Vol 3, No 2 (1982)

Organisational communication evolves around the forming of relationships between people who strive to achieve a common goal. To be successful, effective communication is a necessity in the modern organisation. Three factors that are closely linked to the effectiveness of organisational communication are discussed. Firstly, internal and external changes in the organisation can have an effect on the communication between management and worker. Secondly, the impact of communication and performance on productivity is highlighted. Thirdly, it was emphasized that the industrial training needs in South Africa demand effective communication

Die sentrale tema van hierdie kongres is kommunikasie binne die organisasie. Dit is uiteraard nie toevallig dat hierdie tema gekies is nie. Per slot van rekening beleef ons tans in Suid-Afrika-maar dit geld in 'n sekere mate ook vir die res van die wêreld - 'n fase waarin daar krities en indringend gekyk word na organisasiestrukture waarbinne die mens die grootste deel van sy of haar tyd deurbring. Teen die agtergrond van prosesse soos analises van die organisasie en arbeid deur verskillende kommissies, die toenemende mate van aktive- ring van die arbeidsmag en derglike verskynsels, is dit noodsaaklik dat ook die wetenskaplike gemeenskap op 'n wetenskaplik-verantwoorde wyse na hierdie terrein kyk. Ek wil daarom vandag enkele aspekte rakende organisasiekommunikasie aan die orde stel. Toegegee, my oriëntasie mag aanvanklik ietwat a-tipies voorkom, maar ek is nogtans daarvan oortuig dat my tema aktueel op hierdie terrein is. In die lig van die feit dat die terrein van organisasiekommunikasie nog relatief jonk is, is dit nodig om ter oriëntasie my tema enigsins breer aan te pak. As agtergrond wil ek daarom eers kortliks aandag gee aan die stand van kommunikasiewetenskap in die algemeen in Suid-Afrika. Vervolgens wil ek 'n kort oorsig van die aard van organisasiekommuni- kasie gee waarna die aandag dan toegespits word op die moontlike bydrae wat die Kommunikasiewetenskap kan lewer tot die problematiek rondom die wetenskap.

The scope of the personnel practitioners' role has, over the past decade, grown from the traditional activities of inter alia, manpower recruitment, selection and training to include organisational diagnoses and maintaining and improving organisational effectiveness and the quality of work life of employees. The complex organisation in which the practitioner has to fulfil these roles, consists of differentiated but interdependent sub-systems linked by resource and information flows. Information can be described as the bloodstream of an organisation and communication channels as the arterial system. To fulfil his role the personnel practitioner has to have means and instruments to gather information on all relevant aspects of organisation and its sub-systems. In this paper the important role of information in organisational functioning and behaviour is described, as well as ways to gather information systematically and how the personnel practioner can use ] this information to maintain and improve organisational effectiveness and the quality of work life of employees

As with most other forms of communication, the most pressing problems of organisational communication can be localised within the limits of the two basic human communication prerequisites of anticipation and feedback: establishing the identity and nature of your receiver(s) as a basis for message formulation, and establishing the receiver reaction (in its broadest sense) on the message as a basis for continued communication. This paper proposes a number of basic research applications as possible solutions to these problems.

The situation/environment in which a person finds himself, influences his behaviour - also his "communication" behaviour. A large part of this situation/environment in the organisational setting is accounted for by the organisational climate which is established and maintained in the particular organisation. In this paper the term organisational climate is defined and from the vast body of literature that exists on the topic, some common characteristics are emphasised. A model of organisational climate is presented, showing the components of organisational climate and their interaction and interrelatedness and how it affects communication in the organisation. The characteristics of a sound organisational climate will be stressed and reference will be made to some research in this field in the South African industry.

An overview is given of the traditional or classical views of organisations and organisational functioning. Empirical findings about how organisations really function are presented. It is shown that the organisational model created by the traditional views about organisations is largely an idealisation. The communication problems which develop in organisations are examined in the light of the empirical findings about organisational functioning. A few guidelines for the improvement of communication are presented in the light of the material covered in the paper.

In the field of organisational communication much emphasis is placed on the verbal aspects of human communication. A consideration of the literature shows scant attention is being paid to non-verbal aspects. Time as a single non-verbal variable, however, is given even less attention. This is remarkable when developments in the field of information processing through computerized technology is considered. In this paper the importance of time considered against the backdrop of ever increasing technological change and information overload, is discussed. It will be argued that much more research should be done to place the time variable in true perspective within the field or organisational communication.

Effective communication within the South African industrial context is vitally important if the objectives of industry are to: contribute to satisfactory national economic growth provide adequate job appreciation distribute economic activity to provide for sensible geographical development improve the social well-being of the community improve acceptable economic independence from external economic and political influences. The dilemma which faces South African industry is the heterogeneity of the South African population and that communication must take many factors such as race, cultural development, language and standard of living into account. Recognition by industry of the importance of proper communication in all facets is fundamental to the building of an economically and politically viable social structure in South Africa.

The industrial journalist has a basic responsibility to promote good relationships between employer and employee. Efficient two-way communication through the house journal is of vital interest to the modern company or organisation to ensure mutual understanding goodwill and appreciation. Managements must inform and motivate their employees at all times, drawing them closer to the heart of the company or organisation through messages conveyed by management supporting their job security, remuneration and recognition and increasing their insight and knowledge of the total work environment. Managements should also be susceptible to their fears or desires in the labour context, allowing the employee to express his views and opinions in a responsible, loyal fashion to his fellow-employees and to management. Silence in the work situation no longer implies consent.

For purpose of this paper the term Personnel Management will be used in its widest generic sense so as to include all the behavioral functions within the organisation.  The basic function of personnel management (Human Resources Management) is to influence the behaviour of people at work in such a professional manner that it will realise performance objectives at an optimal level. Traditionally personnel practitioners concentrated primarily on the mechanistic inputs to realise these objectives. With the dramatic change of the South African Industrial complexion with its different races integrating the work place, it has now become imperative to focus more on the behavioral dimension of personnel management in order to influence the behaviour of people at work in a positive way.  In this dominant role in the total spectrum of management activities in modern South African organisations, the personnel practitioner plays a vital communications role. This communication contribution is dominant not only in verbal categories but equally in the non-verbal categories of communications. The overall manpower mosaic, noted for a distorted manpower supply and demand situation, requires a sensitivity to manpower which is unprecedented in the history of South African Industry.

Millions are spent each year by organisations in every part of the world on planning, projecting and changing corporate identities. Very little is done however to understand the underlying phenomenon. It is essential therefore first to examine the nature and characteristics of corporate identity before analysing it. Problems in researching corporate identity and possible solutions will also be discussed in this paper.