| 1. |
- Bergman, Sandra, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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A case study of the communicative constitution of AI in an organization
- 2024
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- New technical capabilities such as machine learning and natural language processing improves AI and makes it more adaptive and easily learned (Coombs et al., 2020). This is driving a widespread implementation of AI in organizations. The flexibility combined with an increased availability makes it likely that all processes within organizations are open to automation (Chakraborti et al., 2020). However, current scientific focus regarding AI tends to focus more on what is technologically possible, rather than how it affects organizational practice (Meijer et al., 2021). In this ethnographic case study, through the lens of the communicative constitution of organization (CCO), we study an organization that has had an AI chatbot implemented for five years. The aim with this case study is to see how organizational members, i.e. AI trainers, interact with the AI chatbot to make it present (although not as a physical entity itself), train it, represent it and therewith uphold the organization’s trust in the AI chatbot. We find that AI trainers play an important role in representing the AI in the organization, but also in representing the citizens toward the organization and vice versa.
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| 2. |
- Brolin, Pär, et al.
(författare)
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Web Analytics and Online Journalism
- 2017
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The gatekeeping process has become a central part of the online journalist’s work, as information from multiple sources increases along with the digital development. At contemporary online newspaper editorials, metrics of web analytics may work as a guide and reference point for journalists in this process. The technology behind web analytics is called web mining and involv es tracing metrics about the visitor’s behavior and storing the information in a so - called server log. The metrics are automatically retrieved through a web analytics program, which in turn generates statistics in a visual and user - friendly way.Scholars c laim that there is not enough knowledge about to what extent journalists take these metrics into consideration in the gatekeeping process. It is therefore of interest to study gatekeeping processes where web analytics are present. Hence, the overall purpos e of this case study is to explore these processes within online journalism since the emergence of web analytics.The results of this study indicate that online journalists do not perceive web analytics as a mandatory or even necessary tool in the gatekeep ing process. The study has identified two factors that contribute to the use of web analytics within the journalistic field – 1) perception of economic instability on an organizational level, and 2) the wish to maintain your readers by producing content th at they are requesting.
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| 3. |
- Burman, Sanna, et al.
(författare)
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A Gameful Change : How Gamification Can Be Used as a Communication Tool in Change Management.
- 2018
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nowadays organizations have to relate and adapt to a more digital reality, however, approximately 70% of all digital transformation projects fail. This study explores how gamification, from a communication perspective, can be used in organizations to support change processes linked to digitalization and IT-systems use. Gamification is constructed by applying game elements to non-game contexts, in order to create motivational affordance that signals gamefulness. To understand how gamification can be used in a change process, change communication, sensemaking, and human psychology theories are combined in an interdisciplinary theoretical framework. A qualitative approach has been used and the empirical data was gathered through semi- structured interviews with gamification experts and representatives from two case organizations. The results show that gamification can be used as a communication tool in a change process by involving the employee in an ongoing dialogue based on interaction, that helps them understand, accept and contribute to the intended transformation. By having an enabling and enhancing effect, gamification makes the employee’s use of digital tools more enjoyable and stimulating, and thereby supports a sociotechnical change process. The conclusion implies that gamification can be used to engage and motivate employees in a new way, that makes their roles and responsibilities more fun and interesting. Something that is becoming increasingly important to organizations in the struggle to attract and retain young professionals. Gamification can help organizations adapt to a more digitalized way of operation that includes the employees in an ongoing interaction, adapted to their needs and drivers.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Ekström, Ylva, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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An organisational communication perspective on a Swedish regional health authority’s COVID-19 communication : Collaborative Work for Public Health Communication
- 2023
-
Ingår i: The 26th NordMedia Conference, Bergen, August 16-18, 2023.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- When the COVID-19 virus spread like wildfire over the world in 2020, governments and other authorities urgently needed to launch their crisis communication plans to try to handle an unknown health emergency that rapidly affected the everyday lives of individuals and organisations worldwide. With different country strategies for how to respond to the pandemic, national as well as regional communication efforts were needed to reach all citizens with particular authority information. There was further a need for collaboration between different actors. This case study sheds light on both successful COVID-19 communication strategies and challenges of a regional authority responsible for the public health care in a particular county in Sweden. The aim of the study is to contribute with knowledge from the pandemic that could help to improve public health communication strategies and targeted communication efforts linked to health-related challenges in the future. In order to do so, the study draws on a combination of theories of health communication (Dutta, 2008; Lewis & Lewis, 2015) and organisational communication (Taylor & Cooren, 1997; Koschmann, 2013; Cooren, 2018).In a one-year collaboration project between researchers in media and communication studies and members of the communications department at a regional health authority, a mapping and critical analysis of the authority's communication during the pandemic was carried out. This case study is based on an analysis of this authority’s documentation regarding crisis communication strategies and efforts, as well as their interaction with the media and external actors during the pandemic. The study includes interviews with employees within the authority’s communications departments and representatives of their collaboration with civil society and other authorities in this Swedish county. Throughout the project, in line with an interactive research approach (Ellström et al. 2020), authority employees were given the opportunity to critically reflect on their communication strategies and practices, and on how they can further strengthen their knowledge of how communication could be planned, implemented and evaluated in connection with processes of change and crises similar to the pandemic in the future. One important insight from this collaborative study, is that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased awareness within this authority of the complex role of organisational communication, and that external communication with citizens is dependent on, and needs to be integrated with, the authority’s internal organisational communication (Taylor, 2011; Brummans et. al., 2014). An organisational communication lens illuminates that the organisation needs to make use of the expertise within the communications department not only to design information campaigns and interact with the media, but to lead the strategic work with communication that permeates the entire organisation. The organisation also needs to make use of the expertise of the employees that on a daily basis communicate with citizens in local areas. Finally, the study shows that a close collaboration with external actors, such as civil society organisations and other authorities working closely with vulnerable groups in society is crucial.
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| 6. |
- Ekström, Ylva, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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En studie om att leda digitala transformationer i komplexa verksamheter : Institutionella normer, fysiska rum och digitala verktyg
- 2021
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Föreliggande rapport sammanfattar forskningsprojektet “Att leda digital transformation av fysiska rum” som genomförts av forskare vid Uppsala universitet i samverkan med tre partnerorganisationer: Uppsala stadsteater, Svenska Kyrkan, och en nordeuropeisk finanskoncern med huvudkontor i Sverige; projektet samfinansierades av Vinnova under åren 2019-2020. Projektets syfte var att utveckla kunskap om, och verktyg för förståelse av, hur det fysiska rummet och dess digitalisering påverkar interaktionen mellan aktörer bland annat med avseende på kommunikation, tillit och legitimitet. Projektet har genomförts som en komparativ studie av dessa tre tämligen skilda organisationer, som kommit olika långt i relation till digital transformation av deras respektive verksamheter. Forskarna har genomfört intervjuer och observationer på de tre partnerorganisationerna samt gemensamma och organisations-överskridande diskussioner och analyser vid ett flertal workshoppar, där såväl forskare som representanter från partnerorganisationerna deltagit. Rapporten presenterar resultat i form av beskrivningar av specifika situationer i respektive partnerorganisation med betoning på digitaliseringsprocesser med direkt inverkan på det fysiska rummet och de utmaningar som detta leder till. Vidare presenteras analyser och insikter i relation till utmaningarna som digitaliseringen kan ge upphov till och generella, normativa rekommendationer för att vägleda organisationer genom digitala transformationsprocesser. I analysen har framför allt institutionella logiker tillämpats som teoretiskt perspektiv. Studien påvisar betydelsen som de fysiska platserna (t.ex. kontor, scen) utgör för skilda verksamheter, och att användningen av digitala verktyg med syfte att eliminera användningen av fysiska platser kan ge upphov till oförutsedda konsekvenser.
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| 7. |
- Fall, Tove, et al.
(författare)
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CRUSH Covid - ett tvärvetenskapligt samarbetsprojekt
- 2023
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Annan publikation (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- CRUSH Covid är ett pågående tvärvetenskapligt projekt, i vilket forskare från Region Uppsala och Uppsala universitet under 2020–2022 samverkade intensivt för att ge en kontinuerlig lägesbild och tolkning av smittspridning, klusterutbrott, och vaccinationsgrad. CRUSH Covid publicerade realtidsdata och samlade också in data som nu används i forskningsprojekt om bland annat pandemisk beredskap.
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| 8. |
- Hedman Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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Attempts to Bridge the Gaps : Opportunities and Challenges in the Communicative Constitution of Organizations
- 2015
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Globalization and technological advancements continue to challenge contemporary organizations’ aims to balance stability and change. As a response to this challenge, organizations often turn to empowerment and participatory processes. Current research emphasizes the need for enhanced communication in these processes. However, there is a lack of research studying how organizations practically enact this idea that these processes require more communication.This dissertation is aligned with the Montreal School’s CCO perspective and departs from communication theory seen as a dialogic of conversation and text, thus directing attention to coorientation and how organizational members coordinate in organizing processes. Based on this theoretical framework, the study aims to contribute to a better understanding – empirically as well as analytically – about the variety of texts that are a part of communicative initiatives aiming at enhancing communication, encouraging participation and empowerment processes.The empirical material is based on how two organizations explicitly emphasized communicative initiatives throughout each organization’s empowerment process attempts. One organization mainly used workshops to provide opportunities for communication, while the other organization incorporated an interactive video website for the same purpose.This dissertation acknowledges that managers and subordinates are not equally capable of discursively constructing the organization. However, enhanced communication through empowering processes has been shown to facilitate members’ abilities to contribute to the organizing process. Hence, the study combines two theoretical frameworks, the empowerment process model and the Montreal School’s CCO perspective, extending both and thereby accentuating the communication-power relationship.To further explore how conversations and text interact in the case organizations, the study enacts a tension-centered approach, arguing that tensions are produced, co- and reproduced and enacted through organizations’ wills to empower their members through communication. The findings indicate a recursive and reflexive relationship between the empowerment process, coorientation, tensions and participation. In practice, this means that organizational members who have the opportunity to engage in conversations about matters of concern while perceiving themselves as taking part in an empowerment process tend to more actively identify and co-produce tensions. Tensions increase participation and lead to new insights. As members realize the value of their input, this further enhances the empowerment process.
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| 9. |
- Hedman Monstad, Therese, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Digital Transformations Carried Out Through Games
- 2020. - 1
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Ingår i: Utilizing Gamification in Servicescapes for Improved Consumer Engagement. - Hershey : IGI Global. - 9781799819707 ; , s. 119-147
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Digital transformations are ubiquitous in today's society. Organisations at all levels and types are challenged by the necessity to relate and adapt their activities to the digital reality of the environment in which they operate. Despite the focus on digitalization, many of the digital transformation projects fail. Organisations are therefore probing for tools that can lead to successful transformations. In this chapter, the authors explore if gamification, here considered a servicescape, may be used to endorse and enhance employees' understanding, engagement, and participation in a digital change process. A qualitative study has been carried out where two organisations' change processes have been explored and gaming experts have been interviewed to give their view of the use of gamification in organisational change processes. The results indicate that gamification may be used to engage and motivate employees to participate in organisational change and hence contribute to successful digital transformation.
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| 10. |
- Hrastinski, Stefan, et al.
(författare)
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Exploring the relationship between the use of an interactive video website and organizational learning
- 2014
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Ingår i: New Media and Society. - : Sage Publications. - 1461-4448 .- 1461-7315. ; 16:4, s. 594-614
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we explore the impact of the use of an interactive video website, comprising videos promoting a company's core values, on organizational learning. More specifically, we studied how the use of a video website affected the awareness of a company's core values and whether or not this would also influence the behaviour of the employees. Two web surveys were designed for the study. The first survey was conducted prior to introducing the video website. The second survey was a follow-up survey in order to assess cognitive and behavioural effects. As a complement, we also conducted focus groups. We identified a slightly negative effect on cognition and behaviour. A number of factors that might explain the negative effect were identified. Employees that perceived themselves as active participants were more likely to prefer video, were more satisfied and perceived greater positive effect on cognition and behaviour.
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| 11. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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An interactive video website as a mode for communication about change: : Exploring the impact on participation and empowerment
- 2017
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Globalization and technology advancements require a participative workforce in order for contemporary organizations to be competitive. Scholars and practice alike acknowledge that participation processes require enhanced communication between organizational members. In this paper, the relationship between the use of an interactive video website and employee participation in an organizational change focusing on empowering employees is explored. This study emanates from the contentions that organizing occurs in conversation and that an organization emerges in communication. The work is informed by the communicative constitution of organization (CCO) approach and a mixed method is applied. The results disclose little communication or co-orientation and low overall member participation. Reasons for why the initiative did not meet expectations are discussed.
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| 12. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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An interactive video website as a mode of communication in a participatory process
- 2014
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Globalization and technology advancements require a participative workforce in order for contemporary organizations to be competitive (Argenti 2006, Kuhn 2008, Stohl 2005, Stohl and Cheney 2001, Westenholz 2006). Scholars and practice alike acknowledge that participation processes require enhanced communication between organizational members (Stohl and Cheney 2001). In this paper, we explore the use of an interactive video website to encourage organizational member participation. This study emanates from the contentions that organizing occurs in conversation and that organization emerges in communication (Taylor 1999, Weick 1979). The work is informed by the communicative constitution of organization (CCO) approach and we apply mixed methods. The results disclose little communication or co-orientation and low overall member participation. Reasons for why the initiative did not meet expectations are discussed.
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| 13. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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Attempts to avoid a wedge between authority of position and authority of expertise : How authority is or is not negotiated and shared among organizational members
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many contemporary organizations rely on a horizontal organization where local experts need to acquire authority. Despite this, the overall model appears to be the bureaucratic model where authority is distributed vertically and authority of position and expertise is considered to coincide. These two contradictory models can coexist because the relationship between authority of position and authority of expertise is loosely coupled. However, the contradiction may result in a gap between managers and subordinates as subordinates lose trust in managers if decisions are not based on expertise. Organizations commence to acknowledge this gap and consequently aim to bridge it. This paper explores how organizations initiate communicative practices in order to negotiate authority among organizational members. The results point to the importance of providing communicative tools that assist members to reach coorientation in their interactions. As a result, the negotiation and sharing of authority seems to be more prone to take place.
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| 14. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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Change processes, practices of authority and communication : Authority negotiations between managers and employees in two medical companies
- 2018
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Ingår i: Communicazioni sociali. - Milano : Vita e Pensiero. - 0392-8667 .- 1827-7969. ; :1, s. 21-32
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many contemporary organizations rely on a horizontal structure where local experts need to acquire authority. Despite this, many organizations may still adhere to the bureaucratic model where authority is distributed vertically and authority of position and expertise is considered to coincide. These two contradictory models can coexist because the relationship between authority of position and authority of expertise is loosely coupled. However, this contradiction may result in a wedge between managers and subordinates as subordinates lose trust in managers if decisions are not based on expertise. Organizations commence to acknowledge this wedge and consequently aim to remedy it. This article explores how organizations initiate communicative practices for different purposes, which, one way or another, involve the negotiation of authority. The results point to that the initiatives involve power struggles that need attention. The results also emphasize the importance of providing communicative tools. If this is done, sharing of authority seems to be more prone to take place.
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| 15. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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Communication and practices of authority in organizations
- 2016
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many contemporary organizations rely on a horizontal structure where local experts need to acquire authority. Despite this, the overall model appears to be the bureaucratic model where authority is distributed vertically and authority of position and expertise is considered to coincide. These two contradictory models can coexist because the relationship between authority of position and authority of expertise is loosely coupled. However, this contradiction may result in a gap between managers and subordinates as subordinates lose trust in managers if decisions are not based on expertise. Organizations commence to acknowledge this gap and consequently aim to bridge it. This paper explores how organizations initiate communicative practices in order to negotiate authority among organizational members. The results point to the importance of providing communicative tools that assist members to reach coorientation in their interactions. As a result, the negotiation and sharing of authority seems to be more prone to take place.
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| 16. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Corporate Youtube As A Mode Of Internal Communication About Change : What Are The Implications For Employee Interactivity And Engagement?
- 2012
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Employees’ knowledge and expertise are given increased attention in contemporary organizations. Organizations are consequently searching for communication processes promoting interactivity and engagement. We explore the use of an interactive video website, i.e. a Corporate YouTube, on employee interactivity and engagement in an organizational change. Two web surveys were designed together with focus groups, individual interviews and observations. The results disclose low employee interactivity and engagement, which can partly be explained by organizational turbulence and downsizing taking place at the same time as the launch of the Corporate YouTube. However, the results also reveal that there is an interest for social media, such as the Corporate YouTube, as the employees suggest the use of it in alternative settings.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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Empowering members of contemporary organizations. : The role of tensions in the empowering communication.
- 2014
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Contemporary organizations continue to face the longstanding empowerment trend, which involves increased member participation and responsibility in organizational life. Previous research contends the need of extensive communication with all stakeholders in order to provide for an empowering environment (Stohl & Cheney, 2001). This study explores how tensions play into the communicative interactivities implemented to facilitate empowerment. The work is informed by the communicative constitution of organization (CCO) approach and mixed methods are used. The results show that tensions – related both to situated performances and organizational structures – play a significant role in the communication processes aiming for empowerment.
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| 19. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Illegal jakt på stora rovdjur : konflikt i laglöst land?
- 2007
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- "Skjut, gräv och tig" är ett uttryck som ibland hörs med hänsyftning till illegal jakt. Flera av de stora rovdjursarterna jagas illegalt med vapen, fällor och gift. I bakgrunden ligger en mycket stor konflikt kring en rovdjurspolitik som både är ett svar på en modern ekologisk medvetenhet och en utmaning mot livsstilen hos jägare, lantbrukare och renskötare. Konflikten mellan "rovdjurskramare" och "rovdjurshatare" är känsloladdad och debatten ofta osaklig. Den här rapporten syftar till att nyansera bilden genom att ta fram kunskap om den illegala jakten på de fem stora rovdjuren - varg, björn, lo, järv och kungsörn- och de attityder som till stor del förklarar denna brottslighet.Rapporten beskriver rovdjursforskningen och de illegala jägarnas motiv och metoder och diskuterar vilken bild tidningar och tidskrifter ger av rovdjuren och jaktbrotten. Genom enkätundersökningar, intervjuer och antropologiskt fältarbete har jägare, renskötare och myndighetspersoner fått komma till tals. Slutligen finns i rapporten förslag till en brottsförebyggande och brottsbekämpande strategi i syfte att minska den illegala jakten.
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| 20. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Interactive video as a mode of internal communication about change : What are the implications for employee engagement?
- 2009
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Contemporary organizations are often permeated by changes that involve decentralization. Organizations’ PR practitioners are consequently searching for communication processes that promote interactivity and employee engagement. The company in this study has implemented an interactive video website in order to internally communicate the company’s core values and to get access to how employees have already implemented the core values in their daily work. The interest for using new technology within organizations has surged as IT infrastructures has improved. Surprisingly, there have been rather few studies on such emerging technologies in organizational settings. In this research-in-progress paper, we explore the impact of the use of an interactive video website, comprising four videos promoting a company’s core values, on employee interactivity and communicative engagement. Two web surveys are being designed for the study. We are also conducting interviews and observations. Here we present initial results from the first survey and from observing the communicative engagement around the first two videos. The results show that there is an interest for the interactive video website although the employee engagement on the website is modest.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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PR practitioners work during organizational change: Implications for employee engagement and empowerment?
- 2012
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Contemporary organizations continue to face the long-standing trend in which they are being transformed from hierarchical to decentralized organizations. This period is often referred to as the "age of empowerment". Organizations attempt to find ways to empower their employees and to encourage them to become more engaged in their work. Communication in various forms may therefore get a more prominent role in organizations. A comparative case study of organizational changes in three business organizations provides an analysis of the work of PR practitioners. To what extent and if so, how, do PR practitioners adjust and adapt their work to this “age of empowerment” phenomenon? The data reveal that although PR practitioners in all three organizations were involved in communication about respective change it was only PR practitioners in one of the organizations that worked actively and strategically to both engage employees in the present change process and to empower them.
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| 23. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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Strategisk kommunikation i förändringsprocesser
- 2008
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Ingår i: Kommunikation i förändringsprocesser. - Malmö : Liber. - 9789147088850 ; , s. 240-
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Bokkapitel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Förändringar i organisationer genomförs allt oftare. Samtidigt visar forskning att kommunikationen har en avgörande betydelse för att förändringar ska lyckas.Varje förändring är unik och ställer särskilda krav på kommunikationen. Men det finns kunskaper och idéer som är gångbara och viktiga att ha med sig i alla förändringsarbeten. I vilken fas bör man till exempel läga mest krut på kommunikationen? Vilka typer av buskap är viktigast i olika faser? Vilka kommunikationsroller bör olika aktörer ha under olika skeden i en förändring? Dessa och många andra frågor får svar i boken.Boken bygger på resultaten av ett forksningsprojekt om förändringarbeten inom Astra Zeneca, Eon och SCA. Den visar att den interna kommunikationen under en förändring är en komplex process som kräver kunskap och planering. Författarna utvecklar i boken nya modeller och riktlinjer för kommunikation vid förändringar. Den ger exempel och erfarenheter från de tre företagen samt praktiska råd och rekommendationer som bygger på teorier och forskning.
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| 24. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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The Communicative Constitution of an IT-department. : The role of conversation in forming an IT-department.
- 2013
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Rapid IT developments have historically caused or forced individual organizational departments to develop their own IT solutions, often resulting in a significant number of different solutions in one single organization. Today, this is seldom regarded as being efficient and management consequently work to consolidate IT. Such work requires that the IT department’s employees are familiar with all IT solutions currently present in the organization. The focus in this paper is to explore how IT employees, working according to these premises in a way referred to as enterprise architecture (EA), are being communicatively constituted as a community of practice. The analysis rests on McPhee and Zaug’s (2000) four-flows framework. Considering the prevailing conditions, i.e. to consolidate IT solutions and yet meet the needs of each specific end-user, activity coordination appears to be the most important flow in the constitution of this community of practice, which would premiere Taylor’s (2009) view of the four-flows framework. However, the results from our pilot case study indicate that the interdependence of the four communications flows is indispensible in order to communicatively constitute this group and the IT employees’ identity formation.
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| 25. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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The Communicative Constitution of an IT-Unit in an Organization Applying Enterprise Architecture (EA)
- 2011
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- All embracing Internet Technology (IT) provides opportunities for contemporary organizations but it also presents a number of organizational challenges. For one thing, the rapid IT development have caused or forced individual organizational units to develop their own IT solutions, often resulting in a remarkable number of different solutions in one single organization. Today, this is seldom regarded as being efficient and management often works to consolidate IT. Such work requires that the IT unit’s co-workers are familiar with all the IT solutions currently present in the organization. Another challenge is that there often is a discrepancy between the provided IT solution and the need of the end user. To avoid this entails that the IT co-workers are well aware of the business needs. Various models and methods have been applied to deal with these challenges. Forming the IT unit in a matrix organization is one attempt. Enterprise Architecture (EA), with the main purpose of providing a holistic view of the organization, is another attempt which often embraces the matrix structure. The focus in this paper is to explore how an IT unit, working according to these premises, is being communicatively constituted. The analysis rests on McPhee and Zaug’s (2000) four-flows framework. Considering the prevailing conditions for the IT unit, activity coordination appears to be the most important flow in the constitution of the IT unit, which would premiere Taylor’s (2009) view of the four-flows framework. However, the results from our case study indicate that that the interdependence of the four communications flows is indispensible in order to communicatively constitute the IT unit.
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| 26. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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The Communicative Constitution of Organizations in an Era of Re-materialization : A Case Study of Three Organizations
- 2024. - 1 uppl
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Ingår i: Organizational Communication in the Digital Era. - Cham : Springer Nature. - 9783031583063 - 9783031583070 ; , s. 253-272
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This chapter discusses the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation from the perspective of three organizations based on continuous interview and observation data gathered between late 2018 and the end of 2020. The purpose of such a discussion is to understand the importance of spatial co-existence and the significance of spatiality for meaningful organizational interaction. In other words—what happens to organizational members and the constitution, preservation and development of organizations, when the activity of “work” becomes detached from space? Of course, space or location matters more for some than others. For a telemarketer, space might be entirely insignificant, while for the priest and church-goer or the actor and theater-goer, the act of “going” somewhere to experience something is as important as what happens at the location, making the church and stage places that in themselves carry significance. This importance is represented in how churches and theater buildings often are majestic architectural achievements similar to other institutions of cultural, societal or financial importance that are housed in impressive locations such as banks, governments, court houses and universities.To discuss these questions, we draw on theories and perspectives of the communicative constitution of organizations (CCO) (e.g., Brummans et. al., 2014; Cooren, 2006; Putnam & Nicotera, 2009; Schoeneborn et al., 2018; Taylor & Van Every, 2000), and present a Sweden-based multisite case study (Ekström et al., 2021) of digital transformation consisting of three organizations whose common trait is that their core activities have historically speaking been dependent on either a physical location, physical spaces or face-to-face meetings. The three organizations in question are a major European financial institute, a church organization and a city theater—all institutions of traditional architectural and societal importance. As our relationship with these organizations deepened over the course of the pandemic, it allowed us as researchers to glimpse how digitalization has affected each one over time, and how each organization’s perspective of the challenges and opportunities of digitalization shifted and evolved before and throughout the pandemic.
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| 27. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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The multivocal – univocal dialectic : How the many voices of organizational members are translated in to one voice and vice versa
- 2018
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Technological developments continue to have a vast impact on contemporary organizations. These developments are constant and often rapid and thus require that organizational members continuously adjust their assignments in order to meet external as well as internal demands. In order to do so, members need to have mandate to make decisions concerning their specific role and assignments. In addition, they need to have a good understanding of the organization’s overall aim and goals. Hence, many contemporary organizations rely on a horizontal organization of work where the local experts acquire authority. Organizational advancements are for example usually a result of local expertise within a particular community of practice and it is in this community of practice that the knowledge and expertise is transmitted and preserved (Barley, 1996). Sharing authority within an organization and aiming for a more empowered and engaged workforce requires an enhanced focus on communication where the univocal voice is translated in to the many communities of practice within the organization while also aiming for the reverse, i.e. translating the multivocal voices in to one voice, i.e. the univocal, that speaks for and represents the organization. This may lead to a competition between the local communities of practice and the unified organization, i.e. between authority of expertise and authority of position, and involves the struggle between centralization and decentralization as well as been stability and change. This paper explores how tensions arise and are enacted in situations where the aim is to translate the many voices of the communities of practice into one organization and vice versa, i.e. to translate the unified organization’s identity and aim into the many communities of practice, and to study tensions in situations where the aim is to diminish the gap between the senior managers and all other organizational members.The Communicative Constitution of Organizations (CCO) perspective (Ashcraft, Kuhn, & Cooren, 2009; Brummans, Cooren, Robichaud, & Taylor, 2014; Cooren, Kuhn, Cornelissen, & Clark, 2011 ; Kuhn, 2008; McPhee & Zaug, 2000; Putnam & Nicotera, 2009) informs our work.Observations were conducted of six workshops aiming to provide opportunities for communicative interactions where the focus is on the negotiation between various voices and the translation of the univocal in to the multivocal and vice versa.The results point to the importance of attending to the tensions that emerge, are omnipresent and develop during the negotiations and translations between voice and voices. These tensions always have an impact on the organizing processes and if handled well may contribute to successful changes.
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| 28. |
- Monstad, Therese, 1973-
(författare)
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The Role of Tensions in the Empowering Communication
- 2015
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Contemporary organizations continue to face the longstanding empowerment trend, which involves increased member participation and responsibility in organizational life. Previous research contends the need of extensive communication with all stakeholders in order to provide for an empowering environment (Stohl & Cheney, 2001). This study explores how tensions play into the communicative interactivities implemented to facilitate empowerment. The work is informed by the communicative constitution of organizations (CCO) approach and mixed methods are used. The results show that tensions – related both to situated performances and organizational structures – play a significant role in the communication processes aiming for empowerment.
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| 29. |
- Peterson, Mia, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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"One only has to talk to each other"
- 2017
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This paper explores how human and non - human agencies participate in the organizing process and therewith in the identity creation of an or ganization who is in the early stage of establishing its own authority. The results indicate that figures play out in narratives shared by organizational members and it is through and with these narratives that negotiations of authority take place. The fig ures both enable and constrain actions aimed to constitute the organization in preferred ways. A number of them cause tensions and the results indicate that it is difficult to break away from traditional organizational discourses and experiences from previous workplaces.
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