Abstract:

The main purpose of this research is to establish if there is a correlation between the classification made out of the strategic identity definition (mission, vision and values) and the communication management subcriteria at the educational organizations awarded with an EFQM distinctive mark.

Regarding the methodology used for this research we have enclosed the universe of study to the the organizations which have the EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) excellence model as their management system. In the quest of determining the importance of the communication system at the excellent education organizations of the Basque Country we have selected those organizations which have obtained the best punctuations at the subcriteria of the EFQM model corresponding to the transversal component of communication.

Excellent organizations, after comparing themselves with other similar organizations and with what the best of them do, identify improvement action lines, for being more competitive and improve continuously. Attending to the suggestions signaled by the model, excellent organizations support themselves on people and the alliances they build up with their interest groups for, via well defined and structured processes, measuring the obtained results.

These organizations define their identity and their innovation and knowledge management strategies in a typical way. In order to give to these elements the proper shape, the excellent organizations follow the directions suggested by the guide provided by the foundation. These elements are included at the memoir that they present for the external evaluation to the foundation. We have used these memoirs as the source of data for our study.
In the research process we have used several techniques on content and data analysis for the identification of patterns of identity useful in the selection of a criteria for the classification of the organizations and the study of their correlation with the management decisions regarding their communication system. Secondly, we have identified the elements which characterize their system of communication and test their development and achievement of better results in the management, comparing with similar organizations. Finally, as the colophon of the study, we have aimed to establish if there is a significant difference in the use of the internal communication systems in relation to the distinctive strategic identity features.

Keywords:

communication systems, quality management, efqm model, education.