Understanding the contribution of effective communication strategies to program performance in humanitarian organizations

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to employ concepts drawn from communication theory to develop a structural model that it is hoped will improve the understanding of the impact of effective communication mechanisms on the performance of humanitarian organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on a case study of a single humanitarian organization. The authors designed a cross-sectional study, collecting data using structured questionnaires and interviews. Structural equation modeling was used to test and estimate the model.

Findings

Estimations show that the proper design of internal manuals and procedure guidelines, coupled with formal strategies to foster stakeholder dialogue in organizations and increase the perceived performance of humanitarian programs.

Practical implications

The paper discusses the importance of designing effective communication strategies that permit humanitarian organizations to use their communication channels properly and improve operations based on lessons learned and the concerns of stakeholders.

Originality/value

This paper builds on the foundations provided by communication theory to develop a model that explains how communication affects performance in humanitarian organizations. The study further builds on a case study to test the theoretical model.

Citation

Villa, S., Gonçalves, P. and Villy Odong, T. (2017), "Understanding the contribution of effective communication strategies to program performance in humanitarian organizations", Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 126-151. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHLSCM-05-2016-0021