Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Internal communication is conducted between employees when they interact and exchange
information. The communication keeps an organization going and is able to produce an outcome.
Therefore, internal communication is essential for any organization in order to be able to achieve their
commitments. This study is aimed to describe how environmental CSR commitments are affected by
the horizontal internal communication within an organization.

In order to answer this has a qualitative research approach been used with semi-structured interviews.
The horizontal internal communication is studied at an international consulting business where
employees have participated in interviews.

The study shows that environmental CSR commitments of the organization are affected by staff
defined environmental aspects in different and sometimes contradicting terms. Different
understanding and opinions within the organization have resulted in inefficient and restricted
horizontal internal communication. Discordant staff has in turn also affected the priority of
environmental aspects within team activities. Employees are not on the same side in how environment
should be included in team activities which lead to situations where employees choose not to bring up
environmental aspects because they know it’s going to cause resistance from other peers.

Division and resistance also make the horizontal integration weak between units in the organization
which aggravate cooperation in the horizontal internal communication. This is evident in different
team activities team folder where names on documents and subfolders often are confusing and it takes
time for employees to find information. Aggravation of cooperation also occurs in and around
meetings when information doesn’t reach employees who need it. However, cooperation is facilitated
in situations where employees help each other to find information. Relations are important for
cooperation but today many employees in the organization communicate without any acquaintance.
The cooperation would gain from having more diverse experiencies of communicating with each
other, which also the interviewees agree on.