Improvement in information sharing and communication about the foreign aid resources between the donors and the aid-recipient countries have always been considered very important. In recent years, the integration of advanced technology in the area of aid coordination has received a tremendous amount of attention. The following thesis studies the influence of technology in the area aid coordination within the context of Afghanistan. Guided by the Actor-Network Theory, the thesis examines how the social and technological aspects of the Development Assistance Database (DAD), as an advanced aid information management technology, influences aid coordination and information sharing between the donors and the government of Afghanistan. Using a case study methodology, the research also investigates whether or not the DAD adheres to the principles of aid effectiveness. The findings reveal that although technology had a profound impact in the area of aid management in Afghanistan, there are several areas that still face challenges. The present study highlights these challenges and recommends the appropriate solutions.

Thesis(M.A. (Communication Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / This study explored the impact of organisational culture on integrated communication (IC) at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in Polokwane, South Africa. Martin and Niemann-Struweg (2015), argued that top management in organisations poorly understood IC. This study investigates if the same applies to the GCIS in Polokwane. The study adopted a qualitative approach and made use of individual interviews and content analysis in order to collect data, which was then analysed by means of thematic analysis. The study used both the General Systems Theory (Bertalanffy, 1968) and the Organising Theory (Weick, 1989) as its theoretical framework. The findings suggested that organisational culture at the GCIS was shaped by both employee behaviour and organisational activities. The study found that information sharing was poorly implemented by the GCIS, which meant that, information contained in organisational documents differed from the perceptions shared by the employees. Measures to improve both the sharing of information and the perception of this information have been provided in the recommendations / National Research Foundation (NRF)

The fundamental nature of the research question for this study was centred on the functions of internal communication. It was within this context that functionalism as theoretical approach was selected for the study of internal communication within the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in South Africa. Functionalism’s interest in the structure and function of communication is evident in its major assumption, namely that the phenomenon of mass communication is a system that is a whole consisting of several interrelated and interdependent parts. In addition two related theories, systems theory and classical management theory, were employed as departure for the study. Related literature on internal communication bears evidence that the flow of internal communication differs from one environment to the other. This depends on the type of information that has been communicated and the type of organisation in which the internal communication occurs. Managing employees effectively requires communication and the quality of communication amongst the people that comprise an organisation is a crucial variable in determining organisational success. This requires a common understanding of the role and structure of communication and its functions. Internal communication is the strength of any organisation. Communication scholars such as Verwey and Du Plooy (2003), Kitchen and Daly (2002), Gibson and Hodgetts (1991), Murabe (1990) and numerous others already demonstrated the overwhelming importance of internal communication in today’s business environment. Internal communication creates a platform for participative decision making, employees’ interaction, information sharing, creativity and innovation, as well as an environment that fosters productivity and creates a sense of organisational ownership.A comprehensive internal communication system is required to unambiguously translate the vision, mission and strategic objectives of any organisation into reality. Furthermore effective internal communication has a potential to build and sustain social interaction within the organisation and most importantly to drive a service delivery message to all employees. Effective communication and service delivery have recently become issue of exceptional importance in government departments in South Africa, particularly in government agencies. Factors such as organisational culture and leadership style have an influence on internal communication. Organisational culture defines and describes what the organisation stands for. Leadership is very critical for internal communication as it informs the organisation’s vision. If the leadership is negatively inclined, there is no way in which the internal communication will thrive. It is always advisable to strike a balance between organisational culture, leadership and internal communication. The findings of this study indicate that management and employees of the GCIS perceive the function of internal communication differently; that both management and employees have inadequate general understanding of the communication channels and communication structure within the GCIS and reveal that though there are numerous communication channels available, only few are used and preferred within the GCIS. The selection and the understanding of communication channels within the organisation are critical elements for internal communication. Therefore, the communication department or division should ensure broader consultation with all key stakeholders within the organisation. It is regrettable to have communication channels within the organisation that are not understood by the majority of employees and to discover that out of the twenty that are implemented, only five are mainly used and two preferred by most of the management and the employees. / Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / hb2013 / Marketing Management / unrestricted

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Esta dissertação articula os conceitos relacionados à comunicação pública e governamental, cidade, memória, democracia digital e patrimônio digital, com o objetivo de diagnosticar o estágio de preservação da comunicação governamental nos sites das capitais brasileiras, analisando sua implicação para a constituição da memória coletiva, social e política das cidades e de seus habitantes. Os conceitos teóricos trabalhados reportam à comunicação pública conforme proposto, principalmente, por Weber e Esteves, e à comunicação governamental de acordo com Duarte e Weber; os estudos da cidade a partir de Pesavento, Weber e Mela; as teorias da memória segundo Halbwachs, Huyssen, Nora, Pollak e Ricoeur; e democracia digital a partir de Gomes, Maia, Marques, Silva e Cepik trabalhados de forma articulada com os estudos de Dodebei sobre patrimônio digital. A opção metodológica é a pesquisa qualitativa de caráter exploratório-documental nos sites oficiais das 27 capitais brasileiras, tendo como procedimentos metodológicos a pesquisa bibliográfica; a pesquisa histórico-descritiva e a pesquisa documental. Os sistemas de comunicação governamental das capitais foram identificados e classificados de acordo sua visibilidade, acessibilidade e considerando o contexto político da última transição governamental. A partir da articulação dessas categorias, foram analisadas as implicações da preservação e do apagamento da comunicação governamental para a constituição da memória da cidade e dos seus habitantes. Dentre os principais resultados, o diagnóstico de que em cerca de 33% dos sites das prefeituras de capitais os produtos da comunicação governamental de governos passados já não estão mais disponíveis ao acesso público, bem como a constatação de que os contextos de disputa entre grupos políticos rivais não são suficientes para explicar os casos de tentativa de silenciamento de governos passados. / This master thesis articulates concepts related to public and government communications, city studies, memory, digital democracy and digital heritage, aiming to analyze the preservation stage of the government’s communications systems in the websites of Brazilian capitals, evaluating its implications for the construction of collective, social and political memory for these various cities and their inhabitants. The theoretical concepts focus in public communication according particularly to Weber and Esteves, and government communication according to Duarte and Weber; city studies according to Pesavento, Weber and Mela; collective memory and memory theory according to Halbwachs, Huyssen, Nora, Pollak e Ricoeur; the concept of digital democracy according to Gomes, Maia, Marques, Silva and Cepik articulated in coordination with Dodebei’s studies of digital heritage. As for the methodology, the choice is for a qualitative research of documental-exploratory nature, in the websites of the 27 Brazilian capitals, with the following methodological procedures: bibliographic research, historical-descriptive research and documentary research. Government’s communications systems are identified and classified according their visibility, accessibility and considering the political context of the last government transition. The implications of conservation and destruction of government’s communications systems to the constitution of the city memory and its inhabitants were analyzed from the articulation of these categories. Among the main results, the diagnosis that government communication of past governments are no longer available to public access in 33% of Brazilian capitals websites and that the dispute contexts between political rivals groups are not sufficient to explain the attempt silencing past governments.

This study attempts to identify how public relations are practiced in local governments. Traditional literature has stated that the public information model of public relations is the model of public relations practiced in local governments. This study also attempts to determine which roles are most common for lead communicators in municipal organizations governments. Based on Internet survey research methods, research findings indicated that while most practitioners stated they practiced a two-way communications model, they had the most expertise in the public information and press agentry models. The researcher also found that the role most often held by the highest ranking communicator was that of public relations manager, although they stated there was the most expertise in their department to do the things typical of public relations technicians. Low total population and response rates prevent confident generalization of the results of this study to the entire local government communicator population. The research contributes to the field of public relations in local government.

Much discourse on the issue of development communication has focused on participation and its role in improving the lives of developing communities. This line of thought emanates from the theories of Paulo Freire and Martin Buber. Freirean dialogue, which emphasises dialogue and conscientisation emanated from Martin Buber's l-Thou and l-lt relationships and are relevant in this study because these concepts are pivotal in the endeavour to develop grassroots communities. For purposes of this study participatory communication is associated with dialogue, self-reliance, empowerment, the communities' socio-cultural context and strategic communication. In an effort to improve service delivery in the public sector, the South African government resolved to provide communities across South Africa with both information and services through the establishment of Thusong Service Centres. The Thusong concept refers to 'a place to get help or assistance' in Sesotho, and has been the focus of government in carrying out its mandate in respect of development communication in South Africa. This study adopted a qualitative research approach to gather data, to determine how the communication of Thusong Service Centres in Tshwane compare with the normative principles of participatory development communication. This study used purposive sampling and focused on the six Thusong Service Centres in Tshwane. The empirical study comprised document analyses of government policies, semi-structured interviews with senior Government Communication and Information Services (GCIS) personnel and personal observations at the six Thusong Service Centres. An analysis of the communication of Thusong Service Centres with Tshwane communities show that there is inadequate alignment with the theoretical underpinnings of participatory development communication. Against the backdrop of Chin Saik Yoon's four ways of observing participation in development projects, namely, participation in implementation, evaluation, benefit and decision-making, the study indicates that Tshwane communities do not partake in participation in evaluation and participation in decision-making. Furthermore, using Freirean dialogue as a benchmark, it was concluded that Thusong Service Centres do not fully meet the required principles of dialogue. Although the abovementioned results indicate that development communication practised by GCIS at Thusong Service Centres is in the main linear in nature, the study makes practical recommendations on how the normative principles of participatory development communication may be implemented at these centres in order to fast track the development process. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Much discourse on the issue of development communication has focused on participation and its role in improving the lives of developing communities. This line of thought emanates from the theories of Paulo Freire and Martin Buber. Freirean dialogue, which emphasises dialogue and conscientisation emanated from Martin Buber's l-Thou and l-lt relationships and are relevant in this study because these concepts are pivotal in the endeavour to develop grassroots communities. For purposes of this study participatory communication is associated with dialogue, self-reliance, empowerment, the communities' socio-cultural context and strategic communication. In an effort to improve service delivery in the public sector, the South African government resolved to provide communities across South Africa with both information and services through the establishment of Thusong Service Centres. The Thusong concept refers to 'a place to get help or assistance' in Sesotho, and has been the focus of government in carrying out its mandate in respect of development communication in South Africa. This study adopted a qualitative research approach to gather data, to determine how the communication of Thusong Service Centres in Tshwane compare with the normative principles of participatory development communication. This study used purposive sampling and focused on the six Thusong Service Centres in Tshwane. The empirical study comprised document analyses of government policies, semi-structured interviews with senior Government Communication and Information Services (GCIS) personnel and personal observations at the six Thusong Service Centres. An analysis of the communication of Thusong Service Centres with Tshwane communities show that there is inadequate alignment with the theoretical underpinnings of participatory development communication. Against the backdrop of Chin Saik Yoon's four ways of observing participation in development projects, namely, participation in implementation, evaluation, benefit and decision-making, the study indicates that Tshwane communities do not partake in participation in evaluation and participation in decision-making. Furthermore, using Freirean dialogue as a benchmark, it was concluded that Thusong Service Centres do not fully meet the required principles of dialogue. Although the abovementioned results indicate that development communication practised by GCIS at Thusong Service Centres is in the main linear in nature, the study makes practical recommendations on how the normative principles of participatory development communication may be implemented at these centres in order to fast track the development process. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Esta dissertação articula os conceitos relacionados à comunicação pública e governamental, cidade, memória, democracia digital e patrimônio digital, com o objetivo de diagnosticar o estágio de preservação da comunicação governamental nos sites das capitais brasileiras, analisando sua implicação para a constituição da memória coletiva, social e política das cidades e de seus habitantes. Os conceitos teóricos trabalhados reportam à comunicação pública conforme proposto, principalmente, por Weber e Esteves, e à comunicação governamental de acordo com Duarte e Weber; os estudos da cidade a partir de Pesavento, Weber e Mela; as teorias da memória segundo Halbwachs, Huyssen, Nora, Pollak e Ricoeur; e democracia digital a partir de Gomes, Maia, Marques, Silva e Cepik trabalhados de forma articulada com os estudos de Dodebei sobre patrimônio digital. A opção metodológica é a pesquisa qualitativa de caráter exploratório-documental nos sites oficiais das 27 capitais brasileiras, tendo como procedimentos metodológicos a pesquisa bibliográfica; a pesquisa histórico-descritiva e a pesquisa documental. Os sistemas de comunicação governamental das capitais foram identificados e classificados de acordo sua visibilidade, acessibilidade e considerando o contexto político da última transição governamental. A partir da articulação dessas categorias, foram analisadas as implicações da preservação e do apagamento da comunicação governamental para a constituição da memória da cidade e dos seus habitantes. Dentre os principais resultados, o diagnóstico de que em cerca de 33% dos sites das prefeituras de capitais os produtos da comunicação governamental de governos passados já não estão mais disponíveis ao acesso público, bem como a constatação de que os contextos de disputa entre grupos políticos rivais não são suficientes para explicar os casos de tentativa de silenciamento de governos passados. / This master thesis articulates concepts related to public and government communications, city studies, memory, digital democracy and digital heritage, aiming to analyze the preservation stage of the government’s communications systems in the websites of Brazilian capitals, evaluating its implications for the construction of collective, social and political memory for these various cities and their inhabitants. The theoretical concepts focus in public communication according particularly to Weber and Esteves, and government communication according to Duarte and Weber; city studies according to Pesavento, Weber and Mela; collective memory and memory theory according to Halbwachs, Huyssen, Nora, Pollak e Ricoeur; the concept of digital democracy according to Gomes, Maia, Marques, Silva and Cepik articulated in coordination with Dodebei’s studies of digital heritage. As for the methodology, the choice is for a qualitative research of documental-exploratory nature, in the websites of the 27 Brazilian capitals, with the following methodological procedures: bibliographic research, historical-descriptive research and documentary research. Government’s communications systems are identified and classified according their visibility, accessibility and considering the political context of the last government transition. The implications of conservation and destruction of government’s communications systems to the constitution of the city memory and its inhabitants were analyzed from the articulation of these categories. Among the main results, the diagnosis that government communication of past governments are no longer available to public access in 33% of Brazilian capitals websites and that the dispute contexts between political rivals groups are not sufficient to explain the attempt silencing past governments.

Esta dissertação articula os conceitos relacionados à comunicação pública e governamental, cidade, memória, democracia digital e patrimônio digital, com o objetivo de diagnosticar o estágio de preservação da comunicação governamental nos sites das capitais brasileiras, analisando sua implicação para a constituição da memória coletiva, social e política das cidades e de seus habitantes. Os conceitos teóricos trabalhados reportam à comunicação pública conforme proposto, principalmente, por Weber e Esteves, e à comunicação governamental de acordo com Duarte e Weber; os estudos da cidade a partir de Pesavento, Weber e Mela; as teorias da memória segundo Halbwachs, Huyssen, Nora, Pollak e Ricoeur; e democracia digital a partir de Gomes, Maia, Marques, Silva e Cepik trabalhados de forma articulada com os estudos de Dodebei sobre patrimônio digital. A opção metodológica é a pesquisa qualitativa de caráter exploratório-documental nos sites oficiais das 27 capitais brasileiras, tendo como procedimentos metodológicos a pesquisa bibliográfica; a pesquisa histórico-descritiva e a pesquisa documental. Os sistemas de comunicação governamental das capitais foram identificados e classificados de acordo sua visibilidade, acessibilidade e considerando o contexto político da última transição governamental. A partir da articulação dessas categorias, foram analisadas as implicações da preservação e do apagamento da comunicação governamental para a constituição da memória da cidade e dos seus habitantes. Dentre os principais resultados, o diagnóstico de que em cerca de 33% dos sites das prefeituras de capitais os produtos da comunicação governamental de governos passados já não estão mais disponíveis ao acesso público, bem como a constatação de que os contextos de disputa entre grupos políticos rivais não são suficientes para explicar os casos de tentativa de silenciamento de governos passados. / This master thesis articulates concepts related to public and government communications, city studies, memory, digital democracy and digital heritage, aiming to analyze the preservation stage of the government’s communications systems in the websites of Brazilian capitals, evaluating its implications for the construction of collective, social and political memory for these various cities and their inhabitants. The theoretical concepts focus in public communication according particularly to Weber and Esteves, and government communication according to Duarte and Weber; city studies according to Pesavento, Weber and Mela; collective memory and memory theory according to Halbwachs, Huyssen, Nora, Pollak e Ricoeur; the concept of digital democracy according to Gomes, Maia, Marques, Silva and Cepik articulated in coordination with Dodebei’s studies of digital heritage. As for the methodology, the choice is for a qualitative research of documental-exploratory nature, in the websites of the 27 Brazilian capitals, with the following methodological procedures: bibliographic research, historical-descriptive research and documentary research. Government’s communications systems are identified and classified according their visibility, accessibility and considering the political context of the last government transition. The implications of conservation and destruction of government’s communications systems to the constitution of the city memory and its inhabitants were analyzed from the articulation of these categories. Among the main results, the diagnosis that government communication of past governments are no longer available to public access in 33% of Brazilian capitals websites and that the dispute contexts between political rivals groups are not sufficient to explain the attempt silencing past governments.