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IMPLIED CONTRIBUTION OF THE PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK
The preliminary framework indicates the functional and process capabilities to be interlinked in the conceptualisation of strategic communication management in a triple context environment. It provides a unique holistic perspective on the implementation of these capabilities in the organisation and indicates how an integrative approach to the implementation and use of functional and process capabilities could enable more effective and efficient strategic communication management in a triple context environment. A more holistic approach to the phenomenon of the study provides strategic value in support of management and communication management professionals in their efforts to build and strengthen interrelationships in the strategic management of communication in the organisation. This approach also makes a value-added contribution to the organisation in terms of ‘good corporate reputation’ and ‘communicative capacity: communicative currency, capital, equity and value’. The various relationships that were established between functional and process capabilities in the preliminary framework necessitate the implementation of a process approach to their use in ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’. A holistic view on the use of these capabilities is highlighted in support of ‘reflective stewardship: core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-creative value creation.’ If ‘conscious internal and external communication’ is regarded as the only process capability that supports this objective, the required facilitation of ‘reflective stewardship: core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-creative value creation’ may be a failure. A more comprehensive approach would require that ‘mutually beneficial stakeholder relationships’ must also receive attention.
The preliminary framework indicates inter-relationships that exist between the identified capabilities, although the arrangements of the inter-relationships between the capabilities must not be considered as final in its application. The interpretation of the preliminary framework must therefore not be considered as concrete and to be the final argument (Koekemoer, 2008). Based on the underlying specifics of the particular segment in which ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’ appear, a different functional or process capability may need to be considered as an intervening condition for ‘reflective stewardship: core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-creative value creation’ such as an ‘inclusive corporate governance approach’. If then, for example, the ‘inclusive corporate governance approach’ is the intervening condition for ‘reflective stewardship: core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-creative value creation’ then the ‘inclusive corporate governance approach’ may need to be refocused as a causal condition for ‘reflective stewardship: core competencies, dynamic capabilities and co-creative value creation’ and not for instance for ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’. ‘Reflective stewardship: core competencies, dynamic capabilities and cocreative value creation’ secures and supports the positive facilitation of ‘good corporate reputation’ and ‘communicative capacity: communicative currency, capital, equity and value’ in organisations. Effective use of the abovementioned functional and process capabilities by the management and communication management professional means that time-consuming, expensive and difficult evaluation processes in order to improve ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’ are not required. If an evaluation of ‘good corporate reputation’ and ‘communicative capacity: communicative currency, capital, equity and value’ is required, the process and steps to enhance its results must consider the above factors. The preliminary framework indicates the process for the implementation of ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’ to be interlinked in a cycle of events that result in integrative strategic communication management. The effective use of ‘good corporate reputation’ and ‘communicative capacity: communicative currency, capital, equity and value’ impacts on ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’, thereby supporting excellent strategic communication management. This in turn increases the importance of ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’ to secure the desired outcome of ‘good corporate reputation’ and ‘communicative capacity:
communicative currency, capital, equity and value’. ‘Good corporate reputation’ and ‘communicative capacity: communicative currency, capital, equity and value’ are vital in the support of ‘strategic communication management in a triple context environment’, and could therefore lead to market leadership and increased business performance for the organisation.
Description of individual interviews
A pilot interview was conducted with the Sustainable Development Adviser of a multinational company in the petroleum industry, with its head office based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The rich data obtained from the interview guided the remit for the rest of the study, as well as the semi-structured questionnaire for the field studies (to be conducted subsequently). Although the themes in the pilot interview remained the same for the rest of the interviews, it was decided after this pilot interview to change the compilation of the sample and to approach CEOs and former CEOs of organisations as respondents, rather than individuals in the organisation responsible for sustainability, governance or communication functions. This decision was prompted by the assumption that respondents in the new sample would better be able to address the themes relevant to the research problem, the research objectives and the research questions, with specific reference to the phenomenon of “shared expectations between top management and communicators”. As such, CEOs and former CEOs would be able to indicate the demands that top management have of communicators and the communication function, on which communication managers must deliver in a demand-delivery linkage. The research could therefore assist in the conceptualisation of strategic communication management in a triple context environment based on the shared expectations between top management and communicators, with specific reference to the business cycle and the communication cycle. The criteria for inclusion in the research were that the organisation should operate in a triple context environment and should have a communication management function. The interviews that were transcribed, formed the basis of the grounded theory analysis. Individual semi-stuctured, in-depth interviews were conducted with six respondents. The low-level basic questions designed in Chapter 3 were considered as themes and guided the conversation – answers to the specific questions were not sought. The themes in the exploratory low-level basic questions were used to keep the interview on topic. Probes were used during the interviews to clarify themes that were considered incomplete or that lacked depth. Flexibility in the use of questions focused subsequent interviews on emerging new ideas and themes (Koekemoer, 2008:184-186). Transcripts of interviews are included in Annexure B.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 BACKGROUND
1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
1.4 IMPORTANCE OF THE RESEARCH
1.5 METHODOLOGY
1.6 DEMARCATION AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.7 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS
1.8 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 VALUE IN EXCELLENCE
2.3 VALUE CREATION IN A TRIPLE CONTEXT ENVIRONMENT
2.4 CAPITAL CREATION
2.5 A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
2.6 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 ISSUES OF META-SCIENCE AND SCIENCE
3.3 THEORY BUILDING
3.4 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM, OBJECTIVE AND QUESTIONS
3.5 THE RESEARCH APPROACH
3.6 METHODOLOGICAL STRUCTURE
3.7 DATA COLLECTION PHASE
3.8 DATA ORDERING PHASE 154
3.9 DATA ANALYSIS PHASE
3.10 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 4 THE PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK: ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST DATA SET
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK
4.3 THE FIRST DATA SET (THE FIRST LITERATURE CASE: FOUR SLICES OF DATA)
4.4 FOUR SLICES OF DATA
4.5 OPEN CODING OF THE FIRST DATA SET (FOUR SLICES OF DATA)
4.6 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 5 THE PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK: ANALYSIS OF THE SECOND DATA SET (THE SECOND LITERATURE CASE: SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES)
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 THE SECOND DATA SET (THE SECOND LITERATURE CASE: SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES)
5.3 HIERARCHICAL PROCESSES OF CODING OF THE SECOND DATA SET
5.4 THE PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK
5.5 IMPLIED CONTRIBUTION OF THE PRELIMINARY FRAMEWORK
5.6 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 6 THE CONCLUDING FRAMEWORK: ANALYSIS OF THE THIRD DATA SET (THE EMPIRICAL CASE: THE FIELD STUDIES)
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 THE THIRD DATA SET (THE EMPIRICAL CASE: THE FIELD STUDIES)
6.3 THEORETICAL SAMPLING OF THE THIRD DATA SET
6.4 HIERARCHICAL PROCESSES OF CODING OF THE THIRD DATA SET
6.5 THE CONCLUDING FRAMEWORK
6.6 IMPLICATIONS OF THE CONCLUDING FRAMEWORK
6.7 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 7 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT IN A TRIPLE CONTEXT ENVIRONMENT
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 A GENERAL THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE GROUNDED THEORY
7.3 AN EXCELLENCE THEORY PERSPECTIVE ON THE GROUNDED THEORY
7.4 THE EXCELLENCE LEVELS
7.5 FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH
7.6 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 8 EVALUATION OF THE RESEARCH
8.1 INTRODUCTION
8.2 THE RESEARCH STUDY
8.3 CASE STUDY: NEDBANK
8.4 EVALUATING THE RESEARCH STUDY
8.5 SUMMARY
List of References
