AOC, Ch 14

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Assessing Organizational Communication

• Chapter 14
• Phase 6 The Final Report

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The Final Report

• The final feedback report is the most important
  step in the entire audit. It is the reason the
  audit was conducted all the hard work has led up
  to this moment.
• The final report must be a superb form of
  communication about communication.

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Preparing the Report

• Effective feedback requires sensitivity to the
  clients abilities to process the information in
  the report.
• Feedback affects performance.
• The dominant consideration for designing the
  report is determining how the feedback can be
  given effectively to these people under these
  circumstances.
• Stay within the original boundaries set at the
  beginning of the audit.
• Manage the Message. Be thorough. At a minimum the
  report should include the following

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Manage the Message

• Statements of Purpose
• Identifies major thrusts of the diagnosis
• States the limitations of the audit
• Describes the particular client system concerned
• Provides historical background for the study

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Manage the Message

• Review of the Procedures for Data Collection
• Includes copies of all instruments used
• Describes the sampling techniques for collecting
  responses
• Indicates the formats used in collecting data

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Manage the Message

• Summary of Raw Data obtained for Each Question
• Includes separate sections for each kind of data.
  For example, summaries from interviews and
  questionnaires may be written separately
• Reports information in a descriptive,
  nonevaluative way
• Pinpoints any problems with data, such as
  absences of responses

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Manage the Message

• Description of Analytic Procedures
• Describes statistical manipulation of raw data
• Summaries results of the analysis
• Provides narrative descriptions of tables
• Amplifies results with relevant examples or
  details to make them meaningful to the client

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Manage the Message

1. Conclusions about strengths in, and obstacles to,
   communication
2. Recommendations for Future Development

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Manage the Message

• Arrange the Report Systematically and
  Attractively
• Limit the Number of Conclusions.
• Build Cases (examples)
• Keep Areas Needing Improvement and Areas of
  Strength in Perspective
• Emphasize Variability in Responses
• Maintain Anonymity of Respondents
• Note Limitations

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Preparing the Report

• Make Well-Developed Recommendations
• Keep Recommendations Consultative
• Consider Cost Implications
• Assess Priorities
• Examine Auditor Values and Biases
• Remember that Perfection Is Illusive

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Communicating the Report

• Choose Appropriate Report Context
• Use multiple channels
• Arrange an exact sequence
• Use a process-oriented discussion
• Involve the full audit team
• Adapt to the clients
• Give assurances
• Answer questions
• Deal gently with resistance
• Your data are not valid.
• I already knew that.
• Im under attack.
• What do all these numbers mean?
• I disagree.

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Communicating the Report

• Demonstrate appropriate modeling behavior
• Distribute a separate report throughout the
  organization

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Assessing Organizational Communication

• Chapter 14
• Phase 6 The Final Report
• END