BACKGROUND OF SOUTH AFRICA’S GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM (GCIS)

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INTRODUCTION

In May 1994, the Government of National Unity led in a new spirit of freedom of expression. The government of South Africa was embraced by an information-hungry society. The Communication Task Team that was set up by the Cabinet in 1995 to investigate and make recommendations about government communication revealed, as part of its findings that ‘government lack central coordination of messaging and adequate planning of information campaigns’ (Communicators’ handbook, 2001:6). As such, the government operated under ineffective communication and information systems. The new political dispensation has posed numerous challenges and opportunities to the government communication system and government communicators (Communicators’ handbook, 2001:2). In addition, the South African government had an inadequate understanding of the role of communication and its functions within the government (Communications, 2000:1). In an attempt to overcome this challenge the Government Communication and Information System referred to as GCIS was officially launched in May 1998. As part of its mandate the GCIS is expected to play an important role in terms of providing an indispensable and widely valued contribution to a society working with government towards better life, by meeting both government communication needs and that of the public. The GCIS has thus accepted the responsibility above and as part of its challenges, the GCIS has to ensure that government communicates interactively with the public and it has to be at the forefront of any communication initiatives within the government and the various government departments. For the GCIS to ensure that government communicates effectively, firstly it has to ensure that its employees within the organisation communicate effectively. Therefore, one key area in achieving this is to establish a common understanding of the functions and structure, as well as the roles of communication between management and employees within the GCIS. The GCIS should therefore develop a common understanding between management and employees about the functions of internal communication. This must serve as a point of departure in meeting the communication needs of the government as well as ensuring that government communicates effectively. Internal communication is such a fundamental part of managing today’s organisations – according to Kitchen and Daly (2002: 49) as organisations become more focussed on retaining a happy workforce with changing values, organisations have necessarily had to think more now than in the past about how they communicate with employees through what is also often called internal communication. Massie and Anderson (2003: 224) view internal communication as having a positive effect on employees by motivating them to work harder. They further maintain that the internal communication is a matter of creating trust, developing a climate in which “open” communication can take place. They view internal communication as a two- way process, which is most valuable in organisations of less hierarchical and more flexible structure. By implication, the above authors are of the opinion that internal communication is meant to create a working environment conducive to allowing social dialogue within the workplace. Internal communication is considered as a vital tool for binding an organisation, enhancing employee morale, promoting transparency and reducing confusion (Mumbai, 2001: 1). In agreement to this point, Massie and Anderson (2003: 225) state that it is almost impossible to promote good external public relations if good internal public relations are not in place. They further maintain, “If employees are not on management’s side, it’s doubtful that an organisation’s external publics will be”. In essence Mumbai, Massie and Anderson reinforce the fact that internal communication is a unifying force between the employees and the organisation. And this advocates for the interaction between subordinates and supervisors within the organisation. During periods of change, it is even more vital that employees are fully and honestly informed about what is happening or is about to happen within the organisation. While the pace of the change is often externally driven and outside the control of the senior management, its impact can be lessened by ensuring that employees are informed as soon as possible about what changes will occur, when, and what the implications are likely to be. The assumption is that this will make the employees alert and possibly they would put more effort into their work performance (Dennis and Owen, 1998: 177). In addition, McNamara (1999: 22) argues that the most common communication problem is managements’ (leaders’ and managers’) assumption that if a manager is aware of it, then everyone should be informed. Usually, employees are not aware unless management makes a deliberate attempt to carefully convey information. It is critical at this stage to note that organisations exist because goals can only be achieved through the coordinated activity of individuals. Thus it is very important that the employees and management within GCIS have a common understanding of communication and its functions. This will eliminate possible assumptions (i.e. if a manager knows it, then everyone must know it) that might exist within GCIS. Robbins and De Cenzo (1998: 3) define an organisation as a structured system of relationships that coordinates the effort of a group of people toward the achievement of specific objectives, or to accomplish some specific purpose, and the same principle applies to GCIS. It is a structured system of relationships that coordinates the effort to shape the integration, coordination and improvement of government communication. The above scholars further maintain that the organisation’s success depends largely on its ability to process information with appropriate richness to reduce uncertainty and clarify ambiguity that occurs in an environment of constant change (Spicer, 1998: 39). Thus, the internal communication system, like in any other organisation, is a major constituent within GCIS, and it can actually be seen as its lifeblood. It follows from the above argument that it is essential that organisations, be it government departments, corporate organisations, and private sector as well as non- profit organisations have a common and precise understanding of the structure and functions of internal communication. As reflected previously it is through effective internal communication that developmental messages, service delivery information, work-related instructions and transformation messages can be developed and understood within the organisation before it is spread to the larger community. Since GICS has to provide a leadership in government communications, the key question is: “do the employees and management of GCIS have a common understanding regarding the functions of communication?” The importance of internal communication is highlighted by previous and current research. According to Robson and Tourish (2005: 213), substantial literature exists that suggests that internal communication helps to improve the likelihood of an organisation being successful. However, there is little research conducted to explore the functions of internal communication, especially within GCIS. Myers and Myers (in Baker, 2002: 100) have identified three primary functions of internal communication, which relates to production, socialisation and innovation, thus the key question is: “does GCIS address these variables as part of the functions of their internal communication?”

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

The central question to be addressed by this study can be articulated as: “What do management and employees of Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) perceive as the functions of internal communication?” For GCIS to coordinate the efforts of its employees and management toward the achievement of specific objectives, or to accomplish some specific purpose, strictly requires a common understanding of the functions of internal communication by both management and employees. However, Communications (2000: 4) suggests that there is a poor understanding of the role of communication and its functions in South African government. Yet, there is little effort made to explore what management and employees of GCIS perceive as the functions of internal communication. There are six interrelated sub-questions that need to be addressed in the process of determining what management and employees of GCIS perceive as the functions of internal communication. These sub-questions include: What do management and employees of GCIS perceive as the production function of internal communication? What do management and employees of GCIS perceive as the socialisation function of internal communication? What do management and employees of GCIS perceive as the innovation function of internal communication? What is the general understanding of management and employees about the flow and structure of communication within GCIS? Which communication channels are mainly used within GCIS according to the management and employees’ experience? What are the most preferred communication channels within GCIS according to management and employee’s experience? Since GCIS is expected to provide leadership in government communication and to ensure better performance through communication systems, answers to these questions could provide a broader understanding of the importance and functions of internal communication within and outside of South African government departments.

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE No :

• CHAPTER 1: ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND
  • 1.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 1.2 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
  • 1.3 GENERAL AIM AND SPECIFIC RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
  • 1.3.1 General aim of the study
  • 1.3.2 Specific research objectives
  • 1.3.3 The link between specific objectives and research sub – questions
  • 1.4 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
  • 1.5 CONCEPTUALISATION OF KEY TERMS
  • 1.5.1 Internal communication
  • 1.5.2 Production function of internal communication
  • 1.5.3 Innovation function of internal communication
  • 1.5.4 Socialisation function of internal communication
  • 1.6 DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
  • 1.7 DELIMITATION OF STUDY
  • 1.8 DEMARCATION OF CHAPTERS
  • 1.9 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
  • 2.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 2.3 THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
  • 2.4 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 3: BACKGROUND OF SOUTH AFRICA’S GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM (GCIS)
  • 3.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF GCIS
  • 3.2 VISION, MISSION AND OBJECTIVES OF GCIS
  • 3.3 FUNCTIONS OF GCIS’S COMPONENTS
  • 3.3.1 Corporate Services
  • 3.3.2 Policy and Research
  • 3.3.3 Provincial Coordination and Programme Support
  • 3.3.4 Communication Service Agency
  • 3.3.5 Government and Media Liaison
  • 3.3.6 Information Management and Technology
  • 3.3.7 Vuk’uzenzele
  • 3.3.8 Internal Audit
  • 3.3.9 Finance, Supply Chain Management and Auxiliary Services
  • 3.3.10 Project Desk
  • 3.4 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 4: FUNCTIONS OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
  • 4.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 4.2 INTERNAL COMMUNICATION: DEFINITION
  • 4.3 COMMUNICATION FLOW IN ORGANISATIONS
  • 4.3.1 Downward communication flow
  • 4.3.2 Upward communication flow
  • 4.3.3 Horizontal communication flow
  • 4.4 THE FUNCTIONS OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
  • 4.4.1 Production function of internal communication
  • 4.4.2 Socialisation function of internal communication
  • 4.4.3 Innovation function of internal communication
  • 4.5 BENEFITS OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
  • 4.5.1 Improvement of communication culture
  • 4.5.2 Enhancement of communication climate
  • 4.5.3 Enhancement of communication satisfaction
  • 4.5.4 Cultivation of organisational justice
  • 4.6 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 5: ORGANISATION VARIABLES THAT AFFECT INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
  • 5.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 5.2 ORGANISATION VARIABLES THAT AFFECT INTERNAL
  • COMMUNICATION
  • 5.2.1 Organisational structure
  • 5.2.2 Organisational culture
  • 5.3 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 6: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
  • 6.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 6.2 CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE RESEACH APPROACH
  • 6.3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
  • 6.3.1 Domains and sub – fields
  • 6.3.2 Units of analysis
  • 6.4 SAMPLING
  • 6.4.1 The population
  • 6.4.2 The sample frame
  • 6.4.3 Sampling method
  • 6.5 DATA COLLECTION METHODS
  • 6.5.1 Pilot – testing the questionnaire
  • 6.5.2 Response systems
  • 6.5.3 Considerations regarding measuring instrument
  • 6.5.4 Composition of the measuring instrument
  • 6.7 RESPONSE RATE
  • 6.8 DATA ANALYSIS
  • 6.8.1 Frequency tables
  • 6.8.2Cronbach’s coefficient alpha
  • 6.9 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY
  • 6.10 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 7: FINDINGS, RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • 7.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 7.2 GENERAL AIM AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
  • 7.3 RESULTS AND FINDINGS
  • 7.3.1 Results of demographic variable – Section A
  • 7.3.2 Results of questionnaire date – Section B
  • 7.3.3 Results of questionnaire data – Section C
  • 7.4 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
  • 7.5 CONCLUSION
• CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • 8.1 INTRODUCTION
  • 8.2 OVERVIEW OF FINDINGS
  • 8.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
  • 8.3.1 Research sub – questions and answers
  • 8.3.2 Areas for future research
  • 8.3.3 Specific recommendations for GCIS
  • 8.4 CONCLUSION

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