Abstracts in English and Afrikaans / There is a growing recognition of the role internal communications play in the overall functioning of an organisation. Scholars link effective internal communications with business performance and in the context of a government institution it means that in order to improve service delivery they must pay attention to the effectiveness of their communication practices. To execute its mandate effectively the Government Communications and Information systems (GCIS) as an entity responsible for managing communications on behalf of government has to ensure that it leads by example in this regard. The purpose of this study is to explore and describe communication experiences of GCIS employees. To answer the research question a cross-sectional survey of n=40 randomly selected employees was conducted at the GCIS head office. The survey resulted in initial findings which were further explored by interviewing nine (n=9) purposefully selected individuals. Results indicate that employees are satisfied with communications in general. Evidence suggests that not all communication channels are considered reliable however, perceptions of trust or reliability regarding channels is influenced by an inherent culture at the GCIS that equates authority and rank with trust. Concerns were raised with official channels in particular which are perceived as slow, outdated and irrelevant, blamed in part on bureaucratic processes. Findings show that there is a strong positive relationship between communication satisfaction and job satisfaction in line with findings from other studies. This underscores the importance of effective internal communication practices in state institutions. If communication is effective, evidence suggests that it will lead to employee job satisfaction. It is therefore recommended that the GCIS conducts a strategic review of its internal communication systems and practises in order to evaluate their effectiveness in helping to achieve communication goals of the organisation. A follow up study be conducted at the GCIS to measure the implementation of recommendations made in this study. Furthermore, research is recommended within the government sector as this will provide a holistic view of communication experiences within state institutions in South Africa, in particular the influence of bureaucratic systems. / Daar word toenemend erkenning gegee aan die rol wat interne kommunikasie speel in die algemene funksionering van 'n organisasie. Geleerdes koppel effektiewe interne kommunikasie met ondernemingsprestasie, en in die konteks van 'n regeringsinstelling beteken dit dat hulle, ten einde dienslewering te verbeter, moet let op die effektiwiteit van hul kommunikasiepraktyke. Om sy mandaat effektief uit te voer, moet die Regeringskommunikasie- en Inligtingstelsels (GCIS) as 'n entiteit wat namens die regering verantwoordelik is vir die bestuur van kommunikasie verseker dat dit 'n voorbeeld hiervan is. Die doel van hierdie studie is om kommunikasieervarings van werknemers van GCIS te verken en te beskryf. Om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord, is 'n deursnee-opname van (n=40) lukraak geselekteerde werknemers by die GCIS-hoofkantoor gedoen. Die opname het gelei tot aanvanklike bevindings wat verder ondersoek is deur nege (n =9) onderhoude met doelgerigte geselekteerde onderhoude. Die resultate dui daarop dat werknemers oor die algemeen tevrede is met kommunikasie. Bewyse dui daarop dat nie alle metodes as betroubaar beskou word nie, maar dat persepsies van vertroue of betroubaarheid ten opsigte van kanale beïnvloed word deur 'n inherente kultuur by die GCIS wat gesag en rang met vertroue vergelyk. Daar is ook kommer uitgespreek met amptelike kommunikasiekanale wat gesien word as stadig, verouderd en irrelevant, en deels die skuld op burokratiese prosesse. Bevindinge toon dat daar 'n sterk positiewe verwantskap bestaan tussen kommunikasiebevrediging en werkstevredenheid, in ooreenstemming met bevindings van ander navorsers. Dit onderstreep die belangrikheid van effektiewe interne kommunikasiepraktyke by staatsinstellings. As kommunikasie effektief is, dui die getuienis daarop dat dit tot werkstevredenheid van die werknemers sal lei. Daarom word aanbeveel dat die GCIS 'n strategiese oorsig van sy interne kommunikasiestelsels en -praktyke uitvoer om die doeltreffendheid daarvan te evalueer om die organisasie se kommunikasiedoelwitte te bereik. n Opvolgstudie word by die GCIS uitgevoer om die implementering van die aanbevelings wat in die studie gemaak is, te meet. Verder word navorsing binne die owerheidsektor aanbeveel, aangesien dit 'n holistiese siening bied van kommunikasie-ervarings binne staatsinstellings in Suid-Afrika, veral die invloed van burokratiese prosesse. / Communication Science / M.A. (Communications)

Sustainability has become increasingly important in global debates and in world politics, where the UN has formulated 17 sustainability goals. This has led to increased pressure on companies to focus more on sustainability. However, sustainability is a broad and difficult concept, where there is a lack of understanding of sustainable working methods. The purpose of the thesis is thus to study how companies transforms strategic approaches into something concrete and how it is communicated to organizations. Through a case study of a sustainability-leading IT consulting company, the research questions; "How does management translate sustainable strategies into concrete initiatives for communicating sustainable approaches?" and "What can be understood about the challenges of communicating sustainable ways of working through the organisations internal communicative processes?", is being answered. Based on the theoretical framework of the thesis, on Sensemaking and Double Loop Learning, the communication process has been mapped within the company, through semi-structured interviews supplemented with qualitative document analysis. The results show three main challenges: (1) to concrete sustainability and sustainable working methods; (2) to communicate and establish a unified understanding of sustainability and sustainable working practices throughout the organization; (3) to establish systems thinking for sustainable working methods.

De senaste årens utveckling inom informationsteknik har påverkat organisationers struktur och arbetsmönster. Inom sjukvården har därför av flera anledningar behovet att studera olika former av kommunikation lyfts fram. Ur patientsäkerhetssynpunkt har problem med misstag kopplade till bristande informationsöverföring påtalats. Hierarkiska skillnader, otydliga roller och brister i själva informationsflödena har angetts som orsaker. Motåtgärderna är inte självklara. Sjukvården är en av samhällets mest komplexa kunskapsorganisationer och präglas av karaktärsdrag och informationsflöden kopplade till starka professioner. Kommunikationsgranskningar genomförs vanligen med målet att identifiera orsaker till ineffektiv kommunikation, brister i kommunikationsprocesser, föreslå förbättringar och ge ledning och medarbetare en mer objektiv bild av faktiska förhållanden. Forskningsområdet har dominerats av stora enkätstudier men en ökad efterfrågan har riktats mot studier på plats i den dagliga kommunikationsmiljön hos organisationer. I detta arbete har en sådan fallstudie utförts vid avdelningen för hematologisk slutenvård inom Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset i Huddinge, Stockholm. Avdelningen hade år 2012 i samband med ett lokalbyte inom sjukhuset genomfört omstruktureringar som berörde såväl roller som kanalerna för kommunikation. Verksamheten upplevdes nu inte bedrivas tillräckligt effektiv, den uppfattades ta tid och vara oöverskådlig där förbättrad kommunikation sågs som en lösning. Syftet med denna fallstudie har varit att utifrån roller och kanaler för kommunikation belysa aspekter på hur en tydligare formell struktur för dagens personalinterna kommunikation kan skapas och förmedlas. Syftet besvarades genom att kartlägga dagens formella struktur, vilket är det förväntade utbytet av information beskrivet i arbetsbeskrivningar och policys, men även genom att studera den informella struktur som utvecklats i det dagliga arbetet. En blandning av datainsamlingsmetoder har använts och organisationens kommunikationsnätverk i form av det nätverk som byggs upp av flödet av information mellan aktörer har visualiserats och analyserats. Resultatet visar på skillnader mellan den formella strukturen för personalintern kommunikation och den informella strukturen. Dessa har använts för att analysera, diskutera och föreslå hur de identifierade skillnaderna kan användas för att förtydliga roller och kanaler i den formella strukturen. Studien har identifierat sex områden där den formella strukturen kan förtydligas; en högre grad av dokumenterat kommunikativt ansvar och tydliga rutiner, en stärkt kommunikation inom arbetsteam istället för inom professioner, en definition av över-­‐ och underläkarnas kommunikativa roller, en ökad kontinuitet i centrala roller för kommunikation, en översyn av den fysiska strukturens påverkan på kommunikationen och slutligen ökade förutsättningar för snabb direkt kommunikation med informationsteknologi. / The recent technological development within information technology has affected the structure of organisations and the organisation of work. In health care, and for several reasons, the need for communication audits has thus been highlighted. Patient safety may be risked by mistakes linked to deficiencies in information transfer. Often are hierarchical structures, unclear roles and gaps in information flows suggested causes. On the other hand, the health care sector often is considered as one of society's most complex knowledge organizations, characterized by intense information flows with traits linked to strong professions. Communication audits are accomplished with the objective to identify causes of ineffective communication, lack of explicit communication processes, to suggest improvements and provide management and staff with more objective descriptions of roles and links. The research field has for a while been dominated by large-­‐scale surveys and resent studies has pointed at the need for studies of daily communication environments at site of organizations. This is such a study, carried through at a department for inpatient care at the University Hospital Karolinska, located in Huddinge, Stockholm. In 2012, the studied department relocated into new facilities and completed a small restructuring of its organization, affecting roles and channels of communication. The perception of the new organization was inefficiency, both in time and difficulties to overview the structure. The purpose of this thesis has therefore been to discuss and highlight how to clarify formal structure of the internal communication among staff based on parameters such as roles and channels of communication. The study maps today's formal structure, which is the expected exchange of information as described in job descriptions and work policies and compares this with developed informal structures based on how employees prefer to exchange information. A mix of data collection methods is used. An analysis is conducted were the organization's communication network as perceived as exchange of information between the employees is visualised. The results showed differences between the formal structure and the informal structure that could be used to highlight aspects of how the identified differences could be used to clarify the formal structure. The study points at six areas were the formal structure may be elucidated; more documented communicative responsibilities and procedures, a strengthening of communication within working groups rather than within professions, a definition of the chief physician and the assistant physicians' communicative roles, an increased continuity in key roles for communication, a review of the physical structure's impact on communication and finally, create conditions for fast communication with information technology.

År 2019 var början av den pandemi som drabbade svenska restauranger och nattklubbar i hög grad på grund av de restriktioner som infördes i landet. Denna uppsats har ämnat undersöka hur krishanteringen inom dessa branscher i Uppsala har påverkats som följd av Covid-19. Empirisk data samlades in genom kvalitativa intervjuer med sex ledare för olika verksamheter inom de studerade branscherna. Resultaten visade att verksamheterna har blivit mer riskaverta och placerat större fokus på kostnadsminimeringar, att kommunikationen med externa parter har förändrats, samt att innovativa tillvägagångssätt för att hantera coronakrisen har inneburit märkbara förändringar inom verksamheterna. Ytterligare fynd var att ledarna övergick till ett ledarskap där relationer värderades i högre grad, samt att motiven hos ledarna har en inverkande faktor för krishanteringens utformning och inriktning, vilket dels grundades i identitetsskapande och dels deras etiska förhållningssätt. Verksamheterna har således erhållit lärdomar som följd av Covid-19 som har påverkat deras krishantering inför framtiden. / The year 2019 marked the beginning of the pandemic which came to have devastating effects on Swedish restaurants and nightclubs following restrictions implemented within the country. This essay has examined how crisis management within these businesses in Uppsala has been affected as a result of Covid-19. Empirical data were collected through qualitative interviews with six leaders within the studied industries. Results indicated that the organizations have become more risk averse and put greater focus on cost minimizations, a change in communication with external parties, and that innovative approaches to the corona crisis resulted in significant organizational changes. An additional discovery indicated a change in leadership style which prioritized relationships. The leaders’ motives were also shown to influence the design and direction of the crisis management, and rooted in identity formation as well as ethical philosophy. The organizations have thus gained insights following Covid-19 which will affect their future crisis management.

Strategizing är vad människor i en organisation gör när de planerar och medverkar i aktiviteter som ska bidra till företagets riktning. Forskning inom strategizing har tidigare fokuserat på organisationens ledning, men även medarbetarperspektivet kan bidra till en bredare uppfattning, då medarbetarna ofta uppfattar strategisk kommunikation på ett annat sätt. Mellancheferna är väsentliga medlare i genomförandet av strategiska förändringar och deras roll är att förmedla samt anpassa strategisk information till sina medarbetare. Syftet med studien är att vidga förståelsen kring strategizing genom att undersöka hur företagens strategiska information kommuniceras genom mellancheferna på operativ nivå inom dagligvaruhandeln. Den empiriska datan är baserad på två företag inom dagligvaruhandeln, Willys och City Gross. Datan har samlats in genom kvalitativ metod med hjälp av en kombination av intervjuer, observationer och dokumentanalys, bestående av externa och interna dokument. Studiens resultat lyfter teamets arbete och menar att trivsel skapar effektivitet och måluppfyllnad. En varierad arbetssituation lägger grunden för förändringar i personalbehovet. Mellancheferna bör fortsätta använda sig av dialoger för att säkerställa anpassningen och översättningen av informationen. De behöver bli bättre på att använda mötesstrukturen och tekniska hjälpmedel. / Strategizing is what people within the organization do when they plan and take part in activities that should contribute to the direction of the company. Research in strategizing has previously focused on top management but the perspective of the employees can contribute to a wider perception as well, because of the employees’ conception of strategic communication. The middle managers are crucial intermediators in the implementation of strategic development and their position is to communicate and adjust the strategic information to their employees. The purpose of this study is to expand the understanding about strategizing by investegate how the companies’ strategic information communicates through the middle managers on the operational level within the retail sector.  The empirical data is based on two companies within the retail sector, Willys and City Gross. The data has been gathered through a qualitative method using a combination of interviews, observations and content analysis, containing external and internal documents. The result of the study highlights teamwork and that well-being creates efficiency and goal fulfillment. A work situation with variation establishes a foundation for changes in staff requirements. The middle managers should keep using dialogues to ensure the adjustment and translation of the information. They need to improve their use of meeting structure and technical tools.

Este estudo analisa as metamorfoses em curso nas organizações, em decorrência da revolução digital e de seus desdobramentos na economia, na sociedade, na cultura e, sobretudo, no sistema comunicacional. O objetivo é indagar em que medida as tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TICs) estão provocando mutações também na comunicação organizacional, quais seriam os pilares do paradigma emergente e como as empresas brasileiras estão incorporando, na prática, essas novas dimensões. / This study analyses the changes in corporate structures brought forth by the digital revolution and its ramifications in society, culture, the economy and above all in contemporary systems of communication. The goal is to explore the extent to which information and communication technologies and the new socio-technical system are changing established notions of organizational communications, and how Brazilian companies are adapting to incorporate these shifting paradigms.

Este estudo analisa as metamorfoses em curso nas organizações, em decorrência da revolução digital e de seus desdobramentos na economia, na sociedade, na cultura e, sobretudo, no sistema comunicacional. O objetivo é indagar em que medida as tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TICs) estão provocando mutações também na comunicação organizacional, quais seriam os pilares do paradigma emergente e como as empresas brasileiras estão incorporando, na prática, essas novas dimensões. / This study analyses the changes in corporate structures brought forth by the digital revolution and its ramifications in society, culture, the economy and above all in contemporary systems of communication. The goal is to explore the extent to which information and communication technologies and the new socio-technical system are changing established notions of organizational communications, and how Brazilian companies are adapting to incorporate these shifting paradigms.