Examining the Role of Trust and Informal Communication on Mutual Learning in Government

Although public agencies must mutually coordinate climate policy and other complex environmental issues, the extent and relative importance of informal networks and different dimensions of trust to the process remains underresearched. Addressing this, we conducted surveys and interviews with civil servants from numerous agencies and three levels of government working on climate change–related policy in the state of New York. We examined the effect of two network properties on mutual learning on climate change–related issues: the extent to which interagency communication takes places through formal and informal channels, and the distribution of two dimensions of trust (“fair play” and “relational comfort”) across the network. Our analysis revealed that formal communication among staff at different agencies was utilized more often than informal and that interagency relationships were more characterized by a feeling of “fair play” than by “relational comfort,” yet informal communication and Relational Comfort were the most important in facilitating interagency collaboration.

Download Full-text

Informal communication in integrated primary health clinics

British Journal of General Practice ◽

10.3399/bjgp18x696785 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 68 (suppl 1) ◽

pp. bjgp18X696785

Author(s):

Nicholas Elmitt ◽

Kirsty Douglas ◽

Christine Phillips ◽

Sally Hall ◽

Marianne Bookallil

Keyword(s):

Informal Communication ◽

Informal Networks ◽

Mixed Methods Approach ◽

Shared Experiences ◽

Health Clinics ◽

Primary Health ◽

Formal Communication ◽

Informal Communications ◽

Entire Picture

BackgroundEffective integrated care requires healthcare professionals to collaborate across disciplines with and around the patient. The tribal nature of health professionals can make this a difficult task. Understanding how, when and where communication occurs in Integrated Primacy Health Clinics (IPHCs) can foster stronger integration, however communication patterns are not always predictable. Informal communication is often the most prominent form of communication in an IPHC, but is poorly understood due to its nature.AimTo articulate the role that informal communication plays in supporting integration, propose methods for measuring it, and discuss the results of our study in a community IPHC in Canberra, Australia.MethodAspects of informal communication are defined and their functions explained. The aspects of informal communication are: informal networks, informal relationships, and informal encounters. A mixed-methods approach to measuring and describing the role of informal communication is proposed: Social Network Analysis is a useful tool for examining key relationships across disciplines; ethnography is necessary to understand how these relationships emerged, what supports them, and how they contribute to integration.ResultsOur study revealed that informal communication is more prevalent and preferred to formal communication in the community IPHC we studied. Space, shared experiences and commitment to organisational ethos were key to building these relationships which allow for teams to more quickly respond to the needs of patients.ConclusionInformal mechanisms exist and influence both processes and outcomes in IPHC. The informal communications that occur within the IPHC are often vital to the process of integration as well as the outcomes of the patient. SNA can give us important insight, but we cannot see the entire picture unless this is complemented by focused qualitative research.

Download Full-text