Theses and Dissertations (Communication Management)

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Towards a community involvement framework for remote area communities in Botswana
(University of Pretoria, 2021) De Beer, Estelle; crystalgood.motlhabane20@gmail.com; Motlhabane, Goodwill Mothomogolo
Current land use conflicts between the Basarwa (Bushmen) and the Botswana Government over access to the Moremi Game Reserve and the use of resources found in it, provide opportunities and challenges for all the stakeholders involved. This thesis seeks to understand the efforts of the Botswana Government to involve the Khwai community in wildlife and tourism usage in the Okavango Delta. An assessment of community - government consultation processes were carried out to establish the impact of the Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) on the livelihoods of the Basarwa. A qualitative research study was used to obtain and interpret rich data sets. Data were collected through interviews with key informants, particularly Government decision-makers, Khwai village leadership and NGOs. The findings were used to develop a theoretical framework to strengthen future initiatives aimed at empowering and capacitating individuals, families and communities of the Basarwa. The research problem explores how the Basarwa community in the Khwai village of Botswana can be actively engaged and involved in the social and economic development efforts that address their livelihood, needs and interests. In conclusion, this thesis emphasises that minority communities in Botswana should be involved in decision-making processes of policy-makers, so that their voices and views can influence sustainability programmes with the purpose of creating empowering opportunities. The paper contributes to research on community involvement in the African context, which has been limited thus far. It also serves as a basis for the development of potential communication strategy tools and for future scientific research on the topic.
A brand communication model for micro and small enterprises in South African townships
(University of Pretoria, 2022) De Beer, Estelle; u28350686@tuks.co.za; Mosupyoe, Sebilaro Sybil Lebogang Ntshole
Small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) engage in branding as an afterthought or informally. Brand building and development are the foundations of successful businesses. Brand building establishes awareness about a business using strategies that are aimed at creating a unique image and therefore communicating and creating value for customers through brands. Brand development is important for businesses to create and distinguish establishments from their competitors. This study explored the brand communication practices and activities of micro and small enterprises in South African townships in the Gauteng and North-West Provinces. In addition, the study sought to determine the perceptions of consumers and clients of micro and small enterprises with regard to the brand communication practices and activities of the enterprises. The aim of the study was to develop a cohesive brand communication management model in which micro and small enterprises in townships could be used to manage and leverage the branding of businesses. A sequential exploratory mixed-method research approach was used to advance an understanding of the brand communication practices and activities in building and developing micro and small enterprises as brands. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the owners of the micro and small enterprises, and self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the primary data from the consumers and clients of the enterprises during the qualitative and quantitative phases, respectively. The Atlas.ti Version 8 software programme was used in thematic analysis to analyse the qualitative data and to discover the practices and activities of brand building and development by the participants. The qualitative data analysis yielded eight themes that aligned the research questions and objectives. The process satisfied the validity of the qualitative strand of the study. The themes that emerged from the thematic analysis were employed in the development of a research measurement survey instrument in the second phase of the study. The statistical software package SPSS version 28 was used to analyse the quantitative data. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used to analyse the quantitative data. The study used the SEM statistical technique with the aid of analysis of moment structures (AMOS) software package. The perceptions of the consumers and clients of the micro and small enterprises could be determined to develop a theoretical brand communication management model. The study empirically tested the causal relationships between the constructs through SEM. Through the theories and model of ANT, brand building, RBT, SERVQUAL (customer service) and marketing communication mix, the findings indicated the importance of customer service in communicating the enterprises to the consumers and clients. The consumers and clients of the micro and small enterprises had positive perceptions about the practices and activities and, therefore, it confirmed that they influence how they perceive enterprises. Furthermore, the study found that consumers perceive customer service to comprise two core components, that is, customer experience and service reliability. The marketing communication mix was perceived to be inclusive of sales promotion and advertising, as sales promotion and personal branding were merged at the SEM analysis stage. Social media was perceived to encompass social media platforms and social media marketing that provides visibility and accessibility to the enterprise. Brand identity partially and fully explained the conceptual relationships between the practices and activities. The brand communication management model developed in this study contributes to the body of knowledge in entrepreneurship, communication and management from an emerging market economy context. The model and measurement instrument could be subjected to a different context for future research.
Towards a conceptual framework for implementing plain language as a strategic priority in organisations
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Leonard, Anne; Grobler, Anske F.; u11051729@tuks.co.za; Green, Nadja
In South Africa, as in many countries, organisations are required by law to communicate with their customers in plain language. Plain language could also be viewed as a business requirement due to the central role that it plays in effective communication and building and maintaining stakeholder relationships. The definition of plain language as found in the legislation provides a useful guide for plain language implementation. According to the definition, a document is in plain language if a consumer, with minimal experience, finds the content of the organisation’s documents easily accessible and readily understandable. The implementation of plain language as a strategic priority, however, remains a challenge. Organisations are making an effort to comply with the regulatory requirements of plain language, but these efforts are often haphazard and not sustainable. A need therefore exists to improve the sustainability of plain language implementation. This qualitative research study investigated the adoption of plain language as standard business practice in organisations. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with eight organisational representatives from four short-term insurance companies and two plain language practitioners. The purpose of the interviews was to gain a better understanding of the approaches that organisations follow to implement plain language and the degree to which organisations regard plain language as a strategic priority. As a final recommendation, the study proposed a conceptual framework for implementing plain language as a strategic priority in organisations. The framework emphasised that a strategic focus is crucial to the successful implementation of plain language. Furthermore, plain language should be a top down initiative. Top management commitment and communication efforts ought to be aligned for successful and sustainable implementation. Lastly, plain language should be implemented consistently throughout the organisation. To achieve consistent implementation, a plan for implementation must be in place that will ensure the achievement of communication integration at all levels. The study highlighted the potential role that the corporate communication/integrative communication function could play in the implementation of plain language as a strategic priority in organisations. Ultimately, it is hoped that the conceptual framework will help organisations to implement plain language in a more systematic and sustainable manner.
Customer Perceptions of Community Information Centres in Zimbabwe
(University of Pretoria, 2020) De Beer, Estelle; mchigovanyika@gmail.com; Mushunje, Martha
The quality of products and services has become imperative to the day-to-day running of organisations. Services offered to customers need to be prompt and reliable to increase customer’s commitments to its utilisation and adoption. The primary objectives of the study were to determine how customers rate the quality of the service that they expect to get at Community Information Centres (CIC) in Zimbabwe and also to determine how customers rate the quality of the service that they are receiving. The study was premised on Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry’s (1985) Gaps model. Congruent to this model, the study used a quantitative research method. Five hypotheses related to tangibility, responsiveness, reliability, empathy and assurance of services were tested. Three Community Information Centres (CICs) were purposively sampled where a sample of 475 (N475) respondents were subjected to a SERVQUAL questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Descriptive statistics analysis was used to analyse the demographic variables of respondents and to evaluate service quality expectations and perceptions of CIC users. Inferential statistics were used to test relationships between the variables and to find confirmation for the hypotheses. Further, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to identify the relationships between independent (the SERVQUAL) dimensions and the dependant variable (service quality) and to test the hypotheses. Fit of data collected using the adapted SERVQUAL was realised and it was deemed a good instrument to measure service quality in CICs. The reliability values were above 0.8. Thus, it can be concluded that the measures used in the study are valid and reliable. Factor analysis was performed to assess convergent validity. Construct validity was determined by conducting Confirmatory Factor Analysis on all 22 items and the associated five SERVQUAL constructs, with AMOS V22 software. Findings from SEM confirmed significant positive relationships between the SERVQUAL quality constructs (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy) and service quality dimension. Descriptive statistics results indicate that clients’ expectations of CICs services in almost all SERVQUAL constructs were higher than their actual experiences. Although the findings revealed some gaps between perception and expectation in all the five service quality dimensions, it can be concluded that there is a level of satisfaction among CIC users. The study will increase knowledge concerning customer expectations, something that will allow policy makers to effectively act upon the important and challenging task of running public service organisations such as CICs. The study recommends that service quality needs to be consistently evaluated to inform quality improvements.
Towards a communication framework for South Africa's National Development Plan(NDP)
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Rensburg, Ronel S.; De Beer, Estelle; u29278695@tuks.co.za; Selebi, Olebogeng
The National Development Plan (NDP) is South Africa’s most recent economic plan. Its goal is to reduce poverty and inequality by the year 2030. The uniqueness of the NDP lies in its focus on harnessing the energies of all South Africans for its implementation. Regardless of its pro-development proposals, it has been met with scepticism by political stakeholders – namely, political parties and trade unions. The support of political stakeholders is essential to the plan’s implementation as they are the gatekeepers for policy implementation. Also, these stakeholders represent the interests of their constituents. Without their support and participation, constituent support will be difficult to garner. Additionally, a communication plan, strategy, or framework geared at acquiring this support was not developed. The goal of this study was therefore to present a framework of communication principles for the National Development Plan. This framework would serve as a guide for government communication in the South African context. Six principles were identified: 1. Know your stakeholders 2. Address ideological conflicts 3. Set standards for how government should communicate 4. Decide on the narrative and commit to it 5. Craft leadership image 6. Create alignment The researcher arrived at these principles by conducting a discourse analysis (supplemented by thematic and summative content analysis) of the political discourse surrounding the NDP. Elements of the Two-Way Symmetrical Model (Dozier, Grunig & Grunig, 1995; Skinner, Mersham & Benecke, 2013; Van Vuuren, 2014) and the Arena Model of Reputation (Aula & Mantere, 2008:62) were included in the framework. The data consisted of transcripts of Parliament Hansards, newspaper articles, and semi-structured interviews with political representatives from the African National Congress (ANC), the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). This study had several interesting findings. The research reflects the perceived importance of strategic communication as a tool for imbedding democracy and promoting democratic rule. Both of which are important for South Africa as a new democracy. The framework presented provides a starting-point for this process. Additionally, it encourages active citizenry and facilitates in the NDP’s implementation process.
Corporate reputation and financial performance : perspectives of South African executives
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Rensburg, Ronel S.; De Beer, Estelle; u15043739@tuks.co.za; Mpofu, Bheki Mallon
The concept of corporate reputation has received considerable attention in the last few decades from both researchers and company executives alike, amid indications that having a good corporate reputation ultimately improves financial performance in companies. It is now widely acknowledged that companies that are viewed as reputable tend to gain more trust from their stakeholders, become more competitive and sustainable and are able to improve financial performance. However, despite this apparent recognition, corporate reputation remains largely ignored by executives and is often not regarded as highly as the other assets of a company. It also does not feature prominently in financial accounting. The heightened research interest in corporate reputation over the past few decades has coincided with an increase in cases of corporate misconduct and disasters globally, the consequences of which have included the serious loss of company reputations. This, in turn, has affected the financial performance and sustainability of these companies. The field of corporate reputation is still evolving and the exact nature of its association with financial performance is being investigated in various disciplines (Fombrun, 2012; Chun, 2005). There is also mounting evidence suggesting that it has become an important intangible factor for companies. This study addresses three separate but related core research objectives. Firstly, it seeks to determine, using South African data, whether or not a company’s reputation and its financial performance influence each other. Secondly, it explores the perspectives of South African company executives of corporate reputation in order to understand how they regard the concept in relation to financial performance. This should provide some insights into why corporate reputation remains largely overlooked as a resource that can be harnessed to improve financial performance. Thirdly, the study develops a strategic framework to guide researchers and executives in the management of corporate reputation. Adopting a mixed-method approach in the collection and analysis of data, this research was approached in three phases. The first phase focused on determining whether or not corporate reputation and financial performance influence each other. This was done through a regression analysis of archival data that included reputation rankings of South African companies, as well as, certain financial performance metrics. The purpose of this analysis was to test the strength of the relationship in either direction between corporate reputation and financial performance. The second phase of the research consisted of a structured survey on how South African company executives view corporate reputation and its relationship to financial performance. This was followed by the third phase, which included interviews with South African company executives to further explore their perspectives on the topic. In the first instance, the results revealed a generally weak-to-moderate negative association between corporate reputation and financial performance in either direction of the relationship. This indicated the existence of a relationship between the two variables, even though this was not very strong. Significantly, this finding confirms that the two variables influence each other but also suggests that the influence is not as strong as was expected in the study. In the second instance, with regard to the opinions that South African company executives have of corporate reputation and financial performance, a key finding was that the executives generally recognised corporate reputation as an important factor in the competitiveness and financial performance of their companies. Likewise, financial performance was also recognised and confirmed as a key driver of corporate reputation. However, despite this recognition, the results showed clearly that most executives grappled in practice with the management of corporate reputation in their companies. This suggests that a gap exists between how the executives view corporate reputation and their knowledge to manage it in practice. Some of the executives who participated in the one-on-one interviews attributed this gap to the lack of a proper grasp of the concept itself, including how to measure and put a financial value on it. What is interesting is that, despite years of research on the topic, there are indications that executives still feel that they do not know how to manage this phenomenon. In the third instance, the strategic framework for managing corporate reputation and understanding how it relates to financial performance, as proposed in this study, is an attempt to address this gap. It is a pragmatic lens through which executives and researchers can manage corporate reputation effectively in ways that improve financial performance. A key implication of this study is that management executives can, in fact, improve the financial performance of their companies by focusing on enhancing their corporate reputations, and improving financial performance to build stronger reputations.
Sport sponsorship as a community engagement tool : Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge
(University of Pretoria, 2019) De Beer, Estelle; Rensburg, Ronel S.; aimee_dub@yahoo.com; Gericke, Aimee
Community engagement is at the heart of this study and the main objective is to help organisations in the Middle East like Spinneys Dubai to build on their CSR strategy to impact community development more effectively by aligning themselves with the objectives and priorities of the UAE Government. As a UAE Government entity, the Dubai Sports Council encourages the development of sport such as cycling throughout the region with the aim of increasing community participation to fight against health issues such as obesity and diabetes, especially among local Emiratis. The UAE Government relies on corporate citizens such as Spinneys Dubai to engage with the community, including Emirati women and children, through educational health programmes; to empower these families to make better health choices; and to introduce them to recreational activities such as cycling. Corporate citizens, Promoseven Sports Marketing Agency, as the event organiser, and Spinneys Dubai, as the title sponsor of the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge, determined that the community in Dubai is interested in living an active and healthy lifestyle. They want to feel part of a group, however, needed a safe and stress-free outdoor environment to exercise. Accordingly, they initiated sustainable sport initiatives, such as the weekly ‘Dubai Cycle Safe’ and monthly Spinneys Build-up rides, to help the community to build on their strength and to prepare for the main race in December, The Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge. The main purpose of this study is to determine which strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR), communication and social marketing strategies for sport sponsorship are being used by the food retailer Spinneys Dubai, to engage with the community; to encourage participation and motivate behavioural change; and to evaluate how effective and efficient these strategies are through all their communication channels including in store, radio, branding, social media, website, emails and public relations. The investigation determines how Spinneys Dubai use sport sponsorship as an effective community engagement tool as part of their CSR corporate culture to build a positive brand image and drive customer loyalty. To support community development effectively, it is important that Spinneys Dubai offer meaningful social, hedonic and utilitarian experiences to build long-term relationships and trust, therefore the research determines how CSR communication is used by the organisation is to create community health, fitness and safety awareness. The results of this study will provide more insight on how sport sponsorship can be used as a community engagement tool and how Spinneys Dubai can communicate with its stakeholder groups more effectively through strategic communication management and to ultimately grow the number of participants year on year in particular, and cycling as a sport in general, in the United Arab Emirates.
Towards a conceptual framework for stakeholder relationship management on South African wine farms
(University of Pretoria, 2019) Leonard, Anne; Grobler, Anske F.; u17384232@tuks.co.za; D'Oliveira, Eden Arlene
The importance of the South African wine industry has grown due to increased access to global markets and its growing contribution to the GDP. The sector contributed R36 billion (1.2%) to the GDP in 2018 and continues to directly and indirectly employ 300 000 people. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the sector remains stable to drive further development. However, the industry outlook is uncertain. Rising production costs, climate and technological disruption is cause for concern. Wine farms are under pressure as wine production is declining and sustainability at the farm level is increasingly challenging. Sustainability and stabilisation do not simply lie in driving direct sales in regional, national and international markets. It is crucial that the industry comes together to drive inclusive growth which considers the quadruple bottom line of people, planet, profit and purpose. Literature shows stakeholder relationship management (SRM) is a key driver for sustainable and successful businesses across multiple industries. Stakeholder relationships are evident throughout the wine value chain; however, research on wine farms and SRM is limited. Furthermore, literature suggests that the wine industry as a whole should build and maintain resilient relationships. This should lead to mutual value creation which considers a diverse set of needs and wants from small and large wine farms, consumers, customers and other industry role players. The AccountAbility Stakeholder Engagement Standard (2015) is viewed as central for implementing SRM. This study adopted an ethnographic design to qualitatively answer the key question of what the best practices for SRM on South African wine farms could be. An industry body for the South African wine industry and several wine farms participated in this study. Interviews and organisational documents served as the sources of empirical evidence. The evidence suggests that the industry and selected wine farms value SRM as a business function. However, SRM practices are not being used to its full potential despite an understanding of the importance thereof. The major recommendation of this study is a conceptual framework which could enable wine farms to improve SRM practices and thus better identify and meet stakeholders’ legitimate needs and wants. Future research would elevate this framework to a model.
Integrative communication for organisational sustainability
(University of Pretoria, 2018) De Beer, Estelle; Rensburg, Ronel S.; u14372224@tuks.co.za; Taljaard, Adriaan Louis
Challenges in the socio-economic system often demand an original approach for leadership to find new solutions to existing and often recurring problems. Communicative leadership, with its focus on interaction, dialogue, conversation and engagement implies, amongst others, building the integrative communication ability of the organisation in order to contribute to a sustainable organisation. Talaulicar (2010:232) posits that “The concept of the balanced company refers to a company that is in good relationships with its internal and external constituencies”. It is argued in this study that such a function can play a significant part in achieving organisational sustainability, specifically with regards to stakeholder engagement, resource management, corporate governance and financial management. The research examines the role that an integrative communication function plays (with the major constructs representing it being messaging, structure, management, core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-value-creation) in organisational sustainability. Academic and practical importance A conceptual model was proposed in this study, which demonstrates the role of an integrative communication unit within the organisational sustainability context. A strong theoretical framework was developed, which acts as a platform for the conceptualisation and operationalisation of the study. The framework encompasses and represents several subject fields, covering financial management, business management, human resource management, communication management and law. The Systems Theory was used as a meta-theory for the study, while the Integrative Strategic Communication Management Theory, among others, supported the arguments for the significant role communication plays in the organisational processes of stakeholder engagement, corporate governance, financial management and resource management. Methodology The research design includes a quantitative methodology. Qualtrics was used to develop the survey instrument for the study. The instrument was distributed electronically to a sample of employees working at different levels (CEOs, senior management and practitioners) of organisations involving small, medium and large organisations as well as private organisations, government entities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Findings The following significant findings below were disclosed in the research. 1. Integrative communication plays a significant role in private, government and non-government entities but due to the internal and external dynamics of each group, significant differences occur with regards to its relationship with messaging, structure, management, core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-value creation. 2. In private, government and non-government entities, the communication structure, the role of the manager, and the strategic role of the communication department were constant and no significant differences occurred and one can argue that this also has a supporting role and influence on the other elements of integrative communication, namely messaging, core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-value creation. 3. Integrative communication plays a role in small, medium and large entities but no significant differences prevailed when it came to messaging, structure, management, core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-value creation. 4. CEOs, senior management and practitioners (all departments) of organisations see the role of messaging, leadership and dynamic capabilities (flexibility, swiftness, adaptation to challenges) differently but they do have the same expectations when it comes to strategic positioning, communication management, strategic role, core competencies, dynamic capabilities (age above 30, internal relationship network, external relationship network) and co-value creation. 5. A significant outcome from this research was the structuring of a new construct that was formulated from the statistical analysis through the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) process that was followed. From the SEM 7, a new construct of ‘strategic inclusion’ was developed that was a result of the combination of the original constructs strategic positioning, integrative manager and integrative strategic (xyz = Strategic Inclusion as in SEM 7). There is not much literature on ‘strategic inclusion’ and this could be a new area to explore in the research domain.
The influence of communication climate on job resources to improve employee engagement
(University of Pretoria, 2019) De Beer, Estelle; reyneke.a@gmail.com; Reyneke, Annerie
The role of a positive communication climate to increase employee engagement levels has not been sufficiently researched, with only a limited number of studies showing the direct relationship between communication climate and employee engagement. Despite the fact that communication is widely accepted as a key driver for increased levels of engagement, few studies have been conducted to understand this relationship. For communication to have a central place in the structure, extensiveness and scope of organisations, communication climate must play a much more encompassing role in employee engagement than has previously been suggested. This study thus proposes that communication climate influences the effectiveness of certain job resources (autonomy, performance feedback, and opportunities for learning and development), which, in turn, influences levels of employee engagement. Focus is placed not only on the perspective of management but also on that of non-managers. Quantitative survey research was conducted to determine the influence of communication climate on the studied job resources leading to increased employee engagement. Stratified random sampling was performed in four short-term insurance organisations in South Africa. Data were gathered from management and non-management using a self-administered, internet-based questionnaire. Data were analysed through factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results indicate that communication climate may have an influence on job resources to improve employee engagement. This was the case for both managers and non-managers. Therefore, if communication climate is improved, it may positively impact on employees’ perceptions of certain job resources, which may increase their engagement levels. Furthermore, there was a difference between the perceptions that management and non-management have towards the influence of communication climate on job resources to improve employee engagement. In conclusion, managers should be cognisant of the fact that their perceptions are different from those of their subordinates, and if they wish to improve their subordinates’ engagement levels, they must acknowledge and understand these differences.
Factors affecting the adoption of mobile banking among rural South Africans
(University of Pretoria, 2018) De Beer, Estelle; u15197001@tuks.co.za; Ramnath, Nitha
Financial services are not easily accessible to people in remote rural areas. In a contemporary business environment, financial institutions close bank branches in remote areas due to the cost associated with sustaining the branches. As a result people in these rural areas become excluded from participating in the financial sector. In South Africa people face barriers to accessing financial services due to geographical locations and the cost associated with it. Mobile banking enables people to access banking services at any place and at any time. The benefits of mobile banking services are heightened in rural areas where no bank branches exist, and they offer a potentially cheap means of communicating and transacting in business. Despite the availability of mobile banking, those that need financial services the most do not adopt it. Although people in rural areas in South Africa have access to mobile phones, this does not necessarily translate into the adoption of mobile banking. This study examines the factors that affect the adoption of mobile banking among rural South Africans. A survey questionnaire was developed and used to collect data from 211 respondents located in four rural areas in the Free State province. The results of the study contribute to knowledge by illustrating that although individuals own and use cellphones, it does not necessarily translate into them adopting mobile banking. The study found that the context of individuals, as well as perceived factors such as awareness, usefulness, cost, complexity, trust, and perceived advantages affect the adoption of mobile banking in rural South Africa. Having an understanding of the factors that affect the adoption of mobile banking among rural South Africans brings to the fore a neglected area of study and addresses a gap in literature on the mobile banking practices of this segment of the market. The results of the study provide practical recommendations for management, future research and industry.
Strategic communication management for governance and sustainability : a participatory communication perspective for inclusive citizenry engagement
(University of Pretoria, 2018) De Beer, Estelle; Rensburg, Ronel S.; tsietsi.mmutle@nwu.ac.za; Mmutle, Tsietsi Jeffrey
Communication and governance are as ancient as human civilisation across a number of African countries – the concepts date back to the era of chieftaincies and the kingdom rule, which seemingly, dominated how communities were governed. In using formal and informal methods of communication, communities were directed by the rule of law known to the respective kingdom, as such, intentional communication played a crucial role in building those communities. This research study was premised on understanding the extent in which strategic communication management support governance initiatives and sustainability programmes. A participatory communication perspective was used to obtain inclusive citizenry engagement, as a working concept in the current study. In achieving this resolve, the study deliberated on the identification of legitimate citizenry needs, interests and expectations, measured among others, to obtain inclusivity in participatory endeavours. The North-West Province, with its four districts and the rural background, among others, was used as the study’s orientation. An interdisciplinary approach was embraced with three literature chapters conducted, which guided the synthesis of a meta-theoretical framework. To advance the meta-theoretical framework, a qualitative research approach was adopted with an exploratory design. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews with the Provincial Government officials and focus group interviews with ordinary citizens across four districts of the Province. The analysis of data was done with the aid of a computer software, NVivo 11 plus and the manual approach, as complementary methods considered essential for the study. The current research study recorded that in government communication, the practice and application of strategic communication efforts and programmes have the potential to yield positive and continuous benefits for citizens as the governed and for the Provincial Government as the governor. Through strategic communication, two-way communicative relationship between the citizens and the government is the manifestation of a dialogic communication approach. The empirical data indicated that striving for inclusive citizenry engagement at the North-West Province largely depend on how strategic communication is enabled to promote sustainability reporting, openness and transparency of programme planning and implementation. As a consequence, the study also noted that operational communication was more preferred rather than purposeful, deliberate and intentional communication with ordinary citizens. Moreover, operational communication often failed to mitigate citizenry aspirations and to offer inclusive participatory engagement opportunities for maximum impact. The study also found that inclusive citizenry engagement is not a single process or set of activities. It is an ongoing process or conversation that builds trust and mutually beneficial relationships as anchored by strategic communication strategies established with a particular purpose. In this context, strategic communication programmes should be leveraged by the aspirations of ordinary citizens via the horizontal bottom-up to ensure that the vertical top-down approach is adequately influenced and reflect the views of the majority. On the other hand, the Provincial Government officials should be thoroughly acquainted with the purpose of strategic and communicative action; and educate community authorities as well, if possible, through training. The most effective vehicles to reach/train them are workshops, seminars and distance learning, if technology permits. This should be reinforced by printed materials on an accessible level and in the local language to benefit citizens as well, and to create an inclusive, participative and involved society in all governmental programmes. Furthermore, consultation processes were also viewed as fragmented opportunities solely established to benefit the carrier(s) of the message instead of achieving the purpose of communication and adequately engaging the receiver. At the heart of all endeavours, a unidirectional or one-way imbalanced communication relationship between the Provincial Government and citizens was often perpetuated by inadequate communication training and the inability to learn, by some incompetent representatives. In order to be effective, therefore, strategic communication should be both a centre-of-government concern – part of the policy-making and strategic process at the highest levels – and a whole-of-government unifier, a common feature of all activities at all levels of the Provincial Government. Finally, persuasive influence is integral to strategic communication and is thus critical to the relationship between the governor and the governed. As the study’s contribution, a Strategic Communication Framework for Inclusive Citizenry Engagement was developed together with a set of effective strategic communication guidelines to assist government practitioners in the execution of their duties. The Strategic Communication Framework provides functions and capabilities aligned to the empirical data where citizenry needs, interests and expectations are at the centre of organised inclusive engagement opportunities. Fundamentally, the current study also provided core competencies to enable public representatives as community communicators to be more professional and competent when engaging citizens. It is recommended, among others, that a revolutionary approach to strategic communication be embarked upon in the North-West Province, and especially in the African context, to achieve better outcomes. In this regard, truly conceived, good governance does not mean serving the interests of the government of the day, but those of ordinary citizens. Open debate at all levels will promote participation and facilitate monitoring and the evaluation of progress, especially during the implementation of the people-oriented programmes through collaborations. Citizens, as an integral societal component, must have a clear understanding of the work expected from them; and receive ongoing feedback regarding how they are performing relative to those expectations. This will assist communication practitioners and senior officials to identify collaborative opportunities, and to address performance that meets expectations, but also to distribute recognition accordingly. To a greater extent, citizen’s collaboration in policy and service delivery design will also enhance the processes of government and improve the outcomes sought. Collaboration ‘with’ citizens is to be enabled and encouraged. Given the supposed intimate relationship between the Provincial Government and its citizens and the message, strategic communication design must take place in support of clearly identified and articulated citizenry needs, interests and expectations to deliver maximum social value in which inclusivity for all is envisioned. Only then will the Provincial Government be able to communicate strategically with highly engaged, empowered, informed and impactful ordinary citizens.
Investigating communicative decision-making in the relationship between corporate donors and NGO recipients
(University of Pretoria, 2018) De Beer, Estelle; Rensburg, Ronel S.; u12284612@tuks.co.za; Mkombe, Tsitsi Sekesayi
The main purpose of this research was to investigate the communicative decision-making that takes place within the relationship between corporate donors and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) recipients. An extensive literature review, and empirical research indicated that factors such as reputation, legal considerations, relationship and stewardship, among others, influence a corporate body’s (also “[the] corporates”) decision-making regarding which NGOs to fund. The literature review also showed that the decision-making had a criterion, processes and structures that contribute to the final decision. A phenomenological approach of enquiry was used for this study. The qualitative research method used in this research is phenomenological as it attempts to understand participants’ perspectives and views of social realities in investigating communicative decision-making in the relationship between corporates and NGO recipients. The study also takes a socio-constructivist approach which looks at social reality as subjective and co-constructed through people’s experiences. It emphasises the role of qualitative methods as a means to interpret, explore and discover new concepts and constructs. In-depth interviews were conducted in the empirical phase of the research, with a semi-structured administered interview schedule as the research instrument. The exploratory nature of the study provides a valuable means to determine the dimensions of the relationship between corporate donors and NGO recipients; to ask questions about this relationship; to seek new insights; and to assess the phenomenon in a new light. The sample includes sixteen field studies, in which eight CSR managers from organisations providing funding to specific NGOs were interviewed about the strategic and communicative decision-making processes present in their relationships with the NGOs. Eight programme managers from the NGOs that are funded by these organisations were also interviewed. The aim was to determine the nature of strategic and communicative decision-making in the relationships between the relevant actors. Thematic analysis was conducted on transcribed interview data. The data for this study were analysed by means of both non-automated (manually) and automated content analysis, for which Leximancer software was used. Some of the findings agree with the literature review, which showed that reputation, legal considerations, relationship and stewardship, influence a corporate’s decision-making regarding which NGOs to fund. Furthermore, the findings show that corporates fund according to their strategy which determines the criteria for funding and that the decision-making process is conducted through decision-making structures. The traditional view of the relationship between corporates and NGOs is that of donor and passive recipient, but findings from this study opine that stakeholders like NGOs can be active participants and collaborators in the value creation process, and as such can be co-creators of development solutions, together with the corporates that fund them. The study aims to highlight these dynamics. The research also highlighted the importance of a two-way symmetrical communication relationship between these strategic partners. With this in mind, the findings recognise NGOs who are recipients of corporate funding as strategic stakeholders and also highlight the strategic and communicative decision-making processes and structures in the relationship between corporate donors and their NGO recipients. The study builds De Beer’s (2014) integrative strategic communication model and sees communication as a fourth dimension of responsibility next to socio-cultural, economic and environmental dimensions. Communicative decision-making values feedback and dialogue and seeks communication about decisions through dialogue, conversations, co-creation, co-orientation and through two-way symmetrical communication in an integrated and strategic way. The dialogues are in different forms and in some cases corporates find themselves having to interact and engage in dialogues with different stakeholders on numerous issues and platforms in today’s digital age. Some of the platforms such as social media are outside their control as people can comment and tag them and others without their control. Lastly, the research also indicates that the communicative aspect of the decision-making process is important and can be regarded as a catalyst for the relationship between the corporates and NGO recipients. From this perspective, it is vital that the decision-making criteria regarding funding should be communicated to the NGOs at every level of the decision-making process.
Investigating social media conversations : towards designing an online reputation management framework for NGO's
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Rensburg, Ronel S.; juran@solidariteit.co.za; Van den Heever, Juran Jurgens
The primary purpose of this study is to investigate whether a proposed online reputation management framework can be implemented for an NPO to determine whether content and conversations on social media have an influence on stakeholder engagement and whether such reputation can be managed. The study also assesses whether an NPO can afford greater control of the social web by tracking critical comments and negative publicity and by using it to manage the reputation of the organisation. The latter was achieved by exploring the Facebook page of a well-known South African trade union, Solidarity, to determine what the impact of online conversations on the reputation of the trade union is, regardless of the content. A case study was used in this research. This study departs from the phenomenology/interpretivist tradition and is aimed to study the interactions or behaviour of human beings and organisations in the social media world and what impact these have on the reputation of the organisation. During this case study, content analysis of texts and interviewing were used as methods for collecting data during the testing of the social media reputation framework. This research might assist NPOs in reputation management by implementing the online reputation management framework as a tool to manage and control their online content and conversations for the sake of reputation.
Corporate reputation risk in relation to the social media landscape
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Rensburg, Ronel S.; anne.leonard@up.ac.za; Leonard, Anne
Organisations are vulnerable in terms of the potential reputation damage social media can cause. Social media provide a voice to all, whether it be based on fact or fiction. A low tolerance for corporate wrongdoing (however minor), deep-rooted anti-corporate sentiments and the demand for compliance with the triple context philosophy fuel social media conversations about brands. Potentially damaging reputation incidents often grow to full-blown crises due to the intensity, reach and immediacy of social media. Thus the ultimate question organisations face is how they should manage this specific management dilemma. This study followed the interpretive qualitative approach in a comparative case study. Four South African organisations from the tertiary (services) sector participated in the study. Three executives in each organisation (communication/marketing, risk management and social media specialists) participated in interviews. A number of secondary sources (organisational and archival documents) were also included in each case study. The empirical results and literature suggest that organisations need a multi-pronged approach to navigate this management dilemma. The first leg is Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), which should be grounded in corporate strategy and encompass the entire organisation. The interconnectedness of risks and organisational dynamics confirm that linear thinking would not address problems adequately. Establishing a risk culture in organisations is pivotal and would enable the implementation of ERM. All employees, not just the board or executive managers, ought to feel compelled to report and manage risks according to specific policies and procedures. They need to understand their potential contribution to shielding their organisation from damaging factors. The second leg is purposeful corporate reputation management. This approach is deliberate and ought to guide the corporate communication strategy. While a chief executive officer or board carry the ultimate symbolic responsibility for corporate reputation, all employees ought to understand their roles in a reputation culture, with the emphasis on avoiding reputation damage. Training employees regarding corporate reputation and appropriate social media behaviour are valued within most organisations. The final leg pertains to understanding crisis management in the broadest sense and social media crises in particular. Preventing issues from escalating into crises is the ideal. Managing an organisation’s reactions to such incidents One participating organisation illustrated the need for carefully weighed responses when it incurred a boycott campaign when a specific population segment. This thesis further considers the notion of a management framework to deal with reputation risk in relation to the social media landscape. Organisations agree that the fluidity of social media and society make such a notion futile. However, they agree on a number of key principles such as executive level knowledge of and involvement, well-established response procedures and adequately equipped teams of specialists. The original contribution of this thesis lie in both the propositions in relation to each of the objectives and the suggested framework for the management of corporate reputation risk in relation to the social media landscape.
Implementation of a communication strategy for stakeholder engagement in institutions of higher learning in Lesotho
(University of Pretoria, 2018) Rensburg, Ronel S.; u04556853@tuks.co.za; Letlatsa, Relebohile Magdalene Matsepo
The main purpose of this research was to establish how institutions of higher learning (IHLs) in Lesotho can enhance the implementation of their strategic plans by engaging stakeholders in the communication planning and implementation process. This was achieved by exploring how four IHLs in Lesotho, National University of Lesotho (NUL), Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP), Lesotho Agricultural College (LAC) and Centre for Account Studies (CAS) use communication strategies to engage their internal and external stakeholders for effective implementation of their strategic plans. The research was a phenomenological, exploratory and descriptive inquiry in to stakeholder engagement and it employed non-empirical and empirical phases of research. The non-empirical aspect comprised extensive literature review of three primary themes, namely: stakeholder engagement, communication strategy, strategy formulation and implementation; as well as content analysis of institutional strategic plans. The empirical research phase encompassed collection of primary data through interviews and questionnaires while secondary data was collected through strategic plans of the institutions. A convergent mixed-methods design was used to collect and analyse research data. Data analysis of both qualitative and quantitative strands was done independent of each other, while interpretation of obtained results was merged. A computer aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS), Leximancer, was used to analyse the qualitative data while SPSS software analysed the quantitative data of the study. Thematic analysis of strategic plans and transcriptions of interviews conducted with members of IHLs senior management were analysed using Leximancer, whereas closed-ended responses of questionnaires were analysed using SPSS software. Content analysis was carried on with open-ended question responses of the questionnaires. An exploratory-based mixed method was applied to sort raw data into four public institutions due to their relative similarity. Subsequently the entire set of interdependent relationships amongst the institutions was analysed simultaneously. Research findings from the internal and external stakeholders of the institutions revealed that it was in the institutions’ culture to practise a one-way/top-bottom communication to inform and engage stakeholders in the implementation of their strategic plans. They use improper and inefficient communication platforms. Therefore, a communication strategy implementation framework was developed. The framework proposed that the IHLs practise three steps recommended for enhancement of effective implementation of strategic plans. Whilst the institutions engage in a two-way communication process to enhance stakeholder engagement, they should firstly align formulation and implementation of strategic plans with the institutional culture because institutional culture can enforce certain types of institutional growth or oppose some institutional values. Secondly, it was proposed that IHLs identify their strategic and legitimate stakeholders, and maintain long-term relationships with them. This would enable identification of implications of strategic issues on institutions and stakeholders. Thirdly, the institutions were encouraged to use proper and clear communication platforms for the right type of message to engage stakeholders. The use of these platforms should be inclusive, regardless of the type of stakeholder or their length of affiliation with the institutions.
The incorporation of internal communication into career development and support for human resources
(University of Pretoria, 2017) De Beer, Estelle; u10572245@tuks.co.za; Van der Merwe, Seugnet
The corporate world is constantly changing and it is changing at a very fast pace. In order for employees to stay relevant in their organisations, as well as in the rest of the corporate world, the focus needs to be on how employees will achieve this and how they will stay informed. The purpose of this research was to determine the regard for career development and support that is currently provided to employees in the different career stages of the career life-cycle of an employee in a global, financial organisation and how the internal communication around this is regarded by employees, specifically organisational and management communication. This was in order to further determine how this affects the level of employee satisfaction and employee behaviour towards the organisation. An in-depth literature review was followed by a probability sampling that was conducted with the stratified sampling method. This was in order to determine how employees currently regard the various constructs, including: career development and support; employee satisfaction; employee behaviour; organisational communication and management communication. Survey questionnaires were developed and the results of this study were based on the 247 completed responses. The primary and secondary objectives were achieved; the hypotheses specified were accordingly tested; the results were applied towards answering the stated research question; and interesting additional findings were detected which triggered suggestions for further future research. This study contributes toward the field of communication in considering the importance of incorporating internal communication, specifically organisational and management communication, in human resource practices, specifically career development and support in organisations.
A conceptual framework of preferred leadership style and leadership communication for Generation Y employees
(University of Pretoria, 2017) Grobler, Anske F.; zydelia@gmail.com; Kleinhans, Zydèlia
Every few decades, a new generation enters the workplace and organisational leaders are facing challenges with finding the best ways to lead and maximise their contributions within the multi-generational workforce. The generational cohort, Generation Y (millennials), born between 1979 to 1997, is the newest entrants in the workplace. Similar to previous generations who entered the workplace, Generation Y also brings unique characteristics and strengths to organisations, such as tech-savviness and willingness to make a meaningful contribution, which makes it impractical to have a one-size fits-all leadership approach in leading the multi-generational workforce. If the potential of Generation Y employees is unlocked through the right leadership styles and leadership communication approaches, they could turn out to be an organisation’s biggest assets. Approached from a post-modern world view, the aim of this study was to determine the preferred leadership style and leadership communication for Generation Y employees. This was done by conducting 20 face-to-face semistructured interviews with Generation Y employees across a few industries. With the consent of interviewees, the researcher took voice recordings and manually transcribed the interviews. The researcher made use of both manually and automated coding using the software programme Leximancer. The purpose of this study was to propose guidelines and develop a conceptual framework to organisational leaders based on the preferences of Generation Y employees in terms of leadership styles and leadership communication. From the findings, there is no one leadership style that would be ideal in managing Generation Y employees, instead a combination of leadership styles is preferred depending on the circumstances. The circumstances may require characteristics of the autocratic, participative, transformational, laissez-faire, servant and/or the communicative leadership style. With regards to leadership communication, important to Generation Y employees is that there is clear, open and frequent communication at all times. Organisational leaders should ensure that the preferred topics are included in the communication activities to these employees, namely: growth opportunities; personal performance; financial performance; expectations, roles and responsibilities; and any updates that may impact them. The preferred organisational leader would engage in face-to-face communication to speak to employees, and would share an email afterwards with the main points discussed to ensure that there is a paper trail. Although guidelines and a conceptual framework are proposed by this study, it remains the responsibility of organisational leaders to assess the various circumstances and determine what the ideal leadership style and leadership communication approaches would be for the different scenarios.
A reputation chain analysis of the nursing profession in the Western Cape Province
(University of Pretoria, 2017) Rensburg, Ronel S.; Leonard, Anne; u13205171@tuks.co.za; Cupido, Ema Elsbeth
Reputation management involves more than just image, identity and brand management. There is a definitive link between stakeholders within an organisation and its reputation, since those stakeholders can make or break the reputation of any organisation in any industry in all corners of the globe. The goal of this study is to analyse the reputation of the nursing profession by applying Davies, Chun, Da Silva and Roper's (2003) corporate reputation chain (CRC) model. The study concentrated on the motive for students wanting to enter the nursing profession within the public health sector in the Western Cape region in South Africa, the context of the nursing profession and its (negative) reputation, as defined by Chun et al. (2003), as well as the recruitment and retention of nurses. South Africa has unveiled plans for new clinics and hospitals across the country to meet the health needs of all citizens who use public health facilities. These hospitals and clinics need to be fully staffed. However, great care needs to be taken in selecting staff to work at these facilities. That selection process should begin by scrutinising the type of person who enters the profession. A qualitative exploratory design was adopted in this study, which used an electronic (closed and open-ended) survey with 27 statements/questions. The sample population for the survey consisted of 249 fourth-year students enrolled in the R425 Diploma in Nursing programme at the Western Cape College of Nursing. The objectives of the study were met, in that it succeeded in determining the motivation for students choosing nursing. The results showed that, although most of the respondents were positive about the profession, a significant proportion of them would have preferred other careers. There was also a definite disparity between students' perception of how the public views nurses and their own personal views of the profession. The research findings created the basis for the Nursing Reputation Management Framework and recommendations that may be applied in practice and have a positive impact on the nursing profession's reputation as well as the recruitment and retention of nurses in South Africa. Changing the negative reputation of nursing should rest in the hands of the profession itself. Nurses can therefore use these findings to rebrand themselves in a meaningful way that will have positive outcomes for their patients. Nurses need to change their own image and identity in order to change the negative perceptions/images of others, in particular that of the media and patients.
The role of stakeholder dialogue in the sustainable management of HIV/Aids non-profit organisations
(University of Pretoria, 2017) Grobler, Anske F.; mercia@pure-edge.co.za; Cruickshank, Mercia
The global impact of HIV/Aids on children is ever-increasing. In an emerging country, such as South Africa, the number of orphans and vulnerable children due to HIV/Aids has caused the increased need of Non Profit Organisations (NPOs) to cater for these children. NPOs play a vital role in educating people about the prevention, spread and treatment of HIV/Aids, however many NPOs are unable to continue their work due to the lack of funding, the incorrect utilisation of the funds and even the mismanagement of the NPOs. Many NPOs are volunteer-run and most grassroots NPOs are born from an individual or group of individuals that have a passion to help a certain cause. Due to many grassroots NPOs relying on one individual who is available to manage it on a daily basis, it can lead to the miscommunication within the NPOs and between the donors and stakeholders of the NPOs. Relationships between stakeholders are built around trust and mutually beneficial outcomes for all the stakeholders involved. If distrust, the perceived mismanagement of funds or miscommunication occurs, the relationship with the same sponsor/donor can be negatively affected. This can cause NPOs to not receive continuous sponsorship or support. The establishment of good relationships with sponsors/donors and the other stakeholders within the environment is very important in the long-term sustainability of a NPO. One of the main problems facing the grassroots NPOs is longevity. In Gauteng alone there are over 20 000 NPOs all competing for funding, sponsorship and stakeholders to invest long term in their cause and to allow for their survival. Very few NPOs are able to exist for long periods of time due the lack of strategic communication between stakeholders and the NPOs. Many NPOs are not trained in the valued skills of communication and relationship building with their stakeholders. The research aim of the study was to investigate the role of stakeholder dialogue in the sustainable management of an HIV/Aids grassroots NPO in Gauteng. The study aimed at illustrating the complex system of dialogue from Freire's participatory perspective and the impact that dialogue can have on the sustainable strategic management of a NPO. It illustrates the importance that the communication boundaries between the various stakeholders should be permeable boundaries allowing for bi-directional communication and dialogue as well as feedback between these individual elements to ensure proper strategic communication. The study is comprised a comparative case study analysis. The empirical stage of the study was developed based on the literature which provided the theoretical questions that were addressed. The research methodology followed was email questionnaires, in-depth interviews and documentation and website reviews. A detailed comparative case study analysis with representatives from five business sectors, namely the Clothing industry, Ministry industry; NPO (community), Financial Industry and FMCG industry was undertaken. The study was qualitative in nature to allow for the expansion and exploration of the dialogue processes with the different stakeholders. Due to time constraints from the mostly volunteer-run NPOs email questionnaires were preferred. The questionnaires were filled out by the respondents after which the researcher had follow-up discussions with respondents where further clarification was needed. The two NPOs who could avail themselves for in-depth face-to-face discussions greatly assisted the researcher to gain insight into all the challenges, unsustainable management processes and lack of dialogue between the NPOs and their stakeholders. The Morse and Field approach was used to analyse the data allowing for comprehending synthesising, theorising and re-contextualisation in order to do comparisons and interpretations of the various data collected from the grassroots NPOs, their stakeholders and management. The research findings have revealed that due to grassroots NPOs being volunteer-run, sponsors/donors were not always participating in dialogue and the lack of central management stakeholders or teams within the grassroots NPOs caused for some NPOs to be unable to communicate and manage themselves effectively thereby resulting in an inability to maintain a status of sustainability. In order to increase the sustainability and effectiveness of communication within grassroots NPOs, the stakeholders and grassroots NPOs are to continuously encourage dialogue, focus on communication, feedback, adaptation and continuous relationship management which can be established through building long term communication processes and relationships. The more involved the stakeholders become and feel, the more likely they are to remain loyal to the cause that the grassroots NPO is working toward bettering in the community, especially in the vulnerable HIV/AIDS orphan grassroots sector. Through communication, the NPO is able to maintain dialogical processes whereby they can continuously adapt to suit the stakeholder's needs as well as the community it is serving. The relationship between the stakeholders shifts from being a parent-child relationship, to that of a partnership with equal vested interested. This partnership allows for stronger relationships to be established, better communication channels to be created and long term sustainability as all the partners are investing financially and intellectually to create change within a community that needs assistance.

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