Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the six decades since organisations rst adopted computer machinery to support their operations this form of technology has undergone rapid evolution. This evolution is characterised by both the advancement of the machines themselves and the expansion of their application in the organisational domain through the development of increasingly advanced software. A particularly in uential development for large enterprises has been the introduction of computerised Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERPs) and the popularisation of proprietary ERP packages. By integrating the feature sets of an increasingly wide range of business software applications ERPs enable organisations to satisfy a large part of their information processing requirements by adopting a single software artefact. This approach o ers numerous bene ts to adopters as it ensures the integration of information processing activities across organisational functions. However, the realisation of these bene ts depends upon the organisation's ability to achieve congruence between its own structures and those embedded in proprietary ERP packages. This includes, on one level, the management of the processes of adaptation through which organisational actors become accustomed to a new technology and, on another level, the con guration and alignment of the artefact with the organisation's operating procedures. Despite the popularity of ERP adoption the achievement of congruence in information systems is an illusive ideal for many organisations. Accordingly, many Information Systems (IS) scholars have researched the organisational, technical and social factors which obstruct congruence and the interventions proposed to counter these. A key nding following from these investigations is that, notwithstanding the implementation of countering interventions, organisations often need to continue operations while experiencing some degree of incongruence or mis t in their information systems. The research performed in this study advances knowledge about this phenomenon by investigating the implications of incongruence for the behaviour of users of proprietary ERPs in organisations. Weickean Sensemaking Theory is adopted as conceptual framework to enable the investigation of instances of incongruence as events experienced by users in the context of their work environments. The theory dictates that users, rather than passively adopting the impositions of software artefacts, en- act information systems in unpredictable ways based on subjective and shared processes of sensemaking. An empirical investigation is performed and takes the form of a single, cross-sectional case study in which a variety of data collection techniques are utilised. The data sources are analysed and triangulated to trace the relationship between experiences of incongruence and patterns of information systems enactment among the user community. The ndings of the study reveal that experiences of incongruence cultivate knowledge sharing among a user community, a process which aligns their beliefs about the nature, role and use of a technology in an organisation. Furthermore, experiences of incongruence encourage users to augment designed technologies through the development informal information processing activities and alternative work ows. These forms of behaviour, while resolving users' experiences incongruence, lead to variance between the designed technology and the enacted technology creating various risks for the integrity of the organisation's business processes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die ses dekades sedert organisasies rekenaar masjinerie begin toepas het om hul bedrywighede te ondersteun, het hierdie vorm van tegnologie dramatiese ontwikkeling ondergaan. Hierdie ontwikkeling word gekenmerk deur beide die bevordering van die masjiene self, asook die uitbreiding van hul toepassings in die organisatoriese domein deur die ontwikkeling van meer gevorderde sagteware. 'n Besonder invloedryke ontwikkeling vir groot ondernemings was die bekendstelling van gerekenariseerde Enterprise Resource Plan- ning Systems (ERPs) en die popularisering van kommersiële ERP pakkette. Deur die integrasie van 'n toenemend wye verskeidenheid funksionaliteit stel ERPs organisasies in staat om 'n groot deel van hul inligting verwerking vereistes deur die aanneming van 'n enkele sagteware produk te dek - 'n benadering wat talle voordele bied aangesien dit die integrasie van inligting verwerking tussen organisatoriese funksies verseker. Die verwesenliking van hierdie voordele is egter afhanklik van die organisasie se vermoë om kongruensie tussen sy eie strukture en die van ERP pakkette te bewerkstelling. Dit sluit die bestuur van prosesse waartydens organisatoriese akteurs aanpas by 'n nuwe tegnologie in, asook die kon gurasie van die pakket om belyning met die organisasie se operasionele prosedures te verseker. Ten spyte van die gewildheid van ERPs is die bereiking van kongruensie in inligtingstelsels 'n ontwykende ideaal vir baie organisasies. Gevolglik word die organisatoriese, tegniese en sosiale faktore wat kongruensie belemmer gereeld deur Information Systems (IS) akademici ondersoek. 'n Prominenete bevinding wat uit hierdie navorsing voortspruit is dat organisasies dikwels hul werk moet voortsit ten spyte van inkongruensie in hul inligtingstelsels. In hierdie studie word die bovermelde fenomeen verder ondersoek deur die implikasies van inkongruensie vir die gedrag van gebruikers van kommersiële ERP pakkette te ondersoek. Weick se Sensemaking teorie word toegepas as konseptuele raamwerk om gevalle van inkongruensie as gebeure wat deur gebruikers ervaar word te ondersoek. Die teorie bepaal dat die gebruikers nie bloot rekenaarstelsels aanvaar nie, maar dit op onvoorspelbare maniere enact op grond van subjektiewe en gedeelde prosesse van singewing. 'n Gevallestudie word uitgevoer waarin 'n verskeidenheid data-insamelingstegnieke gebruik word. Die databronne word ontleed en kruisvalidasie word gedoen om die verhouding tussen ervarings van inkongruensie en patrone van gedrag binne inligtingstelsels te beskryf. Die bevindinge van die studie dui daarop dat ervarings van inkongruensie die deel van kennis binne 'n gebruikersgemeenskap tot gevolg het. Hierdie proses belyn gebruikers se verwysingsraamwerke oor die aard, rol en gebruik van 'n tegnologie in 'n organisasie. Verder word bevind dat gebruikers, agv ervarings van inkongruensie, 'n tegnologie uitbrei dmv die ontwikkeling van informele inligting verwerkingstegnieke en alternatiewe werksprosesse. Hierdie gedrag stel gebruikers in staat om inkongruensie te oorkom, maar lei tot variansie tussen die ontwerpte tegnologie en die toepassing daarvan binne die organisasie. Dit hou verskeie risiko's vir die integriteit van die organisasie se besigheidsprosesse in.

<p>Abstract</p><p>Title: Företag X” the hidden power” a study of internal communication, culture and internal branding. Företaget X has in real life a different name.</p><p>Number of pages: 42 (49 with enclosures)</p><p>Author: Charlotta Babington Thorszelius</p><p>Course: Media and Communication Studies C</p><p>Period: Autumn 2007</p><p>University: Uppsala University, Sweden</p><p>Purpose/Aim: To analyze the internal communication, culture and internal branding of an insurance company and how they can improve these company tools can be improved.</p><p>Material/Method: qualitative method using interviews, analysis of internal communication policies and observations.</p><p>Main results: The policy documents do not match how the internal communication works in every day life. There is a structure that is working and the information flows through the different levels. The vision and goals are difficult to understand as they are written in a complicated way. The words that carry the values of the company are well known and everyone stands behind them. The staff is happy, content and pleased to be working for Företaget X. There is a strong culture with a lot of the basic underlying assumptions shown as artefacts. This also shows in the strong brand which has been built on the strength of the federation of 24 local companies, at the same time acting on a local market.</p><p>Key words: internal communication, culture, internal branding, ambassadors, communication flow, sensemaking in organizations</p>

Abstract Title: Företag X” the hidden power” a study of internal communication, culture and internal branding. Företaget X has in real life a different name. Number of pages: 42 (49 with enclosures) Author: Charlotta Babington Thorszelius Course: Media and Communication Studies C Period: Autumn 2007 University: Uppsala University, Sweden Purpose/Aim: To analyze the internal communication, culture and internal branding of an insurance company and how they can improve these company tools can be improved. Material/Method: qualitative method using interviews, analysis of internal communication policies and observations. Main results: The policy documents do not match how the internal communication works in every day life. There is a structure that is working and the information flows through the different levels. The vision and goals are difficult to understand as they are written in a complicated way. The words that carry the values of the company are well known and everyone stands behind them. The staff is happy, content and pleased to be working for Företaget X. There is a strong culture with a lot of the basic underlying assumptions shown as artefacts. This also shows in the strong brand which has been built on the strength of the federation of 24 local companies, at the same time acting on a local market. Key words: internal communication, culture, internal branding, ambassadors, communication flow, sensemaking in organizations

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis provides an interpretation of what happens during Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) adoption in the Public Sector and in particular Local Government using Sensemaking and Complexity Theory. Chapter 1 outlines the background and objective of the thesis including the methodologies used. In Chapter 2 the theoretical foundations of the study are discussed. The theories are carefully meshed together to provide a new angle to interpret and analyse what takes place in ERP adoption. Chapter 3 provides a detailed description of the case study, Programme Phakama. Programme Phakama implemented an Enterprise Resource Planning solution in the City of Johannesburg. Chapter 4 contains an explanation of what happened in other projects with the same mandate within the public service elsewhere in the world. This in comparison to what happened in Project Phakama, to highlight the similarities or differences during the evolvement of the projects. The last two chapters provide the interpretation and recommendations using the conclusion arrived at in Chapter 4 from a Complexity and Sensemaking perspective. There are no right or wrong answers in ERP projects, only good or bad decisions. The number of changes to be managed in ERP projects is overwhelming. Therefore many projects are challenged, regardless of success, failure or abandonment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis interpreteer aspekte van die implementeringsproses van ‘Enterprise Resource Planning Systems’ (ERP) in die openbare sektor, en in die besonder op plaaslike regeringsvlak. Die interpetasie word gedoen met behulp van die sinmakingteorie van KE Weick en van kompleksiteitsteorie. Hoofstuk 1 bied ‘n oorsig oor die agtergrond en doelstelling van die tesis, sowel as die metodologiese aanpak. In hoofstuk 2 word die teoretiese grondslae van die tesis bespreek. Die teorie word geïntegreer om ‘n nuwe perspektief op die analise van ERP implementering te kan gee. Hoofstuk 3 bied ‘n gedetailleerde beskrywing van die geval wat hier ondersoek word, naamlik ‘Programme Phakama’ wat die implementering van ‘n ERP in die stad van Johannesburg behels het. Hoofstuk 4 span die net wyer om vergelykende gegewens van soortgelyke projekte elders te beskryf. Hoofstuk 5 ontleed die problematiek en toon dat die gebruik van kompleksiteitsteorie en insig in sinmaking help om die verskynsel beter te begryp. Hoofstuk 6 maak gevolgtrekkings vir die bestuur van sodanige projekte.

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The environment in which all organisations currently operate is undoubtably dynamic. Regardless of the nature, size or geographical location of business, companies are being forced to cope with a rapidly changing world and increasing levels of unpredictability. This thesis tracks the history of software development methodologies leading up to agile development (chapter 2). Agile development has appeared in response to the limitations of traditional development approaches and evolved to address the particular demands of a changing world (chapter 3). The theory of sensemaking is used to gain insight into the functioning of agile development. Sensemaking is introduced and a working definition of this concept is formulated (chapter 4). This research does not argue that agile development is the same as sensemaking, but rather that it can be better understood through sensemaking. Agile development can be seen as a type of sensemaking, but sensemaking is also a generic, universal cognitive ability. The structure and design of agile development is well aligned with sensemaking, and one can understand its nature and the type of management needed to support agile development better from this perspective. In fact, agile development directly supports and facilitates several important elements of the sensemaking process. For successful sensemaking to occur, certain organisational conditions need to be present. The term "managed sensemaking" is introduced to expand this notion. After performing an analysis of agile development (chapter 5), certain pertinent implications and challenges facing organisations are considered (chapter 6). By framing these implications in terms of sensemaking, practical management suggestions can be provided based on a good fit between the problem that agile development is meant to solve and the cognitive requirements of the process leading to a solution. The research conducted in this process opens the door to further research opportunities (chapter 7) and allows for the application of sensemaking in the context of software development methodologies. This study provides insight into the prevalence and functioning of agile methodologies, in software engineering contexts, by leveraging the theory of sensemaking to provide an explanation for the underlying worldview and processes constituting this approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die omgewing waarin alle organisasies tans funksioneer in ongetwyfeld dinamies. Maatskappye word genoop om die uitdagings van 'n vinnig-veranderende wêreld die hoof te bied, ongeag die aard, grootte of geografiese ligging van die besigheid. Hierdie tesis volg die geskiedenis van sagteware-ontwikkelingsmetodologiee tot by agile development (hoofstuk 2). Agile development het verskyn as 'n reaksie op die beperkings van tradisionele ontwikkelingsbenaderings en evolueer om aan te pas by huidige uitdagings (hoofstuk 3). Die teorie van sensemaking word gebruik om insig te verkry in die funksionering van agile development. Sensemaking word ingelei en 'n werksdefinisie word geformuleer (hoofstuk 4). Hierdie navorsing argumenteer nie dat agile development dieselfde is as sensemaking nie, maar eerder dat dit beter verstaan kan word deur sensemaking. Agile development kan wel gesien word as 'n tipe sensemaking, maar sensemaking is ook 'n generiese, universele kognitiewe vermoe. Die struktuur en ontwerp van agile development is goed belyn met sensemaking, en 'n mens kan die aard daarvan en tipe bestuur benodig om agile develop- ment te ondersteun beter verstaan vanuit hierdie perspektief. Tewens, agile development ondersteun en fasiliteer verskeie belangrike elemente van die sensemaking proses direk. Vir suksesvolle sensemaking om plaas te vind, word sekere organisatoriese toestande benodig. Die term "managed sensemaking" word ingelei om hierdie idee uit te brei. Na 'n analise van agile development (hoofstuk 5) word sekere dwingende implikasies en uitdagings, wat organisasies in die gesig staar, oorweeg (hoofstuk 6). Deur hierdie implikasies te plaas in sensemaking-terme kan praktiese bestuursvoorstelle aangebied word, gegrond op 'n goeie passing tussen die probleem wat agile development probeer aanspreek en die kognitiewe vereistes van die proses wat lei na 'n oplossing. Die navorsing wat onderneem is in hierdie proses ontsluit moontlikhede vir verdere studies (hoofstuk 7) en skep die moontlikheid vir die toepassing van sensemaking in die konteks van sagtewareontwikkelingsmetodologiee. Hierdie studie bied insig in die voorkoms en funksionering van agile methodologies in sagteware-ingenieurwese omgewings deur die teorie van sensemaking te hefboom om 'n verduideliking vir die onderliggende wereldbeeld en prosesse aan te bied.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis investigates the gap between rhetoric and reality in how organisations use Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for marketing and brand differentiation. The rhetoric reality gap is the gap that develops between what organisations say they do and what they actually do. In terms of CSR, this gap is present as the phenomenon of greenwashing, whereby organisations embellish claims about their social and environmental activities. This leads to sceptical consumers and the discrediting of CSR activities in general. Left unmanaged, the gap presents significant reputation risk. However, the identification of the gap also has the potential for driving the organisation towards more responsible business practices. Previous research focused almost exclusively on organisations' CSR activities and the resultant outcomes and not on the views and judgments about CSR found inside organisations. A shift in focus towards the organisational sensemaking around CSR may better explain the dynamics of the rhetoric and reality gap. Basu and Palazzo's process model of sensemaking for the study of CSR, describes the cognitive, linguistic and conative aspects of sensemaking along seven dimensions to produce a CSR profile of organisations. The thesis uses Basu and Palazzo's model to study CSR in the food retail sector. Comparative case studies were undertaken in three of the largest retailers in South Africa in which various people involved with CSR were interviewed after Basu and Palazzo's (2008) model was operationalised. Thereafter a content analysis of the observed outcomes of organisations' CSR activities was undertaken. The observed outcomes were produced by analysing the organisations advertising strategy, website, use of social media, awards won, integrated reports and media reporting. Combining the content analysis with an analysis of the interviews produced a CSR profile for each of the cases which served as the basis for comparison. It was found that the rhetoric and reality gap of the organisations involved in this study could be explained by the organisations’ CSR profiles. The implications for the management of the rhetoric and reality gap varied between organisations. The success of the classification of the case studies meant that Basu and Palazzo’s model is able to produce a CSR profile for an organisation which can be linked to the observed CSR outcomes. In addition particular CSR profiles can explain the origins of specific rhetoric and reality gaps and how best to manage it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek die retoriek en realiteitsgaping wat ontstaan uit organisasies se Korporatiewe Sosiale Verantwoordelikheidsinisiatiewe (KSV). Die retoriek en realitietsgaping is 'n verskil tussen wat organisasies sê hulle doen en wat hulle werklik doen. In terme van KSV is die gaping teenwoordig as die fenomeen van "greenwashing", waar organisasies hulle bydraes tot sosiale en omgewingsake oordryf. Dit lei tot skeptiese verbruikers en maak KSV-aktiwiteite verdag in die algemeen. As hierdie gaping nie bestuur word nie, kan dit bydra tot merkbare reputasie risiko vir organisasies. Die gaping is nie net 'n risiko nie, maar het ook die potensiaal om organisasies na meer verantwoordelike besigheidspraktyk te dryf. Vorige navorsing oor KSV fokus op organisasies se KSV-aktiwiteite en die uitkomste daarvan en nie op die sienings en oordele oor KSV binne organisasies self nie. Organisatoriese singewingsteorie verskuif die fokus na hoe organisasies sin maak oor KSV en kan die aard van die retoriek en realiteitsgaping beter beskryf as hoofstroom navorsing. Basu en Palazzo (2008) se proses-model van singewing vir die studie van KSV beskryf die kognitiewe, taal en konnatiewe aspekte van singewing oor sewe dimensies om 'n KSV-profiel van organisasies te ontwikkel. In die tesis word Basu en Palazzo se model geoperasionaliseer om KSV in die Suid-Afrikaanse voedsel kleinhandelsektor te bestudeer. Vergelykende gevallestudies is onder drie van die vier grootste kleinhandelaars in Suid-Afrika onderneem waartydens onderhoude met sleutelpersone betrokke by KSV gevoer is. Daarna is 'n inhoudsanalise van die waargenome KSV-uitkomste in elke geval onderneem. Hierdie uitkomste is die resultaat van 'n analise van advertensie-strategieë, webblaaie, gebruik van sosiale media, toekennings, geïntegreerde verslagdoening en media-dekking. Die KSV-profiel is saamgestel deur die inhoudsanalise met die analise van die onderhoude te kombineer. Daar is gevind dat die retoriek en realiteitsgaping van die betrokke organisasies deur die KSV-profiele verduidelik kan word. Die implikasies vir die bestuur van die gaping het gevarieer tussen die drie organisasies. Die sukses van die klassifikasie van die gevallestudies beteken dat Basu en Palazzo se model 'n KSV-profiel kan produseer wat met waargenome KSV-uitkomste verband hou. Verder kan spesifieke KSV-profiele die oorsprong van spesifieke gapings verduidelik en beginpunte bied vir die bestuur daarvan.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis considers the contribution that Karl Weick’s notion of sensemaking can make to an improved understanding of weak signals, cues, warning analysis, and software within early warning systems. Weick’s sensemaking provides a framework through which the above mentioned concepts are discussed and analysed. The concepts of weak signals, early warning systems, and Visual Analytics are investigated from within current business and formal intelligence viewpoints. Intelligence failure has been a characteristic of events such as 9/11, the recent financial crisis triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and the so-called Arab Spring. Popular methodologies such as early warning analysis, weak signal analysis and environmental scanning employed within both the business and government sphere failed to provide adequate early warning in many of these events. These failures warrant renewed attention as to what improvements can be made and how new technology can enhance early warning analysis. Chapter One is introductory and states the research question, methodology, and delimits the thesis. Chapter Two sets the scene by investigating current conceptions of the main constructs. Chapter Three explores Weick’s theory of sensemaking, and provides the analytical framework against which these concepts are then analysed in Chapter Four. The emphasis is directed towards the extent of integration of frames within the analysis phase of early warning systems and how frames may be incorporated within the theoretical foundation of Visual Analytics to enhance warning systems. The findings of this thesis suggest that Weick’s conceptualisation of sensemaking provide conceptual clarity to weak signal analysis in that Weick’s “seed” metaphor, representing the embellishment and elaboration of cues, epitomizes the progressive nature of weak signals. The importance of Weick’s notion of belief driven sensemaking, in specific the role of expectation in the elaboration of frames, and discussed and confirmed by various researchers in different study areas, is a core feature underlined in this thesis. The centrality of the act of noticing and the effect that framing and re-framing has thereon is highlighted as a primary notion in the process of not only making sense of warning signals but identifying them in the first place. This ties in to the valuable contribution Weick’s sensemaking makes to understanding the effect that a specification has on identifying transients and signals in the resulting visualization in Visual Analytic software. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek hoe Karl Weick se konsep van singewing ons insig teenoor swak seine, tekens, waarskuwingsanalise en sagteware binne vroeë waarskuwingstelsels verbeter. Weick se bydrae verskaf ‘n raamwerk waarbinne hierdie konsepte geanaliseer en ondersoek kan word. Die konsep van swak seine, vroeë-waarskuwing en visuele analise word binne huidige besigheidsuitgangspunte, en die formele intelligensie arena ondersoek. Die mislukking van intelligensie is kenmerkend van gebeure soos 9/11, die onlangse finansiёle krisis wat deur die ondergang van Lehman Brothers ingelei is, en die sogenaamde “Arab Spring”. Hierdie gebeure het ‘n wêreldwye opskudding op ekonomiese en politiese vlak veroorsaak. Moderne metodologieё soos vroeë waarskuwingsanalise, swaksein-analise en omgewingsaanskouing binne regerings- en besigheidsverband het duidelik in hul doelstelling misluk om voortydig te waarsku oor hierdie gebeurtenisse. Dit is juis hierdie mislukkings wat dit noodsaaklik maak om meer aandag te skenk aan hierdie konsepte, asook nuwe tegnologie wat dit kan verbeter. Hoofstuk Een is inleidend en stel die navorsingsvraagstuk, doelwitte en afbakkening. Hoofstuk Twee lê die fondasie van die tesis deur ‘n ondersoek van die hoof konsepte. Hoofstuk Drie verskaf die teoretiese raamwerk, die van Weick se singewingsteorie, waarteen die hoof konsepte in Hoofstuk Twee ondersoek word in Hoofstuk Vier. Klem word gelê op die diepte van integrasie en die toepassing van raamwerke in die analisefase van vroeё waarskuwingstelsels en hoe dit binne die teoretiese beginsels van visuele analise geïnkorporeer word. Die bevindinge van hierdie tesis spreek die feit aan dat Weick se konsepsualisering van singewing konseptuele helderheid rakende die begrip “swakseine” verskaf. In hierdie verband verteenwoordig Weick se “saad”- metafoor die samewerking en uitbouing van seine en “padpredikante” wat die progressiewe aard van swakseine weerspieёl. Die kernbeskouing van hierdie tesis is die belangrikheid van Weick se geloofsgedrewesingewing, veral die uitkoms van die bou van raamwerke asook die bespreking hiervan deur verskeie navorsers. Die belangrikheid van die aksie om seine op te merk, en die effek wat dit op die herbeskouing van raamwerke het, asook die raaksien daarvan in die eerste plek word beklemtoon. Laasgenoemde dui ook aan tot watter mate Weick se singewingsteorie ‘n bydrae maak tot visuele analise veral in ons begrip van die gevolg wat data of inligtingspesifikasie het op die identifisering van seine en onsinnighede in visualisering binne visuele analise-sagteware.

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