Text in English, abstract in English, Afrikaans and Venda / This study developed and tested an integrated internal communication audit (IICA) tool to evaluate the communication strengths and weaknesses of the Unisa Library. The existing communication audit instruments were explored, namely: the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) and the International Communication Association (ICA) audit were adapted and complemented by the Organisational Culture Survey (OCS) and the Critical Incident Technique (CIT). The current trends and the trends in South Africa were also explored. The sequential mixed method design consisting of the semi-structured qualitative interviews and the quantitative surveys were used to collect data. The ATLAS.ti and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software packages were used to analyse qualitative and quantitative data. The results revealed the IICA as an appropriate tool for measuring the integrated internal communication of the Unisa Library. The IICA identified the communication needs of employees; the active and preferred communication channels; and the positive and negative communication experiences of employees. / Hierdie studie het ʼn geïntegreerde interne kommunikasie-oudit (IICA)-hulpmiddel ontwikkel en getoets om kommunikasie-sterkpunte en -swakhede van die Unisa-biblioteek te evalueer. Die bestaande kommunikasie-oudit-instrumente was ondersoek, naamlik: die Kommunikasietevredenheidsvraelys (CSQ) en die Internasionale Kommunikasievereniging (ICA) se oudit is aangepas en gekomplementeer deur die Organisasiekultuur-opname (OCS) en die Kritiese-insident-tegniek (CIT). Die sekwensiële gemengdemetode-ontwerp, bestaande uit die halfgestruktureerde kwalitatiewe onderhoude en die kwantitatiewe opnames, is gebruik om data in te samel. Die ATLAS.ti-programmatuurpakket en die Statistiese Pakket vir Sosiale Wetenskappe (SPSS)-programmatuur is gebruik om kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe data te ontleed. Die resultate gewys die IICA as ʼn geskikte hulpmiddel was in die meting van die geïntegreerde interne kommunikasie van die Biblioteek. Die IICA geïdentifiseer die kommunikasie behoeftes van werknemers; die aktiewe en voorkeur kommunikasie kanale; en die positiewe en negatiewe kommunikasie ervarings van werknemers. / Ngudo iyi yo bveledza na u linga tshishumiswa tsha u Sedzulusa Vhudavhidzani ha nga ngomu ho Ṱanganelaho (Integrated Internal Communication Audit (IICA), u ṱola vhuḓi na vhuvhi ha vhudavhidzani kha Ḽaiburari ya Univesithi ya Afrika Tshipembe. Zwishumiswa zwa u sedza vhudavhidzani zwi re hone zwo sedzuluswaho zwi katela: Mbudzisambekanywa dza Vhudavhidzani dzine dza fusha ṱhoḓea (Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire) (CSQ) na tshishumiswa tsha u sedzulusa vhudavhidzani tsha Dzangano ḽa Dzitshaka ḽa Vhudavhidzani (International Communication Association) (ICA). Zwishumiswa izwo zwo ḓadziswa nga tshishumiswa tsha Ṱhoḓisiso ya Mvelele ya Tshiimiswa (Organisational Culture Survey) (OCS) na Tshikalo tsha u ela Maitele a Zwithu zwa ndeme (Critical Incident Technique) (CIT). Pulane ya thevhekano ya maitele o ṱanganelaho o vhumbwaho nga maitele a ṱhoḓisiso ane a shumiswa kha saintsi dza matshilisano (qualitative) na maitele a ṱhoḓisiso ane a shumisa zwiṱatisiṱika na mbalo (quantitative) zwo shumiswa u kuvhanganya mawanwa. Phakhedzhi ya Sofuthiwea ya ATLAS.ti na phakhedzhi ya Siṱatisiṱika ya Saintsi dza Matshilisano (Statistical Package for Social Sciences - SPSS) dzo shumiswa u saukanya mawanwa a ṱhoḓisiso dza matshilisano na a ṱhoḓisiso dza zwiṱatisiṱika na mbalo. Mvelelo dzo bvisela khagala uri IICA ndi tshishumiswa tsho teaho u ela vhudavhidzani ho ṱanganelaho ha nga ngomu Ḽaiburari ya Univesithi ya Afrika Tshipembe. Tshishumiswa itshi tsho bvisela khagala thoḓea dza vhashumi dza vhudavhidzani, zwishumiswa zwa vhudavhidzani zwine zwa khou shumiswa na zwi takalelwaho; na tshenzhemo ya vhashumi kha vhudavhidzani havhudi and vhu si havhudi. / Communication Science / M. Comm (Communication Science)

本研究探究在進行跨國商務溝通時，所應具備職能為何，藉由文獻探討、訪 談、專家會議和問卷調查等方式確立國際商務溝通職能模型，並且針對一真實課 程進行評鑑工具的發展和驗證，以瞭解工具和課程的有效性。 根據研究的結果，確立了台灣人才在全球舞台上的國際商務溝通職能包含三 個層次、九個構面，即為基礎、加分和目標三層次，敏感度、同理心、積極性、 彈性、商業專業能力、運用語言能力、傳遞訊息能力、傾聽能力、和建立共識等 九個構面，並且根據這九個構面發展出每一構面的行為指標。而評鑑工具的發展 上，經過信度、效度和鑑別度的分析，確認評鑑工具的有效性。而後進行課程有 效性分析，發現課程的介入確實顯著提昇學生的職能展現。 本研究所建構的職能模型和評鑑工具皆通過考驗和證實，最後研究者提供在 教育訓練、評鑑和未來研究的建議。 / The purpose of this study is to explore what is the necessary competency for international business communication and use them to develop the assessment tool. Through literature review, expert interviews, expert panel and questionnaire survey, the study builds the international business competency model and assessment tool to offer a structure helping Taiwanese talents to go on the world stage smoothly. According to the result, there are three levels and nine dimensions in the international business competency for Taiwanese. It includes “must have”, “nice to have” and “goal” levels, which contain sensitivity, sympathy, aggressiveness, flexibility, business profession ability, language using ability, message delivering ability, listening and achieving consensus. Moreover, the research also develops behavior indicators for each dimension. In the part of assessment tool, the efficacy is confirmed by reliability, validity and discrimination analysis. The international business communication competency model and assessment tool are all confirmed the efficacy. In the end, the researcher provides the suggestions for training, assessment and follow-up academic studies.

[Truncated abstract] This study explored the use of English as a global language in multinational settings, particularly in regard to business contexts. The study was undertaken from an applied linguistics perspective with an education focus. An ethnographic approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative data-gathering techniques, was employed. An analysis of the language practices in two multinational companies, one in Malaysia and the other in Hong Kong, served to explore the global role of English. Such observation helped to identify the English and intercultural communication skills that business graduates will require to operate successfully in multinational contexts. Among the skills that were found to be important were the use of English for email communication; greater tolerance for and accommodation of the different accents and varieties of English; the ability to write informal reports in English; development of both oral and written communication skills in English to high levels; and the ability to work collaboratively with people from different national, cultural and linguistic backgrounds . . . More carefully considered teaching and learning approaches, which fully utilise the rich cultural diversity already existing in Australian universities, can assist the development of business graduates who will be more culturally sensitive and able to operate in international/ intercultural contexts. There is scope for further research on similar themes with other multinational companies in the same or different locations; there is also much scope for further work in the area of internationalisation of curriculum, which aims particularly to develop graduates’ intercultural communication skills to enable them to operate confidently in global and multinational settings.

Theorists and management in the South African non-profit sector agree that strong stakeholder relationships are essential in negotiating the challenges faced by the South African non-profit sector. Despite the acknowledgement from the non-profit sector that strong relationships are key to achieving organisational goals, there is an apparent lack of knowledge and strategic thinking amongst them pertaining to the concept of stakeholder relationship management. Against this background the purpose of this study was therefore to develop a metamodern model for stakeholder relationship management, aimed specifically at the South African non-profit sector, that could be implemented by NPO management in a practical manner. The blurring lines between the opposing views of modernism versus postmodernism motivated the choice of metamodernism as a relevant worldview for this study. Metamodernism does not imply a balance between these poles, but rather a constant swinging of the pendulum during which metamodernism negotiates between modernism and postmodernism. It is the construction of a workable, interrelated worldview, recognising the intimate relationship between modernism and postmodernism. It was therefore concluded that a metamodern worldview in which both modernism and postmodernism feature, would not only make it possible for nonprofit organisation managers to understand and join the discussion on stakeholder relationship management, but also to implement the proposed metamodern stakeholder relationship management model. The resultant metamodern stakeholder relationship management model for non-profit organisations is framed by so-called modernistic communication and stakeholder relationship management theories, but it was done in line with the metamodern worldview of the study, allowing for initiative and innovation. The flexible, organic and cyclic nature of the proposed model echoes this worldview. A qualitative, exploratory and interpretative research design was implemented to test a conceptual framework and face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior management in the non-profit sector. The design of the framework and subsequent model was guided by a number of assumptions and propositions arising from a thorough literature review, all of which were supported and confirmed by the research results. The most significant contribution of the study is the application of a metamodern worldview emanating from a reluctance to choose between a modern or postmodern stance when discussing communication science and stakeholder relationship management practices. It is therefore foreseen that it would offer the field of communication science new and creative means of combining modernism and postmodernism approaches when studying communication phenomena. It will also expand the responsibility for communication and stakeholder relationship management beyond that of the communication specialists to senior management in the non-profit sector. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

The aim of this study was to critically analyse the visual and verbal language used on printed adverts by some selected banks in Zimbabwe. A semiotic theory was used to analyse the printed adverts. The study revealed that all the banks use stereotyped language in communicating their messages to potential customers. Some audiences identified with this stereotyped languages, though others were also critical of stereotyped adverts. This paradox is dependent on the uneven levels of social consciousness of the audiences. The study argues that communication between banks and the potential customers is a product of negotiation of meaning at the point of reception of the printed adverts. The study then recommended the use of gender, race and class neutral language in order to enhance the effectiveness of advertisements. Future research into the study of the language of advertisement should focus on the problem of copyright infringement in advertising. / African Languages / M.A. (African languages)

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe Kenya Power employees’ perceptions of their adoption and implementation of online internal communication tools as a means of creating and managing long lasting relationships among all employees in the organisation. The theoretical point of departure for this study was framed within online internal communication and relationship management while principles of e-government were also considered. A single case study design was adopted for the study which combined both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques while data was triangulated using an online self-administered questionnaire, focus group moderator’s guide and an interview schedule. The results guided by the theoretical criteria indicate that the implementation of online internal communication tools was done at Kenya Power without considering the internal stakeholders’ needs and preferences. The consequence is that employees have developed negative perceptions about internal online communication resulting in low adoption for relationship management activities. The findings of this study could be useful for other public sector organisations in that it will help them to positively change employees’ perceptions as well as enhance the implementation and adoption of internal online communication tools for the purposes of relationship building which could result in better internal communication and public sector services. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication)

This paper was aimed at researching the use of English as a lingua franca (ELF) in a business context by the use of linguistic ethnography (LE). Previous research has been primarily either survey- or interview-based or strictly qualitative in its investigation. Using shadowing observations of three employees at a Swedish multinational company and subsequently interviewing the participants about their use of Business English as a lingua franca (BELF), the present study set out to investigate for what kinds of functions and how often these employees use English on an everyday basis. English was shown to be the default language of the multinational company and the findings suggest that employees’ use of language is not only determined by the nature of their work and the business setting, but also by their personal backgrounds. Their education, upbringing, and social experiences since moving to Sweden have come to shape their language use at work and in everyday life. Moreover, there could be subsequent implications for them not only in work-related functions and activities at the company but also in their integration and immersion in Swedish society. Using LE to investigate language choice and use in a corporate setting allows for a more nuanced collection of data, providing a context to linguistic research.

Abstract in English with Afrikaans and SeSotho translations / Employee engagement is a phenomenon that has gained increasingly more attention in organisational communication studies and also in the postmodern organisational context. In the postmodern organisational environment, employee engagement focuses more on building relationships with employees than on individual performance. However, the value of internal communication practices to enhance employee engagement within a postmodern organisation has still not fully been explored. The study thus investigated, in accordance with what the literature suggests, a single case to test which internal communication practices are perceived as strengthening employee engagement within a postmodern organisation. Consequently, the study adopted a mixed method research approach utilising three research methods, namely a survey, a focus group and semi-structured interviews, to establish which internal communication practices the management of the organisation must adopt to strengthen employee engagement. The worldview adopted for this study was both the positivist and interpretivist research paradigms. Findings indicate that because the organisation’s employees’ views are heard, responded to and even form part of the solution, employees become more engaged. In addition, having too many internal communication tools and implementing them without a strategy in place can lead to employees becoming less engaged. Overall, the findings indicate that having a supportive management style, meeting employees’ needs and providing enough opportunities for employees to participate in problem-solving are deemed important for employee engagement. Interestingly, the findings show no correlation between the importance of establishing a good organisational culture and enhancing employee engagement in the organisation. Although the findings cannot be generalised to the larger population, the insight gained could serve as a heuristic for similar organisations to strengthen their employee engagement. / Werknemerbetrokkenheid is ’n verskynsel wat al hoe meer aandag kry in organisatoriese kommunikasiestudies en ook in die postmoderne organisatoriese konteks. In laasgenoemde konteks word daar meer met werknemerbetrokkenheid gefokus op die bou van verhoudings met werknemers as op individuele prestasie. Die waarde van interne kommunikasiepraktyke om werknemerbetrokkenheid binne ’n postmoderne organisasie te bevorder, is nog steeds nie ten volle ondersoek nie. Daar is dus in die studie, in ooreenstemming met wat die literatuur suggereer, ’n enkele gevallestudie ondersoek om te bepaal watter interne kommunikasiepraktyke beskou word as praktyke wat werknemerbetrokkenheid binne ’n postmoderne organisasie bevorder. Gevolglik is daar in die studie ’n gemengdemetode-navorsingsbenadering aangeneem wat drie navorsingsmetodes insluit, naamlik ’n opname, fokusgroep en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, met die doel om vas te stel watter interne kommunikasiepraktyke die bestuur van die organisasie moet aanneem om werknemerbetrokkenheid te bevorder. Die wêreldbeskouing wat vir hierdie studie aangeneem is, is sowel die positivistiese as vertolkende navorsingsparadigmas. Bevindinge dui daarop dat omrede die werknemers van die organisasie se sienings aangehoor word, daarop gereageer word en dit selfs deel van die oplossing uitmaak, werknemers meer betrokke raak. Daarbenewens kan te veel interne kommunikasie-middels en die implementering daarvan sonder ’n strategie daartoe lei dat werknemers minder betrokke raak. Oor die algemeen dui die bevindinge daarop dat ’n ondersteunende bestuurstyl, voldoening aan werknemers se behoeftes en die verskaffing van genoegsame geleenthede vir werknemers om aan probleemoplossing deel te neem, as belangrik geag word vir werknemerbetrokkenheid. Interessant genoeg wys die bevindinge geen korrelasie tussen die belangrikheid daarvan om ’n goeie organisatoriese kultuur te vestig en om werknemerbetrokkenheid in die organisasie te bevorder nie. Hoewel die bevindinge nie veralgemeen kan word om die groter bevolking in te sluit nie, kan die insig wat verkry word as ’n leerproses gebruik word vir soorgelyke organisasies om hulle werknemerbetrokkenheid te bevorder. / Bonkakarolo ba basebetsi ke ntho e hapileng tlhokomelo e eketsehileng dithutong tsa puisano tsa mekgatlo hape le maemong a morao-rao a mekgatlo. Tikolohong ya morao-rao ya mekgatlo, onkakarolo ba basebetsi bo shebana haholo le ho haha dikamano le basebetsi ho fapana le tshebetso ya motho ka mong. Leha ho le jwalo, boleng ba ditlwaelo tsa puisano tsa kahare ba ho ntlafatsa bonkakarolo ba basebetsi kahara mekgatlo ya morao-rao ha bo so ka bo hlahlojwa ka botlalo. Kahoo, phuputso e fupuditse ho latela seo dingodilweng di se supang, tlhahlobisiso e le nngwe ya ho lekola hore na ke mekgwa efe ya puisano ya kahare e nkuwang e matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba asebetsi kahara mokgatlo wa kamora nako ya morao-rao. Ka lebaka leo, phuputso e ile ya sebedisa mokgwa o tswakilweng wa dipatlisiso o sebedisang mekgwa e meraro ya dipatlisiso, e leng phuputso, sehlopha seo ho shebanweng le sona le dipuisano tse batlang di hlophisitswe hantle, ho sheba hore na ke mekgwa efe ya puisano ya kahare eo tsamaiso e lokelang ho e amohela ho matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba asebetsi. Maikutlo a lefatshe a amohetsweng phuputsong ena e ne e le a dipatlisiso a bontshang hore tlhokomelo le lebaka ke mekgwa ya kutlwisiso ya boitshwaro ba batho le a dipatlisiso tsa botoloki. Diphumano di bontsha hore hobane maikutlo a basebetsi ba mokgatlo a utluwa, a arabelwa ebile a etsa karolo ya tharollo, basebetsi ba kakgela ka setotswana le hofeta. Ntle le moo, ho ba le disebediswa tse ngata haholo tsa puisano tsa kahare le ho di kenya tshebetsong ntle le leano ho ka etsa hore basebetsi ba se ke ba sebetsa hantle. Ka kakaretso, diphumano di bontsha hore ho ba le mokgwa wa botsamaisi o tshehetsang, ho fihlela ditlhoko tsa basebetsi le ho fana ka menyetla e lekaneng ho basebetsi ya ho nka karolo tharollong ya mathata ho nkuwa ho le bohlokwa bakeng sa ho nka karolo ha basebetsi. Ho kgahlisang ke hore diphumano ha di bontshe kamano dipakeng tsa bohlokwa ba ho theha setso se hantle sa mokgatlo le ho matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba basebetsi mokgatlong. Leha diphumano e ke ke ya ba tse akaretsang ho batho ba bangata, temohisiso e fumanweng e ka sebetsa e le leano la mekgatlo e tshwanang ho matlafatsa bonkakarolo ba basebetsi ba yona. Mantswe a sehlooho: bonkakarolo ba basebetsi, puisano ya kahare, mekgwa ya puisano ya kahare, puisano ya mokgatlo, tshebediso e nang le sepheo ya puisano / Communication Science / M.A. (Communication Science)

The purpose of the study was to identify and transform, as necessary, constructs of communication satisfaction and to develop a hybrid quantitative audit of organisational communication satisfaction for collectivist contexts that is both reliable and valid, using Amos Graphics for structural equation modelling. The objective was also to develop a full latent variable model and to test its fitness to the data collected from a random sample of civil servants across Addis Ababa’s civil service bureaus. The study comprised three sequential parts, namely pilot, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (Main Study One) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (Main Study Two). These were used as per the existing framework in instrument development and validation. The pilot study indicated the need for more robust data. After a series of tests, principal factor axis factoring with oblique rotation was used as the most appropriate for perceptual data, out of several options on the EFA menu. The initially hypothesised six-factor solution with the dimensions of horizontal communication, personal feedback, supervisory communication, communication climate, relational trust and job satisfaction was found to be unfit for the data on conceptual and statistical grounds and psychometric analyses which involved the use of eigenvalues and the scree plot. A more appropriate two-factor solution based on the more precise parallel analysis strategy was consistent with current research that communication satisfaction is best conceptualised in terms of informational and relational domains as operationalised using the EFA procedure. The two-factor solution led to the formation of a 17-item scale out of the original 30-item measure, with two latent dimensions namely relational satisfaction and informational satisfaction. The items of the new EFA-generated organisational communication satisfaction scale were renumbered consecutively and the scale was cross-validated on a xiv new sample of 288 civil servants from the Addis Ababa City Administration. The cross-validation necessitated model respecification and re-estimation. The respecified model underwent validation at different levels. All seven aspects of validity, namely content validity, construct validity, factorial validity, reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity and nomological validity, were addressed and found to be adequate. However limitations are also indicated as avenues for further enquiry. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

The concept of SIC in the banking circle specifically in Ghana and generally in Africa has raised concerns for research because it concerns the management of the processes of communication strategies to achieve communication goals. Previously, the banking reports of Ghana required that the stakeholders of industries be well-informed using the comprehensive communication plan; however, it appears that different trends of communication strategies have been adopted recently. To this end, this study explored 3 banks operating in Accra to determine their strategic integrated communication practices with stakeholders. Using the Media Richness Theory and the Two-Way Symmetrical Model of Communication, the study analysed data obtained through in-depth interviews from staff of the banks and some documents accessed from the banks. The findings indicated that the banks need to review strategies for client satisfaction and loyalty as an output of strategically integrating communication efforts. The study concludes that bank interactivity must be conducted strategically and efficiently to achieve the best communication results. / Communication Science / Ph. D.