News Release
E-Communication is the Key to Business Success Says Graduate Paula
Paula O'Kane, from Maghera, graduated with a PhD in Communications.
Paula is pictured with her parents Jerry and Mary Rose O'Kane.
Paula explored the role that e-mail and the intranet plays in the internal workplace environment.
She examined two similar companies, one based in the UK and one based in Norway.
“Overall, e-mail and the intranet had a positive impact on workplace communication, although employees in the UK had a more positive attitude than their counterparts in Norway,” said Paula.
Several important findings emerged from the research:
- E-mail is a unique communication tool as it can be used along the spectrum, from formal to informal correspondence.
- Men were more likely to use e-mail inappropriately (back-covering) while females used it to promote empowerment.
- Females also tended to read more into e-mails and have greater problems with their interpretation.
- A lack of training and guidelines in the use of e-mail and the intranet amongst staff in both countries was evident.
“The lesson for employers with regard to the intranet is to create an effective site from the outset to ensure employees do not lose confidence in this communication medium. Mangers need to carefully consider their employees’ e-mail and their intranet usage and produce clear and concise guidelines to get the most from these excellent communication tools in the workplace.”
As part of her research Paula also spent three months living in Trondheim, Norway - a rewarding experience in itself.
“Living in Norway was one of the highlights of my research experience, from seeing the midnight sun above the artic circle to driving along roads with six metres of snow either side. “The scenery and beauty of the country was inspiring and the genuine friendliness of the people I met and the help and support I was given was fantastic. I would recommend such an experience to anyone.”
Paula will be taking up a post as a lecturer in the School of Business Organisation and Management at UU after her graduation.
Winter Graduations 2004
For further information, please contact:
Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter
