Communications architecture: towards a more robust understanding of information flows and emergent patterns of communication in organizations

With the proliferation of telecommunications technologies, the information-based communication infrastructure is becoming an increasingly critical organization resource. In order effectively to channel limited resources (skills, capital, technology) to the most strategically critical communication needs of the organization, the development of business driven planning methodologies which result in a well-defined architecture (blueprint) of organizational communication processes are needed. Unfortunately, while architectural issues are of utmost importance today, researchers have focused almost exclusively on data oriented models. This study attempts to expand this view and provide a holistic representation of information architecture. With the perspective provided by this definitional framework, two methods for development of communications architecture are discussed and evaluated: (1) a flow based approach; and (2) network analysis. Network analysis in particular shows great promise in constructing robust representations of organizational communication processes.