Thesis (Masters Diploma (Technology))--Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 1995 / Most organisations are normally aware of the importance of effective internal and external communication. However, if organisations do not make use of modern communication technologies and train and motivate users to utilise these effectively, it could seriously hamper effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, a competitive edge and profitability. Although large organisations normally are cognisant of modern communication technologies and largely make use of these, it does not imply that these technologies are regularly acquired and/or used to the optimum. In contrast, smaller organisations as well those functioning from home, may never even be exposed to these technologies. When taking the above-mentioned aspects into consideration, it becomes clear that employees in offices in large, medium and small organisations may experience definite needs and frustrations which may lead to dissatisfaction. This study determined the importance of communication in organisations, types of communication technologies used by large, medium and small organisations as well as communication needs and frustrations within organisations. The study also, to a lesser degree, determined how the user is influenced by modern communication technologies, ego the answering machine and electronic mail, and whether resistance to the use of these is prevalent. A literature study concerning the importance of communication in general, but more specifically in the office environment, (as a basis for the eventual productive and cost-effective utilisation of the different communication technologies) was undertaken. The study included traditional, modern and the latest available communication technologies in use overseas and locally as well as the advantages and disadvantages attached to these.

Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Technikon, 2004. / This case study set out to determine the extent to which communication satisfaction exists amongst the employees of a Gauteng based utility. This is important firstly, because employees influence the quality of external relationships and secondly, employees are critical stakeholders in organisational goal achievement. The Utility has a critical, strategic, public function in supplying potable water daily to about 12 million people in Gauteng. The Utility's Corporate Business Plan for the period 2003 to 2008 expressed the strategic intent to transform the organisation into a customer orientated organisation. This transformation is underpinned by, inter alia, Organisational Culture Change. The improvement of internal communication was amongst the initiatives undertaken by the Company to promote an organisational culture more reflective of its values. The management communication issue of not knowing whether communication satisfaction exists amongst the employees of The Utility militates against the effectiveness of The Utility's internal communication. In turn, the effectiveness of its internal communication impacts on the organisation's intentions of affecting an organisational culture change and transforming into a customer orientated organisation. To determine the extent to which communication satisfaction exists is therefore important in the facilitation of such a culture change. The study was positioned in the communication domain, more specifically the sub-domain of management communication. The meta-theoretical framework of the study was the Excellence theory of public relations and communication management. The literature study clarified the major concept of communication satisfaction, as well as its constructs. The second concept of the study, relating to supervisory communication skills, was also described.

Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011. / The purpose of this limited scope research study is to investigate the research question "What are the internal communication needs of the Cape Town based employees at Metropolitan Health Group?" The research will investigate whether the current internal communication practise/s and communication content at Metropolitan Health Group satisfy the needs of employees. The research will be informed by the Downs and Hazen (1977:72) factor analytic study of communication satisfaction which concluded that "the concept of satisfaction can be a useful tool in an audit of organisational communication."

Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / This research reports on the findings from a study that explores how the principles of corporate communication strategies outlined in public relations theory align to public relations practice. Using the theoretical framework of strategic public relations within corporate communication strategies, this qualitative research seeks to understand what theoretical principles inform corporate communication strategies and how public relations practitioners develop and implement these strategies. The findings suggest that public relations practitioners have a more practical approach than a theoretical approach to public relations practice. This study identifies the importance of increasing the credibility of the discipline as public relations practitioners are able to constantly improve and adjust their strategies according to what works and what does not. Measurement and evaluation in application of corporate communication strategies increases research in public relations practice which will in due course influence public relations theory. Further study is recommended in increasing the knowledge of public relations practitioners regarding the theory of communication strategies which will assist in improving the status of public relations and the perceived value of the profession.

Ph.D. (Communication Studies) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The competitive advantage in a dynamic environment can only be gained if the organisation stays aligned with underlying tendencies of that environment, which makes the management of change one of the most important functions of organisations. Organisations often find that earlier paradigms for the management of change are no longer relevant. This necessitated a new paradigm for the management of change, in order to enable organisations to adapt to a turbulent environment. In this article the focus is therefore on the development of a new paradigm for the management of change, in which the management of change is viewed as a strategically planned process in which a communication strategy plays a core role. Existing models and theories were therefore refined and incorporated in order to develop a holistic, systemic model for the management of change. / Prof. Sonja Verwey

M.A. / The purpose of this study was to investigate the state of rhetorical criticism in public speaking organisations in South Africa. Public speaking is defined as rhetoric and the evaluation of public speaking as rhetorical criticism. The different perspectives towards rhetorical criticism are outlined and the approaches encompassed by these perspectives are discussed. The focus of the study is the state of rhetorical criticism in the public speaking organisations in South Africa. It was therefore necessary to establish the orientations and purposes of these organisations. The public speaking organisations identified at the outset of the study were Afrikaanse Taal-en Kultuurvereniging and Toastmasters International. The research project involved participant observation for the purpose of first-order interpretation ofthe methods ofevaluation used by these organisations. These organisations were founded for the purposes of promoting the skill of public speaking and developing confidence in speakers. By applying purposive sampling initially, snowball sampling emerged and the other public speaking organisations in South Africa were identified. This enabled the inclusion of the whole population for the purposes of this study. The investigation of the contemporary theories on rhetorical criticism revealed that there was a breakaway from the initial speaker orientation that focused on the effect of the speaker. Different perspectives on rhetorical criticism emerged since the traditional perspective that included approaches that focused on various forms of message analysis. Although effectiveness remained the overall criteria in the assessment ofpublic speaking, the emphasis has shifted to the message rather than the speaker. It is accepted that rhetorical criticism is subjective but at the same time it should be justified by reasons.

No description available.

Current technologies are not sufficient to support the full spectrum of organizational communications because organizations are open systems and organizational communication is rather complex (e.g., involves negotiations). Speech Acts is a branch of Linguistics which views speaking to be the same as acting. Recently, Speech Acts theory has been introduced into the design of computer systems, like organizational information systems (OISs), that require complex interactions among themselves. By doing so, it is hoped that actions can be incorporated into man-machine and machine-machine communications. In this thesis, one tractable portion of the speech act theory was identified which can provide a basis for the automation of a class of semi-structured communications (e.g., simple negotiations) in a distributed organizational environment. This portion of rather abstract Linguistics theory was transformed into a concrete application layer communication protocol (namely, the SACT protocol), which was then validated using a protocol validation tool (i.e., VALIRA), specified in a standard formal specification language LOTOS, and simulated using a protocol development toolkit (i.e., the Ottawa University LOTOS Toolkit). This protocol can be used by computer-based organizational systems to automate simple negotiations, as well as recurring tasks of collecting information in an organizational environment. In addition, a communication scheme (called SACT network) was added to the Woo and Lochovsky's MOAP (Micro Organization Activity Processor) model to automate inter-micro-organizational communications using the SACT protocol. The usefulness of this scheme is demonstrated through an example application. / Science, Faculty of / Computer Science, Department of / Graduate

Empirical studies have shown that employees' trust in their direct supervisors has a negative correlation with voluntary employee turnover. This thesis examines this effect among new managers in organizations. I propose a model in which trust in direct supervisors influences new managers' turnover intention during the organizational socialization period. Drawing on attachment theory and person-environment correspondence theory, I predict that job insecurity and person-organization fit are the key mechanisms through which cognition-based and affect-based trust in supervisors affect new managers' voluntary turnover. A three-phase longitudinal quantitative research is proposed to test the research model. The results from 162 participants in Hong Kong support the model, showing that job insecurity and person-organization fit mediate the relationship between trust in supervisors and turnover intention. In addition, the organizational socialization period and middle manager stage moderate the relationship between trust in supervisors and person-organization fit. The implications of the findings for future research and management practice are also discussed