1 online resource ([13], 172 leaves) / The concept of a service-oriented approach and the role of communication in such an approach is nothing new. Service management and marketing are two constructs that are deemed invaluable for an organisation operating in the current competitive and seamless globalised business environment. Literature proposes that a market-oriented point of view is not enough anymore to achieve a competitive advantage; the core solution to an organisation's problems should lie in a management perspective that understands the internal value-generating processes of customers and employees alike. This study strives to assess the role of internal communication in creating a service-oriented approach. Particular attention is given to the support that communication can provide to an organisation wishing to establish a service-oriented approach. The evolution of the service-oriented approach is discussed along with the internal and external changes that took place in the organisational environment. A service-orientation as a possible answer to environmental changes is discussed. An assessment of the contribution of communication to service orientation was undertaken. The results of the research undertaken have led to the deduction that internal communication at George Municipality is not effective. / COMMUNICATION SCIENCE / MA - SPEC IN ORG COMMUNIC

The aim of this quantitative study was to develop and validate a model to measure the organisational effectiveness of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa. The literature review phase explored the concept of organisational effectiveness and the assessment thereof in both the Public and Private Sectors. The literature review indicated that there is a clear distinction between business performance (operational and financial performance) and the larger concept of organisational effectiveness, and also that the measurement of organisational effectiveness in the Public Sector differed from the measurement thereof in the Private Sector. The literature review also indicated that measures of Public Sector effectiveness could not be directly applied to measure the effectiveness of Private Sector organisations. From the literature review a proposed theoretical model for measuring the organisational effectiveness of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa was proposed. This proposed model included organisational and behavioural variables contained in traditional approaches to organisational effectiveness, variables that were identified in previous organisational effectiveness studies, as well as variables contained in existing assessment models of organisational effectiveness. This model was then validated during the empirical phase by conducting a survey of an existing metropolitan municipality in South Africa (n = 6514) and exposing the results of the survey to Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The confirmatory factor analysis conducted as part of SEM subsequently identified three main and 10 secondary statistically significant organisational and behavioural variables that could be used to measure the effectiveness of a metropolitan municipality in South Africa. The three main variables identified were (1) Healthy Systems, (2) Goal Achievement and (3) Service Delivery, while the 10 secondary variables identified were (1) Diversity, (2) Training & Development, (3) Rewards & Recognition, (4) Management Practices, (5) Internal Functioning, (6) Work Environment, (7) Interpersonal Relations, (8) Workforce Equity, (9) Customer Satisfaction and (10) Vision & Mission. It was thus recommended that metropolitan municipalities in South Africa could use this validated model as an assessment framework to measure their current organisational effectiveness, to identify aspects which need to be rectified to improve effectiveness, and to compare and benchmark their municipality in order to learn from other metropolitan municipalities to improve their effectiveness. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / D. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This study examines the relationship, or lack thereof, between cultural policy and development at the local government sphere in South Africa and, ascertains the extent to which the City of Tswane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM), as the focus of the case study, involves culture in its development framework. The research is informed by an observation from internationa best- practices that local government, as a sphere of governance closect to the people, is one of the best platforms on which the centrality of culture in the development matrix of any country is located and upheld. The research was arranged in three sections or phases, namely: exploration, discovery and the consolidation. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil.

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / South Africa has a shortage of skilled labour, which prevents the country from economically competing in the global village. Unfortunately little money was spent on the training and development of workers during the apartheid era. The new government has implemented legislation and various programmes to rectify the situation. Organisations in South Africa are beginning to recognise that a skilled workforce has the potential to provide them with the competitive edge. Instead of viewing training and development as an expense, as they often did in the past, many organisations are now beginning to view expenditure on training as an investment. Training and development is one of the many functions performed by human resources (HR) departments. Today HR is also required to play a larger strategic role within an organisation. Daily administrative duties, however, often prevent human resources managers from playing a more important strategic role. However, modern technology can simplify the way in which human resources departments perform their daily tasks. There are various computerised information systems and programs that can be used for this purpose. The high unemployment rate and the poor economic situation have also affected local government. Many municipalities have a limited budget with which they must provide their communities with basic services such as electricity and water, sanitation and refuse removal, municipal health services and fire fighting services. Municipalities also play a role in the development of their communities. The quality of services provided by the municipalities will depend on the employees of the municipalities. It is therefore important to improve the skills and competencies of the workers to ensure better service delivery to communities. Technology is increasingly being used to address challenges faced by municipalities, to enhance service delivery as well as to improve internal efficiency. Raw data can be converted to useful information that can help key decision makers make a more informed decision about projects. In this study, the Breede Valley Municipality was used as a case study to learn more about the problem under study. The objectives of the study was to identify: a) the advantages web-based technologies can hold for HR employees in their daily work; (b) how training and development is implemented within the municipality; and (c) the challenges, constraints and recommended steps for improvement. A thorough literature study formed the basis of the research and was supplemented with individual interviews with relevant employees at Breede Valley Municipality. This municipality, like most in South Africa, is tasked to deliver services to their communities with limited financial resources at their disposal. Optimal use of technology can assist the HR department to play a more strategic role within the municipality, in freeing them from their administrative tasks.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Local government is a sphere of government which consists of municipalities and its executive and legislative authority is vested in the respective municipal councils. The council is responsible for exercising its powers and functions on behalf of the community it represents and it makes decisions in that regard. A municipality as an organisation which is comprised of two main components: on the one hand, the council as a body of elected representatives and, on the other, officials who have been employed by the council. Whilst it is generally accepted that it is the function of the council to determine policy and of the officials to execute the determined policy, it is accepted that in .practice there is a degree of interfacing between these two functions. It is further accepted that, although there is a clear distinction between the roles of councillor and official, it is possible that there may be a degree of misconception about their respective roles. The purpose of this study was to determine whether councillors and officials have misconceptions about their roles in the decision-making processes of the municipality and whether such misconceptions have a negative impact on service delivery. The research was initiated by a study of decision making in general, followed by a study of decision making in local government in order to establish a basis for the field of study. Oostenberg Municipality was then analysed, with specific reference to its decision-making systems as well as its macro-organisational structure. A questionnaire was sent to the top structure of the council as well as the top management structure of the municipality; the views of these respondents were used to determine whether there were any misconceptions about their roles. The study found that the councillor study group presented a 30.56% degree of misconception about their role as councillors in the decision-making process of the municipality, and in the case of the top management structure there was a 29.86% degree of misconception. The study further established that this degree of misconception impacted negatively on service delivery. In VIew of the above, it is recommended that councillors be subjected to appropriate training, that the political party caucuses be accommodated in the formal decision-making process of the municipality, and that members of the top management structure be subjected to dedicated training on their role in the decision-making processes of the municipality. It is also recommended that the top management structure of the municipality should be in possession of appropriate academic qualifications. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Plaaslike Regering is 'n sfeer van regering wat uit munisipaliteite bestaan en ten opsigte waarvan sy uitvoerende en wetgewende gesag in sy munisipale raad gesetel is. Die raad is namens die gemeenskap wat hy verteenwoordig vir die uitoefening van sy magte en funksies verantwoordelik en neem hy besluite in daardie verband. 'n Munisipaliteit as 'n organisasie bestaan uit twee komponente, te wete die raad as 'n liggaam van verkose verteenwoordigers aan die een kant, en aan die ander kant, amptenare wat deur die raad in diens geneem is. Terwyl dit algemeen aanvaar word dat dit die raad se funksie is om beleid te bepaal en dit die amptenare se funksie is om die uitvoering aan die gestelde beleid te gee, word daar ook aanvaar dat daar in die praktyk, 'n mate van interfase tussen hierdie twee funksies bestaan. Dit word voorts aanvaar dat terwyl daar 'n duidelike onderskeid tussen die onderskeie rolle van raadslid en amptenaar is, dit moontlik is dat daar 'n mate van wanbegrip van hul onderskeie rolle bestaan. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of raadslede en amptenare wanbegrip van hul onderskeie rolle in die besluitnemingsproses van die munisipaliteit ervaar en of sodanige wanbegrip 'n negatiewe impak op dienslewering het. Om as basis vir die studieveld te dien is algemene besluitneming eerstens bestudeer, gevolg deur 'n studie van besluitneming in plaaslike regering. 'n Ontleding van Oostenberg munisipaliteit met spesifieke verwysing na sy besluitnemingsprosesse en makro-organisatoriese struktuur is daarna uitgevoer. 'n Vraelys met as respondente die topstruktuur van die raad sowel as die top bestuurstruktuur van die munisipaliteit was aangewend om te bepaal of daar 'n mate van wanbegrip van onderskeie rolle bestaan. Die studie het bevind dat die raadslid studiegroep 'n graad van wanbegrip van 30.56% ten opsigte van sy rol as raadslid in die besluitnemingsproses van die munisipaliteit toon, en in die geval van die top bestuurstruktuur, is 'n graad van wanbegrip van 29.86% aangetoon. Die studie het verder bevind dat die bepaalde graad van wanbegrip, negatief op dienslewering impakteer. Met inagneming van die voorafgaande is daar aanbeveel dat raadslede aan toepaslike opleiding blootgestel word, die akkommodering van die politieke party koukusse in die formele besluitnemingsprosesse van die munisipaliteit, sowel as die toepaslike opleiding van die lede van die top bestuurstruktuur van die munisipaliteit ten opsigte van hul rol in die besluitnemingsprosesse van die munisipaliteit. Daar is ook aanbeveel dat die lede van die top bestuurstruktuur van die munisipaliteit oor toepaslike akademiese kwalifikasies behoort te beskik.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The focus of this research assignment is the evaluation of an individual Performance Management system at local government level in the Cape Metropolitan Area. The researcher has observed a possible decline in customer satisfaction towards the Cape Metropolitan Council Administration and at other Administrations within the City of Cape Town, and the press also highlighted complaints regarding the absence of an entrenched customer care ethic among municipal officials. The researcher was concerned with the way customers are being handled by municipal officials, and sought to find a solution to the problem. The researcher conducted research on what the ideal situation should be, and how to reach the ideal situation, which included South African local government legislation and discussion documents. The researcher also conducted an opinion survey (by means of a questionnaire) within the CMC Administration, in order to obtain the opinions of employees of the City of Cape Town's CMC Administration with regard to perceptions of customer satisfaction, and the possible effect on customer satisfaction should a Performance Management system be implemented within the City of Cape Town. It was found that, should a Performance Management system be introduced within the City of Cape Town, it will contribute to efficiency in service delivery, and staff will be held accountable for their work performance. It was also found that at local government institutions (locally and internationally) where effective organisational and individual Performance Management systems had been implemented, customer satisfaction at these institutions has improved. It is therefore suggested by this research that the City of Cape Town should implement an individual Performance Management system and that customer satisfaction should improve over time. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fokus van die navorsings opdrag is die evaluering van 'n individuele werkverrigting- bestuurstelsel op die vlak van plaaslike regering in die Kaapse Metropolitaanse Gebied. Die navorser het 'n moontlike afname in kliënte bevrediging teenoor die Kaapse Metropolitaanse Raad (KMR) en ander Rade binne die Kaapse Metropolitaanse Gebied opgelet, en die pers het ook klagte belig betrekkend die afwesigheid van 'n verskansekliënte-sorg etiek onder munisipale amptenare. Die navorser was bekommered met die manier waarop kliënte behandel is deur munisipale amptenare, en het probeer om 'n oplossing te vind vir die probleem. Die navorser het ondersoek ingestel, wat ingesluit het Suid_Afrikaanse plaaslike regerings-wette en besprekings-dokumente, om uit te vind wat die ideale situasie is, en hoe om hierdie situasie te bereik. Die navorser het ook 'n opinie opneming ingestel (dmv. 'n vraelys) binne die KMR Administrasie, om sodoende die opinies van die werkers van Stad Kaapstad se KMR Administrasie betreffend die waarnemings van kliënt bevrediging, en die moontlike effek op kliënt bevrediging as 'n werkverrigting bestuurstelsel in werking gebring word binne die Stad Kaapstad. Daar is gevind, dat as 'n werkverrigting bestuurstelsel voorgestel word binne die Stad Kaapstad, daar 'n verbetering sal wees in doeltreffendheid van diens gelewer, en personeel sal verantwoordelik wees vir hul werkverrigtinge. Daar is ook gevind by plaaslike regering-instansies (plaaslik en internasionaal) waar daar effektiewe werkverrigting bestuurstelsels in werking gestel is, daar 'n verbetering in kliënte bevrediging was. Dus word daar gesuggereer, deur dié navorser dat die Stad Kaapstad 'n individuele-werkverrigting bestuurstelsel moet implementeer en dat kliënt bevrediging mettertyd sal verbeter.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research study was undertaken to explore one of the most significant plans in local government and is aimed at guiding future development within municipal areas. It seeks to evaluate the credibility of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) as a service delivery tool in Randfontein Municipality. Randfontein Local Municipality was selected, amongst other reasons, due to the finding by the Auditor General South Africa (AGSA) that it lacked crucial information relating to performance. The IDP spans five years and is an appealing super-plan for any municipality. An evaluation of this plan’s effectiveness as a service delivery instrument is therefore important. Various legislation oblige local government to prepare and undertake IDP, which should be a collaborative planning process aimed at guiding municipalities to eradicate service delivery backlogs while encouraging socio-economic development. The process also seeks to preserve and conserve the environment and address spatial disparities for the development of, and delivering on, agreed priorities which are translated into projects with clearly defined outputs and targets over a five year planning cycle. In this study, the municipal IDP can be viewed as a five year service delivery commitment to the community by those elected and entrusted with ensuring that the IDP becomes a reality. It is integrated in such a way that it should be a reflection of government’s wider plans such as the district municipality’s plans and the relevant provincial and national government’s plans. This plan should be informed by the communities which municipalities serve and must be backed by the necessary funding. The IDP has become a focus of South Africa’s post-apartheid municipal planning and is also seen as a key instrument in an evolving framework of intergovernmental planning and coordination within the South African government, as mentioned by the Department of Housing during their DBSA Conference on Integrated Development Planning, (2008). The IDP is a phenomenal practice which was, and still is, aimed at addressing the consequences of planning done during apartheid, such as deliberate divided development as well as the marginalisation of so-called historically underprivileged communities. However, given the recent frequent and sometimes aggressive service delivery protests across South Africa, attention should now be focussed on tools used by government to ensure service delivery takes place. Existing information was explored during a literature review to contextualise service delivery while also discussing the elements of a credible IDP. The legislative framework for local government and its reforms budget was discussed and linked to the IDP. The credibility of the IDP was evaluated using the available IDP evaluation framework of the National Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs (COGTA). Using this framework, challenges to the credibility and implementation of the Randfontein IDP were revealed. The municipality is struggling to use IDP as a tool to facilitate integrated and coordinated delivery, as the IDP identifies a large number of projects to be implemented by other spheres of government without indicating the sources of funding for these or their linkages with other programmes. The credibility of the IDP was measured by the following three performance indicators: - financial viability; - good governance; and - institutional arrangements. Certain recommendations were made to assist in improving the IDP as a credible service delivery tool, upon which decisions can be made to address service delivery requirements within the Randfontein area. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie is onderneem om een van die mees betekenisvolle, nuew beplanningsbeleidstukke vir plaaslike regering te ondersoek. Hierdie beleidstuk het ten doel om rigtinggewend op te tree in toekomstige ontwikkeling binne munisipale gebiede. Die geloofwaardigheid van di Geïntegreerde Ontwikkelingsplan (GOP) as ‘n diensverskaffingsinstrument in die Randfontein Plaaslike Munisipaliteit is geselekteer, onder andere, weens die Suid-Afrikaanse Ouditeur-Generaal (SAOG) se bevinding dat hierdie raad se GOP mank gegaan het aan noodsaaklike inligting vir behoorlike prestasiemeting. Elke GOP-termyn strek oor vyf jaar en skyn ‘n aanneemlike superplan vir enige munisipaliteit te bied. Dit is dus belangrik om die effektiwiteit van hierdie beplanningsbeleid as ‘n diensleweringsinstrument te bepaal. ‘n Verskeidenheid wetgewing verplig plaasllike regerings om vir so ‘n vyfjaarplan voorbereidings te tref en geïntegreerde ontwikkelingsplanne in werking te stel. Die beplanningsproses moet ‘n samewerkende benadering bevorder en daarop ingestel wees om munisipaliteite só te lei dat diensleweringsagterstande uitgewis word, terwyl dit sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling bevorder. Die beleidsproses het ook ten doel om die natuurlike omgewing te beskerm en te bewaar en, in die toepassing daarvan, ruimtelike teenstrydighede en ongelykhede aan te spreek. Vooraf ooreengekome prioriteite moet eerbiedig word en beslag kry in projekte met duidelik omskrewe uitkomste en doelwitte vir die betrokkwe siklus. In hierdie studie word ‘n munisipale GOP beskou as ‘n ooreengekome verbintenis tot vyf jaar van dienslewering aan die gemeenskap deur diegene wat daartoe verkies is en aan wie dit derhalwe toevertrou word. Die verkose raad moet toesien dat die GOP verwesenlik word. Dit moet op so ‘n wyse geïntegreer word dat dit die regering se algemene ontwikkelingsplanne beliggaam en inpas by die beplanning van die betrokke distriksraad, provinsie en die nasionale regering. Hierdie plan moet geskied met die goedkeuring en medewerking van die gemeenskappe wat die munisipaliteite bedien en moet ook kan reken op die nodige befondsing vir die taak. Die GOP is ‘n fokuspunt van munisipale beplanning in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika en word beskou as die sleutelwerktuig in ‘n veranderende raamwerk van interregeringsbeplanning en koördinering binne die Suid-Afrikaanse regeringsfeer. Dit is tydens die DBSA-Konferensie oor Geïntegreerde Ontwikkelingsbeplanning in 2008, deur die Departement van Behuising aangedui. GOP is ‘n fenomenale beleidsplan wat gebruik word, en steeds daarop ingestel is, om die gevolge van beplanning gedurende die apartheidsera aan te spreek – soos doelbewuste verdeelde ontwikkeling, asook die marginalisasie van sogenaamde histories voorheen benadeelde gemeenskappe. Indien die gereelde, some gewelddadige, diensleweringsbetogings van onlangs tye in ag geneem word, is dit duidelik dat die regering nou sy aandag moet toespits op praktyke wat volgehoue dienslewering sal waarborg. Bestaande inligting is d.m.v. ‘n literatuurstudie ondersoek om dienslewering te kontekstualiseer en terselfdertyd die kenmerke van ‘n geloofwaardige GOP te bepaal. Die wetsraamwerk waarbinne plaaslike regering plaasvind en die beskikbare begroting vir hervorming het ook onder die loep gekom en is met die GOP in verband gebring. Die geloofwaardigheid van die GOP is aan die hand van die bestaande GOP-evaluasieraamwerk van die Nasionale Departement van Samewerkende Regering en Tradisionele Sake (COGTA) geëvalueer en bepaal. Die gebruik van hierdie raamwerk het die geloofwaardigheid en implementering van die Randfontein-GOP bevraagteken. Die munisipaliteit sukkel met die gebruik van die GOP identifiseer ‘n groot aantal projekte wat deur ander regeringsfere geïmplementeer moet word, sonder om die oorsprong van die finansiering te meld of die skakeling met ander programme. Die geloofwaardigheid van die GOP is gemeet aan die volgende drie prestasie-aanwysers: - finansiële lewensvatbaarheid; - goeie regeerkunde; en - institusionele ooreenkomste. Sekere aanbevelings is gemaak om bystand te verleen en die GOP sodanig te verbeter dat dit as ‘n geloofwaardige instrument aangewend kan word om ingeligte besluite betreffend diensleweringsvereistes in die Randfonteingebied te neem.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study examines the Western Cape municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and questions whether these IDPs include Information and Communication Technology (ICT) initiatives that promote development. IDPs are used by municipalities as multi-sectoral plans that provide situation analyses of municipal areas and determine development priorities in municipal areas. These development priorities must be met within certain budget and time constraints. Globalisation and the technological revolution have led to the rapid development and convergence of technology. Technology, such as the Internet and cellular telephones, has had various influences on society. One of these influences includes the possible application of ICT for the purpose of development. Therefore both IDPs and ICT can be applied for developmental purposes. The study thus brings together two seemingly unrelated concepts, namely Integrated Development Plans and Information and Communication Technology and aligns them with one another through the concept of development. The study includes three main objectives. Firstly, the Integrated Development Plans of the municipalities in the Western Cape were examined to ascertain whether these municipalities address ICT in their IDPs. Secondly, the nature of the ICT initiatives was determined. This refers to whether the ICT initiatives are for use in the community or for use in the municipality. Finally, a framework was developed, which includes the classification of the different types of municipalities, together with the different types of ICT initiatives. Recommendations were made based on this framework. The various theoretical issues discussed in this study include the transformation of local government in South Africa and the establishment of developmental local government. Various issues concerning the use of ICT for development are also discussed and they include the ‘Information Society’, the ‘Digital Divide’ and ICT for development. This discussion emphasises that success of ICT initiatives for development depends on the nature of the underlying policy agenda; this agenda must be demand-driven and pro-poor. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die Wes-Kaap munisipale Geintegreerde Ontwikkelingsplanne (GOP’s) en bevraagteken of dié GOP’s Inligting en Kommunikasie Tegnologie (IKT) inisiatiewe wat ontwikkeling bevorder, insluit. GOP’s word deur munisipaliteite as multi-sektorale planne gebruik wat toestandsontledings van munisipale gebiede voorsien en die ontwikkelingsprioriteite in munisipale gebiede bepaal. Hierdie ontwikkelingsprioriteite moet binne sekere begrotings- en tydsbeperkings bevredig word. Globalisering en die tegnologiese revolusie het tot die spoedige ontwikkeling en samevoeging van tegnologie gelei. Tegnologie, soos die Internet en selulêre telefone, het verskeie uitwerkings op die samelewing teweeggebring. Een van die uitwerkings sluit die moontlike aanwending van IKT vir ontwikkelingsdoeleindes in. Beide GOP’s en IKT kan dus vir ontwikkelingsdoeleindes aangewend word. Die studie bring daarom twee oënskynlik onverwante onderwerpe, naamlik Geintegreerde Ontwikkelingsplanne en Informasie en Kommunikasie Tegnologie deur die konsep van ontwikkeling by mekaar uit. Die studie bevat drie hoof doelwitte. Eerstens om die Geintegreerde Ontwikkelingsplanne van die munisipaliteite in die Wes-Kaap te ondersoek om vas te stel of hierdie munisipaliteite IKT in hul GOP’s aanspreek. Tweedens is die aard van die IKT inisiatiewe vasgestel. Dit verwys na IKT inisiatiewe wat binne die gemeenskap óf binne die munisipaliteit plaasvind. Laastens is ’n raamwerk ontwikkel. Dit sluit ’n klassifikasie van die verskillende soorte munisipaliteite, asook die verskillende soorte IKT inisiatiewe in. Aanbevelings wat gemaak word, word op hierdie raamwerk gegrond. Verskeie teoretiese kwessies word ook verder in hierdie studie bespreek. Dit sluit die transformasie van plaaslike regering in Suid-Afrika en die totstandkoming van ontwikkelingsgerigte plaaslike regering in. Verskeie kwessies wat die gebruik van IKT vir ontwikkeling betref, word ook bespreek. Dit sluit die ‘Inligting-gedrewe Samelewing’, die ‘Digitale Gaping’ en IKT vir ontwikkeling, in. Hierdie bespreking beklemtoon dat die geslaagdheid van IKT inisiatiewe vir ontwikkeling van die aard van die onderliggende beleidsagenda afhang; dié agenda moet aanvraag-gedrewe en ten gunste van armes wees.

1 online resource ([13], 172 leaves) / The concept of a service-oriented approach and the role of communication in such an approach is nothing new. Service management and marketing are two constructs that are deemed invaluable for an organisation operating in the current competitive and seamless globalised business environment. Literature proposes that a market-oriented point of view is not enough anymore to achieve a competitive advantage; the core solution to an organisation's problems should lie in a management perspective that understands the internal value-generating processes of customers and employees alike. This study strives to assess the role of internal communication in creating a service-oriented approach. Particular attention is given to the support that communication can provide to an organisation wishing to establish a service-oriented approach. The evolution of the service-oriented approach is discussed along with the internal and external changes that took place in the organisational environment. A service-orientation as a possible answer to environmental changes is discussed. An assessment of the contribution of communication to service orientation was undertaken. The results of the research undertaken have led to the deduction that internal communication at George Municipality is not effective. / COMMUNICATION SCIENCE / MA - SPEC IN ORG COMMUNIC

This thesis examines the political implications of the integrated development planning process embarked upon by South African municipalities in the period 1998-2004. Through the use of case study methodology that focuses on the Eastern Cape municipalities of Buffalo City and Ngqushwa, the conventions of municipal planning are examined. This inquiry into municipal planning draws upon official government documents and reports and publications from the nongovernment sector. The thesis is particularly focused on the claims made in policy documents and related secondary sources and compares these to more critical reports and publication as well as the author's personal experience of the integrated development planning process. Of key interest is the possibility that planning serves political interests and the material needs of an emerging municipal elite and that this is seldom acknowledged in official planning documentation or government sanctioned publications on the topic. The primary findings of the thesis are as follows: • That the 'reason' of expert policy formulations that accompanied integrated development planning has weakened political economy as a prism of understanding and separated itself from the institutional reality of municipal government • That the dominant critique of planning and other post-apartheid municipal policy is concerned with the triumph of neoliberalism but this critique, while valid, does not fully explain successive policy failures especially in the setting of Eastern Cape local government • That function of policy and its relationship to both the state and civil society is usually understood only in the most obvious sense and not as an instrument for wielding political power • That planning still derives much of its influence from its claim to technical rationality and that this underpinned the 'authority' of the integrated development planning project in South Africa and reinforced its power to make communities governable.