MICHAEL DEMPSEY - Cranfield University

Managing by information
Eastbourne but I don't think that it has really been picked up and
built on yet. (Interviewee G)
And by improvements in Information and Communications
Technology:-
Because we have not had meetings of senior managers and I
think in the two bargaining unit areas, the ones that the two
DGSs run, they have only just started having regular team
meetings -- getting them (regional staff) down to talk about those
kind of things. And I know sometimes they feel out of the
communications loop. It is improved, probably in the last six
months also because they had gone on the same e-mail system
as we are. There is better electronic communication now and
they get some of that. (Interviewee C)
And, possibly because communication has taken time to set up,
alternative, informal methods have been initiated:-
Going back to the issue of the unofficial sites, where you will
apply to join and give your e-mail address and then you can take
part in debates. It is quite interesting because I know lots of
people in lots of different factions who have joined this site, not
necessarily at headquarters. It is unofficial in many ways but a
lot of people participating in it are NEC members and senior
officers, they are debating and exchanging views on the General
Secretary elections and lots of stuff, contentious issues. The left
is using it, Trots and different political factions and the right wing
and there is lots of washing dirty linen in public. That is quite an
interesting development, taking place outside the official
systems but also because internally people are using it
(Interviewee E)
Nevertheless, as suggested by one interviewee, after Eastbourne,
communications may have improved. Senior management issued a
staff briefing in which there were several commitments to change:-
• Many senior staff have introduced team briefings and these are
being well received
• The DGSs and AGS have introduced regular one to one
sessions with senior managers and we trust that you are doing
likewise with your own staff.
• The DGSs are sending senior managers updates on NEC
discussions and have held or are about to hold programmes or
updating sessions with senior managers in each of their areas of
responsibility . (Senior Staff Briefing, July 2000)
In the report of the Senior Staff Seminar held in October 2002, there is
no reference to communication, either as something which has
improved or requires to improve. Further research would therefore be
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