Assessment Of Project Communication Management Practices And Challenges: The Case Of Family Guidance Association Of Ethiopia.
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Effective project communication management is a key factor for the success of
projects. Lack of effective communication with internal and external stakeholders
increases the risk of failure of projects. This research attempted to assess the
practice, challenges and process of project communication management in the
Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia projects. The research employed
descriptive study design and a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative
approaches. Quantitative data were collected using Questionnaires distributed to 74
project team members that resulted in 77% response rate. The quantitative data were
analyzed using SPSS software and the qualitative data were collected through semistructured interview and analysis was done using thematic content analysis
approach. Electronic communication methods such as emails followed by oral means
such as meetings and phone calls are widely used for project communication
practices. Internal, external and vertical (top-down and bottom-up) communications
are practiced in the FGAE projects. Lack of clarity of messages, long and
hierarchical lines of communication and late or lack of responsive feedbacks is the
major challenges of project communication. Majority (70.2% strongly agree and
12.3% agree) of the respondents indicated that project communication is managed
properly. Project communication is monitored and controlled to meet information
needs of stakeholders (49.1% agreed and 26.3% strongly agreed).The study
recommends to strengthen use of in-person communications, telephone
conversations and virtual online communication methods for quick responsive
feedbacks, assigning dedicated project communication management focal persons at
area offices, strengthen horizontal lines of communications between and among area
offices and colleagues, ensure provision of timely responsive feedbacks and ensure
messages are clear and easily understandable. The study has also provided
recommendations for further studies.
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Keywords
Communication practices, challenges of project communication, Project Communication Management