corporate communication practices and trends: south africa...

South Africa Benchmark Study 1

CORPORATE COMMUNICATION PRACTICES AND TRENDS:

South Africa Benchmark Study 2007/8

Prof Gideon de Wet, UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG (South Africa)

Ms Corne Meintjes, MONASH UNIVERSITY (South Africa)

Dr Ilse Niemann-Struweg, MONASH UNIVERSITY (South Africa)

Dr Michael B. Goodman, CCI (BARUCH COLLEGE/CUNY)


Questions pertaining to this study may be sent to Prof de Wet, Dr Niemann-Struweg or Ms Meintjes at the following addresses:

Prof Gideon de Wet Dr Ilse Niemann-Struweg Ms Corne Meintjes

Department of Communication School of Business and Economics School of Business and Economics

University of Johannesburg Monash University (South Africa) Monash University (South Africa)

PO Box 524 Private Bag X60 Private Bag X60

Auckland Park

2006

Republic of South Africa

Roodepoort

1725


Roodepoort

1725


Tel.: +27 11 5593617 Tel.: +27 11 9504206 Tel.: +27 11 9504028

E-mail: [email protected]

E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

NOTE: This report provides results of a benchmark survey of selected South African companies’ corporate communication

practices. The study was partly sponsored by the Research Directorate of Monash University (South Africa) and was conducted

through a partnership between Corporate Communication International, Prof. G. F. de Wet of the University of Johannesburg,

and Dr I. Niemann-Struweg and Ms C Meintjes, both of Monash University (South Africa).

© May 2008. Please contact the authors for permission to reprint this report.


CORPORATE COMMUNICATION PRACTICES AND TRENDS:

South Africa Benchmark Study 2007/8

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This survey focuses on the state of corporate communication in twenty-six top South Africa companies. The survey

was conducted by South African researchers in collaboration with Corporate Communication International (CCI).

The study fits in with other benchmarking studies conducted in recent years in the USA and China.

The main purpose of the study was to determine the levels of knowledge and practical abilities of top corporate

communication practitioners. The importance of the study was enhanced by the fact that it is part of a

international benchmarking survey which has as its purpose a better understanding of corporate communication

best practices.

The methodology combined quantitative and qualitative data in a convenience sample. The sample consisted of

twenty-six practitioners from a wide range of businesses in South Africa.

The main findings were that corporate communication practitioners deal with stakeholder relationship

management and perceive their roles as being strategic, then managerial, and lastly technical in nature. However,

it was also found that this perception is not practically applied in corporate communication. It also transpired that

corporate communication budgets increased substantially over the past years and that, to a limited degree,

outsourcing was used. There was also a well developed sense of the globalization of corporate communication.

The study revealed also that the top corporate communication positions were held by women in the age group 40

to 49 years. Job titles turned out to be rather flamboyant – and often did little to describe the actual jobs done by

the people who held them. A very strong preference was expressed for the professionalization of corporate

communication – but there was little support for a central body with sanctioning powers to oversee the

profession.

When it came to questions of corporate transparency and the relationship with governance, the study found that

corporate communication practitioners had only a basic understanding of the strategic issues that were raised for

practitioners in these two areas. Additionally, the strategic implications of issues of publicity, company image and

reputation were grasped only superficially by practitioners


The study highlights the need for continuous training in corporate communication – especially when it comes to

the strategic issues just raised. Corporate communication practitioners need to continuously be schooled in a

fundamental understanding and analysis of power relations, from the most basic interpersonal levels to the socio-

political contexts, and shown how these wider contexts, these relations, affect their practice.


BACKGROUND

The period since 1994 has been marked by a number of political, social and economic changes in South Africa,

which have deeply influenced the country. South Africa’s democratic transformation has created a myriad new

opportunities – and threats – for organizations operating in it. Denton and Vloeberghs (2003) argue that all

stakeholders would benefit if they adapted to the competitive international environment and adopted world-class

business principles. Given this, corporate communication professionals have a significant role to play in the

adaption process – for organizations and their stakeholders.

This benchmarking study of South African corporate communication complements a series of similar studies that

were conducted in the USA (1999, 2001, 2002 2003, 2005 and 2006) and China (2006, 2007).

In South Africa an awareness of the importance of corporate communication and public relations has been evident

for more than fifty years. It is estimated that there are at least three hundred public relations (PR) or PR-related

consultancies currently operating in the country. Public relations-related studies (such as communications studies

and journalism) have been on offer in universities since the late 1960s (Niemann-Struweg & Meintjes, 2008). The

Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa, a non-profit organization, has been accrediting PR and PR-related

qualifications for the past few decades.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

This study identified the corporate communication structures, practices, and trends of certain South African

companies with the intention of answering the following questions:

• What is the role of corporate communication in the company?

• What functions do these companies include as part of their corporate communication tasks?

• To what extent does the company rely on outside agencies to implement its corporate communication

functions?

• How does the company position itself in the changing socio-political and economic landscape?

As a benchmark investigation this study forms the foundation for further examination of corporate

communication practices in South Africa.


METHODOLOGY

The methodology adopted combined quantitative and qualitative research processes. The qualitative aspects of

the study were important because they allowed for the expression of a deep understanding of how companies

think of, and carry out, their corporate communication.

Sampling

The sampling design used is convenience or purposive sampling. The best-performing 500 South African companies

were identified, based on the data provided by Fletcher’s study (2007) of this. That study used criteria such as size,

growth, profitability, and economic impact. For the purposes of the present study a total of 26 companies were

selected from the following three segments identified by Fletcher. These three segments were in turn subdivided

into 16 sectors with 30 sub-sectors. From these sub-sectors 26 companies were identified through a convenience

sampling process. The research lasted from November 2007 to May 2008. The questionnaire consisted of 30

questions – the majority being quantitative in nature. The interviews were conducted on the premises of the

selected companies. The interviewers were in most cases accompanied by a moderator, and they used

Dictaphones to ensure reliability. Interviews lasted between one and two hours.

Data analysis

The quantitative data were analyzed with the assistance of the University of Johannesburg’s Statistical Analysis

Unit (Statkon). The quantitative analysis was used mainly to gauge percentages and frequencies of certain

variables. A number of cross-tabulations were done. The qualitative analysis was based on the qualitative data

model used by Huberman and Miles (1994, in De Vos, 1998). This model proposes the following four processes be

applied to the data: reduction, display, conclusion-drawing, and verification. The analysis was based on identified

themes – and highlighted the similarities and differences, as well as exceptions, that arose from the data analysis.

Reliability of the data was ensured through methodological and moderator triangulation.


FINDINGS

DEMOGRAPHICS/FIRMAGRAPHICS

Demographics of participants

The demographic details of the 26 participants (gender, age, qualifications, and cost to company) are set out in the

tables below.

Table1: Gender

Female 57.7 %

Male 42.3%

Almost 58% of corporate communication heads of department (or their representatives) were female.

Table 2: Age

20-39 years 38.5%

40-49 years 42.3%

50-59 years 15.4%

60 years and older 3.8%

Most respondents are in the 40 to 49 year-old age-group. Almost 81% of all the respondents were between the

ages of 20 and 50. The companies studied seem, therefore, to prefer younger corporate communication

practitioners.

Table 3: Qualifications

Matric (complete school qualification) 3.8%

Post-school diploma 7.7%

Degree 34.6%

Honours 26.9%

Masters 19.2%

PhD 7.7%


Almost 90% of respondents possessed a three-year degree or postgraduate qualification. And almost 96% of

respondents possessed some form of formal post-school qualification.

• Specialization in undergraduate studies

Fewer than half of the 26 participants had undergraduate qualifications featuring a combination of

communication studies, journalism, public relations, and advertising. The most extreme case was a participant

heading up a corporate communication department without any formal qualification: ‘I have worked myself

up in the organization’. Quite a number of qualifications were in law, business, or economics – as well as in

geography and engineering. People specifically qualified in corporate communication subjects, it seems, are

few and far between in the industry.

Table 4: Cost to company salary per annum (South African Rand)

300 000 – 399 000 4.2%

400 000 – 499 000 12.5%

500 000 – 599 000 8.3%

600 000 – 699 000 8.3%

700 000 – 799 000 12.5%

800 000 – 899 000 20.8

900 000 – 999 000 4.2%

1 000 000 and more 29.2%

Non-disclosed salaries 7.7%

Almost 30% of all participants had a cost to company of more than R1 000 000 per annum, while almost 63% of

participants were earning more than R700 000 – with only 4.2% earning between R300 000 and R399 000.

Firmagraphics

The firmagraphics of organizations are as follows:

• Business sectors

• Main area of business

• Organization’s total turnover in 2006/2007 (South African Rand)

• Number of employees working for the organization worldwide

• Number of local corporate communication employees

For purposes of clarification,

please note:

At the time of data collection,

ZAR1 was approximately equal

to US$8, £16 and €13.


Table 5: Organizations` main business area and name of company

Main business area Name of company

Auditing tax consulting and financial advice Deloitte

Cellular networking Vodacom

Cleaning Prestige

Consumer branded goods Clover

Diversified resources BHP Billiton South Africa

Education UNISA

Financial services Standard Bank

Financial services First National Bank

Financial services Discovery

Food Manufacturing Nestle

Food retail Pick ‘n Pay

Gases and welding products African Oxygen Limited (AFROX)

Infrastructure, design and management consulting Africon

Manufacturing of motorcars and vehicle marketing DaimlerChrysler

Manufacturing of pulp, paper and forestry SAPPI

Manufacturing of steel ArcelorMittal

Manufacturing of cement PPC

Motor retailing Imperial Holdings

Petrol, chemical and gas Shell

Retail and wholesale Massmart

Sales Bridgestone

Satellite broadcast information and entertainment Multichoice

Security Chubb Security

Strategic communication and media Nota Bene

Telecommunications services,

internet and networking technologies

Internet Solutions

Water utility Rand Water

The firmagraphics of the organizations represented in this study could be summarized as follows:

• Main area of business

Interviews were conducted with 26 respondents from 30 different sub-sectors of South African business –

education, telecommunications, the media, the financial sector, manufacturing, and the retail and wholesale

sectors. This provides a broad spectrum of sectors in which corporate communication can be examined.


• Organization’s total turnover in 2006/2007 (South African Rand)

Total company turnover for the 2006/2007 financial year varied from a low R30m to R160 billion per annum. It

was interesting that in five cases respondents could not provide information on their company’s annual

turnover – information which is vital in corporate communication.

Figure 1: Number of employees working for the organization worldwide

Globalization is clearly a reality for almost all of the companies considered. Only 10% or 2.6 of the companies had

no global presence (which in some cases can be explained, as in the case of the water utility, Rand Water). 0% of

the companies participating in the study had between 10 000 and 14 999 employees.


Figures 2 (a) and 2 (b): Number of professional and support corporate communication employees

worldwide

Figure 2(a) Figure 2 (b)

In 86% of companies considered, between 11 and 40 or more corporate communication professionals are

employed. In 56% of these cases the professional corporate communication practitioners are supported by up to

five support staff, whilst in 22% of all companies the support staff numbered between 11 and 20 employees.

Figures 3 (a) and 3 (b): The number of local professional and support corporate communication employees

Figure 3 (a) Figure 3 (b)


The largest number of local professional corporate communication personnel was between 21 and 30 employees,

which was the case for 49% of all companies considered. In 34% of cases the total numbers of professional

employees were in the category 0 and 10. In 42% of all participating companies the total number of support staff

was more than 21. One third of companies indicated support staff numbers in the category 0 and 5.

DEFINITION OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Three themes have been identified as key aspects of how the participants viewed Corporate Communication,

namely, the Nature of Communication, Marketing and Branding as well as the Management of Information. In

order to dissect these three themes further emphasis was placed on three integrated qualities. These were similar,

different and exception qualities being part of a vertical and horizontal analysis of the themes and individual

responses.

The nature of corporate communication

The single most important similarity between respondents’ views regarding the nature of corporate

communication was the emphasis on communication with internal and external stakeholders. This was followed by

communication about the organization by ‘Setting the tone and manner about the company through

communication’.

• One difference in opinion was the idea that corporate communication required one to be proactive.

Marketing and branding

• When it came to marketing and branding the emphasis was on internal and external branding as key aspects

of corporate communication. This finding relates closely with the previous finding concerning communication

with internal and external stakeholders.

• A very strong opinion was expressed – that ‘Branding was at the centre of it all’. This was followed in

importance by a remark that ‘It was all about understanding and knowledge of the organization through

branding and marketing which was quite different’.

Information management

• This theme attracted the least emphasis. The single similarity between respondents in this category was that

corporate communication was about the ‘management of perceptions’.

• The opinion expressed that information management benefits ‘shopping’ was a rather different take on the

information management aspect of corporate communication.


FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY CORPORATE COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS

The functions performed by corporate communication professionals are illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Functions performed by corporate communication professionals

The most prominent functions identified (more than 90% of respondents) were strategic integrated

communication; other functions; identity, image and reputation; as well as crisis communication. The lowest

scores (less than 70% of respondents) included investor relations; government relations; database management;

and cultural diversity. A seemingly contradictory situation presents itself, as is evident in Figure 4, where

integrated strategic communication has been identified by participants as being one of the most prominent

functions they perform, yet as indicated, a whole number of functions seemed to be regarded as of lesser strategic

importance from a corporate communication perspective.


Role preference

Whether participants saw the functions of corporate communication as strategic, managerial, or technical is

illustrated in Figure 5, below.

Figure 5: Role preference by function

An interesting observation is that in all of the 22 identified roles between 91% and 95% of participants viewed

these roles as being predominantly strategic in nature. In contrast, managerial and technical roles scored 5% and

9%, respectively.


ROLES OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

The roles performed by corporate communication professionals are indicated in Figure 6.

Figure 6: Roles of corporate communication professionals

Five roles, more than 90% of the total number identified by respondents, were seen as being the most important

of those performed by corporate communication professionals: driver of company publicity, manager of the

company’s reputation and image, integrated communication strategist, and advocating or engineering public

opinion. Other roles that were important in more than 80% of responses included, amongst others, giving counsel

to the CEO, and branding and management of the public perception of the company’s brand. Customer

relationship management came out as the least important role with only 50% of respondents seeing this as

important.


Perceptions about the nature of the role of corporate communication

The findings concerning how participants saw their function – as strategic, managerial or technical – are presented

in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Perceptions about the nature of the role of corporate communication

In 14 of the possible roles mentioned in Figure 7, participants perceived their function as being somewhere

between managerial and strategic. The importance of corporate communication practitioners in technical roles

was seen only when it came to driving the company’s publicity; in branding and brand perception management; in

corporate philanthropy; in management of employee relations; and in support for marketing and sales.

The managerial function was most important when it came to being the source of public information about the

company, in branding and brand perception management, and in the management of employee relations.

Customer relationship management scored the lowest when it came to preferred roles.


BUDGET

The extent to which corporate communication functions are covered by the budget allocated to them is illustrated

in Figure 8.

Figure 8: The corporate communication budget

The following were seen as the most important corporate communication functions that had to be fully covered by

the corporate communication budget: media relations, strategic integrated communication, research and internet

communication. Considered least important to be covered were crisis communication and government relations.


Changes to the corporate communication budget

The extent to which the corporate communication budget had changed from previous years – as well as whether

the budget would be among the first or last to be cut – are illustrated by Figures 9 (a), 9 (b) and 9 (c).

Figure 9 (a): Change in budget Figure 9 (b): Extent of change in budget

The most prominent observation from Figure 9 (a) is

that there was on average a 73% increase in the annual

budget for corporate communication. Only in 13% of all

cases did the budget decrease.

The corporate communication budget was increased by

up to 15% (for 40% of respondents). Respondents who

had increases in their corporate communication budget

of 15% or more constituted 35% of the sample. This is

in line with the economic growth in the South African

economy over the last few years.


Figure 9 (c): Budget-cut decisions

More than two-thirds of all respondents were of the opinion that the corporate communication budget was

neither among the first – nor among the last – to be cut, whilst 20% of respondents indicated that their budgets

would be the first to be cut.


USE OF AGENCIES

The extent to which participants used agencies for corporate communication functions are indicated in Figure 10.

Figure 10: The use of agencies

The most important observation about the use of agencies is that the participants perform their functions in-house

– but with some outsourcing. The corporate communication functions which were outsourced the most were input

into organizational strategic decision-making, corporate advertising, and research.


TITLES AND REPORTING LINES

The titles designated to corporate communication practitioners covered a number of permutations of the

following roles: communication, corporate communication, marketing, and strategic management. In only seven

instances did ‘corporate communication’ appear in a title along with the terms ‘communication’ and ‘marketing

manager’. Titles tended to be very elaborate, with such titles such as ‘Group Transformation Manager’, ‘Manager:

Corporate Affairs’ and ‘Group Director: Sales and Marketing’.

In 16 cases interviews were conducted with the top person responsible for corporate communication. This is

important: it was necessary to understand how the decision-makers managed their responsibilities, as well as to

understand how they dealt with corporate communication conceptually and practically. The rest of the

respondents were intermediaries who reported to the top person responsible of corporate communication.

TRANSPARENCY’S IMPACT ON THE PRACTICE OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Selectivity theme

• The overwhelming similarity found was that participants were highly skeptical / cynical about their

organization’s commitment to transparency as the company’s practice and philosophy. Although some efforts

were made to promote transparency ‘It raises more questions than answers’ and ‘It is all window dressing

because it suits management’.

• An interesting difference was the ambivalence between selective commitments to transparency as opposed to

an approach of ‘window dressing purposes’.

Our philosophy theme

• Less than half of the participants declared that transparency was an integral part of the company’s values

because: ‘It plays a major role when we communicate our values and reputation’, also, ‘It forms a major part

of our strategic positioning as a company’. Interestingly, apart from acknowledging the inherent value of such

a philosophy, caution was expressed that although it remains a cherished value of the organization, it must be

managed carefully not to jeopardize the organization’s livelihood.

• An opinion was expressed that transparency ‘was a work in progress’.


No need theme

• Almost a fifth of the participants declared that ‘there was no need for transparency’. This is quite significant,

given the local and global drive towards a greater sense of transparency regarding all aspects of organizational

governance and practices.

In line with the findings related to transparency, respondents were asked to comment on the implications of the

King report’s reference to governance to the practice of Corporate Communication. In this regard, the following

three themes were identified.

The nature of communication theme

• The overall and most important aspect identified by the majority of the respondents was that corporate

communication must be open and transparent. This was further qualified by, ‘Open communication and

accountability are two essential aspects which inform our corporate communication’, and, ‘It is all about

honest communication without spinning’.

• A number of respondents mentioned that transparency also requires a high level of ethical communication

and conduct.

• In one instance a participant said, ‘Communication must assist with the institutionalization of governance

principles’.

The governance theme

• The most common similarity in this instance was the emphasis on ethical practices and principles as far as the

governance and managerial practices were concerned. ‘Governance must be ethical and in the interest of the

company and environment’.

• Only one participant referred to the role of governance and citizenship, ‘Governance should promote

corporate citizenship’.

The no idea theme

• A significant number of participants were not aware of the King reports existence. One response was, ‘No

idea, but not of relevance for Corporate Communication’.


ISSUES MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Three categories have been identified, namely:

• Economic development issues: NEPAD, ASGISA and BEE

• Social issues: HIV/Aids, crime, violence, corruption, poverty and environmental issues

• Community Development issues: Diversity illiteracy, volunteerism and technology transfer issues

In analyzing the findings in each of these categories, three central themes have been identified, namely the Nature

of the communication, empowerment and a no role theme. In analyzing these themes the emphasis has been on

similarities, differences and exceptions in each theme.

Economic Development issues: NEPAD, ASGISA and BEE


• The most prominent similarity identified, is the emphasis on awareness campaigns. ‘We use awareness

campaigns to position us strategically’. It was not clear if these campaigns were focused on company

stakeholders but one would think so.

• A second important aspect has been the need to communicate about the company’s strategic positioning

regarding these economic projects, with the view to acknowledging the potential advantages for the company

on economic and political fronts.

• Thirdly, the need to use communication about these projects to, ‘Promote the company’s image, reputation

and credibility’, seemed to have been an important aspect of the companies’ strategic positioning.

• An exception was ‘It is more about how the Government should communicate about these things’.

The empowerment theme

• The most prominent similarity mentioned of corporate communication as a process that could facilitate

empowerment processes was its ability to contribute to the empowerment of the intended beneficiaries. This

would mainly be through the development of the inherent potential of the recipients of development, skills

development, education, leadership development, the building of culture, role modeling and the ethical,

‘Empower but the emphasis should also be on the development of ethical conduct’.

• Only one participant mentioned the issue of sustainability by pointing out that a company through its

corporate communication strategies, has ‘A huge educational role to create the conditions for sustainability’.


The no need theme

• Quite a significant number of companies did not see any benefit or role for corporate communication in this

regard, ‘Our role is very limited and we are just too occupied with other priorities’.

Social issues: HIV/Aids, crime, violence, corruption, poverty and environmental issues

In this category the emphasis again was on the identified three themes.


• The most common similarity was the emphasis on awareness campaigns about these very serious issues. The

emphasis was further put on, ‘We communicate about these things but it is all about our position, nothing

more’. For another group of participants the focus was on, ‘We attempt to understand the complexities of

these things through our corporate communication projects’. For another company it was all about,

‘Awareness but mainly about our own image and reputation’.

• Only in one instance, did a participant mention that their campaigns were all about developing it as integrated

communication strategies. ‘We need to create a shared understanding of the tremendous complexities and

impact of these things on us, as well as on the South African society at large’.


• A significant number of participants acknowledged the important yet potential role of corporate

communication in facilitating empowerment. This includes the role of their corporate social investment

programmes, skills development, through relevant information, ‘Through our leadership development

projects’, and, ‘Because we are all part of the consequences of these things we must therefore all be

empowered to deal with these things’.

• In only one instance did a participant mention that these social issues were all being dealt with strategically,

‘Our whole strategy is aiming at being proactive. Several projects are being managed on most of these issues’.

• In only one instance was the opinion expressed that these social issues were the Government of the day’s

responsibility.

The no idea theme

• A number of respondents indicated that they had no need about these programmes and they simply do not

see a role for corporate communication in this respect, ‘Not sure what role is to be played’.

• In one instance the responsibility for these issues was placed on, ‘HR must deal with these issues’.


Community development issues, diversity, illiteracy, volunteerism and technology transfer

The same three themes have been used for the community development aspects of this question.


• Quite similar to the two categories on economic development and social issue, was the emphasis in this

category on the awareness role that corporate communication plays. The overwhelming response focused on,

‘Awareness and nothing more’ or, ‘It is awareness about our reputation and image because we must be seen

to be caring’.

• In other responses, the emphasis was on sporadic communication without a formal plan, corporate social

investment plays the major role, and ‘It is an awareness campaign with a strong educational programme’.

• Another fairly similar response was, ‘We have several systems in place in the company to deal with these

issues but not necessarily through our corporate communication programmes’.

• Only in one instance was the response, ‘these issues are all part and parcel of our integrated communication

strategies’.


• Two intertwined foci were mentioned here, namely that empowerment through corporate communication

links up strongly with, ‘Our CSI programmes take care of these” as well as, “We have an educational

programme specifically dealing with this’.

• In one instance was the philosophy of empowerment seen as being incorporated in a strategic way within the

corporate communication context, ‘The whole strategy is aimed at being proactive. Several projects are being

managed on most of these issues’.

• As an exception one participant was of the view that, ‘The issues of corporate communication’s role as

facilitating empowerment is totally over estimated’.

The no idea theme

• Responses revolved mainly around, ‘No idea’, to ‘We must still develop a position’ to, ‘The Company is aware

of these things, but they are too weary to deal with these things’.


INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION

Three themes have been identified in this question, namely, The Nature of Communication, Theme Other and

Theme No Idea.


• The central idea expressed (with some variations) by respondents was ‘We should speak with one voice about

the company and its activities’.

• Other significant ideas were ‘All our communication actions must be aligned to support the company’s

strategic intent’ and ‘Management must have goals supported by integrated messages’.

• Participants also saw the following ideas as important: ‘Making communication understandable’; ‘It is all about

open communication’; and ‘It is 360 degree communication, but I am not sure how it works’.

Only a few participants mentioned such concepts as ‘Corporate communication involves people’, ‘We are working

towards common ground’, and ‘Corporate communication is all about managing image, perceptions, and being

profitable as a company’. Only three participants indicated that they had no idea what integrated communication

was about. One participant said simply ‘It is difficult to describe’.

Theme Other

• Only a few participants mentioned things such as it involves people, “We are working towards common

ground” and it is all about, “Managing images, perceptions, and being profitable as a company”.

Theme no Idea

• Only three participants indicated that they had no idea what integrated communication is about. One

participant said” It is difficult to describe”.


PROFESSIONALIZATION

The extent to which participants felt corporate communication should be professionalized is indicated in Figure 11.

Figure 11: Professionalization of corporate communication

The majority (between 51% and 76% of respondents) supported the professionalization of corporate

communication. The least supported option (51%) was expressed for a certified body with supervisory and

disciplinary powers. Simply improving the body of knowledge of corporate communication attracted the highest

support (76%). Very few respondents were indecisive on this issue.


CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

From the findings presented in this study, the following main conclusions can be drawn:

• Participants generally realized the importance of corporate communication as a field that contributes to

the functioning of an organization. Participants’ views of the role of corporate communication within an

organization were generally superficial.

• Participants saw the role of corporate communication within the organization as being largely related to

publicity.

• A further implication of the understanding of the role of Corporate Communication is that it has an effect

on the understanding of participants’ comprehension of strategic integrated communication, which was

also rather narrow.

• There is a realization among participants that within the organizational context the growth towards

integrated management cannot be ignored, as well as working towards a strategic contribution in terms

of the role of Corporate Communication.

• Some inconsistencies became apparent between the emphasis on strategic integrated communication

and role and function identification of corporate communication within the organization, which could be

regarded as consequence of the superficial understanding of participants of strategic integrated

communication.

• Awareness campaigns received a lot of attention and support from participants – but they could not

clearly articulate how such campaigns aligned with the strategic context of corporate communication and

that of the organization as a whole.

• The majority of participants supported professionalization of corporate communication. This indicates the

need for recognition and regulation of the industry.

• Participants were overwhelmingly skeptical about their organizations’ commitment to transparency in

both practice and philosophy. Furthermore, there was a definite ambivalence among participants

between selective commitments to transparency rather than a window dressing approach to

transparency.


• A significant number of participants were not informed enough to comment on the King report in

speaking about the relationship of corporate communication and governance. This affects relationships

with stakeholders.

• Participants mostly had a fair understanding of the socio-political and economic issues at work in South

Africa – but could not say how these factors (including community development) related to strategic

corporate communication.

In the light of these conclusions, the following recommendations can be made:

• The distinct lack of understanding among participants regarding the dynamics of communication as a

phenomenon and how it manifests in the organizational context could be regarded as not having the

suitably empowered individuals in the positions that they fulfill in their organizations. This is evident in

participants’ limited understanding of alignment issues of corporate communication in the strategic

functioning of its role, as well as its contribution to greater organizational strategic direction. The

recommendation is therefore to appoint suitably empowered individuals to these positions.

• There is a high level of awareness among participants about their role within the organization, but there is

a failure of knowledge in how to use this to practical advantage. It is therefore recommended that

corporate communication personnel be encouraged to make use of continuous learning in order to

improve and update their capacity.

• Participants have limited insight into issues affecting the organization and its relationship with its

stakeholders. The organization can therefore not be regarded as a learning organisation and thus not

respond to organizational challenges and implement changes so as to constantly build long-term strategic

relationships with its stakeholders. Again, it is recommended that there should be continuous

organizational and professional training programmes in place to deal with this.

• It was apparent that there is a disintegration of communication in most organizational instances and a

lack of team work to ensure consistency and strategic alignment as well as direction in the corporate

communication function, which in turn could have significant implications for the strategic functioning of

the organization to build and maintain long-term interactive relationships with their various stakeholders.

Corporate communication professionals should therefore obtain a true understanding of issues affecting

the organization in order to cross-functionally practice corporate communication in strategic alignment of

the organization’s strategic intent.


REFERENCES

Denton, M. & Vloeberghs, D. 2003. ‘Leadership challenges for organizations in the New South Africa. Leadership &

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