The study aimed to identify and describe the nature of the mental image and the extent of its effectiveness at Saudi Arabian Airlines, the factors influencing its formation, and to locate deficiencies and weaknesses in communication means to discern challenges that hinder institutional communication from achieving its objectives. It highlighted the role institutional communication plays in improving the mental image and the aspects it focuses on to develop the organization’s image, linking the study to reality and providing proposed recommendations. A descriptive method was employed through a questionnaire of employees at Saudi Arabian Airlines. The study found a statistically significant effect of institutional communication on improving knowledge about the airline. The company adopts transparency in its dealings, enables information exchange needed by beneficiaries even when the fault lies with the company—assuming responsibility and compensating for incurred damage—and holds conferences, seminars, and lectures to introduce its services and access channels. The study recommended sponsoring selected scientific and cultural activities to gain customer satisfaction and support, improving its image, and delivering intensive courses for airport workers to qualify them to use continually evolving new technology to keep pace with technological advancement.
Social and economic changes, along with technological and scientific innovations in communication and management, have developed many national and local institutions that serve the needs of individuals and groups. Communication departments and units open permanent channels between institutions and their internal and external publics to articulate objectives, programs, policies, and aspirations on one hand, and to identify changing needs and growing problems on the other (Adel, 2019).
Communication is a core human need and a pillar of social existence, creating social bonds among individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions, and linking them with their internal users and employees and their external customers and partners. No institution can execute its programs or achieve its goals without communication that transmits information and directives internally and gathers concerns, challenges, feedback, and suggestions from customers (Fouad, 2019).
Institutional communication is a formal, deliberate expression of the institution as the entity responsible for communication. It includes all resources available to improve internal operations and to build a distinctive public image rooted in the institution’s reassuring beliefs and values.
Employees interact continuously with superiors, subordinates, and peers. As a conduit for data and information, communication is a primary process and essential for fostering positive human interaction inside the company. Open communication lines are foundational to building internal human relations (Ali, 2021).
Selecting channels requires comprehensive analysis of the environment and internal features to ensure they meet intended purposes (Khaleel, 2021).
Key challenges include:
Complex, unstructured organizational designs with unclear roles and lines of communication, causing delays and bureaucracy.
Information flow chaos, rumors, misinformation, and negative effects on employee activity, stemming from lack of suitable channels and coordination.
Monopolistic attitudes of officials that create hostility and reduce productivity; breakdowns in formal channels lead employees to rely on informal networks, undermining authority and credibility (Adel, 2019).
The organizational mental image is a core objective for institutions because it shapes impressions and opinions about the organization and its services, increasingly monitored via social media.
Interest has grown because the mental image critically shapes opinions and behaviors, affecting expectations, interpretations, and future experiences (Zaabat, 2020).
Enhances adaptation to varied life contexts.
Simplifies and organizes reality through generalization and abstraction.
Modifies attitudes, thoughts, and social behavior patterns.
Influences overall stance toward situations (Fourine, 2021).
Mohamad (2021) reviewed Arab and foreign studies on institutional communication, finding Arab research lagging and largely survey-based, and calling for applied internal communication studies on employees.
Zameer et al. (2015) explored effects of service quality, customer satisfaction, and corporate image on perceived value in Pakistani banking, finding positive relationships and significant effects of service quality and satisfaction on perceived value, with corporate image also influential.
Few studies examine the relationship between institutional communication and organizational image; this study addresses that gap.
As basic economic units, institutions conduct administrative activities to achieve objectives, requiring communication internally and externally. Rapid societal development necessitates that public administrative bodies mobilize all means, especially communication, as not only profit-driven firms but also public bodies must now compete to succeed (Belkadhi, 2014).
The study enriches understanding of institutional communication and its link to organizational mental image, a relatively under-studied area needing further research.
It highlights applied use of institutional communication to improve organizational image, reputation, and customer satisfaction, and underscores maintaining relationships and communication with interacting publics.
Describe the nature and effectiveness of the mental image at Saudi Arabian Airlines and influencing factors.
Identify weaknesses in communication means and related challenges hindering institutional communication.
Highlight the role of institutional communication in improving the mental image and the focal aspects to develop the organization’s image.
Main question: Is there a significant effect of institutional communication on improving the mental image of Saudi Arabian Airlines?
Sub-question 1: Is there a significant effect of institutional communication on improving knowledge about Saudi Arabian Airlines?
Sub-question 2: Is there a significant effect of institutional communication on improving the positive impression of Saudi Arabian Airlines?
Communications carried out by Saudi Arabian Airlines to increase customer satisfaction and facilitate processes within the company.
Impressions—positive or negative—held by the public about Saudi Arabian Airlines formed through services delivered via communication and social media.
A descriptive method was used to depict the relationships between study variables, collect facts, and derive results and generalizations that help improve practice.
Secondary sources: Arabic books, journals, research, and reports on the topic. Primary sources: analytical treatment using a questionnaire.
Population: Employees of Saudi Arabian Airlines. A random sample of employees was used, enabled by available data to determine an appropriate size.
A questionnaire was developed using a five-point Likert scale (strongly agree to strongly disagree). It comprised two axes: (1) Institutional communication and improved knowledge about the airline; (2) Institutional communication and improved positive impression. Items were refined through expert review.
Content validity was established via expert (faculty) review; items were added or removed accordingly to align with objectives and questions.
Test–retest reliability was assessed on 15 cases two weeks apart. Cronbach’s alpha was computed for each axis and overall.
| Axis | Alpha | Number of items |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional communication and improved knowledge about Saudi Arabian Airlines | 0.90 | 9 |
| Institutional communication and improved positive impression about Saudi Arabian Airlines | 0.95 | 12 |
| Total | 0.95 | 21 |
The overall alpha of 0.95 indicates high reliability.
SPSS was used. Frequencies and percentages described personal characteristics; means and standard deviations summarized items; Cronbach’s alpha assessed reliability.
Item means ranged from 1.70 to 2.48 (Likert 1–5), with overall mean 2.2167 (SD 0.5389), indicating agreement.
| # | Item | Mean | SD | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Conferences, seminars, and lectures are held to introduce company services and access methods. | 2.48 | 1.032 | 1 |
| 5 | The company issues a magazine covering its participation in events and latest news in travel and digital services. | 2.34 | 1.179 | 2 |
| 6 | Qualified staff meet the public to give an appropriate image when beneficiaries face issues (delays, schedule changes). | 2.33 | 1.133 | 3 |
| 8 | Honest information about the company and its products is published without distortion or exaggeration. | 2.30 | 1.141 | 4 |
| 4 | Periodic brochures are printed and distributed to explain services and how to obtain them via electronic channels. | 2.27 | 1.015 | 5 |
| 7 | The company strives to deliver information via SMS and email reminding of ticket purchase, departure, and required procedures. | 2.24 | 1.1701 | 6 |
| 3 | Communication via the official website and social media allows beneficiaries to select services without visiting offices. | 2.20 | 1.060 | 7 |
| 9 | The company adopts transparency and enables information exchange even when the error is on its side, assuming responsibility and compensating for damage. | 2.11 | 1.100 | 8 |
| 1 | The company uses various communication activities to present services and how to obtain them. | 1.70 | 0.757 | 9 |
| Overall mean | 2.2167 | 0.5389 | — | |
Item means ranged from 1.57 to 2.38; overall mean 2.1781 (SD 0.51814), indicating agreement.
| # | Item | Mean | SD | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Those with experience advise dealing with the company due to satisfactory prior experience. | 2.38 | 1.049 | 1 |
| 6 | The company seeks to be a leader and first choice for customers when they wish to travel. | 2.34 | 1.106 | 2 |
| 10 | Communication channels are easy to access (clear registration and booking via website and social media). | 2.30 | 1.154 | 3 |
| 9 | The company conducts promotional activities with offers and ticket discounts during national occasions and events. | 2.30 | 1.137 | 4 |
| 4 | The company responds rapidly to market demands (holidays, Hajj and Umrah seasons). | 2.24 | 1.131 | 5 |
| 7 | Institutional communication staff can attract and handle customers scientifically, absorbing anger when dissatisfied. | 2.23 | 1.034 | 6 |
| 11 | The company maintains customers by improving services and satisfaction regularly to meet expected levels. | 2.22 | 1.129 | 7 |
| 5 | The company is committed and accurate in executing services as the customer expects. | 2.19 | 1.057 | 8 |
| 8 | Listening to public opinions on service quality and onboard comfort to improve services. | 2.17 | 0.999 | 9 |
| 12 | The company is usually described as a leading national carrier with a rich history and promising future. | 2.13 | 1.098 | 10 |
| 3 | The company has a positive image through courteous, effective, and professional customer service staff. | 2.08 | 1.071 | 11 |
| 1 | The company has an honorable, tangible idea in the minds of diverse societal segments for its distinguished services. | 1.57 | 0.774 | 12 |
| Overall mean | 2.1781 | 0.51814 | — | |
Institutional communication has a significant effect on improving knowledge about the airline, evident in events, publications, qualified frontline staff, and transparent information sharing.
Institutional communication significantly improves positive impressions via word-of-mouth advocacy, striving for leadership, accessible channels, and promotional offers.
Sponsor selected scientific and cultural activities to gain customer satisfaction and support and improve the image.
Continue providing material and moral incentives to employees.
Offer intensive training for airport staff on new technologies to keep pace with advancements.
Leverage existing skills and expertise to enhance institutional advancement.
Encourage management to accept employee ideas and suggestions to advance the company.
The study focused on institutional communication and organizational image within Saudi Arabian Airlines, noting constraints such as limited time for employee responses, lack of awareness among some employees about the importance of institutional communication, and challenges in applying proposed solutions.