Smith, Philip Ray (2026) Integrated communication and organizational guidance in construction: A phenomenological study of employee experiences during change. PhD thesis, National University, USA.
Abstract
The problem addressed in this study is the disruptive nature of organizational change. Seventy percent of organizational changes result in change failure, reducing employee engagement and increasing voluntary turnover. Existing change management models address change from either an organizational perspective or an individual perspective. No current model integrates both. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how Shared Understanding, fostered through integrated communication and Commander’s Intent expressed through organizational guidance, shaped employees' lived experiences of navigating organizational change within construction companies. The study was grounded in stakeholder theory's normative thesis and the United States Army's Mission Command doctrine. Seven participants from construction companies with fewer than 1,000 employees who experienced a disruptive organizational change within the previous two years were recruited through professional networks and social media. Semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis with iterative coding. Trustworthiness was established through credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability procedures. Employees experienced shared understanding through their understanding of why the change was occurring, what outcome the organization sought, and their individual role within the change. Commander’s Intent was interpreted through the form, clarity, and perceived flexibility of the guidance received. Directive orders produced limited shared understanding; top-level directional guidance produced greater alignment and change acceptance. The study identified two contributions and proposed two frameworks for practice. Recommendations are offered for practice and future research, including exploring the transferability of findings beyond the construction industry and empirically examining the integrated change management model.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Kimmel, Sharon R. |
| Index terms: | social media, change management, phenomenological study, construction company, turnover, United States, employee engagement, thematic analysis, organizational change, interview, construction industry |
| Subjects: | methods and analysis, technology adoption, business, organization, psychology, data collection methods, Geography, industry analysis, management, business management |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Human Resources, Geographical Context, Digital Applications, Research Practice, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here