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ERIC Number: ED304138
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1988-Jul-10
Pages: 21
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Diagnosing Communication Pathologies.
Mueller, Carol J.
This paper addresses the concept of the communication audit, i.e., a fact-finding analysis, interpretation, and reporting process that studies the communication philosophy, structure, flow, and practice of the organization. Reasons for doing a communication audit are identified: (1) to uncover information blockages and organizational hindrances; (2) to expose misunderstandings and help gauge present communication effectiveness; (3) to measure the effectiveness of communication in a large organization or single department; or (4) to measure the effectiveness of the communication skills of a library leader. The key to doing a useful communication audit is explained. A detailed account of a communication audit of the copy cataloguing unit of an academic library system is then provided, and it is noted that the overall objective of this audit was to determine how well employees in the department were communicating by evaluating the quantity, quality, and dynamics of their communication. A sample question from the audit and the rating scale used are provided together with a list of other queries from the questionnaire. Analyses of the responses are presented and the problem-solving process that was used to change problems identified by the audit is described. It is recommended that library leaders audit their own communication occasionally and creatively. (5 references) (CGD)
Publication Type: Opinion Papers; Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Administrators; Practitioners
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A