Governance Models for Communication in Statistical Institutions By Leon Østergaard, Statistics Denmark, UNECE Work Session on Statistical Dissemination and Communication May 2008, Geneva

Organizational issues in statistics Centralization Data collection IT governance Human ressources Etc. Why not communication governance?

Why this lack of attention? Is communication unimportant? Is there only one sensible way to organize it? Has everybody by intuition found just that way?

My main argument: Communication governance may not be the result of a conscious choice But rather a result of the historical development of the organization

Development of communication from dissemination from IT from press office from marketing from human resources

Growing out of Dissemination Dissemination vs. communication? An appendix to statistics… … receiving low status Professionals may be seen as a threat… … resulting in conflict

General Director Staff Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Communication Administration Human Resources

General Director Corporate Services Statistics Department Communication Statistics Internet Press Publishing Printing

General Director Staff Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Economy Administration Human Resources Dissemination

Growing out of IT Websites and databanks require IT skills Governance in the IT area allready well established IT professionals accepted - not necessarily communication pro’s Internet communication and dissemination may amalgamate later… … or continue as separate entities

General Director Staff Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Dissemination Administration Human Resources Internet communication

General Director Staff Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Dissemination Administration Human Resources Internet communication

Growing out of Press Office Oriented towards policy issues Placed close to top management Press Office may expand into other fields of communication and grow big… … or more likely: Dissemination will develop elsewhere in the organization

General Director StaffPress Office Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Dissemination Administration Human Resources

General Director StaffPress Office Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Dissemination Administration Human Resources

Growing out of Marketing Only in commercial organizations Marketing may expand into other fields of communication… …or the organization may develop two (competing) divisions Hardly encountered in NSI’s

General Director Staff Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Marketing Administration Human Resources X Communication

General Director StaffCommunication Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT Marketing Administration Human Resources

Growing out of Human Resources Recognizes the need for internal communication May take responsibility for Intranet HR professionals accepted - not necessarily communication pro’s Internal and external communication may amalgamate… …or continue as separate entities

General Director Staff Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT External communication Administration Human Resources Internal communication

General Director Staff Statistics Department Corporate Services Statistics IT External communication Administration Human Resources X Internal communication

”Centralized” communication? Overall responsibility placed with a single unit Actual communication operations may be very decentralized

Advantages of central responsibility Makes professionalism possible …depending of course on management support! Diversified communication environment possible Bigger unit makes bigger projects possible

Disadvantages of central responsibility Big unit with lots of operational activities… …hence not easy to place close to top management Compensation may be sought

Communication in the 21st Century Communication is taught in many educational programs Communication skills are required in many jobs Communication operations may be carried out at all levels of the organization… …leaving the Communication Division to concentrate on supervision, coaching and development