The results of the research show that organisational culture is not a statistically significant determinant of organisational performance. Organisational culture, however, is a strong determinant of internal corporate governance. Lastly, internal corporate governance does not significantly impact organisational performance. The above results confirm that both organisational culture and internal corporate governance are positively related to performance, but are not statistically significant. This weak linkage to performance is contested with the mixed results identified in Western countries and may be explained by the different construct definition and measurement methods applied in the various studies. There is a need to look at the longitudinal view of the relationship of the constructs in future research to provide fresh evidence and also to reveal the extent to which the new concept of internal corporate governance has been embraced by corporate officers over time. There is also need to look at successful and unsuccessful companies to identify the best practices.

Chief executives (CEOs) and other senior managers do not seem to be satisfied with the performance of their corporate communication managers/practitioners. Perceptions are that practitioners fail to assume broad decision making roles in organisations. They seem to be unable to see the big picture or understand the key issues in their industry -- their thinking is tactical, rather than strategic. Practitioners are focused on their own activities and media, on the achievement of communication goals and objectives -- without necessarily linking them to business goals. There appears to be a lack of understanding between top management and the corporate communication function on the latter's role in the strategic management process. This situation might be the result of a lack of strategic management and strategic communication knowledge and skills amongst corporate communication managers, possibly caused by insufficient training in these areas (Groenewald 1998a). The research objectives addressed by this study are the following: Firstly, to conceptualise a strategic role for the corporate communication practitioner at the top management level of the organisation (the role of the PR strategist). This is done by investigating the strategic management literature to determine whether a need exists at the top management level to play a strategic role. The behavioural activities of such a role were identified both from the public relations and the strategic management literature. Secondly, to conceptualise corporate communication strategy as an activity of a corporate communication practitioner in the role of the PR manager, a strategic role at the functional or meso level of the organisation. Furthermore, to differentiate a corporate communication strategy from a communication plan. Thirdly, to hypothesise a model for developing corporate communication strategyand thereafter to implement, evaluate and improve the model by assessing and comparing the corporate communication strategy projects of third year corporate communication students at the University of Pretoria, as partners in the action research process. The research approach selected is qualitative research -- an exploratory design is employed in achieving the first three objectives by means of a literature investigation. A confirmatory design is used for the implementation, evaluation and improvement of the model through the methodology of action research. In implementing, evaluating and revising the hypothesised model, this study moves away from the traditional teacher-centred approach in the classroom to a situation where students are involved in a research inquiry to build theory. At the same time, the participant community (non-profit organisations in this case) is exposed to strategic communication knowledge. They are involved in a process whereby they become active participants (together with the students and the lecturer/researcher) in developing corporate communication strategy for their organisations. The results are twofold: firstly, staff members of the non-profit organisation (as well as the students) acquire strategic communication skills; and secondly, the researcher investigates a new area of interest, builds theory, and facilitates a learning process for students whereby they obtain experience and knowledge that is applicable to practice. In conceptualising both a new role for the corporate communication practitioner at the top management level (the role of the PR strategist), and proposing corporate communication strategy as the link between the communication plan and the corporate strategy, an attempt is made to provide possible solutions to important problems in practice. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2000. / gm2013 / Communication Management / Unrestricted

The aim of the doctoral thesis is to design and verify a model measuring complex corporate performance integrating environmental, social, economic and Corporate Governance performance in a selected sector of CZ – NACE. The model was constructed in six steps. A basic set of key performance indicators was designed by a synthesis of findings from preliminary research and analysis of approaches of international institutions that deal with the issue of corporate sustainability. Through a questionnaire survey a relevance of a proposed basic set of key performance indicators was verified. Key performance indicators were verified on a group of companies which have more than 250 employees and belong to a CZ – NACE 27.1 Manufacture of electric motors, generators, transformers and electricity distribution and control apparatus. Subsequently, a reduction of a number of key performance indicators was done by statistical methods so that the explanatory power of the model has been retained as much as possible. In order to model reflect a reality, weights that express an influence of key performance indicators on corporate performance and sustainability were assigned to key performance indicators. Through a literature research a benchmarks for a reduced set of key performance indicators were determined in order to quantify a performance gap. Key performance indicators were aggregated into a single aggregate indicator measuring complex corporate performance by an additive method.

Industrin gör att samhället utifrån det ekonomiska system som det verkar i, fungerar. På samma gång står industrin för stora delar av de växthusgasutsläpp som värmer upp jorden och den globala kris som det innebär. Att företag mäter sina utsläpp, jobbar för att sänka de, genomför klimatpositiva åtgärder, klimatanpassar och jobbar förebyggande blir av vikt för att kunna minska på utsläppen såväl globalt som lokalt. Ett företag drivs utifrån olika faktorer så som att vara lönsamma på olika vis. I den här studien, som är ett samarbete med Hagainitiativet, undersöks vad 102 svenska börsnoterade företag anser om sitt klimatarbete och hur det påverkar företagets lönsamhet. Företagen svarar även på hur de menar att politiska beslut och Covid-19-pandemin påverkar deras klimatarbete. Material inhämtades med hjälp av kvantitativ metod, webbenkät.  Studien visar på att företagen över lag ställer sig positiva till att engagera sig i klimatfrågan och menar att klimatarbetet får positiva effekter för företagets lönsamhet. Allra starkast tycks synergin vara mellan klimatarbetet och en positiv effekt för varumärket samt för attraktiviteten som arbetsgivare. När Hagainitiativets enkätsvar från 2019 jämfördes med svaren från denna undersökning i 2021, svarar fler att klimatarbetet får en positiv effekt för företagets lönsamhet och färre att det får en negativ effekt. Det klimatpolitiska läget samt Covid-19 skulle kunna presentera en del av förklaringen till varför.  Resultaten indikerar på att det finns ett flertal frågor som hade varit intressant att ställa framöver för att få mer information om vad företagen gör, vad de inte gör och varför. Att ytterligare fördjupa förståelsen kring de uppfattningar som finns kan vara en del av det som krävs för att bana vägen framåt för företag att kunna jobba för hållbar utveckling och på samma gång uppnå en god lönsamhet. / The industry keeps society spinning in its current system. At the same time, it accounts for large parts of the greenhouse gas emissions which are heating up the earth and is responsible for the global crisis that it entails. Companies measuring their emissions, working to reduce them, implementing climate-positive measures, adapting to climate- change and working preventively is important to reduce emissions both globally and locally. For a company to survive, it runs based on various factors, such as being profitable in different ways. This study, which is a collaboration with the Hagainitiativet, examines what 102 Swedish listed companies think about their climate work and how it affects various profitability aspects of the business. The companies also respond to how they believe that political decisions and the Covid-19 pandemic affect their climate work. Materials were obtained using a quantitative method, web survey.  The study shows that companies in general are positive about getting involved in the climate issue and believe that their responses to climate change result in positive effects on the company's profitability. The synergy seems to be strongest between climate responses and a positive effect on the brand and the attractiveness as an employer. When the questionnaire from Hagainitiativet in 2019 were compared to the responses from this survey in 2021, more companies answered that climate work has a positive effect on the profitability and fewer that it has a negative effect. The climate policy situation and Covid-19 could present part of the explanation for why this is.  The results indicate that there are several questions that would be interesting to ask in the future to get more information about what companies do, what they do not do and why. Further deepening the understanding of existing perceptions, can be part of what is required to pave the way for companies to work for sustainable development and at the same time achieve profitability.