Investigation of Internal Communication Flows : A case study of Hallpressen AB

Abstract: The introduction of the Internet and computers into the work environment have changed the news industry. New models of revenues for spreading the news, and the reachability and accessibility of the news has grown tremendously. These implications have influenced the way media company’s employees have to work, from multi-skilling to communicating with each other efficiently. This research seeks to investigate the current state of the internal communication flow in a Swedish media company called Hallpressen AB and to find opportunities for improving the internal communication flow inside the company. In order to fully understand the existing situation in the company, the authors observed nine of the company’s departments, held 14 interviews with managers and executive committee members, and conducted two focus groups. Based on the data collection, the authors created a communication channel model of the existing communication inside the media company, and performed a qualitative content analysis to summarize the findings from the observations and interviews. The focus groups were performed in order to examine an existing communication tool called “Slack”, and to understand the general perception that the company’s employees held of it. From the findings, the authors suggested possible improvements for the company’s internal communication flows. First, what could be improved in the management of communication inside the company, such as opening of a communication department or hiring an internal communicator. Second, what could be improved in already existing communication channels, such as creation of special part on the intranet for every department and etc.