This study sought to investigate the effectiveness of a ‘good news’ magazine like Eastern Cape Madiba Action in promoting positive attitudes towards the Eastern Cape province as an aid to development. It investigated whether Madiba Action had any effects on its readership in terms of creating positive perceptions of the Eastern Cape as a first step towards attracting tourism and investment. This quantitative research gathered attitudinal data from readers and stakeholders via two survey questionnaires. Both stakeholders and readers expressed very positive perceptions of Madiba Action magazine as a credible source of positive information about the Eastern Cape. Readers stated that the media was the greatest influence on their perceptions of the Eastern Cape and reported that Madiba Action had positively influenced their perceptions of the province as a place to visit, live, work and invest in. Whether Madiba Action as a ‘good news’ magazine went beyond positively influencing perceptions of the Eastern Cape and actually affected behaviour in terms of increased tourism and investment was beyond the scope of this study but it does provide further opportunities for measuring the role of ‘good news’ media in assisting economic development.

For organisations to survive in an ever-changing milieu, as evident from the current business environment, sufficient crisis communication and management practices need to be in place to ensure organisational survival. Despite the latter, organisational crises are often inefficiently managed which could be ascribed to the lack of managing crises strategically (Kash & Darling 1998:180). This study explores the lack of strategic crisis communication processes within the financial industry specifically, to ensure effective crisis communication with the media as stakeholder group, through the proposition of an integrated crisis communication framework, which focuses on: · Combining integrated communication (IC) literature with Grunig’s theory of communication excellence to build sustainable media relationships through two-way communication; and · Implementing a crisis communication process that has proactive, reactive and post-evaluative crisis communication stages, thereby moving away from crisis communication as a predominant reactive function. / Communication Sciences / M.A. (Communication)

For organisations to survive in an ever-changing milieu, as evident from the current business environment, sufficient crisis communication and management practices need to be in place to ensure organisational survival. Despite the latter, organisational crises are often inefficiently managed which could be ascribed to the lack of managing crises strategically (Kash & Darling 1998:180). This study explores the lack of strategic crisis communication processes within the financial industry specifically, to ensure effective crisis communication with the media as stakeholder group, through the proposition of an integrated crisis communication framework, which focuses on: · Combining integrated communication (IC) literature with Grunig’s theory of communication excellence to build sustainable media relationships through two-way communication; and · Implementing a crisis communication process that has proactive, reactive and post-evaluative crisis communication stages, thereby moving away from crisis communication as a predominant reactive function. / Communication Sciences / M.A. (Communication)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Management Sciences (Marketing), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / Marketing and communications have become part of church activities in order to get the attention of congregations. It has become clear that church activities and marketing activities are interrelated. People become attached to a religion in the same way they become attached to a brand. This study examined whether the principles of marketing in traditional product areas are transferable to the marketing of the church and church services, persons and ideas in South Africa. It examined the ways in which core values of marketing and church are interrelated and interconnected to offer social values. The study also explored the way social marketers make use of the marketing mix in their routine activities. Religious organisations can also apply the marketing mix in order to communicate religious values in their social roles. It emerged that the church can also apply the service marketing mix through the “7P’s” with a view to achieving its social mandate. Specifically, spirituality (product), communication (promotion), delivery (place), exchange (price), employee involvement in service delivery (people), the mechanisms, via which the service is delivered (process), and the environment in which the services are delivered (physical environment). In addition, the church marketing theoretical frame work is derived from social marketing which is designed to influence individuals’ behaviour, improve their well-being and that of society. This study was conducted in Wentworth, Umlazi, Phoenix and Glenwood communities located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The sample size of this survey and the number of units that were required in the process of gathering data was based on interviews with professionals in the church business. Eight interviews were conducted with the officials in the four communities (two officials in each of the communities) while four focus group discussions consisting of 10-12 participants each were conducted among the selected church members of these four communities. The study used exploratory research design and the qualitative approach as data collection methods. The findings reveal that the church efforts aimed at fulfilling its vi social mandate are clouded by a number of marketing tactics. The use of marketing tactics appears to be more important in achieving church social mandates than the use of specific word-of-mouth (preaching) methods. Furthermore, there is an indication that in developing and running programmes for the church, there is an inclusion of marketing components in the planning, such as programmes that will have effect in transforming the surrounding, community, awareness, and evangelical missions. It was established that although the Holy Spirit is supreme to the church in transforming life, marketing tactics also can be employed to create an atmosphere that is welcoming to the Spirit’s work of restoration, rebirth, and awakening. Overall, the findings suggest that a church’s marketing tactics should be determined by marketing goals that relate to the vision and mission of the church. Hence, the study proposes an additional 8th “P” which is philosophy and underpinned by the vision, mission, passion, planning and ethics which could enhance the church’s ability in presenting a value proposition to its congregation in a similar manner that other marketers do.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch. Document Analysis))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In this study, research has been done on the institutional image of the Stellenbosch University (SU). The impact of the true and desired image on the written communication of the SU has been researched to determine how much influence the US can have on the forming of the institutional image and how it can be improved to correlate more with the desired image of the SU. The focus was, more specifically, on the written communication of the Registrar’s division of the SU and their institutional documents. The institutional image was tested by means of questionnaires filled in by the students of the SU. The groups have been selected in accordance with the population profile of the SU to be statistically representitave of the true population studying at the SU.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study the balance between relational and expressive messages on the image formation and projection of a document is studied. To study the effect of these messages, a case study was done on one of the donation letters of Stellenbosch University (SU). The purpose of the research was firstly to established what the image formation and projection of the SU was. The quality of the SU’s image and communication had to be determined. Secondly, the degree of attachment between die SU and respondents was measured to see if it had any influence on the way that they perceived the SU. The IFP-model (Image Formation and Projection model) served as a theoretical basis for the study – the model postulates that various document design aspects and concepts such as image, identitity and culture influence each other. The model was then used to a) identify problematic areas in the documentation b) form the basis of the questionnaire and c) explain the connection between the image formation and projection, and the style aspects in die document. The third goal of the research was to operationalize the relational and expressive messages by manipulating specific style aspects. The researcher had determined that the two messages were imbalanced in the original donation letter, to the extent that the reader did not have any real ‘presence’ in the document. The researcher then proceeded to design a second version of the donation letter, but with the relational and expressive messages brought into balance. Alumni of the SU were chosen as respondents for the study. The Stellenbosch Foundation distributed the questionnaires, along with the two versions of the letter. The researcher had decided upon e-mail as a distribution channel to discount any geographical bias. Two variables were used: Race (coloured and white persons) and age. Younger than 35 years of age, and 35 years of age or older than 35 were chosen as arbitrary cutoff points for respondents. The results were processed statistically so that trends and data could be displayed clearly. Results showed that alumni do have a positive image of the SU, as well as its communication. Alumni also feel reasonably connected to the SU. A strong preference was however shown for the redesigned donation letter, wherein the two messages are balanced out. This means that the SU’s image is projected in a more positive way in a document where the reader has a bigger presence. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie is daar ondersoek watter invloed ‘n wanbalans tussen die relasionele en ekspressiewe boodskappe in ‘n dokument op die beeldvorming en projeksie van daardie dokument het. Vir hierdie ondersoek is een van die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) se donasiebriewe as gevallestudie gebruik. Die doel van die navorsing was eerstens om te bepaal hoe die beeldvorming enprojeksie van die US daar uitsien. Daar moes dus vasgestel word hoe gunstig die beeld van die US is en wat die opvatting oor die US se kommunikasie is. Tweedens is gepoog om die graad verbondenheid en verhouding tussen die US en die respondente te meet, om te sien of dit ‘n invloed het op hoe hulle die US sien. Die IFP-model (Image Formation and Projection) dien as ‘n teoretiese basis vir die studie – die model postuleer dat verskeie dokumentontwerp-aspekte en konsepte soos beeld, identiteit en kultuur, ‘n wedersydse invloed op mekaar het. Die model is dus gebruik om a) probleemareas in die dokument te identifiseer, b) die basis van die vraelys te vorm, en c) die verband tussen die beeldvorming en projeksie van die US, en die stilistiese aspekte te verduidelik. Die derde doel van die navorsing was om die relasionele en ekspressiewe boodskappe te operasionaliseer in verskeie stylaspekte, sodat dit gemanipuleer kan word. Die navorser het bepaal dat daar ‘n wanbalans bestaan tussen die twee boodskappe in die oorspronklike donasiebrief, en dat hierdie wanbalans veroorsaak dat die leser nie werklik ‘n ‘teenwoordigheid’ in die dokument het nie. Om die effek van hierdie wanbalans te toets, is ‘n tweede weergawe van die brief ontwerp, waarin die twee boodskappe in balans gebring word. Alumni van die US is as teikengroep gekies vir die studie. Die Stellenbosch Stigting het vraelyste, tesame met die twee weergawes van die donasiebrief aan hulle gestuur. Die navorser het besluit op e-pos as ‘n distribusiemetode om enige geografiese bevooroordeeldheid te voorkom. Die twee veranderlikes was ras (bruin en wit persone) en ouderdom. Jonger as 35, en 35 of ouer as 35 is gekies as arbitrêre afsnypunt vir respondente. Die resultate is statisties verwerk om duidelike tendense en data te bekom. Resultate het getoon dat die alumni wel ‘n positiewe beeld van die US het, asook sy kommunikasie. Alumni voel ook nog redelik verbonde aan die US. ‘n Voorkeur is egter getoon vir die herontwerpte brief, d.w.s. waar die balans tussen die boodskappe eweredig is. Dit dui aan dat die US se beeld beter uitgedra sal word (of op ‘n positiewer wyse) as die leser ingetrek word deur die teks.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The University of Stellenbosch is a proud institution with a proud tradition. It delivers graduates and research that can compete with the world's best. It is facing a landscape that is becoming increasingly competitive, and higher education institutions in South Africa are only now discovering the need and value of sound marketing principles. The University consists of 11 faculties and more that 100 departments. Out of those faculties and departments many other operating entities have grown. Entities such as the Institute for Winebiotechnology, the Bureau for Economic Research, the University of Stellenbosch Printers and the Graduate School of Business, to name but a few. Each of these have over time developed strong individual identities. In virtually all cases the link with the University has not been severed, and in many instances the association has been beneficial to both the University and the operating entity. As the environment becomes more competitive and as universities compete for shrinking financial resources, issues such as high media costs and effective communication become more important. One way of ensuring economy of scale in communication is to co-ordinate the visual identity of an institution. At the University of Stellenbosch the visual presentation of its various operating entities has not been coordinated, resulting in vast inconsistencies with regard to the institution's visual communication. Apart from failing to achieve economies of scale in communication, such a situation will also, inevitably, lead to confusion among the institution's target audiences. This project assesses the situation and develops a model according to which the University and its operating entities can coordinate their visual communication. It is expected that this model will stimulate discussion and that it may lead to implementation as soon as possible. Once the framework for managing corporate identity is in place, a great deal of work will be required to bring the communications process in line with the objectives of the institution and the requirements of its corporate identity strategy. This report is intended as starting point in the process that will lead to effective and optimal corporate identity management at the University of Stellenbosch. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Universiteit van Stellenbosch is 'n instelling met 'n trotse tradisie. Hy lewer graduadi en navorsing wat met die bestes ter wêreld kan meeding. Die Universiteit bestaan in 'n omgewing wat toenemend kompeterend is, en hoër onderwys instellings begin nou eers die waarde besef van effektiewe bemarking. Die Universiteit bestaan uit 11 fakulteite en meer as 100 akademiese departemente. Vanuit hierdie fakulteite en departemente het menige ander bedryfseenhede ontwikkel. Eenhede soos die Instituut vir Wynbiotegnologie, die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek, the Universiteit van Stellenbosch Drukkery, en die Nagraadse Bestuurskool. Elkeen van dié bedryfseenhede het oor tyd heen sy eie, unieke identiteit ontwikkel. In feitlik alle gevalle het die noue verbintenis met die Universiteit behoue gebly, en in baie van die gevalle het die wedersydse assosiasie tot beide se voordeel gestrek. Namate die omgewing waarbinne die Universiteit bedryf word meer kompeterend raak en namate die Universiteit meeding vir kwynende finansiële bronne, raak aspekte soos stygende media kostes en effektiewe kommunikasie belangriker. Een manier om te verseker dat skaalbesparings bereik word, is om the visuele identiteit van 'n instelling te koordineer. Aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch word die visuele aanbieding van die verskeie bedryfseenhede nog nie effektief gekoordineer nie. Dit het tot gevolg gehad dat groot verskille aan die lig gekom het ten opsigte van die organisasie se visuele kommunikasie. Behalwe dat sulke omstandighede nie skaalbesparings bevorder nie, sal dit ook lei tot verwarring onder die instelling se teikengehore. Hierdie projek het ten doeI om 'n model, of raamwerk te ontwikkel waarvolgens die Universiteit en sy bedryfseenhede hul visuele kommunikasie beter kan koordineer. Daar word verwag dat hierdie model verdere gesprek sal stimuleer en so spoedig moontlik sal lei tot die implementering van 'n model wat vir die Universiteitsgemeenskap aanvaarbaar is. Nadat 'n raamwerk vir die bestuur van korporatiewe identiteit aanvaar is, volg nog 'n groot taak om die kommunikasieprosesse in lyn met die instelling se doelwitte en vereistes ten opsigte van sy korporatiewe identiteitstrategie te bring. Hierdie verslag kan as aanvangspunt dien in die proses wat sal lei tot die effektiewe en optimale bestuur van korporatiewe identiteit aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch.

Thesis (MPhil (Journalism))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Although reputation management has historically been restricted to companies or other organisational entities, countries are also increasingly concerned with their reputation relative to other countries and have started to actively measure and manage that reputation1. Over the past years, the Republic of South Africa has begun to professionally streamline its own reputation management activities, specifically by establishing the International Marketing Committee (IMC) in August 2000. South African Tourism, the media division of the South African diplomatic sector and even South African Airways are other reputation management vehicles that have been working toward emanating a comprehensive marketing and communication message from South Africa to other countries. The basis of good reputation management is to first measure such reputation2. It is also important to know what aspects are the main drivers of such reputation. Using the content of specific German newspapers as data body, this study determines the drivers of South Africa’s media reputation in Germany. In order to accurately set the scene for an analysis of South Africa’s reputation, a thorough situation analysis on the country is conducted. This situation analysis forms the backbone for the methodology used further on to investigate the drivers of South Africa’s reputation in specific German media. To this end, a large part of the situation analysis looks at South Africa in terms of Germany and a study is conducted on the relationship between Germany and South Africa as well as the potential stakeholders of South Africa’s media reputation in Germany. It is also important to know what current efforts in terms of reputation management are. After studying the history of South Africa’s reputation management activities, members of today’s reputation management vehicles are interviewed and an overview of South African reputation management efforts currently active in Germany is provided. The reputation management activities of other countries are briefly explored and specifically the lessons from other countries’ efforts are highlighted. Subsequently, the reputational dimensions that positively or negatively drive South Africa’s reputation in specific German media are determined. To this end, a content analysis is conducted on the seven German national daily newspapers, Börsen- Zeitung, Die Welt, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Frankfurter Rundschau, Financial Times Deutschland, Handelsblatt and Süddeutsche Zeitung3 over a period of 20 months. The findings made culminate in suggestions for South Africa’s future reputation management activities in Germany.

Public relations play an intricate role in communication development strategies within sport, especially netball. The objective of the research is to create a communication campaign incorporated in a public relations programme in aid of the development of netball in Port Elizabeth schools. The significance of the research is to create an understanding of the challenges faced by the learners to participate in netball and to develop the sport. The development of players at a young age is not up to standard when compared to countries where netball is already a professional sport. There is a lack of communication between the different stakeholders, namely the players, coaches and external publics. Qualitative research methods were implemented where primary and secondary data was used to conduct the research. Focus groups were utilised to gather primary data from netball players and coaches. These interviews proved that communication gaps do exist between the different stakeholders of school and netball. An introduction about netball will be discussed. Literature about public relations and communication will be presented. The research methodology will be presenting the research design and research methods used to conduct the research. Characteristics of the schools used in the interviews will be discussed. The research analysis, findings and discussions will present a guideline to be implemented by schools to enhance communication and therefore help develop netball. The research will then be concluded and summarised. Limitations to the study will be discussed as well as recommendations for further study on the topic. Communication plays an important role when trying to build mutual beneficial relationships between the various stakeholders. The results in this research bring to the conclusion that effective communication is needed to enhance and develop netball to ultimately become a professional sport.

Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / The history of public relations include facets of “publicity” and “press agentry,” and has matured beyond these narrow, tactical functions, rising to accept positioning as strategic communications which can drive corporate social responsibility decision-making that resonate credibly with community stakeholder. The study explored public relations models of communication within stakeholder engagement to establish corporate social responsibility projects in the mining sector in Richards Bay, South Africa. The stakeholder engagement process depends greatly on principles outlined in the King Reports, which includes a stakeholder ‘inclusive approach’ and ethical guidelines for ‘governing stakeholder relationships’ and emphasises ‘sustainable development’. Furthermore, a socially responsibility business integrates the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary obligation of business to society and further recognizes its place in the broader community. Although qualitative research design was chosen for this study, the research used purposive sampling to select individuals and groups for data collection on the stakeholder communication experience. Six Individual in-depth interviews and one focus group interview were conducted with the organisation’s Communities and Corporate Relations team and the community leaders. The research reports that the corporate social responsibility stakeholder engagement process has five stages (consultation, engagement, agreement, decision making and feedback) and there is an evaluation process on community development projects set by the organisation. Consequently, the organisation and the communities both benefit from the corporate social responsibility projects. Additionally, the analysis shows that the model used for stakeholder engagement within corporate social responsibility is the mixed-motive model of public relations. Hence, the relationship between the organisation and its host communities is established and maintained, as well as the social licence to operate and reputation is enhanced. Therefore the research concludes that a public relations’ mixed-motive model of communication is best suited for stakeholder engagement in order to establish corporate social responsibility projects in the host communities that can enhance favourable organisation-community relationships. The model intends to achieve equilibrium between the organisation and the community stakeholder. However, further research is recommended into the development of a new African public relations model of communication that encompasses the concept of ‘Ubuntu’ where the community leader is the final decision maker in consultation with the traditional council.