Communicating Change in Practice: an Exploratory Study on the Reorganisation of the Dutch National Police.

Abstract

Research has shown that change is crucial for organisations to stay competitive in their environment. Communication can play a decisive role in making these changes successful. The latter was mostly found in effect studies which researched the effect of communication in retrospect. Based on these findings, models to guide empirical research were proposed. In this field, the manager’s perspective on why and how they communicate in times of change has only received little attention. The present study aimed to close this hiatus by means of ten semi-structured interviews with executives that implemented the reorganisation of the Dutch National Police. The findings were then compared to a model proposed by Elving and Bennebroek Gravenhorst (2005). Evidence was found for communication creating trust, certainty and readiness for change. Moreover, two new components were discovered that play a role in change communication: understanding and organisational culture.