by
engaging them in
projects and making
young people aware of
these experiences
Indicator 9 Efficiency of the
communication
system
6,5 Degree of human
resource knowledge
and assessment of the
internal
communication
system, quality of
information exchange
among organizational
structures
IV.A
Designing the
communication
system
Indicator 10 Quality of
information
transmission
process
6,5 Identifying hindrance
to the communication
system by means of
false, incomplete or
inaccurate information
4. Communication management. Communication with human resource
IV.B.
Level of
perceiving
communication
barriers
Indicator 11 Information quality
6,1 Managerial interest
for improving
communication and
alleviating conflicts
triggered by
communication
barriers
25
GROUP SUB-GROUP QUALITATIVE INDICATORS
PERCENTAGE %
DESCRIPTION
IV.C
human resource
management
Indicator 12. Quality of the
management –
human resource
relationship
6,5
Indicator 13 Quality of student
information about
the educational
system
6,5 Students confirm
knowledge of higher
education institution
mission, objectives
and values; they are
familiar with
institutional structure
and its organization
5. Integration of student community in the educational system
V. A
Degree of student
familiarization
with institutional
mission, vision,
objectives and
values in the
process of student
assessment Indicator 14. Quality of student
access to
information
6,5 Students testify that
they have the ability
for an efficient and
quality
communication
Indicator 15. Quality of student
communication
with managerial
structures
6,3 Student confirm the
existence of a
dialogue with the
university and its
managerial structures
VI.A
Management of
student
communication
process
Indicator 16. Quality of
communication
with students
ensured by
individuals or
structures in
charge
4,8 Student confirm they
are better informed
due to the mentorship
system and tutors
Indicator 17 Degree of
responsiveness to
student problems
5,5 It validates the degree
of responsiveness,
solving and promoting
student problems and
projects
6. Student communication with academic structures VI. B
Quality of student
problem
management
Indicator 18 Quality of student
counselling and
mentoring
5,5 Illustration of public
academic institution
procedures for
developing student
personal potential and
the implementation of
their professional
projects
26
GROUP SUB-GROUP QUALITATIVE INDICATORS
PERCENTAGE %
DESCRIPTION
Indicator 19 Quality of the
extent of
relationship
between student
associations and
academic
structures
6,5 Illustration of the
quality of
communication
between university
and faculty
administration, on the
one hand, and student
associations
7. Communication of student association with academic structures
VII A
Quality of
relationship
management with
student
associations
Indicator 20 Quality of
communication
between student
associations and
academic
structures in
charge of student
service
management
4 Testifying the
logistics and
specialized support for
student associations in
view of project
promotion and
development
5.3. SELECTIVE QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED RESEARCH REGARDING THE MODELING
OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS IN A PUBLIC ACADEMIC INSTITUTION
5.3.1. Rationale for the research undertaking
Nowadays, in the context of globalization, fierce competition and continuous changes in the business
environment, organizations have to implement and employ ever more performing quality systems,
able to harmoniously integrate the new instruments made available by information technology.
Moreover, newly emerging knowledge-based organizations should be run by managers who
accurately and thoroughly understand the role and significance of quality management and, at the
same time, are able to employ efficiently proper concepts in their business strategies.
The present study we have undertaken is based on three documentary and selective research
with distinct goals.
Research no 1 – refers to a study involving tenured teaching staff affiliated with the
university and in direct communication with students
Research no 2 – refers to a diagnostic analysis of internal communication, of the actual
method of information exchange / circulation within the organization and implicitly to identify the
required measures for creating a positive context; this study aimed at the human resource of the
university, in particular the administrative staff.
27
Research no 3 – refers to a study involving students of the university under investigation in
order to identify their perception of the interaction with the university administration, relationship
and dialogue with their faculties, faculty administration, tutors and mentors.
The three documentary and selective researches primarily aimed at qualitative aspects, some
of them hard if not impossible to identify from secondary available sources in use. The three studies
were also performed by means of the three types of questionnaires (see appendices to this doctoral
thesis), simultaneously addressed and directly distributed to the interviewed individuals.
5.3.2. Research goal, objectives and hypotheses
The goals set for the three undertaken studies are tightly connected with the problems and aspects
delineated in the study rationale, they are actually entailed by this. After having established the goal
for each of these three studies, we have further formulated objectives and hypotheses.
The quantitative, descriptive research has set the goal of probing some hypotheses,
discussing objectives and examining the relations among various variables.
5.3.3. Sources of employed data
In order to accomplish the research we have resorted both to primary sources – especially obtained
for attaining the research objectives – and secondary sources that have enabled: enhanced
understanding of the topics set forth in the study; formulating research hypotheses; identifying the
research method and nature of the data that has to be employed for obtaining desired information;
designing the sampling scheme and validating the obtained sample.
5.3.4. Method of information collection
The undertaken study resorted to a selective investigation, since it requires a series of advantages,
compared to an overall research: low costs; short duration of obtaining information; diminished
volume of human resource involved in the study.
In order to accomplish the selective research we have considered that sampling should pursue
a specific degree of relevance of the obtained data; achieving stable and reliable results; efficient use
of resources, i.e. ensuring an optimum ratio between the value of obtained information and involved
costs (financial resource and time).
Accomplishment of established goals entailed the use of three selective research studies, each
of them including a questionnaire with pre-established questions, with a high degree of structuring
(meant to facilitate the exploration of certain aspects of targeted phenomena or behavior).
5.3.5. Defining targeted population
The targeted population, namely the population used for sample selection, is made up of members of
the teaching staff, administrative staff or auxiliary staff as well as students who belong to the
28
academic community subject to investigation, so that it allows the implementation of a program of
quality management for organizational communication.
5.3.6. Establishing sample lots / sampling basis
In order to accomplish the research, we have established a proper sampling basis, and especially a
list of the elements containing necessary information in selecting and contacting the respondent
population i.e. number of members of the tenured teaching staff, administrative staff (secretariat
offices of faculties, departments, etc.) as well as a number of students enrolled at the 11 faculties of
the university.
The research study included in the doctoral thesis resorted to three questionnaires mean to
provide the necessary information for solving the open tasks and issues subject to investigation.
In formulating the survey questions we paid special attention to various aspects that might
potentially influence, directly or indirectly, the successful accomplishment of the research, such as:
� Question content – questions aimed to reflect the targeted information by means
of research, illustrated in the formulated objectives and hypotheses
� Types of questions – considering the complexity of activities in any public
academic institution, we resorted to close-ended questions
� Quality of questions – in this respect, we aimed at: brief formulations, without any
redundancies or irrelevant words; avoiding ambiguities or formulations that
cannot clarify the answer because of its wording; avoiding implicit alternatives;
maintaining an unbiased tone throughout question formulation
� Question order – question ordering was made on the basis of respondent
responsibility (task) which requires that the most difficult question be placed in
the middle of the questionnaire
� Designing physical characteristics of the questionnaire – starting from the
premises that a successful research is to a great extent determined by the physical
characteristics of the survey – organization, layout, font, paper quality and color,
quality of typeset, spacing between questions – we have attempted to accomplish
a questionnaire meant to render an idea of high professionalism. In order to ensure
a successful research we endorsed to all respondents their anonymity (i.e. their
names shall not be associated in any way with their answers) and confidentiality
(respondent identity shall not be disclosed to any third party).
5.3.7. Studied collectivity and collecting experimental data
Any research requires a description of the method of data collection, the mechanism for their quality
control and a presentation of the individuals in charge of the data collection process:
29
• We resorted to field research performed in the prior mentioned public academic institution
• Information collection was performed with the utmost care, in order to avoid any potential
errors and to help achieve the most accurate results
• The author of the present doctoral thesis has undertaken the task of collecting data in view of
ensuring data standardization and minimum related errors
• During the stage of information and data collection, several types of errors might occur –
non-answers, inappropriate sample, inaccurate answers of respondents, operator bias, etc. –
that we attempted to minimize.
5.3.9. Experimental data processing, analysis and interpretation
Collected data we subject to several activities of: a) both office and field work editing (checking and
correction, wherever necessary); b) coding (establishing the method of quantitative and qualitative
data coding and symbol assignment); c) computerized (electronic) spreadsheet.
In view of data processing we have resorted to typical procedures of data standardization and
coding, followed by electronic data processing and analysis. In this respect we used the facilities
provided by the SPSS 10 for Windows software.
Starting from the premises of a firm organizational culture, where a culture of quality is top
ranking, within the framework of the questionnaire-based survey and after having mentioned the
main principles of quality management, we have selected to discuss and study the application of two
of these principles: customer-orientation principle, and staff involvement i.e. involving all members
of the organization irrespective of their position. The process of institutional communication is
essential for the application of both principles, and its quality is determining for the qualitative
evolution of the entire organization. Thus excellence in communication becomes a characteristic of
organizational strategic management and, implicitly, a feature of institutional communication of the
context subject to survey.
5.4. PRESENTATION OF QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED SELECTIVE RESEARCH –
STUDIES REGARDING THE QUALITY OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
5.4.1. RESEARCH NO. 1 – survey addressed to tenured teaching staff affiliated to the
university and in direct communication with students
The survey was addressed to the teaching staff in view of identifying the perception of access to
information and the extent of communication barriers – if this is the case, in view of deciding upon
the quality of internal communication and the degree of human resource identification with the
professional context and organizational culture.
30
We have mentioned beforehand that “excellence in communication represents a
characteristic of the quality of institutional communication management system, whereas the two
principles of quality management, i.e. customer-orientation and staff involvement, render excellence.
A holistic approach to the term customer enables the assignment of this term even to the human
resource of the organization. An organization`s own human resource may also be considered as
customer.”[4]
5.4.2. RESEARCH NO. 2 – survey addressed to administrative staff in order to assess
the quality of internal communication system operation
Internal communication is meant to change a collectivity into a cohesive team, to inform and involve
all employees, at the same time strengthening organizational culture. Accurate and on time
information of staff shall render a proper understanding of organizational objectives and the methods
required to accomplish them in keeping with the stipulations of the operational development
programs.
A second study aimed at performing a diagnostic analysis of internal communication, the
actual manner of the existence of lack of information exchange/circulation within the organization
and implicitly, in order to determine the required measures to create and maintain a positive climate
was addressed at the administrative staff of the university.
The goal of the survey was to identify the manner of correlating the staff objectives of
personal development with the university mission and objectives, the perception of access to
information, as well as the existence of potential communication barriers. In order to attain a higher
degree of covering professional and managerial positions, the questionnaire was disseminated to all
types of secretariat offices: faculties, departments, chairs, administrative offices – all components of
the university.
5.4.3. RESEARCH NO. 3 – quality of communication with students
The third selective scientific study was performed on the basis of the questionnaire for quality
analysis of communication with the student community, and it is structured on four sections.
The first research section aimed at studying the degree of student integration in academic
structures, the extent of knowledge and understanding of the educational system, the degree of
access to necessary information for en efficient and qualitative academic communication.
The second research section is a study of student communication with all academic structures,
with an analysis of the university openness and responsiveness to students, mediated by university
and faculty leadership, as well as tutors and mentors.
The third section refers to the degree of responsiveness and willingness to solve student
problems, the student perception of academic community openness to promoting student objectives,
31
for counseling and advising students in their potential problems. Students who responded to the
questionnaire assessed the extent of university encouragement of developing student competences
and potential as well as the support in project development.
Finally, the fourth research section represents a student assessment of student associations`
encouragement, support and communication with all levels of academic leadership.
Preliminary conclusions
The activities undertaken by means of the above-mentioned research have generated some
preliminary conclusions: Performing a qualitative research is accountable for a diagnosis of the
institutional communication system and processes; for an assessment of the indicator status, in view
of ensuring a quality communication system for the benefit of human resource and student
community alike.
Introducing the proposed indicators in the quality procedures and institutional assessment
procedures represents a highly significant stage in view of quality assurance for organizational
communication management. Therefore, a public academic institution that manages to accomplish
these indicators will enjoy a better functioning of the relationship between human resource and
institutional management, between student community and university, testified by the quality
management principle: customer orientation.
We have considered it important to set forth a set of indicators for ensuring a coherent
communication context, in view of continuous improvement of the institutional communication
system, permanent insurance of quality and authority of information sources, of time efficiency of
information dissemination. In the context of defining, designing and establishing the weight of each
indicator, we have also mentioned its description and the elements that constituted the core of
questionnaires aimed at the selective research. Reorganization of communication management in the
public academic institution based on this set of indicators has been considered a process of
improvement by the introduction of performance indicators at all structural levels.
Further to some analyses, we have notice that qualitative indicators can be identified in the
quantitative research which can be thus easily correlated with the qualitative indicators set forth in
the present doctoral thesis.
6. CONTRIBUTIONS TO DESIGNING A NEW QUALITY MANAGEMENT
PROCEDURE FOR COMMUNICATION PROCESSES IN PUBLIC ACADEMIC
INSTITUTIONS
The rationale of the present doctoral thesis highlights the significance of the adoption by the
organization subject to research of a Quality Management Program for communication processes
32
accompanied by specific procedures for its implementation. These documents will take into account
the structuring and regulation of certain applied elements, such as: description and explanation of
main communication principles and concepts as well as the components of the information
transmission and dissemination system; administrative incidents, in view of assuring a standardized
language and applicability; regulating the procedural stages regarding the organizational
communication process – from beginning to end – including the parts, documents and types of
accountability.
The development of a high-performing communication system requires the initiation of
procedural actions in view of implementing a coherent and thorough management plan for quality
communication within the organization. In this respect, any procedure adopted as a tool for the
implementation of communication management within the organization is bound to meet some
essential requirements that include:
• Standardizing the solutions for the methods of information transmission, as well as regulating
some deficiencies pointed out by administrative practice;
• Simplifying the means of management action by means of managerial coherence and
predictability, as well as an efficient transmission of information within the organization;
• Assuring the stability of administrative procedures and, indirectly, the predictability of
organizational management.
This procedure takes into account the structuring and regulation of certain innovative elements such
as: description and explanation of main communication principles and concepts as well as the
components of the information transmission and dissemination system; administrative incidents, in
view of assuring a standardized language and applicability; regulating the procedural stages
regarding the organizational communication process – from beginning to end – including the parts,
documents and types of accountability.
In view of presenting a practical solution we have designed a procedure whose structure was
designed so as to meet the need the standardized regulation of certain essential elements in the
organizational operation in relation to the innovative elements and the identified practical solutions.
7. CONCLUSIONS
The present doctoral thesis is founded on the following fundamental principles: quality,
performance, competitiveness, quality communication. Thus we have attempted to shape the
predictable changes that occur or might occur with an impact on management in general and quality
management in particular.
33
A common denominator of specialized literature is the idea that universities – as knowledge-
based organizations – reflect the societies they belong to. Starting from these assumptions we have
further developed the doctoral thesis. These assumptions can be identified in the following aspects:
• Organizations that chose to implement of quality management system are willing to
undertake the responsibility of operating on a competitive market due to the quality
management system under the direct authority of the manager;
• Knowledge and Information represent Power; these have always been the weapons of
any competition in any society marked by continuous change and development;
• The value of modern organizations is no longer dependent on asset value but rather its
capacity to have, generate, distribute and apply knowledge and information, in a
strategic and operational manner, and to develop a high-performing, secure and
functional informational system;
• Provided that knowledge has become an ever more important production factor in the
knowledge-based economy, the role of modern organizations may change -
information will provide a long-term competitive advantage;
• Change is the dominant characteristic of the 21st century with major consequences in
modern organizations, in particular higher education institutions and their
management; we can certainly state that changes are easily generated, however we
need the emergence of multiple factors in order to determine and trigger positive
change;
• Quality should concern everyone irrespective of the field of activity, principles and
attitudes;
• Knowledge-based economy, organization and management lead to the shaping of
major technical and economic dimensions of quality.
The present doctoral thesis represents a preliminary conclusion to the research in the field of
communication, public relations and quality management of communication in public institutions.
The topics dealt with throughout the present study have enabled a theoretical structuring of
the main elements contributing to a high-performing management of public institutions, starting
from organizational communication to the transmission of institutional message to the community.
Specialized literature, both in the fields of communication and public relations, as well as
management provide ample opportunity for research and a huge amount of information. The
tremendous changes taking place in society, continuous trends of development and innovation
34
promoted by organizations thus open up new research avenues, whereas the new technologies
provide the openness to the knowledge society.
Modern organizations – based on the principles of sustainable development – have to meet
ever higher standards not only in the fields of technologization or management based on innovative
development strategies and trends, but also regarding the enhancement of its own human resource
performances and increasing the level of knowledge and communication skills within and outside
the organization.
Communication evolving on the principles of quality management, transparency in decision-
making, characterized by originality and forward thinking, will thus lead to an accurate and realistic
perception of the organization as an entity that addresses both internal and external community. In
the case of public institutions, external communication is required not only by legal regulations but
also by their mission, i.e. to act as a bridge between the citizen and the requirements regarding
performance indicators of the institutions representing his interests. The entire organizational activity,
the processes of decision-making and strategic plan implementation should be run by the principle of
transparency to the citizen, willingness for dialogue, in view of promoting performance at all levels.
The present doctoral thesis presents a part of the studies undertaken by renown researchers in
the areas of public relations and communication management. We have also set forth various
communication models and types of campaigns and activities in the field of public relations; as well
as modern approaches to the definition and evolution of the concept of organizational image and its
relevance for modern organizations.
The evolution of technology, continuous development of communication methods and
channels, exponential increase of information methods – all these require the approach of new
research avenues in view of improving communication and the activity of pubic relations within the
organization in order to identify the optimum solutions, based on knowledge and innovative ideas.
We therefore consider that the continuous improvement of products and services provided by the
organization is attainable due to the continuous improvement of institutional processes, by an
identification of the requirements of customer-citizen. Starting from the theoretical aspects let us
emphasize that, among the institutional development operational plans, one should also include
periodical analyses of the “health state of institutional communication”, studies of the relationship
evolution of human resources both within and outside the organization, approaches to modern
personnel policies and establishing internal marketing studies.
Therefore, in this context, a major role and responsibility will be assigned to the manager in
charge of organizational development, his team selected for the attainment of the objectives and the
35
method selected by the organization manager to create the communication link within the
organization.
The significance of institutional communication lies in the fact it is able to highlight and
capitalize the institutional policy which requires a permanent presentation of strategy, structure and
identities. A major concern of the present doctoral thesis has been the degree of communication
management development built on the principles of quality management, transparency of decisions,
their originality and orientation towards customer/human resource demands.
Starting from theoretical premises, we therefore consider that, among the institutional
development operational plans, one should also include periodical analyses of the “health state of
institutional communication”, studies of the relationship evolution of human resources both within
and outside the organization, approaches to modern personnel policies and establishing internal
marketing studies.
The goal of the present doctoral thesis belongs to the vast and significant topic of
modernizing current organizational management form the vantage point of implementing and
improving quality management. Hence it is obvious that quality assurance and management should
represent a priority for any organization. Therefore, according to theories of quality in general and
communication quality in particular, any competitive organization should regard communication as a
fundamental topic in the context of European integration of the knowledge-based economy,
organization and management. Thus quality becomes a sine-qua-non of attaining success in any
competition as well as the possibility of promoting contemporary scientific progress.
The objectives of the present thesis focused on the current state definition, analysis and
identifying solutions for highlighting the following concepts: communication quality,
communication management, communication management in a knowledge-based organization. We
envisaged each individual chapter and presented well-known concepts, notions, opinions directly
related to the prior mentioned objectives. We thoroughly dealt with the essential principles and
elements of quality management, organizational management and the fundamental concepts of
quality. More than defining certain terms, we attempted to provide new approaches to
communication management, hence we set forth the theory which stipulates that the notion of
excellence in communication is a characteristic of the quality of organizational communication.
We can state that the specialists – both theorists and practitioners – in the fields of
communication and quality have developed their own laws and regulations of their own fields of
competence. Here are some recurrent questions: Why do we communicate? What do we
communicate? To whom do we communicate? A further step in the shaping and evolution of
communication management was to change previous questions into: Why is it important to
36
communicate with the internal audience? Answered by: in view of disseminating organizational
values to the employees, team homogeneity, employee motivation, transparency and winning trust in
the company and top management. Another topic of communication management was formulated in
the following question: What do we communicate to the internal audience? And the answer was:
departmental procedures, news, changes, information, company accomplishments.
As prior mentioned, quality theoreticians and practitioners have formulated their own
concerns: What is quality? Which are the main concepts that need to remain generally valid? What
is the role of management and human resource in this field, or the product coordinates of a
particular organization Thus quality principles highlight the need and compulsoriness of
communication.
Specialists in organizational communication and quality theoreticians alike refer to a
common denominator, i.e. internal audience – human resource – whereas staff involvement in all
activities undertaken by the organization indicate a type of participative, transparent, dynamic
management.
All these approaches to quality management and communication management have triggered
a new perspective of the process by certifying excellence in communication as an essential
characteristic of the quality of organizational communication. Thus, after having performed a study
case and result processing, we have noticed that excellence in communication may be attained
within an organization where communication barriers are either eliminated or minimized,
informational system operates efficiently both horizontally and vertically, and development program
for quality management is structured on real coordinates.
To conclude, in order to formulate and implement a coherent quality management program
for organizational communication, in view of implementing the proposed operational procedures,
then organizational management should start from the following objectives:
• Encouraging new potential approaches to communication management;
• Coherent formulation of communication strategies;
• Eliminating communication deficiencies by a proper and reality-based management of
communication problems;
• Providing a framework for the human resource development;
• Consolidating the informational system by means of information and communication
technologies;
• Organizational management accountability in view of permanent openness to technological
development;
37
• Organizational flexibility of all activities initiated for the implementation of information and
communication technologies that enable a strengthening of the informational system.
Therefore, we consider that the organizational communication process is subject to continuous
improvement. We have identified further research trends for organizational communication
management in order to become qualitative:
• Identifying solutions in developing a partnership between human resource and
organizational management;
• Staff commitment to all organizational activities and establishing measures in this respect;
• Creating an efficient and constructive control system;
• Setting for the some guidelines in the field of communication management based on
transparency, openness and fairness;
• Continuous assurance or human resource development in view of harmonizing and
integrating own objectives within the organization;
• Efficacy analysis and solution proposal for informational system improvement;
• Monitoring the informational system and the implementation of its improvement measures;
• Identifying factors likely to trigger high-risk communication barriers and dealing with them
with maximum responsibility and sense of reality
• Protecting property rights for organizational knowledge and the confidentiality of system
information by means of a procedure assurance
The conclusions to the present doctoral thesis and further research trends emphasize that a
knowledge-based organization, founded on a strong organizational culture, should include in its
strategic mission, the continuous improvement of the self-assessment and development processes,
observing and improving the quality assurance framework in all fields of activity as well as
elaborating a flexible development program. Furthermore, a modern, knowledge-based organization
is required to assure the necessary framework for the communicative interaction with the internal
and external audiences, as well as initiating sustainable partnerships, build on the principles of
efficient communication.
The outcomes of this doctoral thesis represent a starting point for further research avenues in
the field of communication quality management in a higher academic institution, therefore we intend
to continue our studies in this area of research in view of obtaining specific and varied applications,
in order to identify optimum solutions and implement thoroughly scientific intervention methods.
38
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