EuroBlog International Research Symposium 2007
Ghent, Belgium, March 16-17th, 2007
Electronic Communications within European
Companies and Organisations:
New Levers to Track and Facilitate Culture
Frank Martin Hein
Communications Director, Internat.Association of Business Communicators, EME
Managing Director, Executive Communication Services, Berlin

Summary
1. The corporate agenda is driven by change.
2. Perceived cultural inconsistencies in dealing
with change are increasingly addressed via
the individual use of electronic media.
3. Corporate Communication functions should
facilitate an electronic infrastructure both for
institutional and individual exchange and
strive to minimize cultural inconsistencies.
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 2

1. The Corporate agenda is increasingly
driven by change
Main drivers:
 Economical: Globalization drives competition, acquisitions, mergers
 Technical: Pervasive use of IT, networks
 Social: Lack of trust in authorities due to seamless information
 Psychological: Uncertainty regarding jobs, processes, leaders
Main consequences for CEO‘s (IBM 2004/06 CEO Studies):
 Pressure for revenue growth (>80%)
 Differentiation by improved quality (>70%), new products/services (65%)
 Cost reduction via operational improvements (>80%)
 Business model innovation
 Collaboration, access to information across internal and external walls
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 3

2. Corporate culture reflects and shapes
the attitude towards change
 Kotter/Heskett (1992):
– leadership = change
– Adaptive cultures most successful
 Denison und Neale (1997):
– Mission
– Adaptability
– Involvement
– Consistency
 Schein (2004):
– Survival, growth, adaption to environment
– Provide purpose, integrate people, organize regular operation
– External adaption, internal integration
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 4

3. The Perception of change differs with
the individual‘s position in a company
Change
100%
Culture
Mindset
Processes
Systems
Contracts
Time
Start
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 5

4. Corporate leaders own the institutional
communication of change
Change
100%
Individuals
Teams
Institutional
Communication
Units
Divisions
CXOs
Time
Start
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 6

5. Employees perceiving an information gap
engage in individual communication
Change
100%
Teams
Perceived gaps!
CXOs Individuals
Time
Start
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 7

6. Perceived deficits in all institutional communication
triggers individual efforts
Employee perception about Internal Integration
of communication:
Sufficient Insufficient
about
institutional
External Sufficient institutional
+ individual
Adaption
institutional
Insufficient individual
+ individual
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 8

7. As leaders drive change, they examplify corporate
culture via electronic means
 Culture: „Pattern of shared basic assumptions“ (Schein)
 Assumptions: Reality, time, truth, human nature
 Definitions: Mission, strategy, objectives, success
 Behavior: Inclusion/exclusion, challenges/conflict,
rewards/punishment, emotion/cognition
 Language: Openness, truth, claims, precision/position
 Role modeling: Increasingly displayed through media
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 9

8. Through electronic media, the delta between proclaimed
culture and perceived reality shows faster than ever
What matters really in the company? Examples:
Handled Objects Acting Subjects People reductions
Cultural Dimensions
Physical Reality Social Reality Reorganizations
Talk Walk Reaction to bribery
Artefacts People Application of Values
Purpose Means Introducing automation
Power Empowerment Status of experts
Rules Judgement Contract negotiations
Control Trust Project management
Electronic communication is ideal to reveal any inconsistencies
between leadership behavior and cultural artefacts!
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 10

9. Software can serve to facilitate and
track corporate culture (examples)
Type Tool Facilitation / Analysis Examples
Communi- E-Mail Social Network Commetrix, HP
cation, Analysis,
Blogs Buzz Logic
collaboration Content Analysis
Wikis Activity, usage, quality PSI AG
of material, click-rates
Portals Maxence Share Point
Information Screensaver Sony Europe
Intranets Blue Mars
Listening Jams Jamalyzer, manual IBM
Synthetrons Automated reports Oil, electrical
industry
Business BRM Rules define jobs Various Swiss banks
Software
ERP Processes define jobs Countless Corp‘s
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 11

10. The use of software reflects corporate culture
People seen as
acting subjects
Blogs Listen
-ing-
tools
IM
Individual Collective Institutional
Communication
Communication Communication
E-Mail
& Wikis Intranet
ERP
& BRM
People treated
as objects
If management fails to understand the culture of a tool, they will fail.
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 12

Conclusions
1. If people experience their job through a screen,
this screen reflects the corporate culture.
2. Internal Communication should strive for
cultural consistency of all interactions people
have – everything else follows.
3. Modern electronic tools enable employees to
address cultural inconsistencies – leaders who
respect that will have a competitve advantage.
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 13

Frank Martin Hein
Frank Martin Hein is an Associate Partner of Czwalina Consulting AG, Basel, and runs his own independent
communications consultancy, Executive Communication Services, Berlin.
Previously he was an Associate Partner within IBM’s Business Consulting Services, EMEA (Europe / Middle East
/ Africa), where he worked with IBM’s clients to drive successful change using modern electronic
communication techniques.
From 1998 to 2004 Frank was based in Paris, where he led IBM’s communications for the software and PC
businesses within EMEA. Before that, he was head of Communications for the Weidmüller Group in Detmold,
Germany. Previous assignments include the leadership of all internal Communication for IBM EMEA in Paris,
and ghostwriting for IBM’s top management in Paris and Stuttgart.
Frank’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Masters Degree in Neurobiology
and a Masters Degree in Communications-Sciences and Journalism. He was formally trained as a journalist both
with the SDR and with a PR office in Stuttgart.
Frank Martin Hein teaches Communications at various German schools and universities. His publications focus
on PR management, electronic communications and leadership. With his current research work he explores the
use of electronic media for internal communications and corporate culture. His insights will be publicized in a
comprehensive book in the ‘Deutsche Fachverlag’, Francfurt, in early summer.
Frank is a member of the “Bundesverband der Pressesprecher”, the European Public Relations Education and
Research Association (EUPRERA), the Berlin-Brandenburg IT club and Director of Communications in Europe
and Middle East for the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Tel + 49 30 40 05 47 54, fmh@fmhein.com, www.fmhein.com
© Frank Martin Hein 2007 fmh@fmhein.com +49 173 640 2777 http://www.fmhein.com Seite 14