Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology Project Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / In past, the impact of communication on project quality did not receive considerable attention, perhaps since the inception of project management as the field of enquiry. This is in spite of the fact that the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) has nine knowledge areas, and amongst these elements, communication is regarded as an integral part of these aspects of project quality. While (in principle) communication is regarded as a core element of project quality, in practice, the four core elements, which are used to determine the success of the project are time, cost, scope, and quality. This study aims to investigate the effects of communication on project quality with reference to the Facilities Management Project at a the Life Assurance Company located in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. The services, which are offered by facility management companies differ across the spectrum of companies, but most of these services include build operations, maintenance, real estate, human and environmental factors , project management, space planning, basic management activities, finance, quality assessment, communication and general administrative support. The major question that the study seeks to address is to determine if stakeholder communication impacts on the quality of projects at all. The research used qualitative methodology research design to approach data collection and analysis, which was supported by survey questionnaires to analyse the effect of communication on Facility Management project quality. In this context, project quality is determined by the extent to which project outcomes meet the needs and expectations of project-end users. The researcher argues that these expectations must be communicated in order to improve the success of the project (i.e. project quality). With regard to the FMU project at the Life Assurance Company, the study revealed that stakeholder communication is crucial and hence it is a core essential element, which affects the quality of FMU projects. The study also revealed that in recent years, tenants have expressed their dissatisfaction about projects that are executed by the facility management division. The major problem for the tenant’s dissatisfaction appeared to stem from the lack of stakeholder communication during facility management projects. This dissatisfaction has led to tenants rating facility management projects quality as poor. In view of these challenges, the study thus concludes with an analysis of stakeholder communication at the life assurance company and its impact on the quality of facility management projects. The findings of the study suggest that communication amongst stakeholders is crucial and can affect the quality of projects. Even though tenants were the custodians of the facility management projects, they only received limited information during the project life cycle. In some instances, communication in the form of layout design, held desk and telephone, were identified as major communication channels that are used to facilitate communication. However, there was a lack of communication with respect to decision-making about the project across the project lifecycle and thus the study recommended that stakeholder communication should occur in all project phases.

Orientador: Maximiliano Martín Vicente / Banca: Tânia Márcia Cezar Hoff / Banca: Danilo Rothberg / Resumo: Esta dissertação analisa a influência das tecnologias digitais da comunicação e das práticas de interatividade nos fluxos e processos da comunicação interna das organizações, partindo do pressuposto de que estes novos elementos demandam uma mudança na lógica como estes processos e fluxos estão organizados. Como fundamentação teórica, utiliza conceitos da comunicação organizacional, cultura organizacional, tecnologias da comunicação digital, sociedade da informação e estudos sobre o perfil da Geração Y. Realiza o estudo do caso da Unimed Regional Jaú, organização que adotou a intranet como ferramenta chave no seu sistema de comunicação interna / Abstract: This paper analyzes the influence of digital communication technologies and interactivity practices on the flows and processes of internal communication in organizatins, assuming that these new elements require a change in the logic how these flows and processes are organized. As a theoretical framework, uses concepts of organizational communication, organizational culture, digital communication technologies, information society and studies on the profile of Generation Y. Performs case study of Unimed Regional Jau, organization that has adopted the intranet as a key tool in its internal communication system / Mestre

A inteligência estratégica é reconhecida no campo da administração por reforçar a competitividade das organizações, e subsidiar a tomada de decisão a partir de um melhor entendimento de seu ambiente. Entretanto a sua potencialidade estratégica está vinculada com a forma como suas ações são desenvolvidas e organizadas, ou seja, sua integridade estrutural. Por outro lado, a cultura da informação, formada por valores, normas e atitudes, influencia a forma como a informação é tratada nas organizações e consequentemente os resultados do seu uso. Neste contexto, este trabalho buscou verificar a influência da relação existente entre o uso e da cultura da informação sobre a integridade estrutural (estrutura e organização) da inteligência estratégica. A pesquisa proposta foi de natureza descritiva e quantitativa com utilização do método de pesquisa survey e uso de técnicas estatísticas descritivas e inferências para análise de dados. A pesquisa foi realizada na rede de distribuidores da Randon Implementos. No total foram 239 respondentes entre proprietários, gerentes de vendas e vendedores que atuam na área comercial dos distribuidores e possuem contato com a área de Inteligência Estratégica da Randon. A análise fatorial resultou em oito fatores que explicam 63,957% da variabilidade, com valor KMO de 0,910 e teste de esfericidade de Bartlett com significância p<0,000. O resultado da correlação destes oito fatores sugere que há uma correlação significativa entre o caráter estratégico/estrutural da informação, a integridade do processo, a transparência das informações e as ferramentas, os quais apresentaram correlações moderadas à fortes. Já em relação à regressão estatística, os resultados apontaram que o caráter estratégico/estrutural da informação é explicado em 64,7% por três variáveis: integridade do processo, ferramentas/sistemas e transparência das informações. / Strategic Intelligence is recognized in the field of administration by the capability to enhance the competitiveness of organizations and to support decision making through a better comprehension of the environment. However its strategic potential is linked with how their actions are developed and organized, it means, its structural integrity. On the other hand, the information culture, formed by values, norms and attitudes, influences on how information is handled in organizations and consequently the results of its use. In this context, this study aimed to investigate the influence of the relationship between the use of information and culture on the structural integrity (structure and organization) of strategic intelligence. The proposed research has a descriptive and quantitative approach with use of survey technique as research method and used descriptive statistical techniques for data analysis. The final sample collected data from 239 owners, sales managers and sales people who work in the commercial area of distributors and who have contact with the Randon’s Strategic Intelligence. Factor analysis resulted in eight factors explaining 63.957% of the variability, with KMO value 0.910 and Bartlett's sphericity test with significance p <0.000. The result of these eight correlation factors suggest a significant correlation between the strategic nature/structural of information, process integrity and transparency of information, which showed moderate to strong correlations. Regarding the statistical regression, the results showed that the strategic nature/structural of information it’s explained in 64.7% by three variables: process integrity, tools/systems and transparency of information.

M.Comm. (Business Management) / Communication in a business environment is an aspect that cannot be replaced. Theoretical considerations as revealed by literature indicate that the process is a complicated process. In this study, this is proven by the different types such as information theory which is concerned with the transmission aspects of communication process. The impact that information theory has had on the study of communication is analogous to the tremendous influence that quantitative techniques have had on management decision-making. Interpersonal communication emphasises transference of information from one person to another. It has both verbal and non-verbal forms. In verbal communication there is direct contact between parties involved. In non-verbal communication body postures are used as a means of communication. Written communication involves transmitting information through written word. Business communication within organisations is also influenced by other factors related to the diversity of workforce. Intercultural communication covers a wide variety of attitudes, perceptions and values. Language also plays an important role in communication as illustrated by the communicative, explanatory, regulatory and interrogative functions. The differences between American and British English illustrate the complexity of the process. The situation is more complex in South African organisations as there are eleven official languages. Of these only English and Afrikaans are used in workplaces as business languages. The population census conducted in 1996 indicated that about 43% of South Africans are functionally, illiterate and this number can be as high as 52% amongst blacks. As a result the majority of South Africans have poor understanding of these languages as a result of historical problems. In this study business communication is studies in a South African organisation, Mintek, to establish the effectiveness of communication in that organisation. Questionnaires are used to test the opinions of the employees. The results are tabulated and interpreted. Relevant literature is brought in when discussing the results, recommendations are made aiming at improving communication within Mintek.

Due to the increasing competitiveness between organisations to attract and retain internal and external stakeholders so as to increase organisational competitive advantage, it is vitally important to the long-term success thereof that the inherent importance of organisational communication, specifically internal communication, is taken into consideration within the context of a rapidly changing business environment. This is to make sure that an alignment exists between internal organisational core values and the external image the organisation portrays. Thus within the context of banking service organisations so as to ensure a successful internal organisational alignment strategy, which promotes employee satisfaction and participation, improvement needs to be made to internal communication strategies. Based on this, three key concepts are identified as pertinent; namely internal organisational communication, the corporate identity aspect of internal branding and the organisational culture aspect of organisational alignment. Thus, the overriding purpose is to determine what the role of internal branding as a tool for internal organisational alignment is amongst banking service organisations in South Africa that have undergone an amalgamation. The motivation for this research is the fact that numerous organisations do not realise the importance of internal communication and branding initiatives to the internal stakeholders’ satisfaction, service delivery quality and ultimate impact on the organisation’s profitability. Absa Bank is the subject for the one-shot case study as it recently implemented new internal branding initiatives so as to engage and align internal stakeholders with the core organisational values and culture, to improve the quality of service rendered, to retain external customers, and to impact positively on the bank’s profitability. Through the use of qualitative research methods, which are a one-shot case study utilising a documentation study and telephonic and e-mail interviews, the goal of the study is achieved. The theoretical chapters set the context by introducing and defining relevant key concepts, as well as presenting a theoretical discussion on these concepts. The case study on Absa Bank forms the basis of the integration of theoretical concepts and the practical application thereof. Finally, the research findings are discussed and further recommendations proposed. Based on the research, a key contribution is the conceptualisation of the term integrated organisational communication. Keywords: organisational communication, internal organisational communication, corporate identity, internal branding, organisational culture, organisational alignment. / Andrea Crystal

At present, the average employee is being bombarded with an ever-increasing number of messages information on his/her company, its products and services, as well as information on its strategy all flooding in from a myriad of sources, including internal vehicles such as e-mail, the intranet, management memoranda, internal publications, as well as the external media, such as the Internet, the local newspaper, television news and national business and industry magazines. The term “information overload” is usually understood to present a state of affairs where an individual’s efficiency in using information in his/her work is hampered by a surplus amount of relevant and potentially useful information available to him/her. The principal aim of this study, therefore, is to establish the extent and impact of information overload on the knowledge worker in the banking industry, with special reference to the part that e-mail technology plays in the creation of such overload. Broadcasting, the telephone and the Internet have revolutionised the way in which workers communicate around the globe. Electronic-messaging systems such as e-mail have become the medium of choice in many organisations, and hold significant and valuable business data, information and knowledge. These systems have had a profound impact on the way in which personal and business communications are effected in the office. With e-mail having acquired mission-critical status, a number of concomitant circumstances and consequences have arisen that present organisations, such as banks, with a variety of challenges, among which • the impact on employees’ productivity, owing to the time spent on e-mailing activities • employees’ attitudes towards e-mail • compliance with corporate policies, such as those policies governing electronic communication and computer use • surveillance and monitoring of e-mail • the quest for finding formal archiving solutions. / Prof. C.W. Rensleigh

This thesis analyzes the potential strategic capability that can be improved from the deployment of business intelligence (BI) applications. AOK Niedersachsen (AOKN), a German health insurance company in the north of Germany (Lower-Saxony), is used as the case study for primary qualitative research and analysis. For many years, information and data have been considered even “factors of production” for companies; but data and information have become more complex, requiring processing and structural analysis to get the needed transparency in the company. Data from different operational sources must be extracted and structured to provide information for management accounting employees, top management, and end-users throughout an organization. In the healthcare industry, BI systems have played a crucial role for decades. For organizations such as AOKN, the application of BI tools and technologies can create and support sustainable capability. Several research questions are answered in this thesis through structured one-to-one interviews with different AOKN employees, and the resulting analysis of interview data. A qualitative approach to this case study is used, allowing the researcher to get in-depth information about a specific context. When case studies are conducted, the one-to-one interview is considered to be an optimal instrument and a significant source of evidence. BI technologies and tools are classified within an appropriate conceptual framework which integrates the complex BI demands and structures of AOKN, identifying different components as part of the framework - systems infrastructure, data provision, reporting, and information receiver. The framework is further enhanced by four factors of a competitive advantage model drawn from existing literature to develop capabilities. The use and integration of BI technologies and tools in the strategy development process are then analyzed. Different BI tools, that have an important function during the whole strategy process, are recommended for each strategy phase. The final area of research examines the possible addition of new functions and solutions to current BI technologies and tools to enhance the potential of these systems in gaining capabilities. Research findings encompass system access, report characteristics, and BI end users profiles and capabilities. To this end, a structured model gives examples of practical AOKN BI projects that have generated strategic capabilities for the organization. At the end, the conclusion chapter stresses the needs of contribution to knowledge (theory and practice).

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abstract: The members of Generation Z are often referred to as "digital natives," having been born between 1995–2012, into a time of significant technological advancements. Members of Generation Z were between the ages of 7–24 years old in 2019. The world Generation Z knows has been impacted by the current technological environment including the use of personal smartphones and smart devices, the rise in social media use, and the preference of texting and instant messaging over voice/phone communications. The oldest members of Generation Z are just starting to enter the workforce. While there are studies on Generation Z's personal communication preferences and habits, there is very little research how these preferences and habits will impact business communication. This study examines specifically the older members of Generation Z, between ages 18–24 years old, who are currently in the workforce. The study gives insight into how Generation Z's personal communication habits are impacting their expectations of business communication.. The study includes results of a survey of 207 participants and in-depth interviews with six Generation Z members. The survey included both quantitative multiple choice and qualitative open-ended questions on the respondents’ personal and workplace communication habits and expectations. The in-depth interviews expanded on the findings of the survey and added additional context to many of the survey's findings. Through researching the habits and expectations of members of Generation Z who are currently in the workplace, the study uncovered many unexpected attitudes and behaviors among working Generation Z respondents. These insights include: the respondents’ awareness of the negatives of technology usage, differences in personal preferences and professional behaviors, the self-regulation of technology usage, and the concern for boundaries between personal and work life. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Technical Communication 2020

Esta investigación tiene como objetivo analizar la comunicación durante la crisis reputacional de Graña y Montero, así como la intervención del directorio en la gestión de la misma. El primer capítulo plantea las preguntas y objetivos inherentes a la investigación, con énfasis en crisis reputacionales por falencias en gobierno corporativo, similares al caso en mención. El segundo capítulo incorpora el marco teórico y analiza conceptos como gobierno corporativo, reputación e imagen corporativa, crisis reputacional y comunicación corporativa. El tercer capítulo busca ubicar al Grupo en el macroentorno del sector construcción, graficando su relevancia en el Perú. El cuarto capítulo aborda la crisis del Grupo y sus características dentro del contexto del caso Lava Jato, cómo se organizó para enfrentar la crisis, y analiza su estrategia de comunicación entre diciembre 2016 y diciembre 2017. El quinto capítulo detalla el marco metodológico aplicado, de tipo cualitativo, con enfoque exploratorio, fenomenológico, descriptivo y relacional. La información pública disponible ha sido complementada con entrevistas en profundidad a directivos y ejecutivos de la empresa, así como a personas que interactuaron con la crisis. El sexto capítulo contiene los resultados del análisis de las entrevistas que responden a: la hipótesis, las preguntas de investigación y los objetivos. En el séptimo capítulo se propone un modelo de gestión de comunicación que podría permitir a los directores monitorear, prever y gestionar los riesgos desde el enfoque transversal y holístico de un dircom. Finalmente, el octavo capítulo contiene conclusiones y recomendaciones como resultado del análisis realizado. / The objective of this research is to analyze Graña y Montero Group’s reputational crisis from the perspective of communication and the intervention of the board in its management. The first chapter raises the research questions and objectives, with an introduction on reputational crises due to corporate governance problems similar to this case. The second chapter incorporates the theoretical framework and analyzes concepts such as corporate governance, reputation and corporate image, reputational crisis and corporate communication as a strategy. The third chapter seeks to locate the Group in the macro environment of the construction sector, charting its relevance in Peru. The fourth chapter addresses the Group's crisis and its characteristics within the Lava Jato context, how it was organized to deal with the crisis, and analyzes its communication strategy between December 2016 and December 2017. The fifth chapter details the applied methodological framework, of a qualitative type, with an exploratory, phenomenological, descriptive and relational approach. The public information available has been complemented by in-depth interviews with board members and company executives, as well as people related to the crisis. The sixth chapter contains the results of the information analysis and the interviews, in order to answer the hypothesis, research questions and objectives. The seventh chapter, proposes a communication management model that allows boards of directors to monitor, foresee and manage risks from the cross-sectional and holistic approach of a dircom. / Trabajo de investigación