Vol 30, No 2 (2011)

Contemporary debates in social disciplines are making increasing reference to theoretical
concepts such as sociocybernetics and autopoiesis (Bailey, 1983, 1997, 2001; Bopry, 2007,
Brier, 2005; Geyer, 1994, 1995, 2003; Glanville, 2004; Goldspink, 2001; Hernes & Bakken, 2003;
Krippendorff, 1996; Letiche, 2007; Luhmann, 1996; Mingers, 2002b; Morgan, 1998; Scott, 1996,
2001b, 2003; Smith & Higgins, 2003; Umpleby, 2005; Van der Zouwen, 1997; Von Foerster, 2003;
Von Glasersfeld, 1996). It becomes apparent from these debates that certain paradigm shifts are
imminent not so much as a result of new knowledge, but rather as a result of new metaphors that
present alternative perspectives for interdisciplinary corroboration.
Thus far, debates on revisiting cybernetic concepts have largely been conducted in other social
sciences disciplines such as sociology, politics and semiology, this despite the challenges a cocreational perspective poses for communication in general and for organisational communication
specifically. This paper aims to raise the debate amongst communication scholars, especially
since communication scholars are conspicuously absent in the social-scientific debates within
other disciplines, and we are in danger of failing to challenge our own intellectual assumptions.
As such, this paper discusses and explores the appropriateness and applicability of cybernetics
and autopoiesis as contemporary theoretical approaches to the study of organisations as
communicatively enacted entities. It attempts to identify some of the intellectual challenges posed
by extending the boundaries of our conversations beyond our recognised metaphors and concepts.
The purpose of this paper is to initiate dialogue among communication scholars that may resonate
with the constructivist epistemology, and which constitutes both cybernetics and postmodernism.
We argue that cybernetics in its entirety poses a challenge for the study of organisations from a
communication perspective. We argue, as Geyer (1995) has done, that it may be an intellectually
challenging exercise to reposition the current modern and postmodern organisational metaphors
within a single new emerging metaphor: the schismatic metaphor.

Deregulation and rapid growth in technology removed entry barriers in the online environment,
thereby forcing financial institutions to transform and at the same time to conquer consumer’s
fear and the perceived risk of fraudulent online transactions. Given the nature of operations and
services in the banking sector, it is relatively amenable to innovative technologies, especially
online banking transactions. Various studies have been conducted on the adoption of self-service
technology, specifically the continued use of this technology, perceived risk in online transactions,
and also purchase intention. However, very little research has examined the management of
online crisis-communication response messages in the online-security sphere. The knowledge
management paradigm constitutes a way in which the acquisition, transfer and assimilation
of information can be effectively used to manage and control messages in an online crisiscommunication response situation, in particular through maximising consumers’ motivation and
capability to act in response to perceived online-transaction risks. Hence, it provides a means
of reliance upon self-motivation and empowerment of individuals to ensure output control and
the safety of online banking transactions. The aim of this paper is to present a comparative
analysis of the knowledge management of online crisis-communication response in respect of
fraudulent banking transactions in one of the top ten banks in South Africa during two specified
time periods. The paper first presents a synopsis of the theoretical underpinning based on an
extensive literature review. The latter focuses on web communication, online crisis-communication
response, fraudulent banking transactions and knowledge management. The methodology, data
analysis and results are subsequently presented. Finally, a discussion of the main results based
on the knowledge-management typologies proposed to manage and control messages in online
crisis-communication response is presented

Information literacy and critical thinking skills are essential in the information age towards
achieving academic success and being adequately skilled for lifelong learning. Academic
libraries have an indispensable role to play in this regard. Collaboration between librarians and
academics is important to ensure both effective information-literacy training and service provision
to students and to the academic community. However, a lack of understanding, knowledge, and
communication regarding academic libraries’ teaching and research role is proving to be an
obstacle in obtaining librarian-academic collaboration. Academic libraries do mostly not apply
strategic communication management to build and maintain relationships with its stakeholders,
which contributes to the challenges surrounding librarian-academic collaboration. This paper
reports on how four academic libraries practise communication and relationship management
to enhance librarian-academic collaboration. The study aims to make recommendations for the
application of more effective, strategy-driven communication and relationship management to
enhance librarian-academic collaboration.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has now been in power for three decades. He has acquired
an almost universal image of being a dictator who has steadily governed the country to ruin.
This article investigates the depiction of Robert Mugabe’s candidature in the 1980 Zimbabwean
(common roll) independence election campaign in the Sunday Times, then by far the largest
South African newspaper. A content analysis of the coverage is followed by argumentation that
brings the content of the coverage in line with the general culture of the newspaper. The Sunday
Times employed mainly stereotypical images of Mugabe. For it, the Zimbabwean independence
election campaign revolved respectively around a choice for Southern Africa between capitalism
and Marxism and between the future of white and black power. Mugabe was depicted as an
enemy both of capitalism and of continued white interests