Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Management make use of e-mail as a tool to enable them to do their daily tasks. E-mail is used as one of the best communication channels by management. Sishen Mine also makes use of e-mail as communication channel. The question however is whether e-mail has a positive or negative impact on management effectiveness. The history of e-mail as well as the reasons for e-mail use have been investigated. The different areas of use of email were discussed. Additional to this, the positive effects experienced by the individual as well as companies when using e-mail were highlighted and discussed. Unfortunately e-mail also has negative influences on the individual and the company and these were also highlighted and discussed. Data was obtained from the Sishen e-mail application in order to analyse the use of e-mail by the employees. The key insight from the e-mail application data was that a small group of employees send and receive the majority of e-mail at Sishen. A survey was sent out to all e-mail users at Sishen in order to determine the influence of e-mail on management effectiveness. The survey data enabled a detailed geographic analysis of the e-mail users at Sishen per department, gender, race, age and years of service as well as the details of the respondents. Analysis of the survey data revealed that e-mail has a positive impact on management effectiveness and that Sishen uses e-mail extensively. However, the data also revealed that e-mail impacts negatively on management effectiveness. The key insight from the survey was the extreme low levels of computer and e-mail training done by management. The lack of sufficient e-mail training was seen as one of the major contributing factors of high levels of frustration with e-mail experienced by management. Recommendations were made to Sishen as a result of the study to enable improvement of management effectiveness through the use of e-mail. Implementation of key recommendations with potential key positive impact was also highlighted. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bestuur gebruik e-pos as 'n gereedskapstuk om uitvoering aan hul take te gee deur middel van die kommunikasiekanaal wat e-pos bied. E-pos leen hom daarna om 'n uitstekende kanaal te wees vir kommunikasie. Sishen Myn gebnuik ook e-pos as 'n kommunikasiekanaal. Die vraag is of die kommunikasiekanaal 'n goeie of slegte invloed het op bestuurseffektiwiteit van die bestuur van die myn. Die geskiedenis van e-pos en die redes vir die gebruik van e-pos is ondersoek. Die verskillende gebruike asook die waarde van e-pos vir die individu en maatskappye is uitgelig. E-pos het ongelukkig ook nadele vir die individu en maatskappye en hierdie nadele is uitgewys en bespreek. Na die toepaslike literatuurstudie is inligting vanaf die e-pos databasis onttrek om die e-pos gebruik van Sishen werknemers te evalueer. Die belangrikste insig vanuit die databasis-ontleding het daarop gedui dat 'n klein hoeveelheid mense die grootste hoeveelheid e-posse binne Sishen stuur en ontvang. 'n Vraelys is tydens 'n meningsopname aan alle e-pos gebruikers binne Sishen uitgestuur om die invloed van e-pos op bestuurseffektiwiteit te bepaal. Vanuit die analise van die vraelys inligting was dit moontlik om geografiese samestelling van die e-pos gebruikers te bepaal. Dit was moontlik om te sien hoeveel werknemers per afdeling, geslag, ras, ouderdom en jare diens e-pos gebruikers is, asook om die besonderhede van die gebruikers vas te stel. Verdere analise van die vraelysinligting het aangedui dat e-pos 'n positiewe uitwerking op bestuurseffektiwiteit het en dat werknemers dit goed gebruik. Ongelukkig het dit ook na vore gekom dat daar genoegsame bewyse is dat daar ook negatiewe invloed op bestuurseffektiwiteit is. Die mees insiggewende was die besonder lae vlakke van rekenaar en e-pos opleiding wat bestuur deurloop het. Dit word gesien as een van die grootste bydraende faktore tot die hoe vlakke van frustrasie wat ervaar word deur bestuur. Vanuit die bevindinge van die vraelys is daar aanbevelings aan Sishen gemaak om sodoende te help om die bestuurseffektiwiteit te bevorder deur die gebruik van e-pos. Die potensiele voordele wat verkry kan word wanneer die aanbevelings implementeer word, is ook aangedui.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The assessment of internal communication at PetroSA was conducted with the view to obtaining guidance on how to improve communication within the organisation. The study looked at both upward and downward communication content and flow. A representative sample was selected from the core groups of highly-trained professional employees in Levels 2, 3 and 4 (of nine levels). Employees in this sample were asked to respond electronically to a questionnaire designed by the researcher with input from colleagues. The questionnaire had 60 statements in seven concept areas. The statements were wide enough to capture the most important aspects of internal communication. It used a Likert-type scale. Responses were averaged and the averages were tested by t-tests to see whether employees agreed or disagreed with the statements. The sample of employees could also respond if they wished to a qualitative question. Results were analysed, conclusions were drawn, and recommendations were made about ways the company can improve its internal communication. The timing of the study is important for the organisation as the company plans to grow by more than 30 000 employees after the building of a new refinery in Port Elizabeth. What became clear in the study was that much satisfactory downward communication is happening in the company through CEO road shows, the in-house Yiza Sithethe magazine and the daily newsletter PetroSA Today, but employees want more. They want more specific information on where the company is going as well as on its financial status. Despite some disengagement, they would like to be free to engage with management on issues without running a huge risk (more upward communication). They indicate strongly that management does not listen to their ideas and suggestions. They want more explanation for some of management’s decisions, more discussions over causes and prevention of breakdowns in production, and clearer ideas of how they fit into the larger company. Despite some lack of alignment with the company goals, they do want to work for the larger good. More efficient budgeting processes, clearer career paths, and better understanding of their capabilities by their own managers seem to be needed. The company management needs to deal with some mistrust by employees, and this will not be achieved overnight. Immediate actions include a communication management plan to achieve better alignment of its workforce, as well as communication skills development for its levels of managers. Communication keeps any organisation together. There is good potential for PetroSA to attain its vision to be a leading petrochemical company in Africa. But first, it has to improve its internal communication.

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

Managers spend 75-80% of their time communicating interpersonally. Ironically, communication skills are consistently listed as a major weakness of today's managers. Furthermore, management theorists contend that management students have been mis-educated for the job of managing. This study focuses on the relationship between attitudes toward communication and managerial success. Communication attitude was measured by Hart, Carlson and Eadie's RHETSEN Scale. Success was measured as promotions in relation to years worked and salary in relation to age. The hypothesis was that the Rhetorically Sensitive manager will be most successful. Two three-way analyses of variance were performed to assess this relationship. The results indicated no significant difference in success level for the Rhetorically Sensitive manager. The exploratory research suggested several directions for future research. Implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are noted.

Taylor, Cooren, Giroux, and Robichaud (1996) theorize that an organization is created entirely through the interpretations of its members and it evolves as those conversations change. Demonstrating the Taylor et al. theory, the current study focuses on the outcomes of management vision and strategic planning sessions in a division of a large Southwestern University. It explores the ways organization emerges through the discourse of the managers, how text is amplified to support the organization as a whole, the ways organization continues to emerge in communication, and in what ways the emergent view of organization exists throughout the division. The results of the study support the Taylor et al. theory. Management participants created an expanded view of the organization through discourse and then linked it to the university as a whole. Evidence was found supporting continued reformulation but it was limited to the management participants and did not include hourly employees.

Text in Afrikaans / Die Rektoraatsomsendskrywe word binne die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika (Unisa) gebruik as mondstuk vir die Bestuur, maar ook terselfdertyd om inligting van en/of oor Departemente, Afde lings en Institute aan ander Departement, Afde lings en Institute oor te dra. Veral inligting betreffende personeelaangeleenthede, departemente le aange l eenthede, gel eenthede aangebi ed deur 'n Departement, verandering in diensvoorwaardes, die beleid van Unisa, die eksterne publieke van Unisa en die verbetering van die algemene welstand van die personeel word versprei. Die vraag het ontstaan in welke mate hierdie kommunikasiekanaal effektief funksioneer. Daar wil ook vasgestel word hoe belangrik die Rektoraatsomsendskrywes as kommunikasiekanaal beskou word in die totale kommunikasiesisteem van Unisa. 1.3 PROBLEEMFORMULERING Die doel van hierdie studie is om die Rektoraatsomsendskrywe as kommunikasiekanaal binne Unisa te evalueer. 1.4 AANNAMES Die volgende aannames ten opsigte van die huidige status van die Rektoraatsomsendskrywe as kommunikasiekanaal aan Unisa gaan geverifieer en vergelyk word met die riglyne soos wat dit onder punt 3 uiteengesit word. Die Rektoraatsomsendskrywe word beskou as die belangrikste kommunikasiekanaal waardeur die Bestuur vinnig met alle Personeel gelyktydig kan kommunikeer. Die Rektoraatsomsendskrywe funksioneer nie optimaal nie. Personeel verkies Rektoraatsomsendskrywe in ten minste Afrikaans en Engels. Die uitleg van die Rektoraatsomsendskrywe voldoen nie aan die behoeftes van die personeel nie. 3 Te veel Rektoraatsomsendskrywe het gedurende 1995 verskyn, dit wil se oorlading het voorgekom. Die gedrukte formaat Rektoraatsomsendskrywe word verkies bo die Rektoraatsomsendskrywe in elektroniese formaat. Die verspreiding van sekere reekse Rektoraatsomsendskrywe aan sekere teikengroepe het tot gevolg dat inligting wat van toepassing is op alle personeel, slegs aan sekere groepe personeel gestuur word. Daar is nie konsekwentheid in die tipe inligting wat aan die verskillende teikengroepe gestuur word nie. / Communication Science / Unknown

This research explores the attitudes held by marketing managers about building their company's corporate reputation, and about the impact of their actions on performance. In an environment of costly brand building, declining customer loyalty, and increasing scrutiny from stakeholders who demand corporate responsibility and transparency, a concern for corporate reputation is increasingly important for everyone in the company, including marketing managers. The marketing literature, however, has not explored how managers who are concerned about the reputation of their companies can effectively adapt marketing strategy for reputation enhancement. The theoretical justification for this research is grounded in stakeholder theory, dynamic capabilities theory, and strategic choice theory. The study contributes to the marketing strategy literature and the nascent field of stakeholder marketing. It makes a theoretical connection between the corporate-level construct of reputation orientation, and its impact on functional-level decisions about marketing strategy. Reputation orientation is the concern that top management and employees share about their company's commitment to nurturing a positive corporate reputation among key stakeholders. A scale for reputation was conceptually defined and empirically tested (Churchill, 1979). It consists of three dimensions: consciously created corporate identity, internal identity dissemination, and external stakeholder impact. Reputation orientation was found to be a valid and reliable construct that was further tested within the framework of how marketing managers formulate, implement, and evaluate their strategic marketing decisions. This research also tested the impact of stakeholder-conscious marketing strategy on corporate reputation and marketing performance. / The results from the empirical research indicate that organizations with a reputation orientation devise and select marketing strategies that focus on the needs and concerns of customers and other key stakeholders. Reputation orientation guides a stakeholder-conscious marketing strategy, such that marketing strategy decisions take into consideration both the impacts on corporate reputation and marketing performance without sacrificing either. The implications for marketing practice is that marketing managers can deliberately choose marketing strategies that build a strong corporate reputation by considering the concerns of customers and other key stakeholders at the earliest stages of marketing strategy formulation. / by Deborah Goldring. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web. FboU

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Orientador: Maria Cristina Gobbi / Banca: Maximiliano Martin Vicente / Banca: Isildinha Martins / Resumo: É um trabalho que visa discutir o emprego estratégico da comunicação organizacional considerando a dinâmica do mundo contemporâneo caracterizada pela revolução das tecnologias da informação e a globalização, tendo como eixo de análise a Força Aérea Brasileira. O que se coloca aqui é uma tentativa de reconhecimento da importância da gestão estratégica comunicacional para o desempenho das organizações. A metodologia empregada para a análise é a combinação térico-prática que envolve a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental com a observação participante e grupos de trabalho. Este estudo se volta para a Força Aérea Brasileira, tendo como ponto de apoio as experiências práticas e os resultados alcançados no processo de apropriação do conceito / Abstract: Is a work at aims to discuss the strategic use of communicational communication considering the dynamics of the contemporary world characterized by information technology revolution and globalization, with central analysis on Brazilian Air Force. What arises that is an attempt to recognize the importance of strategic communication management for the performance of organizations. The methodology used for the analysis is the theoretical and practical combination that involves bibliographic and documental research with participant observation and working groups. This study turns to the Brazilian Air Force, having as support the practical experiences and achievements in the process of appropriating the concept of strategic management of organization communication / Mestre