The effects of participative communications on program effectiveness

The impact of improved communications resulting from a team-building intervention on organizational effectiveness as perceived by the participants was investigated. The hypothesis was that improved communications among the interdependent project participants result in improved program effectiveness via enhanced group decision making. Two programs were selected for the study, a control group and an experimental group. Two organizational effectiveness survey instruments were selected, one for research, development, and engineering personnel and one for marketing/user personnel. An intervention based upon Hackman´s Action Research Model ran for six months. Surveys were administered to participants in both programs before and after intervention. The general results show that significant improvements in perceived organizational effectiveness are possible when a team approach among program constituents is used. Hence, trust that the organization is sincere and will act on program participants´ input seems to be an antecedent for improved perceived organizational effectiveness