Vol 23, No 1 (2004)

Young Black adolescents can no longer be ignored as an important and strategic market
segment in the South African clothing industry. Yet, very little research has been
undertaken in the academic domain on their perceptions and attitudes on fashion in
general and certain clothing items in particular. Psychological aspects influencing the
buying behaviour of young male and female Black consumers have not been explored in
great depth. The focus of this article was young Black consumers’ perceptions of branded versus
unbranded clothes. The results of this exploratory study indicated that (i) both male
and female Black adolescents share positive perceptions towards branded clothes; (ii)
although unbranded items were perceived as less favourable, their worth was not denied;
and (iii) when it comes to possible differences in the two genders’ perceptions of designer
labels versus non-designer labels, they speak with one voice: designer labels are much
preferred. The article concludes with recommendations to marketers in the South African clothing
industry as well as some comments on future research on this increasingly important
topic.

This paper summarises the findings of a replication of an earlier study by Van Heerden
& Puth (1995), which again confirmed that behavioural and visual identities contribute
to the corporate image of South African banking institutions. Perceptions were measured
through the same semantic differential used in the 1995 study. Eight factors were
identified in the replication study, namely social interaction, service, quality, growth,
aesthetic characteristics, activeness, liveliness and reputation. A certain degree of
overlap between the two sets of factors (1995 and replication study) was detected. The
findings emphasise that banks should nurture social relationships with their customers.

Interactivity is one of the most prominent features of the Internet, distinguishing it from
traditional mass media such as newspapers or television. However, when discussing the
concept of interactivity, most people tend to think only about the bells and whistles on
particular web sites without considering interactivity as a theoretical concept. As this
aspect has such important implications for communication theory, in general, and for
the use of the Internet as a communication medium, it is essential for communication
scholars and all communication practitioners (including public relations practitioners)
to understand the theoretical roots of interactivity. This would enable academics to
apply interactivity as a theoretical concept to new media research and practitioners to
make better use of the Internet as a communication medium. This article explores the
concept of interactivity and makes a connection between interactivity and the application
of the two-way symmetrical model of public relations to public relations on the web.

The aim of this conceptual analysis of Kuhn’s paradigm theory was to explore whether
the concept of paradigm could be applied to the public relations domain—specifically
with regard to concepts such as dominant paradigm, paradigm debate, paradigm struggle
and scientific revolution. Based on the findings, the author suggests that the first three models of public relations
are the theory that represents the origins of public relations as a (social) science; that
the dominant paradigm of normal science practice in public relations is persuasion; and
that alternative paradigms debated are about inter alia professionalism, ethical
performance, conflict, chaos and pluralism. Furthermore, an important paradigm debate
is currently taking place between eminent US scholars (relationships) and European
scholars (reflection). However, the real paradigm struggle is seen to be between
persuasion and two-way symmetrical communication (regarded by some as a struggle
between symbolic and behavioural relationships). The author’s conclusion is that public
relations is currently suffering an identity crisis which could, with a number of alternative
paradigms available, lead to a scientific revolution in the discipline.

This paper addresses the question of communication from a perspective opened up by
Derrida’s reading of Joyce’s Ulysses in terms of the relationship between the notion of
the ‘yes’ or iterability, the signature of (and counter-signature to) a text and two types
of laughter. It is shown that the same aporia that confronts the reader of Ulysses, namely
that a counter-signature to the text is possible as a novel event and is simultaneously
not possible as such, faces participants in communication: communication is and is not
possible. The work of Hardt and Negri is further used to add another dimension to this
aporia, this time focusing on the paradox of living in a so-called ‘age of communication’,
while certain events of resistance to the agencies of global hegemony are incommunicable.

This article reports on a prescriptive generic Globalisation Model that was developed for
vocationally oriented public relations education in globalised contexts. The model is
based on a literature study that pointed out that the public relations profession is both
affected by the forces of globalisation, and it has the potential to play a role in the
management of globalisation towards a constructive outcome. The model consists of
a recommended curriculum and recommendations pertaining to the functioning of public
relations education departments in the context of globalisation. It is accompanied by
an annexure indicating how the generic Globalisation Model should be adapted for
application in South Africa.

This article explores the recent trends in information technology, specifically the Internet,
and what role it can play in the development and sustainability of democracy in Africa.
It examines what role it can play in revitalising the public sphere and how it can influence
political decisions in the continent. However, I argue that even though the Internet has
had profound effects on people’s lives, contributing significantly to communication and
information sharing, its real potential is yet to be realised in Africa. This means in effect,
that although it might have contributed to various sociological phenomena, it could
potentially be dangerous to the growth of democracy in Africa because it is still in the
hands of a few, especially those in power.
120 Communicare 23(1) - July 2004
George

The world economic system’s transformation from a dominant mass-production model
to a mass-customisation model is seen to have created a demand for personal information
from consumers. This has led to many consumers feeling the need to protect their
information as businesses request increasingly more personal information during
commercial transactions. This conceptual paper addresses information privacy as an
inter-disciplinary issue that affects relationships at micro, macro and global levels.
First at micro level, addressing the value perception of information among consumers
and marketers; secondly at macro level, illustrating the role of the government in
protecting information privacy; and thirdly at global level, since the flow of information
plays a major role in eliminating boundaries between countries. Finally, the managerial
implications of information privacy are discussed, concluding that effective customer
relations now require businesses to communicate in ways that make their customers
feel protected.

The recent flourishing in discourses on identity in the social sciences as well as the fact
that struggles of identity have become the paradigmatic form of social and political
conflict in the modern world form the contextual framework of this article. Firstly, it
explores the development of theorising and research on identity in a sister discipline of
Communication Science, namely Psychology, and specifically the development of social
identity theory that acknowledges the vital role of social groups in identity processes.
Furthermore, it explores how some subdisciplines of Communication Science deal with
identity issues and, more specifically, with the role of social identities in communicationrelated
phenomena. An alternative theoretical framework for the study of communication
and identity is discussed. Finally, attention is given to the way in which processes
associated with identity could influence communication-related phenomena and could
be incorporated in the theorising and research within various subdisciplines of
Communication Science.

E-mail has become an accepted means of communication in working environments, and
virtual teams who infrequently meet face to face tend to use e-mail extensively even
when they are involved in complex and sensitive discussions. This paper reports on an
analysis of the e-mails of university students working in virtual teams. It was found that
the timing of e-mail messages provides implied information and compensates to some
extent for the loss of non-verbal cues that are present in face-to-face communication.
This implied information contributes to the richness of the information and assists the
reader in interpreting not only the message but also the context. As a result, trust can
be established or undermined. Actual examples are provided to illustrate some of the
issues.

Marketing communication is not a new phenomenon. Communication has been part of
the marketing process for as long as people have exchanged goods. However, the advent
of technology and research, among other reasons, has made the marketing communication
process increasingly sophisticated in recent decades and has given rise to integrated
marketing communication (IMC) and the integrated communication phenomenon.
To understand this new approach to marketing communication, one has to go back to
the roots thereof and scrutinise the path of development. “Innovation begins with
abandonment. It’s not what you start; it’s what you stop that counts”, says Drucker (as
quoted in Schultz, Tannenbaum & Lauterborn, 1994:1). This statement underlines the
importance of knowledge about the development of marketing communication in order
to understand the importance and effective application of this new approach called
integrated communication. In this study historical research was conducted to seek out the implications of, and/or
relationships between, approaches in marketing communication from the past and their
connections with the present. The paper explores the different phases that occurred in
the development of marketing communication from a mass communications focus in
the 1960s to the integrated communications imperative of the present. It became
apparent that integrated communication, which envelops integrated marketing
communication, is crucial to an organisation’s overall success.

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