Internal Communication in Organizational Changes : A study of how project managers can create an understanding for change

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to advance the understanding of how project managers in large organizations can create an understanding for organizational changes by internal communication. Method – This research study has an abductive approach and was conducted as a single case study. The empirical data has been chosen to be qualitative since it gives the ability to explain, describe and understand the research questions. Observations set the direction of the research, and 17 semi-structured interviews were further conducted at the case company. Findings – The findings show that 'System functionality', 'Organizational value', 'Individual value' and 'Project value', are four different types of information desired by involved employees to have an understanding for an organizational change. These types of information have shown to most effectively, for a project manager, be communicated through the use of 'Standardized communication methods', 'Direct communication methods' with a 'Distinct communication transfer', to reach involved employees by internal communication. Theoretical implications – The study provides a framework for how, what, and to whom a project manager can create an understanding for all affected employees by internal communication. The framework proposes that the project manager is in the center of a communication structure and therefore plays a key role in communicating change. Practical implications – Our framework contributes by presenting findings that are more defined and practically oriented compared to prior studies, as we combine several factors and suggest how information could be internally communicated by a project manager during change. It shows that a mix of both in-person communication and digital communication methods with distinct communication responsibilities are required to reach all involved employees, thus creating less resistance towards an organizational change.