Theorists and management in the South African non-profit sector agree that strong
stakeholder relationships are essential in negotiating the challenges faced by the
South African non-profit sector. Despite the acknowledgement from the non-profit
sector that strong relationships are key to achieving organisational goals, there is an
apparent lack of knowledge and strategic thinking amongst them pertaining to the
concept of stakeholder relationship management.
Against this background the purpose of this study was therefore to develop a
metamodern model for stakeholder relationship management, aimed specifically at the
South African non-profit sector, that could be implemented by NPO management in a
practical manner.
The blurring lines between the opposing views of modernism versus postmodernism
motivated the choice of metamodernism as a relevant worldview for this study.
Metamodernism does not imply a balance between these poles, but rather a constant
swinging of the pendulum during which metamodernism negotiates between
modernism and postmodernism. It is the construction of a workable, interrelated
worldview, recognising the intimate relationship between modernism and
postmodernism. It was therefore concluded that a metamodern worldview in which
both modernism and postmodernism feature, would not only make it possible for nonprofit
organisation managers to understand and join the discussion on stakeholder
relationship management, but also to implement the proposed metamodern
stakeholder relationship management model.
The resultant metamodern stakeholder relationship management model for non-profit
organisations is framed by so-called modernistic communication and stakeholder
relationship management theories, but it was done in line with the metamodern
worldview of the study, allowing for initiative and innovation. The flexible, organic and
cyclic nature of the proposed model echoes this worldview.
A qualitative, exploratory and interpretative research design was implemented to test
a conceptual framework and face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior management in the non-profit sector. The design of the framework and
subsequent model was guided by a number of assumptions and propositions arising
from a thorough literature review, all of which were supported and confirmed by the
research results.
The most significant contribution of the study is the application of a metamodern
worldview emanating from a reluctance to choose between a modern or postmodern
stance when discussing communication science and stakeholder relationship
management practices. It is therefore foreseen that it would offer the field of
communication science new and creative means of combining modernism and
postmodernism approaches when studying communication phenomena. It will also
expand the responsibility for communication and stakeholder relationship
management beyond that of the communication specialists to senior management in
the non-profit sector. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/23791 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Meyer, Irma |
| Contributors | Barker, Rachel |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xviii, 498 leaves) : color illustrations |
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