Gatekeeping Theory: Assessing the Validity and Reliability of the Measures of Communication Management in the Context of Universities in Uganda

Abstract

The study assessed the psychometric properties of communication management using responses from staff of public universities in Uganda. Guided by the Gatekeeping Theory by Lewin (1947), the study examined the psychometric properties of management of communication flow, climate, structure, and message characteristics. To measure the respondents’ opinions on the measures of organisational communication, a survey design was adopted for the study’s investigations. The sample comprised 231 participants who were university officers, administrative officers, deans of schools and faculties, and academic heads of departments from selected public universities. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Descriptive results revealed that the level of management of communication flow, climate, structure, and message characteristics was high. PLS-SEM analysis indicated that, except for message characteristics, management of communication flow, climate, and structure constituted appropriate measures of organisational communication. This first context-specific validation in Ugandan public universities refines the Gatekeeping Theory by supporting a three-dimensional structure excluding message characteristics and provides a robust foundation for future scale development in African higher education. It was concluded that scholars can satisfactorily use these measures in the study of communication management. For effective communication, universities should institutionalise clear communication flow, foster an open climate, and reinforce communication structures.