Intranet effectiveness: a public relations paper-and-pencil checklist

Abstract While Intranets have achieved considerable prominence in larger organizations, and claims have been made for their impact in the business press, there have been few serious academic attempts to measure managerial perceptions of their effectiveness. This paper describes a process directed at developing a simple paper-and-pencil checklist to assess Intranet effectiveness. Using the inputs from a large, international on-line focus group of Intranet experts, items were generated for initial testing. A scale purification process resulted in the distillation of a 15-item checklist to measure Intranet effectiveness, particularly in a public relations context. The checklist demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties. The three dimensions of Intranet effectiveness are identified as operations, culture, and facilitation. The article concludes by identifying managerial applications of the checklist, recognizing the limitations of the approach, and identifying areas for future research.