Communication management for organizational change

Today, you can see the boom that acquisitions and mergers have taken by companies worldwide, as a way to face globalization and achieve greater competitiveness. These processes of change imply a variation in the life of the company, that is, in the way of doing and thinking both formally and informally within the organization. The change in human resources is presented in the same way, which ¨ usually involves the change of attitudes and behaviors of the members of the organization through communication processes, decision-making and problem solving, seeking for individuals to work together on the most effective way possible¨. (Robbins, 1996).

The study in question presents a model that seeks to serve as a starting point for those responsible for communicating change in a company. This model outlines a series of elements that must be taken into account when starting a communication process in a context of organizational change, specifically in the case of company acquisitions. On the other hand, a study of the communicational management of a private sector company in Venezuela was carried out, which serves as an example of the growing acquisition of Venezuelan companies by foreign groups; Such company is Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander.

communication-management-model-for-organizational-change-and-communication-management-case-bank-of-venezuela-group-santander

CHAPTER I:

PROBLEM FORMULATION

1.- Formulation of the problem:

One of the most important social groupings are organizations, which do not form accidentally or spontaneously, are created because one or more individuals perceive that the coordinated action of a number of people can achieve something that individual action does not allow. Organizations constitute "the planned coordination of the activities of a group of people to seek the achievement of a common goal or purpose, through the division of labor and functions, and through a hierarchy of authority and responsibility" (Schein, 1995).

Every social organization has its own culture that identifies it, characterizes it, differentiates it and gives it an image. It is important to know, expand and consolidate the culture of a company since it integrates the behaviors towards common goals, constitutes a guide in the performance of activities, elaboration of norms and policies to establish guidelines, in short, the culture guides the global operation of the structure indicating the global priorities and preferences that guide the actions of the organization. In this sense, it is of utmost importance to approach the study of an essential means to publicize, expand and consolidate that culture of each company. That medium is Organizational Communication.This type of communication is of greater importance when it is handled within a context of organizational change resulting from an acquisition, where a series of elements to be taken into account come into play, in addition to the cultural shock that may arise.

Commercial banking in Venezuela is an example of the leading role that Organizational Communication must play , taking into account the changes in cultures that have arisen in the last decade, the product of a series of mergers and acquisitions. An example is the acquisition of Banco Consolidado and Banco del Orinoco by the Corp Group made up of mixed capital; mostly Chilean. Another example is the Banco de Venezuela; company object of this investigation, which was acquired by Spanish capitals through the Santander Group.

This is where theories of change must be taken into account, such as the Kurt Lewin Force Field, in which he explains the presence of forces that are driving and moderating change in an organization. Taking into account as a theoretical framework this and some other theories of change, added to theories both of communication as a process and of communication through semiotics, the interest arises to present a model in which organizational communication is placed as main focus to drive change resulting from an acquisition. Such a model has been called: Communication Management Model for Organizational Change, which added to the communication management of the studied company, will allow to visualize the essential elements to take into account in the matter of communication under a context of organizational change.

In this sense, the following question is presented:

What are the elements to be taken into account in an Organizational Communication Management under a context of Change resulting from an acquisition?

For there to be communication, a shared system of referring symbols is necessary, which implies an exchange of common symbols between the people involved in the communication process. Those who communicate must have a minimum degree of common experience and shared meanings Fernández (1999).

As for his purpose, Aristotle in his time makes it very clear that the main goal of communication is persuasion, that is, the attempt made by the speaker to lead others to have the same point of view. Berlo (1979) states that we communicate to influence and intentionally affect other people. In the same way, he affirms that ¨ our basic purpose (when communicating) is to alter the original relationship between our organism and the environment around us¨.

Communicator: The person with ideas, intentions, information and who aims to communicate. Coding: It is a process that converts the communicator's ideas into a systematic set of symbols, in a language that expresses the objective that the communicator pursues. Message: It is the result of the coding process. This expresses the objective pursued by the communicator and what he hopes to communicate to his recipient. Media: The medium sends the message from the communicator to the receiver. In an organization, the media could be: through personal interviews, by telephone, by means of group meetings, by fax, memos, billboards, teleconferences, among others. It is worth noting that messages can also be represented non-orally, through body postures, face expressions, and hand and eye movements. When a sender's communication is contradictory (the non-oral message contradicts the oral one), the receiver usually gives more importance to the non-oral content of the communication he receives. This type of non-oral behavior is related to the sender's ability to persuade her receiver. Decoding:It is necessary for the communication process to complete and for the receiver to interpret the message. Recipients interpret (decode) the message based on their previous experiences and frames of reference. Receiver: It is the person who receives and decodes the message. Feedback: It is the response of the message by the receiver and that allows the communicator to establish if their message has been received and if it has given rise to the desired response. Feedback can indicate the existence of communication failures. Noise: It can be defined as any factor that distorts the intention that the message was pursuing and can occur in all elements of communication.

It is worth noting that all these elements are essential for communication to occur and should not be considered as independent.

1.3- Communication Models

1.3.1- Communication as a process:

The interest in communication has resulted in diversity of process models with differences in descriptions and elements. None of them can be described as exact; rather, some will be more useful or correspond more than others at any given time. There are two aspects or trends in terms of communication models, on the one hand those that focus on the process itself and semiotics on the other (Fiske, 1982).

The first aspect is communication as a process and it focuses on the communication process from a fairly scientific and exact angle; here the central concept is the “transmission of messages through an efficient process” (Berlo, 1979), where the role of encoders and decoders played by transmitters and receivers, respectively, is highly relevant.

The second aspect starts from the semiotic point of view, contributes to the creation and stability of social values, due to the fact that it is concerned with the content of the message and its socio-cultural implications on the behaviors generated in the recipient of the message. This aspect is of great relevance in this research, which aims to study communication as a means of facing organizational change.

This trend that starts from the science of signs and meanings; Semiotics assumes that communication is the "… production and exchange of messages that interact with people to produce meaning" (Fiske, 1982). From this perspective, the cultural impact that a text can have on the individual acting as receiver is taken into account, since emphasis is placed not on the stages of the process but on concepts such as sign and / or significance.

a- Lasswell:

Lasswell in 1948 takes into account the implications of mass communication, differentiating it from interpersonal communication. Mass communication always responds to a strategy and at all times seeks to achieve an effect with a high level of intent. It does not propose a graphic scheme; rather, it indicates a series of variables that must be considered when planning a communication aimed at a large number of people.

WHO? WHAT DOES IT SAY? WHY CHANNEL? TO WHO? WITH WHAT EFFECT?

Analysis variables of the communication process according to Lasswel.

Introduction to the study of communication, 1982. p. 24

b- Shannon and Weaver:

In 1949 Shannon and Weaver introduced the concept of interference and defined it as anything added to the signal between transmission and reception. This interference is stated in the Shannon and Weaver Communication Process Model:

Source: Shannon and Weaver / Fiske J. Introduction to the study of communication, 1982. p. 3.

Among the problems that can be generated in the process itself given by the interference, Shannon and Weaver delimit three levels of problems:

LEVEL A

Technical Problems: They refer to the accuracy with which the communication symbols can be transmitted through the appropriate channels and under the appropriate sign system.

LEVEL B

Semantic Problems: They refer to the coherence between what is transmitted and what you want to transmit.

LEVEL C

Effectiveness Problems: They refer to the coherence between the sender's intentions and the receiver's behavior.

These three levels specify the mechanisms by which efficiency is achieved in the communication process.

c- Norbert Wiener:

In that same year of 1949, Norbert Wiener's research marked an evolution with the incorporation of the Feedback phenomenon , which had been unnoticed in communication studies carried out up to that time and today is a fundamental variable within the communication process.

Wiener in his research places special emphasis on the influence of communication on the receiver and its influence on subsequent action.

d- Newcomb:

Newcomb represents a non-linear model and reflects a concern for the social environment in which all communication is embedded and the role it plays in favor of balance in the system of social relations.

Newcomb's communication process model. Source: Newcomb / Fiske J.

Introduction to the study of communication, 1982. p. 25.

e- George Gerbner:

In 1956 Gerbner introduced a new innovative element in his model with respect to the model of Shannon and Weaver, taking into account the reality of a fact as an active factor in the communication process. In his study, he visualizes the process in two dimensions: the perceptual (horizontal) and the communicative (vertical).

Where:

H: Real fact

M: Environment

S: Who receives the information from H

SH ₁: Perception of the statement about the fact

George Gerbner's Communicational Process Model. Source: Gerbner / Fiske J.

Introduction to the study of communication. 1982. p. 19.

1.3.2- Communication through Semiotics

a.- Schramm:

In this aspect we find the communication model of Schramm.

Source: Schramm / Fernández. Human Communication, 1995. p. 35.

Schramm offers a more dynamic vision of the process by considering that the sender and receiver alternate their roles over and over again in the communication flow. It takes into account communicating, encrypting, interpreting, deciphering and perceiving as far as the message is concerned.

Organizations as Systems

2.1.- Concept of System and Organization:

Professor José I. Urquijo in his work " Theory of Industrial Relations" (1996) mentions various definitions of system, among which we can mention:

"A set of elements related to each other and harmonically conjugated." (Ferrater Mora, José.)

"A system is a coherent whole of parts." (Herbert G. Heneman)

"A complex set of elements or components directly or indirectly related in a causal network." (Walter Buckley)

Finally, according to C. West Churchman, all those who define the term "system" agree that it is a set of parts coordinated to achieve a set of goals.

Once the concept of the system is known, we can refer to defining the organization as such, which can be conceptualized as "a system designed to achieve predetermined goals and objectives through the people and other resources they employ" (Kendall & Kendall).

Organizations are large systems made up of interrelated subsystems, where organizational cultures and subcultures influence the way people interrelate in different subsystems. The meaning of the conceptualization of organizations as complex systems is that the systems principles allow us to delve into the way in which organizations work. It is therefore of paramount importance to consider the organization as a whole in order to adequately define the information requirements for its proper functioning.

For Fernández (1999) the Organization is made up of two or more people who:

They know that certain objectives are only achieved through cooperative activities. They obtain materials, energy and information from the environment. They integrate, coordinate and transform their activities to transform resources. They reintegrate processed inputs into the environment, as a result of the organization's activities.

2.2 Formal and Informal Organization

The term organization implies an intentional and formalized role structure; In other words, people who work together must perform certain rationally designed roles to ensure that the required activities are carried out and that they are suitable for each other so that they can work as a group without interruption, with efficiency.

Formal Organization

Formal organization is seen as the intentional role structure in a formally organized company. This organization described as formal does not imply inherent inflexibility, on the contrary it must be flexible to take advantage of creative talents and recognize individual preferences and abilities.

· Informal Organization

According to Chester Barnard, author of the classic book on management (The Functions of the Executive), considers as an informal organization any joint personal activity without a conscious collective purpose, even if it contributes to collective results. More recently Keith Davis of Arizona State University describes the informal organization as "a network of personal and social relationships not established or required by the formal organization but that occur spontaneously as people associate with each other". Thus, informal organizations (relationships that do not appear in an organizational chart) could include the workshop group, the sixth floor group, the "regular" attendees at morning coffee, among others.

Source: (KOONTZ and WEIHRICH, Administration a global perspective, 1996)

To initiate change, it is advisable to reduce or eliminate the moderating forces and then move to a new level of balance.

The change process according to Lewin includes three steps:

Thawing: Motivation for change is created. If people are uncomfortable with the current situation they can see the need for change. Movement or change: It is the change in itself and can occur through the assimilation of new information, the exposition of new concepts or the development of a different perspective. Refreezing: Here the change stabilizes. For it to be effective, it must be consistent with the person's concept of herself and her values. If the change is inconsistent with the attitudes and behaviors of other members of the organization, there is a possibility that the person will return to the previous behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to reinforce the new behavior.

Schein (1991) for his part proposes a three-step sequential model to carry out the process of change, the steps are as follows:

Defrost: That is to make evident the need for change, so that the individual, group or company can easily see and accept it. Appoint a prepared change agent: Refers to choosing an individual to lead and guide the change process in the organization. Refreezing: It means putting the new behavioral pattern in its place by means of support or reinforcement mechanisms, so that it becomes the current norm.

4.6– Communication Management Model for Organizational Change (Contreras / Tacoronte)

Theories of change like Kurt Lewin's; as well as the classical and interactionist theories of communication served as the basis for the formulation of a model in which communication was taken into account as the main support force for organizational change. This model aims to give a comprehensive approach between communication management and organizational change in a company.

4.6.1 - General Description of the Model

This Communication Management Model for Organizational Change is based on the idea that organizational change, in the case of an acquisition, begins with the entry of a New Directive which presents its own culture as well as a corporate strategy, policies and procedures that they will seek to introduce into the company and its human resources.

The implementation of the change by the new directive will not materialize except through the department in charge of Organizational Communication in the company. This department will be in charge of coding all the information emanating from this new directive and then sending the message of change through the various means or channels to the company's human resources, who will subsequently decode said message.

COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE (CONTRERAS / TACORONTE)

4.6.2- Model elements

For the exposition of the elements that make up the model, it is divided into three main blocks: (I) the New Directive, (II) the Department in charge of Organizational Communication and (III) the Human Resource as such.

I.- The New Directive

This New Directive is the starting point of the model, since it deals with the issue of organizational change resulting from an acquisition. This directive can be classified as follows:

Creole: Made up entirely of people from the same country as the acquired company. In this case, the process of change would take place more easily because the same national culture is managed, although in the same way it could differ in the organizational culture. Mixed: That board made up of people of two or more nationalities. In this case, the change is made more difficult by presenting a cultural mix. Foreign: Made up entirely of people from a country other than that of the acquired company. In this case, the process of change is more drastic and complex because it presents the clash of two different national cultures and in addition to possibly different organizational cultures.

This aspect of culture is of utmost importance within this model; as it has to do with the shared beliefs of each other and the common values of the members of the new board. We can distinguish between:

National Culture: Understood as the behavior pattern (values and beliefs) typical of a country and that is inherited from generation to generation. Organizational Culture: That pattern of behavior (values and beliefs) within an organizational structure that is generally related to the national culture.

To exemplify this we can mention the case of Venezuela, which is a country with a culture that deprives informality and the close proximity between people when interacting with each other; We can see this in the same way in many companies or national organizations.

Once the company is acquired, the new board will seek to promote its own corporate strategy as well as new policies and procedures. Within the corporate strategy, one can distinguish:

The Vision: understood as the dream or challenge, achievable and measurable, traced by the company. The Mission: it is identified with the raison d'être of the company and corresponds to the results it pursues on a permanent basis

Both mission and vision are statements that have to be written and shared by all members of an organization. Here the importance of organizational communication is appreciated to achieve adequate dissemination and likewise create a commitment and a sense of belonging among the members of the company.

II.- Department in charge of Organizational Communication

In this model, Organizational Communication is visualized as the main force to carry out the change and this through the department in charge of said communication. In organizations the name given to this department varies; in some cases, as in the company studied, it is called Internal Communications, in other cases, the Human Resources department itself is in charge of this task.

Said department has the important task of codifying all the information emanating from the New Directive, which requires (a) planning with a pre-established strategy, policies and functions, and (b) prior knowledge of the company's old organizational culture. acquired in order to have a basis for coding the information and so that the message of change reaches the human resource in an effective way.

a.- Planning: We can define planning as ¨ an intellectual and ideational process in its nature and conception, which consists of identifying and selecting the objectives, norms, procedures, strategies, scenarios, budgets of a company in function to prepare and achieve their future ¨ (W. Medina, 1999). The department in charge of Organizational Communication must have such planning through strategies, policies and a series of pre-established functions in order to foresee the future and to act consistently and not improvised.Said department must be clear about the means and channels of communication it has, as well as where possible seek to implement; if you don't have it for the moment; a technological platform that is adapted to the times and that responds effectively to the communication needs of the company.

Knowledge of the old organizational culture: This point is considered of utmost importance within this model because in many cases for reasons of time or lack of interest it is not carried out in depth when acquiring a company and starting a process of change. This requires an in-depth study of the existing organizational culture in the company (beliefs, shared values, rituals…), this information being crucial when codifying the message of change and in order to achieve an effective result in human resources, on all when we speak not only of different organizational cultures but also of different national cultures.

For Fernández (1999) the culture of the organization and the communication guidelines established between its members are closely linked. The first will affect the second and will determine, in many cases, their frequency, their quality, their degree of formality and their direction. The fact that the messages flow freely in all directions or occur mainly in some of them (for example, the descending vertical); that the formal communication has a high degree of credibility or rather it is the rumors that grab the attention of the staff; that the communication be open, frank, informal, or rigid and protocol; direct language is used or euphemisms are used; whether or not feedback is sought is going to be derived from organizational beliefs and values. Even more,These will define the communication style of the organization, based on that culture.

Organizational culture develops when employees have a wide range of common experiences, as if they were touchstones through which they could communicate myriad subtleties. This common denominator provides them with a short form of communication.

What has been said so far is enough to demonstrate that the ties that unite culture and communication are very strong. After all, the way the latter occurs is one of the manifestations of culture. Here are some behavioral manifestations that are related to the way members of an organization communicate and that must be taken into account by the person in charge of internal communications in an acquisition process:

Language Nonverbal Behavior Ritual Forms of Interaction

Fernández (1999) defines language as the words, idioms, keys, etc., that members of an organization use to communicate verbally, either orally or in writing. Each organization has a particular way of not only doing things, but also saying them. It is worth noting that many of the idioms, expressions used by members of an organization, come from the country, region and locality where they are, on the one hand, and from the social class and educational level of people, on the other. But above these variables, you can find a language specific to that organization.

Regarding non-verbal behavior, many authors are convinced that their observation may be one of the richest sources of knowledge of the old organizational culture, in this case for the person in charge of internal communications. This is because this type of behavior, based on the use of space (physical proximity) by the interacting people, on the movements of the body, in the postures, in the tactile behavior, in the expressions of the face, in the look, in the external aspect (physical appearance and clothing), responds to generally unconscious guidelines, but at the same time it is rich in meanings. As an example, Venezuelan can be compared with Japanese or German, where the former has non-verbal behavior based on great physical proximity,with a very frequent tactile conduct and little rigid postures, on the other hand, in Japanese or German the opposite is generally true.

Non-verbal communication, as it is a difficult behavior to control, adopted and shared by the members of a cultural system, its analysis can lead the person in charge of organizational communication to infer many of the values and beliefs that make up the real culture of the organization.

The ritual is closely related to non-verbal behavior, but its function is ceremonial. Observing the rites and ceremonies of an organization can be as useful as observing nonverbal behavior in general, to get closer to the culture. It is important to identify:

How do you recognize outstanding people in your work? How do you conduct meetings in the organization? What does it take to have access to senior managers? How do you greet the members of the organization?

These and other questions are related to rituals and the culture that is expressed through them.

Finally, the forms of interaction refer to the implicit rules that offer the communicative key in each interrelated situation. In any organization, there are an infinity of situations that are governed by specific rules and, therefore, demand appropriate behavior and communication patterns for each one of them. Finding this communicative key, that is, the expected behavior in each situation, will help the person in charge of organizational communication management to know many of the values and beliefs that are shared in the cultural system of the acquired company and that guide the conduct of its members.

Coding process / media or channels

Once the old organizational culture is known and through proper planning, the department in charge of Organizational Communication proceeds to encode the message. We can define codification as "the translation of an already conceived idea into an appropriate message to be transmitted by the source" (Fernández, 1999).

In this model, coding is defined as the processing of all the information emanating from the source (New Directive) and then it is condensed into a message that reflects its purpose and intention and is easily decodable by the public to whom it is addressed.

After having carried out the process of encoding the message, the department in charge of Organizational Communication uses the means or channels it has, depending on the type of information to be transmitted and the treatment and scope that is desired. Fernández (1999) mentions that channels can be divided into mass media, public and interpersonal media. This model includes the last two framed within what is known as formal communication; that is to say, that communication that occurs within the formal structure of an organization. These elements are defined below:

Audiences: According to Fernández (1999) they are the ones that allow communication between a source and a relatively large group of people. We can say that they are those means that the department in charge of Organizational Communication uses when a greater scope is required in the dissemination of information and when special or more direct treatment is not required. These means include:

§ Internal bulletins or magazines

§ The billboards

§ The intranet

§ Talks or information meetings

Interpersonal: Are those that are used when a deal is required

special and direct with the receiver of the message, being able to talk about a person or

a small group of people. They can be mentioned:

The Memorandum Face-to-face conversation Telephone Intranet Small group meeting (manager meeting, supervisor-supervised)

Besides formal communications, we find informal communications; that is to say, those that arise outside the formal structure of the organization, of which we can

to mention:

The RumorThe hallwaysThe CafetineHours of rest

The Intranet as a technological way of organizational communication

It is worth noting in this research, the importance and use that the companies of our times give to the use of the Intranet. An Intranet is a private corporate information network established by a corporation using Internet technology. Its origin is recent and represents a powerful tool that has become a highly frequented and effective way for the dissemination of information and services in the company (business vision and mission, proof of work, benefits, forums and summary of press news, among others), as well as for the integration and unity of messages (Bonilla, 1999)

In the chapter of analysis and discussion of results, you can see an example of the great use that is given to the Intranet in Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander.

III.- Human Resource

The Human Resource can be considered as the "victim", so to speak, of the entire process of organizational change resulting from an acquisition; since, like the new directive, it has its own national and organizational culture that could well contrast with each other, and it is here that organizational communication management plays a fundamental role. Human resources is the main reason why we work towards efficient communication management and consequently achieve a benefit for this new directive and for the company.

Here the communication process closes with the decoding of the message and with the proper feedback that should not be missing. Feedback will be the response of the receiver to the message emitted by the source and vice versa, it will also allow communication to be a dynamic and bidirectional process (Fernández, 1999). Among the means that facilitate feedback we find:

Suggestion boxesIntranetBillboardsInternal bulletins or magazinesInterpersonal meetings or conversations

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

1.- Type of research

The present investigation is a non-experimental, descriptive study, since its concern lies in describing the elements that make up the model presented here, as well as the characteristics present in organizational communication management as a fundamental means of change in the Bank of Venezuela Grupo Santander, so that it is not intended to issue any explanation or correlation between variables, only phenomena will be observed as they occur in their natural context and then analyzed without the deliberate manipulation of variables and dimensions.

. The type of information to be obtained will be qualitative because the research refers to all those aspects that denote quality and that are capable of taking different non-numerical values, understood or not within a certain limit, the objective being wealth, depth and quality of information and not quantity and standardization (Hernández R.; Fernández C.; Baptista P., 1995).

Finally, a comparative analysis was carried out between the communicational management of the selected company and the Communication Management Model for Organizational Change. The purpose of this analysis was to arrive at generalizations about the elements to be taken into account by organizational communication management in a context of change resulting from an acquisition. The results of this analysis will serve as a basis when addressing successful Organizational Communication Management in a context of change, the product of an acquisition.

2.- Population and sample

To carry out this study, Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander was selected for having gone through a process of organizational change over the years as a result of an acquisition. In turn, the Internal Communications Management of said company was taken as a sample, headed by its manager, Ms. Adriana Azpurúa.

It is worth noting that, in principle, Corp Banca was the organization that constituted the sample, but elements such as the last minute rejection by the organization, became a very clear limitation for the development of the research that was planned in a beginning. Finally, the process was continued with that organization that was willing to do so, as was the case in this case with Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander, which despite not allowing us a more in-depth study of its staff, if they opened the doors for us in everything concerning the managerial level.

3.- Historical description of the acquisition process of the studied company

On April 27, 1993, as a consequence of a stock conflict of almost three years duration, the shareholding control of the Banco de Venezuela was taken by a financial alliance headed by the Consolidated Bank and backed by the Progreso and Unión Financial Groups. This caused the breakdown of the previous administrative management.

After 15 months of managing the aforementioned financial alliance, the Venezuelan State resolved, on August 9, 1994, to nationalize and acquire the majority shareholding of Banco de Venezuela. After two years, the Bank had an equity of 103,345 MM (US $ 217 MM) and was ready for privatization. In December 1996, Fogade carried out the Bank's auction, an act in which the Santander Group was awarded 93.38% of the institution's share package for an amount of US $ 351.5 MM.

Since then, this company is known under the name of Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander, the result of the aforementioned acquisition process.

4.- Study unit and analysis unit

Hernández, Fernández and Baptista (1995) use the term study unit to refer to the object of the investigation, which in this case corresponds to the internal communications management of the company under investigation. Regarding the unit of analysis, they define it as ¨ those elements that are going to be measured¨, in this research it corresponds to the person in charge of managing internal communications in the selected company (Ms. Adriana Azpurúa), based on the information provided through the interview, both that which corresponds to the pre-established questionnaire, and that information that escapes from the structure but is essential, in addition to the communicational materials provided.

5.- Research Design

The steps of the research design were as follows:

Bibliographic study Instrument design based on guiding theories and specific objectives Instrument validation Instrument application Data tabulation and processing Analysis and discussion of results Conclusions and recommendations

6.- Measuring instrument

Measuring is ¨ the process of linking abstract concepts with empirical indicators ¨ (Hernández et al, 1995), a process that is carried out by means of an explicit and organized plan to classify the available data in terms of the concept that the researcher has in mind. In this investigation, the semi-structured interview was used (with closed questions in favor of specifying part of the information in a quite precise way and with open questions seeking greater depth and breadth in other subjects of interest).

7.- Validation of the measuring instrument

In order to guarantee the validity of the instrument that would be applied to the selected sample, it was submitted to the judgment of professionals. Each one of them reviewed the instrument presented based on the information they wanted to obtain, making the substantive and formal modifications if necessary.

Judges who validated the measuring instrument:

Mauricio Rangel (Human Resources Manager TOYOTA CARS) Rafael Linares (prof. Language and Communication. UCV) Alberto Rodríguez (Controller of the Venezuelan Investment Fund)

8.- The semi-structured interview

Once the instrument had been validated and the changes recommended by the judges had been made, the final version was as follows (see Annex A)

9.- Application of the instrument

Once the instrument was validated by the judges, it was duly explained to the internal communications manager and the interview was subsequently carried out.

10.- Data processing

The next step was to prepare a matrix with the data obtained through the measurement instrument so that it would be easy to carry out a comparative analysis of the elements identified in the Communication Management of the selected company with the elements of the Communication Management Model for the Organizational change.

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

Analysis and discussion of results

Once all the necessary information for this study was obtained, by means of the application of the measurement instrument, we proceeded to group this information in a general data matrix divided into the two large variables provided by the operationalization of variables previously carried out (see Annex A).

A comparative analysis was then carried out between the information obtained from the interview conducted with the person in charge of internal communications of the company studied and the elements present in the Communication Management Model for Organizational Change. The analysis is presented below, divided into the two main variables studied:

Organizational Communication

The company studied Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander, presents an external communications management and another internal communications management, both interconnected and with a close relationship. The internal communications management is the one that corresponds to the model presented here as it is in charge of the internal process of organizational communication. Said management presents a series of pre-established functions in which the following stand out: a.- the processing, adaptation, dissemination, channeling and administration of all the information emanating from the directive, b.- establishing a graphic and literary discourse unit that forms the culture of the Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander. In turn, they have due planning,Although according to the interviewee, unforeseen circumstances usually arise in which improvisation must be used for reasons of time.

Likewise, it was learned that all the information emanating from the directive passes through this department, which is in charge of the proper coding and of the aforementioned functions of processing, adapting, disseminating, channeling and managing all that information. For the company it is very important that there is a unit of both graphic and literary discourse in all its communications, because the Santander Group is present in various countries, since all magazines, logos, newsroom and communications as such must be submitted from the same way, in such a way that regardless of the country of origin they can be easily recognized.

Regarding the means or channels used, those of the model presented here are presented, but with a notable emphasis on the use of Lotus Notes, which works as the Intranet which is in the process of being installed in the company. The Lotus Notes is a working tool, and in which 75% is used in internal mail and 25% in matters of circulars, procedures, forums, newspaper service with the most important information of the day, etc. Once the Intranet is installed in the company, it is planned to have 50% use for internal mail and 50% for services, provide proof of work, save time for workers, among others.

These tools such as the Lotus Notes or the Intranet, are setting the standard in the internal communications of the companies of our time. It is impressive the enormous use that companies, such as the one studied, give these tools, thus saving large amounts of money on paper and also achieving great speed and efficiency in the internal communications of the company. In addition, time savings are achieved, since work record services are provided, among others, so that workers do not have to leave the office to go to the human resources department to request it. On the other hand, the staff is kept informed of the most important news of the day that appeared in the most important newspapers in the country.

Lotus Notes serves them both as a public medium and as an interpersonal medium for transmitting messages, as it can be used both to send a message to the person at the front desk, and to send a statement to the entire company. In short, like the Internet, these are the communication tools of our time, since according to the words of the interview: ¨ the first thing to do when you get to work is to turn on the computer and connect to Lotus Notes¨.

On the other hand, internal magazines constitute another frequently used public medium, by the name of Clave Interna, which is disseminated to all staff on a monthly basis and highlights information regarding the company and similarly it is disclosed to staff that works in the company.

These internal magazines serve as a great means of motivation, since a complete sheet is dedicated to give recognition to the staff through a section called ¨Key People¨. In this section, company employees are disclosed, describing the position they hold and the functions they perform; likewise, a review of their personal lives is made, thus interconnecting the labor part with the human part.

With respect to the interpersonal media most frequented by this department, there is the telephone and the monthly information meetings between the managers and members of each department, in addition to the great use of internal mail through the Lotus Notes.

In the matter of informal communication, the company attaches considerable importance to it, since all this information or rumors that usually occur in hallways and hours of rest usually reach the managers. They are given due importance and necessary actions are taken depending on the case. At the same time they have feedback mechanisms, through the forums and opinion sheets that the Lotus Notes has and through evaluations carried out every three months through the internal magazine.

Organizational change

It was clearly known that in the company studied, great importance is given to organizational communication management, especially that generated within an acquisition process such as the one they went through. They give priority to the dissemination of issues related to integration, motivation, sense of belonging, organizational culture and the importance of human resources for the company. The interviewee is aware that in order for the modern organization to put itself in a position to aspire to a common goal (making profits), it is necessary for those who constitute it to establish a series of mutual relationships to coordinate efforts. Thus, it is necessary to establish intra and intergroup communication flows. For this reason communication constitutes the nervous system of the company of today.

Regarding the importance of having prior knowledge of the old organizational culture of the acquired company , for the internal communications manager of the studied company, whether it is important but not necessary, since she has held that position without any knowledge. previous of said culture.

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions and recommendations

In this research, a communication model was presented that aims to serve as a basis for those in charge of communicating change in a company, but it is worth noting that this model will depend on the characteristics of the organization, its people and the activity to which it is dedicate. On the other hand, a study was carried out of the communicational management of a company in the financial sector that had to face an acquisition process. After having carried out the respective comparative analysis, you can generalize about a series of elements that must be taken into account when undertaking organizational communication management in a context of change, in this case the product of an acquisition:

The presence of a New Directive: which can be Creole, mixed or foreign; that is, it may be made up of people from the same country of the acquired company, people of different nationalities or people entirely from another country. These people, in turn, have their own national and organizational culture. Corporate strategy / norms and procedures: that the new directive brings and that they will seek to promote, along with their own vision and mission of the business, which will mark the new horizon of the organization. These must be duly written and clearly known by its members. The department in charge of organizational communication:He will be responsible for specifying and publicizing the change in the company, through due planning with a series of functions and pre-established rules, in addition to the prior knowledge that he must possess about the old organizational culture of the acquired company, in this way it will be possible to carry out an effective codification of all the information emanating from the directive and thus spread the message of change through the means or channels that are available depending on the treatment and scope that you want to give to the information. The Intranet as a means of communication:It is the most important and frequently used technological tool in organizations today, for its great advantages in saving paper and time, as well as for all the services it has. The trend of contemporary organizations is to have a technological platform such as the Intranet. Informal Communications: Rumors in the hallway, conversations in the restrooms or at rest hours are a type of communication that must be taken into account in every company and, depending on the case, must be acted on through the use of formal communication. The feedback: Between the human resource and the company it is essential for the development of any company and to avoid in this way deviations and nonconformity of the personnel.The Human Resource: in the end, it is the most affected and the one who bears all the weight of the change process. Good communication management will make the difference between the success or failure of said process and of the company as such.

Throughout this research, it was possible to know the leading role that the person in charge of organizational communication must face in an acquisition process, as well as the important role that it must fulfill, such as: knowing the culture of the organization in the It works, since it determines the communication guidelines of the system and consequently they can bring the person in charge of communication management closer to achieving success in their work. All this, by using the appropriate techniques to observe the way in which its members communicate with each other. However, it would be of little use to her to know the organizational values and beliefs if she did not also have the challenge and the responsibility to help its dissemination, reinforcement or change, through the programs and means that it manages,.in order for the organization to achieve its objectives more quickly and efficiently.

On the other hand, this research had the intention of encouraging the professional of the

Industrial Relations to venture into the communicational management of any organization, especially in those that go through processes, currently frequented, such as those of

acquisitions and mergers.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

BARTOLI, A., Communication and Organization. The Communicating Organization and Organized Communication. Ediciones Paidós Ibérica, Spain, 1992.BERLO, D., The Communication Process. Editorial Ateneo, Argentina, 1979.ECO, U., HOW TO MAKE A THESIS. Techniques and procedures of research, study and writing. Editorial Gedisa, Spain, 1992FERNANDEZ, C., Communication in Organizations. Editorial Trillas, México, 1999.FISKE, J., Introduction to the Study of Communication. Editorial Norma, Colombia, 1982. GARCIA & URREA, Analysis of Organizational Communication Management in Private Sector Companies of the Caracas Metropolitan Area. UCAB Social Communication, 1997.GIBSON; IVANCEVICH; DONNELY, The Organizations: Behavior, Structures and Processes. Editorial IRWIN, 1996.HERNÁNDEZ R.; FERNÁNDEZ C.; BAPTIST P,Investigation methodology. Mc.Graw Hill Publishing. Mexico, 1995. KATZ and KAHN, Social Psychology of Organizations. Editorial NAMA, Mexico, 1990.KOONTZ and WEIHRICH, Administration a Global Perspective. Mc Graw Hill, 1996.KREPS, GL, Communication in Organizations. Addison-Wesley Iberoamericana, Spain, 1995. MASCAREÑAS, J. Manual of Mergers and Acquisitions of Companies, Mc Graw Hill, Spain, 1993. MEDINA, W., Manual of Administration of Human Resources, UCAB, 1999. PASQUALI A., Understand Communication, Monte Avila Editores, 1978URQUIJO, JI, Theory of Industrial Relations. Ex Libris, Caracas, 1996.SHEIN, EH Y BENNIS, WG, Personal and Organizational change Through Group Methods. Wiley, New York, 1995.SHEIN, EDGAR, SALK, JANE AND OTHERS., Cultural and Organizational Mergers and Acquisitions. Spain,Organizations Study Center, 1991.

OTHER REFERENCES

www. bancodevenezuela.com

ANNEX (See PDF) :

ANNEX B: PUBLICATIONS

Vision of Banco de Venezuela / Santander Group

To be the benchmark bank within the Venezuelan financial system, obtaining a return on equity in dollars of more than 25% per year, and increasing the market share in both deposits and loans, at least one point year-on-year, maintaining the quality of the balance. This is achieved with a global banking philosophy focused on service excellence, to satisfy the integral needs of our clients, and supported by efficient human resources and high professional ethics. To achieve the vision of the Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander, specific strategies are defined for employees, clients, shareholders and the company in which it is inserted.

Corporate values

The Values of the Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander represent those principles that guide the behavior of our organization, ensuring that employees do not lose their way regardless of the circumstances that arise.

Integrity

Employees of Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander profess an adherence to moral principles, reflecting the highest ethical and moral sense in any situation. During the execution of our daily work we will act in good faith and without ulterior motives

Excellence

At all times we properly apply our knowledge and skills to create the maximum possible value for our shareholders, employees, clients and society. In this sense, we constantly seek the best solutions to increase our competitiveness and business productivity.

Respect

At Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander we trust people and we have a high regard for them; We think that the fundamental strength and vitality of our Institution resides in the human factor. This is why we continually foster open and fluid communication between management and employees, respecting the rights and dignity of our employees. Furthermore, we apply these principles in our relationships with our clients.

Teamwork

Employees of Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander have complementary skills and knowledge, we share a single vision, performance goals, and common approach for which we consider ourselves mutually responsible. That is why we work as a team to achieve maximum efficiency.

Mutual commitment

The Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander promotes mutual commitment between our Institution and its employees based on fair and equitable relationships that enable reciprocal realization and the achievement of common objectives. On the one hand, the Institution gives its employees respect in their human and professional dignity, job stability and the means for each person to progress according to the quality of their work and ability. On the other hand, the employees express our commitment identifying ourselves with the objectives and interests of the company and we give the greatest effort that is required to achieve the results.

Social projection

At Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander we feel fully identified with the objectives, ambitions and hopes for progress in our country. That is why we pay special attention to the needs of the sectors with which we interact with concrete actions that stimulate their progress.

On August 1, 1890, the Bank began its activities with a capital of Bs. 8,000,000 and under the government of Raimundo Andueza Palacio. In its beginnings, it served as a collector and financier of the government and carried out particular activities in the financial area, basically loans in current accounts to commerce.

The first years are difficult, especially due to the relationship with the governments in office. The situation stabilizes slightly when Joaquín Crespo comes to power, although his needs for funds are still higher than normal. The Bank's businesses were expanded, allowing in 1897 a Capital increase to Bs. 15 million.

In 1917, the Institution began its expansion in financial matters by offering its commercial customers the new discount service for commercial papers (acceptances and promissory notes). In the 1920s, the Bank provided credit lines to numerous merchants and farmers.

From Issue Bank to Commercial Bank 1930-1950

This period marks the country's institutional entry into the 20th century, thanks to the important institutions and laws created between 1936 and 1940 by the government of General Eleazar López Contreras, such as: Banco Obrero, Banco Central de Venezuela, Comptroller General of the Republic, Labor Law, Reform of the Hydrocarbons Law and Mandatory Social Security Law among others.

In 1936, as part of its operational diversification, the Bank actively participates in the gold business on behalf of the Government. In 1938, due to the new Labor Law, the Savings Department was created, which marks the beginning of the payment of interest on Deposits.

Consolidation of the Urban Operation

In 1961 the Bank began to receive fixed-term deposits, and in 1967 it carried out the first online banking operation of the Venezuelan commercial bank. The decade of the 70s is one of national and international geographic expansion and financial diversification.

In 1976 the Bank arrived at office No. 100, which is the Los Ruices office in Caracas. In 1977, the Bank's first international unit was established in New York, which became an agency in 1978. This would be followed in 1979 by the establishment of Banco de Venezuela NV in Curaçao.

At the end of the 1970s, the Bank's financial work was expressed through loans designed in the order of Bs. 5,369,909.39, of which 16.22% had been earmarked for agricultural activity, which by then it is the object of special attention in the country.

In 1981 it was incorporated into Banco de Venezuela International, to offer a broad and diversified international service. In 1984 the Bank occupies its new headquarters, with a modern and advanced structure. In 1987, Banco de Venezuela became SAICA, giving institutional form to the wide distribution of shares.

In 1988 Credit Cards, Mastercard and Visa were launched on the market. Also noteworthy are the developments in Electronic Banking at the customer's service 24 hours a day, through our extensive network of Autobanks, ATMs, Autocajeros, Personalized ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and Interactive Videos.

Recent stage 1993-2000

After 15 months of managing the aforementioned financial alliance, the Venezuelan State resolved, on August 9, 1994, to nationalize and acquire the majority shareholding of Banco de Venezuela. After two years, the Bank had an equity of 103,345 MM (US $ 217 MM) and was ready for privatization. In December 1996, Fogade carried out the Bank auction, an act in which the Santander Group was awarded 93.38% of the institution's share package for an amount of US $ 351.5 MM.

In line with the Santander Group's strategy, Banco de Venezuela introduced new and successful products: Super Libreta, Super Auto, Leasing, Inversión 7, Inversión Total, Super Nómina, Factoring / Confirming, Super Depósito, Ahorro Supreme, etc.

On January 15, 1999, the Boards of Directors of Banco Central Hispanoamericano SA and Banco Santander SA, agreed to propose to their General Shareholders' Meetings the merger of the two banks. The merger was implemented through the absorption technique of the first for the second, in a share exchange of 3 shares of Banco Santander SA for every 5 shares of Banco Central Hispanoamericano SA, with economic effects from January 1, 1999.

Banco Santander Central Hispano is the leading financial group in Spain and Latin America, being one of the largest banks by market capitalization in the Euro area. As of December 31, 1999, Banco Santander Central Hispano has US $ 340 billion in managed funds and US $ 260 billion in assets. It has the most extensive commercial banking network in Latin America present in 12 countries in the region and has 22 million clients and operations in 37 countries, including the main financial centers.

In March 1999, a 3-year strategic plan was defined called Project America, which will allow the creation of the first financial services franchise in Latin America. The objective is to create a supra-regional bank model that takes full advantage of economies of scale and synergies, through self-management.

With more than 110 years of experience, and the solid backing of the Santander Central Hispano Group, Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander now has more than ever the necessary tools to face the challenges of the new millennium, and continue to set the standard through innovations financial and cutting-edge technology. Currently, Banco de Venezuela / Grupo Santander has more than 200 offices distributed throughout the country and more than 4,000 employees throughout the country.

Banco de Venezuela / Santander Group. 2000

From Issue Bank to Commercial Bank 1930-1950

Consolidation of the Urban Operation

Recent stage 1993-2000

After 15 months of managing the aforementioned financial alliance, the Venezuelan State resolved, on August 9, 1994, to nationalize and acquire the majority shareholding of Banco de Venezuela. After two years, the Bank had an equity of 103,345 MM (US $ 217 MM) and was ready for privatization. In December 1996, Fogade carried out the Bank auction, an act in which the Santander Group was awarded 93.38% of the institution's share package for an amount of US $ 351.5 MM.

ANNEX C: PUBLICATIONS

5.2.Intranet, the new corporate network

The materialization of the internet in organizations is the Intranets, which An Intranet is a private corporate information network established by a corporation using Internet technology. Its origin is recent and comes from the evolution observed in recent years, in which business use of the Internet has expanded beyond email to encompass other areas, which could be divided into two groups: one directed towards the Internet (entertainment in line, information exchange, electronic commerce, etc.) within certain security parameters; and another towards the Intranets that cover the critical applications for the corporate mission, supporting business decisions.

Internet technology enables uniformity and standardization in terms of information systems, its dissemination and rapid growth allow organizations to migrate to a new conception of their corporate network (Intranet), which is nothing more than the implementation of External internet technologies for the internal use of the organization, which is the result of the convergence of corporate networks, client / server architecture, and group software technology, enabling access to and from the company to the Internet.

In summary, Intranet is basically a corporate network to which the same aspect and operation is added as the graphical Internet interface, which is always available for the exclusive use of employees and other users (using the Internet as a gateway). access).

According to some experts such as Chad Latimer, Vice President of Sales for Latin America at Novell, the Intranet is, in essence, the use of Web technology at the level of corporate networks. What is really important is that a series of software has been developed that makes it possible to have Internet tools within companies.

Among the benefits offered by the intranet as an integration mechanism are high-performance links with pre-existing systems and transparent access by customers to information, Intranets use the infrastructure and standards of the Internet and the WWW. Furthermore, once the necessary internal infrastructure is installed, the way is prepared to strengthen the corporate network, providing better services to internal and external clients.

Intranet gives each and every user quick access to voice, video, data and other resources necessary to perform daily work more efficiently.

The idea of the Intranet is to place an information page for the user, since the tendency is for Web pages to improve their capacity for interactivity and dynamism. As an example, the Novell Intranet can be mentioned, which according to the words of its Vice President of Sales, allows you to search for any data on any company product. Similarly, you can see what the company is doing at the strategy level. In short, the public can see “almost everything”, however the rest is made up of private information, which can be kept safe thanks to firewalls.

Intranets are multiple and very varied as opposed to the unity of the Internet, their conception may vary according to the reality of each organization, but access to this is through a single channel, the Internet. It means that there is only one way to reach different destinations, each with its own particularity, but the most important thing is that this access road is efficient, fast and democratic, and its tax is relatively low.

5.2.1 Intranet, a new way of managing business

By combining intuitive and user-friendly business databases and information and management programs, the Internet-Intranet duo is taking a radical turn for business. Dataquest estimates that by the end of 1996 the most prominent companies of the thousand that Fortune magazine catalogs will have the Intranet, as a platform for their information systems. Similarly, Forrester Research concluded, after a study of 50 large US corporations, that 16% already have an Intranet implemented and 50% include it in their plans. Similarly, according to statistics from the “Research Zone” in California, software sales for Intranets will skyrocket to more than $ 4 billion in 1997 and to $ 8 billion in 1988. The main attraction of this new platform is:

Openness: truly open systems and software solutions that can be adapted to any platform. Its universal nature: the Internet and its tools have become a universal computing platform. Application continuity: establishes continuity between the applications that are managed within organizations and those that can be managed between organizations (inter-organizational), through the appropriate use of security mechanisms.

The proof that this revolution shows is the time and effort invested by companies that supply equipment, software, databases (Sun, Microsoft, Netscape, IBM, Oracle, etc.) in the development of tools such as Java (language for the distribution of Internet / Intranet applications); Network Computer (equipment proposed by Oracle as a universal workstation); BackOffice, Internet Information Server and Explorer (tools powered by Microsoft).

5.2.2. Universal Directory as the basis for Corporate Intranets

According to a market study carried out by the company Forrester, during the month of March 1996, the universal directories would be the Base of Corporate Intranets. These Directories serve as a common repository of information that can be accessed from any web browser (Netscape, Explorer, etc.). Based on the needs of the users, a universal directory must provide accurate capabilities (protocol and platform independence); standard internet support; simplified management and administration; collaboration between companies; simplified end user experience; and a strong foundation for security and electronic commerce.

During the development of Networld + Interop (N + I), an International conference and exhibition held in mid-September 1996 in Atlanta, the topic of Intranet was addressed as an Internet tool for the corporate environment. One of the speakers, James Barkdsdale started the conferences highlighting how the Internet has changed the development of applications in corporations, presenting to AppFoundry, a set of more than 20 applications for Intranets, which were distributed free of charge through the Web. According to the executive, companies should not develop applications for internal and external use separately, they should follow customers, business partners and employees at the same time, providing access to information and as a collaboration platform.

. George Eckel; "Intranet Working"; New Riders Publishing, Indianapolis, 1996. http // www.mcp.com / newriders

. ”From the Internet to the Intranet”; Article published in “Enterprise Solutions”, Sun's Latin American magazine, Year 2, No. 3, June 1996, pp 12-13.

. Cf. Froilan Fernández, “From Outside to Inside”, article published in its section “in BYTES”, on Sunday June 16, 1996; E / 6

.Luis Manuel Dávila; "The Internet is mutating"; review published in The Network; May 1996.

. "From the Internet to the Intranet"; Art. Cit.

.Ibid.

In this sense, the company Novell recently presented its strategic direction for Novell directory services (DNS) "The universal directory for corporate Intranets and the Internet". During late 1996 and mid 1997, Novell will release NDS on Microsoft Windos NT and on UNIX platforms. NDS will enable users to develop full-service Internet solutions that leverage existing corporate network infrastructure and incorporate open Internet technology standards. The effect can be seen in El Nacional, August 12, 1996; C-5.

.Cfr. Froilan Fernández; “La Pelea es en Intranet”, article published in its section “en Bytes” on Sunday September 22, 1996; E-6

3.3.- The Intranet as a technological way of organizational communication

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