Il cambiamento culturale nelle medie imprese: uno studio esplorativo sul ruolo della comunicazione interna

The paper represents an exploratory study of the role of internal communication in sustaining cultural changes in medium enterprises. The paper aims 1) at analyzing and understanding the communication needs and the problems of introduction and institutionalization of a specialized service of internal communication in a medium enterprise; 2) at investigating the contribution of internal communication in cultural change dynamics. The paper presents the results of a study conducted in an Italian medium enterprise. Adopting an interpretive approach, the paper is based on a qualitative study which combines in-depth interviews conducted through a mix motivational and narrative interview guide and focused participant observation. The findings highlight that internal communication acts as a «bridge» and a relational platform for the symbolic negotiation of a new organizational culture. Internal communication provides organizational members with dialogue opportunities, which offer the chance to engage in a sensemaking process about change and to reconcile successful past routines with the demand for renewal. Moreover, the findings underline the role of training programs in change management processes as an experimentation site where the leading champions of change can be gathered.