Enhancing organizational and interpersonal communication in multinational companies: The effectiveness of the onion model

Abstract

As we moved into the 21st century, it became clear that the success of any organization depends on more than just the technical skills of its managers, who lead the business. It also relies on the active participation of every employee and the quality of communication and interactions within the company. This study focuses on the development of onion models and how effective they are in improving interpersonal communication. The research employed a mixed-method approach, gathering data through reviews of existing literature (secondary data) and direct fieldwork, including interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) for primary data. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data. The participants in this study included 50 individuals ranging from owners and directors to managers, regular employees, and office assistants. The findings indicate that the onion model demonstrates a pattern of organizational communication that a) happens between individual members or across the whole organization, b) is formal and hierarchical, c) includes both verbal and non-verbal forms, d) can be direct or indirect, and e) serves the purpose of interaction and detailed discussion related to the company's internal operations. The study concludes that the onion model is effective for use in large and multinational companies.