M.A. / Organisations which practise according to a social cultural approach to organising from a systems perspective, as described by Buckley (1967:3), value the dynamics of interrelations and the importance of corporate communication, in order for an environmental balance to be maintained and an acclaimed organisational reputation to be built. By addressing the systems theory from a process model approach and the social cultural organisational context, according to organisational principles defined by the structuration theory tradition, the core principle of production and reproduction of social structures is emphasised, where it is possible to recognise the value of corporate communication as an element of the strategic management process. Literature has indicated that in its strategic capacity, corporate communication focuses on enhancing stakeholder relationships, facilitates an adaptive organisational structure and assists management to align strategies with goals. Organisations are therefore encouraged to adapt to a dynamic environment, which in turn develops a reputation based on transformation. Corporate social investment, within this context, is perceived as a strategic corporate communication facilitator which is practised with the aim of building relationships with communities and ensuring attainment of environmental goals which align with internal strategies and objectives. This study explores the corporate social investment educational initiatives of First National Bank, who have a vision of assisting to develop a better future through the youth. Through varied educational initiatives and corporate communication strategies designed around these initiatives, stakeholders should gain an enhanced impression of the organisation where First National Bank is recognised for shaping the development of South Africa in a global economy. Therefore, the primary research objective of this study was to identify the perceptions of selected First National Bank internal communication consultants, of corporate social investment educational initiatives as a strategic contributor to the reputation of First National Bank. The study assumed an overall qualitative methodological orientation; however both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were used. The study consisted of three phases of research. Phases 1 and 2 were both of a qualitative nature and focused on the methodology of qualitative content analysis and qualitative in-depth semi-structured interviews respectively, thereby developing subjective and explanatory findings around the research objective. Phase 3 explored the quantitative research methodology of a self-administered questionnaire, and resulted in the production of empirical findings. Findings obtained in phase 3 were developed with the pursuit of substantiating and verifying what had been deduced in phases 1 and 2. From the findings yielded by this research, it is possible to surmise that First National Bank’s corporate social investment educational initiatives do strategically contribute to the organisational reputation, as they reflect the organisation’s ability to adapt to external influences, and have also revealed the need to focus on stakeholder involvement as a reputation management tool, which encourages stakeholders to make a difference to society and gain knowledge of the organisation’s strategies and goals. Findings have also suggested that First National Bank place emphasis on addressing corporate social investment educational initiatives from a holistic approach, where, through unity of efforts, a favourable organisational reputation is produced. It was perceived that alignment of organisational values with corporate social investment initiatives improves the organisation’s long-term business opportunities, and emphasis placed on relationship-building reflects the organisation’s desire to empower stakeholders who could assist in transforming strategies to reach organisational goals. However, a lack of communication at First National Bank surrounding corporate social investment was identified within this study, but it became apparent that the organisation does have an interactive culture which aims to address the external environment through their corporate social investment educational initiatives. This idea reflected how the organisation aims to achieve a dynamic environmental balance which ultimately assists the organisation in enhancing a positive reputation. This study has also indicated that it is the strategic role of corporate communication, as a social cultural phenomenon, to ensure that throughout every strategy implemented, the organisation is constantly and advantageously positioned in the minds of all stakeholders.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The link between a favourable corporate reputation and business benefits is well established. Most executives recognise the importance of a favourable corporate reputation in building a competitive advantage for their organisations. However, the measuring of a corporate reputation, particularly in the service industry, has remained problematic. This study addresses this lingering gap in the literature and focuses on the development of an instrument to measure the client-based corporate reputation of organisations functioning in the service industry. This includes the identification of the factors (dimensions) that clients of large service organisations consider when they evaluate the reputations of organisations. Large organisations functioning in two sectors, the banking sector and the airline sector, were selected as the focus in this study. Groundwork for the design of a reputation-measuring instrument included the clarification of key terms (e.g. corporate identity, corporate image, corporate brand and corporate reputation). It also included a review of corporate reputation from various perspectives (e.g. organisational studies, economics, strategy and corporate communication). It also included discussions on scale development and the various approaches to the conceptualisation and operationalisation of corporate reputation. This study followed mainly a positivistic paradigm, involving quantitative methods. However, two qualitative methods were also used: a focus group discussion to identify patterns of thinking used by clients to assess corporate reputation and the expert-panel method to obtain the inputs of a panel of experts. Six large-scale surveys in three waves served as primary data sources. Large samples of the target population were used to obtain data that was statistically analysable. Secondary data sources included an extensive literature review. To develop the measurement scale, a series of steps was used to refine, purify and replicate the instrument. The process started with an exploratory factor analysis and concluded with an invariance analysis. The data was analysed during three waves of data collection. A variety of statistical techniques was used to assess the construct validity of the proposed instrument, including unidimensionality, convergent validity, reliability, discriminant validity, nomological validity, model fit and invariance. The outcome is a 19-item instrument using five dimensions to measure the client-based corporate reputation of large organisations in the service industry. These dimensions are Emotional appeal, Corporate performance, Social engagement, Good employer and Service points. This study contributes to the existing literature by the development of a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to measure a service organisation’s client-based corporate reputation before embarking on a reputation-enhancement programme. This study proposes that the measurement of an organisation’s client-based corporate reputation is a crucial starting point to assess the gap between where it is and where it wants to be in terms of its corporate reputation, and to manage its reputation accordingly. By using the proposed instrument, managers will be able to track their organisations’ corporate reputation over time, both overall and at the level of the five dimensions separately. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verband tusssen ’n gunstige korporatiewe reputasie en die voordele daarvan vir organisasies is goed gevestig. Die meeste bestuurders erken ook die belangrikheid van korporatiewe reputasie in die bou van ’n mededingende voordeel vir hul organisasies. Die effektiewe meting van korporatiewe reputasie is egter, veral in die dienstebedryf, steeds problematies. Teen dié agtergrond was die fokus van die proefskrif op die ontwikkeling van ’n instrument om die kliëntgebaseerde korporatiewe reputasie van organisasies in die dienstebedryf te meet. Dit sluit in die identifisering van die faktore (dimensies) wat die kliënte van groot diensteorganisasies oorweeg wanneer hulle organisasies se reputasies evalueer. Groot organisasies wat in twee bedryfsektore werksaam is, naamlik die banksektor en die lugrederysektor, is geselekteer as die fokus van hierdie studie. Die grondslag vir die ontwerp van ’n reputasiemetingsinstrument het die verduideliking van sleutelterme (soos korporatiewe identiteit, korporatiewe beeld, korporatiewe handelsmerk en korporatiewe reputasie) ingesluit. Dit het ook die bestudering van korporatiewe reputasie uit verskillende perspektiewe (soos organisatoriese studies, die ekonomie, strategie en korporatiewe kommunikasie) behels. ’n Bespreking van skaalontwikkeling en die verskillende benaderings tot die konseptualisering en operasionalisering van korporatiewe reputasie het deel van hierdie aanvoorwerk gevorm. Hierdie studie het hoofsaaklik ’n positivistiese paradigma gevolg wat kwantitatiewe metodes ingesluit het. Twee kwalitatiewe metodes is egter ook gebruik: ’n fokusgroepbespreking om die denkpatrone te identifiseer wat kliënte gebruik om korporatiewe reputasie te evalueer en die ekspertpaneelmetode om die insette van ’n paneel kenners te bekom. Daarby het ses grootskaal-opnames in drie golwe as primêre databronne gedien. Groot steekproewe van die teikenpopulasie is gebruik om data te bekom wat statisties analiseerbaar was. Sekondêre databronne het ’n omvattende literatuurstudie ingesluit. Om die metingsinstrument te ontwikkel, is ’n reeks stappe gevolg om die instrument te verfyn, te suiwer en te repliseer. Die vertrekpunt was ’n verkennende faktoranalise en die proses is afgesluit met ’n analise van die invariansie. Die data is ontleed in drie datainsamelingsfases. ’n Verskeidenheid statistiese tegnieke – soos eendimensionaliteit, konvergerende geldigheid, betroubaarheid, diskriminante geldigheid, nomologiese geldigheid, modelpassing en invariansie – is toegepas om die konstrukgeldigheid van die voorgestelde instrument te evalueer. Die uitkoms is ’n 19-item-instrument wat vyf dimensies gebruik om die kliëntgebaseerde korporatiewe reputasie van groot organisasies in die dienstebedryf te meet. Hierdie dimensies is Emosionele aantrekkingskrag, Korporatiewe prestasie, Sosiale betrokkenheid, Goeie werkgewer en Dienspunte. Hierdie studie dra by tot die bestaande literatuur deur die ontwikkeling van ’n geldige en betroubare instrument wat gebruik kan word om ’n diensteorganisasie se kliëntgebaseerde korporatiewe reputasie te bepaal voordat ’n reputasieversterkingsprogram in werking gestel word. Die studie stel voor dat die meting van ’n organisasie se kliëntgebaseerde korporatiewe reputasie ’n uiters belangrike vertrekpunt vorm vir die assessering van die gaping tussen waar die organisasie hom tans bevind en waar hy wil wees, en om hierdie reputasie dienooreenkomstig te bestuur. Bestuurders sal met behulp van die voorgestelde instrument hul organisasies se korporatiewe reputasie oor tyd kan navolg – oorkoepelend, sowel as op die vlak van elke afsonderlike dimensie.

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Journalism

This study was a replication of Fitzpatrick and Rubin's study of response strategies used in crisis communication. It differed though, in the type of crisis analyzed. While Fitzpatrick and Rubin studied cases of sexual harassment, this study examined oil spills of two supertanker groundings. Both the Exxon Valdez and the Sea Empress groundings, and especially Acomarit and Exxon, the companies responsible were examined by using content analysis. Units of analysis were statements by each company's spokesperson covered in either four American or four Norwegian newspapers. These statements were then categorized as one of four response strategies defined by Fitzpatrick and Rubin which were as follows: (1) The traditional public relations strategy, (2) The traditional legal strategy, (3) Mixed strategy, and, (4) Diversionary strategy.On behalf of these response strategies the study stated two hypotheses:H1: The spokespersons of Acomarit used the traditional public relations strategy significantly more than the traditional legal strategy, as defined by Fitzpatrick and Rubin, in Norwegian newspapers.The hypothesis was accepted.H2: The spokespersons of Exxon used the traditional legal strategy significantly more than the traditional public relations strategy, as defined by Fitzpatrick and Rubin, in American newspapers.The hypothesis was partially accepted.The study used an American and a Norwegian coder to secure reliability. Holsti's coder reliability test yielded eighty percent for the American statements, and seventy percent for the Norwegian statements.The study also indicated that the traditional public relations strategy was the most used response strategy. This was different to what Fitzpatrick and Rubin found in their study. They found the traditional legal strategy was used the most in cases of sexual harassment.However, both Exxon and Acomarit used the traditional public relations strategy more than the traditional legal strategy, but differed significantly in their use of mixed strategy and diversionary strategy. Exxon was found to have used the diversionary strategy significantly more than Acomarit. The researcher indicated that this may have been one of the contributing factors which lead to Exxon's public relations nightmare. In addition, Exxon was found to have used more spokespeople than Acomarit, which in turn may have made it difficult to centralize the information flow. / Department of Journalism

D.Litt. et Phil. / The main objective of this study is to determine the role of the communications manager in the changing South African business environment and the compilation of a contextual sensitive generic framework of the required outputs for communications managers in South African organisations. With this objective in view, a comprehensive theoretical study has been conducted to determine the role of public relations as a organisational sub-system, based on the principles of the systems approach. The main inward and outward public relations functions and xv the role of the communications manager as cosmopolitan on the border between the organisation and the environment has thereafter been discussed. As a result thereof, it became apparent that an integrated approach to communications is central to the effectiveness of public relations in a dynamic business environment. The validity and approaches of existing models of public relations have been evaluated as a basis for the development of an integrated public relations model. The integrated communication approach to public relations suggests that public relations cannot function in isolation of the other sub-systems in the organisation and that the public relations function is directly influenced hereby. With the integrated communication approach as basis, the influence of change and the socioeconomic implications thereof for public relations in South Africa have been determined. The implications of the intended standardisation in terms of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the state of professionalisation of the public relations profession in South Africa and the requirements for competence in communication, have been determined by means of an in-depth theoretical inquiry and discussions with enlightened individuals and institutions. As a result, a generic framework for communications management in the South African business environment has been compiled with a view to contribute to the determination of the requirements for public relations in terms of the essential outputs as will be defined by the NQF. In the final section the proposed generic framework has been empirically tested on the basis of personal interviews conducted with communications managers of thirty of the Top 100 organisations in South Africa. After the results have been analysed and the implications discussed, the conclusion was reached that the proposed contextual sensitive generic framework has succeeded in expressing the essential outputs, as defined in the existing business environment. The framework was then interpreted in accordance with the levels of work and the implications for the state of public relations, as well as for research in this area, pointed out. The study illustrates the importance of the role of communications management in the South African business environment and presents a valuable contribution by creating an output model as basis for the suggested standardisation in terms of the NQF.

This study set out to explore how multinational corporations incorporated the issue of culture into the planning process for crisis management. The research used a case study method with unstructured interviews conducted via email, phone and in person, and focused on the U.S. and Japan. Four of the interview subjects were established public relations professionals with experience in both countries, and one subject is a professor of intercultural communications in Japan. All interviews were transcribed and approved by the interview subjects before being analyzed and catalogued into themes. Those themes were then reviewed compared to the intercultural communications theoretical framework of power distance, high-context vs. low-context communications, and individualism vs. collectivism. Results revealed three main themes, including differences in PR between Japan and the United States, belief that culture should play a more substantial role in crisis communications, and actual use of culture in crisis communications. Responses showed that, regardless of a collective belief that culture should play a substantial role in crisis r;;- management, intercultural communication components often take over in emergencies. In conclusion, while all interview subjects saw value in cultural response, the broad scope of what that entails made it an impractical endeavor. Further, responses showed that the planning stage is not the most effective place to integrate culture into crisis communication. Research did suggest, however, that an updated PR model, adapted from the R.A.C.E. method, that incorporates elements of cultural communication consideration between the Action Planning and Communication stages could beneficial.

M. Tech. (Public Relations Management, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology / Corporate Social Investment (CSI) has turned out to be a significant subject in the businesses environment in the past twenty years and is perceived as an important element of the organisational image and corporate reputation. Corporate social investment communication provides stakeholders with information about the company‟s involvement, and about being accountable to the society. Companies use their communication about CSI initiatives to project a positive image of themselves to the stakeholders. The purpose of the study was to explore how the company‟s Corporate Social Investment activities contribute to the company‟s image and corporate reputation among the local community. The study also looked at the possible gaps between the image projected by the company through their communication about CSI activities and the communities‟ perceptions of these activities. The researcher used a case study qualitative approach with multiple data sources. The company‟s online press releases were analysed with a view to determining the corporate image projected by the company. In the second stage three focus groups were conducted with community activists, university students, and unemployed community members in order to understand the different perceptions how CSI activities influence the community stakeholders perceptions on organisation‟s reputation. The findings indicate that although there is a gap between the projected image communicated by a company and stakeholders‟ perceptions about company‟s reputation the community is generally familiar with CSI of the petrochemical company in question and that CSI activities contribute to the positive reputation of the company. Furthermore, the findings highlight the challenges of not including community stakeholders in decision making when creating CSI initiatives. Interestingly, the study reveals that organisations with CSI activities aligned to the national framework are considered socially responsible.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the 1990's researchers have been adding different perspectives to the phenomenon of corporate reputation and its management (Fombrun, 2002a: x; Gotsi & Wilson, 2001: 99). To some extent, the growing attention paid to this topic has come from a consciousness about prevailing trends in the current business landscape, such as the ongoing globalisation, the proliferation of media, the public's new focus on transparency and social responsibility, as well as an avalanche of corporate crises. Yet, besides leading to an unfortunately high fragmentation of the study subject in the academic area, a result of this rapidly increasing interest seemed to be a lack of practitioner's knowledge about the nature, potential, and practical implication of this new management issue (Abratt, 2001: 368). With the general aim to examine this assumed gap between reputation theory and practice, this empirical study therefore presents a preliminary attempt to explore how corporate reputation is approached in real business life. It focuses on the German business environment and seeks to investigate companies' current understanding of corporate reputation, as well as their moves towards fostering and protecting it. To be able to explore corporate reputation management in this particular business environment, the study uses a qualitative research design, for which a range of in-depth interviews are conducted with 18 managers of German companies. The results of this empirical research reveal how German companies understand, value, and approach the issue of reputation and its management. Examining the responses, it becomes evident that, although German companies attach high importance to the reputation issue, even with regard to a strategic consideration, they demonstrate a less specific and less pro-active approach when putting reputation management into practice. After all, this research project informs academics about areas in reputation management that still require theoretical underpinning, whereas practitioners can gain unique insights into what the current reputation management practice looks like and how it could possibly be improved. Thus, the ultimate value of this study stems from providing a bridge which enables these two groups to learn from and move towards one another. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Navorsers het sedert die 1990s verskillende bydraes met betrekking tot die begrip, die reputasie van 'n maatskappy en die bestuur daarvan, gemaak (Fombrun, 2002a: x; Gotsi & Wilson, 2001: 99) Die groeiende belangstelling in hierdie onderwerp het tot 'n mate te doen met die bewuswording van heersende tendense in die sake-omgewing: toenemende globalisering; groei van die media; die publiek se aandrang op deursigtigheid en sosiale verantwoordelikheid; sowel as 'n stortvloed van korporatiewe krisisse. Tog, benewens die feit dat hierdie belangstelling tot die ongelukkige verbrokkeling van die studie-onderwerp op akademiese gebied lei, volg daar ook 'n gebrek aan praktiese kennis aangaande die aard, potensiaal en praktiese implikasies van hierdie nuwe bestuursgeskilpunt (Abratt, 2001: 368). Die doel van hierdie studie is om ondersoek in te stel na die veronderstelde gaping tussen die teorie en praktyk van reputasie-bestuur. Hierdie empiriese studie behels 'n voorlopige ondersoek na die hantering van 'n maatskappy se reputasie in die sake-wêreld. Dit fokus op die sake-omgewing in Duitsland en doen ondersoek na maatskappye se huidige opvattings oor korporatiewe reputasie sowel as die pogings wat deur maatskappye aangewend word om sodanige reputasie te bevorder en te beskerm. Die studie gebruik 'n kwalitatiewe ondersoekmetode in 'n poging om die bestuur van die korporatiewe reputasie in hierdie spesifieke sake-omgewing te ondersoek. Daar is gebruik gemaak van 'n aantal in-diepte onderhoude wat met 18 bestuurders van Duitse maatskappye gevoer is. Die bevindings van hierdie empiriese ondersoek dui aan hoe Duitse maatskappye die kwessie van maatskappy-reputasie, en die bestuur daarvan, begryp, na waarde skat, en benader. 'n Ontleding van die respondente se terugvoer lewer stawende getuienes dat, alhoewel hulle baie waarde heg aan die kwessie van reputasie, selfs met betrekking tot strategiese oorwegings, Duitse maatskappye 'n minder gedefinieerde en minder pro-aktiewe benadering volg sover dit die praktiese bestuur van reputasie betref. Ten slotte word bydraes gemaak ten opsigte van die akademiese kennis in die veld van reputasie-bestuur wat steeds mank gaan aan 'n teoretiese onderbou, terwyl die praktiese veld unieke insigte met betrekking tot huidige praktyke in reputasie-bestuur, en hoe dit verbeter kan word, bykry. Die uiteindelike waarde van die studie lê daarin dat dit kennis verskaf wat hierdie twee groepe bymekaar kan laat leer, en nader na mekaar kan laat beweeg.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of social media on crisis communication. To evaluate this impact, a case study method was utilized examining the crisis communication response of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on April 20, 2010. This study focused on the response of the responsible party, British Petroleum, and the general public over three social media: Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. Through extensive analysis of both the company's and public response to the Gulf spill, nine implications were identified regarding social media's influence on crisis communication. These implications highlighted the potential for organizations to build interpersonal relationships with its publics. These relationships were found to be crucial in times of crises. The implications of this study also pointed to interactivity, using a "human voice," trust, and credibility as crucial factors in building these relationships and leading an effective crisis response across social media. This study also noted the new stress for organization's to respond quickly to crises as a result of instant news brought by social media. Implications of this study also highlighted social media's influence on individuals becoming contributing members of a crisis response. While social media has influenced the practice of crisis communication in many ways, this study found that the principles and ethics of the field have remained the same. In conclusion, analysis suggests that BP neglected using social media in its crisis response, a channel which has entered the mainstream of crisis communication. As a result, this study recommends the use of social media before, during, and after a crisis to ensure the welfare of a company and its relationship with its publics.

Within two months of its emergence, the BP Gulf Oil spill had become the worst environmental disaster in United States history. However, for those studying public relations the oil spill brought more than ecological disaster, by providing a case study of crisis communication. Although there were a number of crisis responses from BP throughout the course of the oil spill, the primary crisis response crafted by BP was an image restoration campaign which premiered in early June 2010. This campaign, though it exhibits qualities of a standard crisis response, was wildly unpopular with the United States Government and citizenry. This rhetorical analysis attempts to uncover the reasons behind the campaign's failure through an application of the genre model of criticism. By defining the crisis communication genre and applying it to the artifact, the current study uncovers the reasons behind the failure of the campaign. Through this discussion, this analysis identifies that BP did not address all necessary exigencies, nor did it consider the influence a rhetor can have on a message. An explanation for the failure of BP' s campaign provided a plethora of implications to the fields of public . relations and rhetorical criticism, while beginning a discussion to help define the crisis communication genre.