The discursive construction of the concepts organisational communication and organisational culture in a merged South African company

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the manner in which the concept of communication is discursivelyconstructed in a South African insurance company. The company recently underwent amerger which, according to the literature, should increase its awareness of communicativepractices. The thesis builds on recent theoretical developments in organisational studies,more specifically, the linguistic turn. The focus falls on the way in which organisationalcommunication is constructed by implementing the analytical tools of thematic analysis anddiscourse analysis.All of the participants in this study were involved with the merger that the companyunderwent. The sample of twenty-three participants included eighteen employees who tookpart in an electronic survey questionnaire and five employees who were individuallyinterviewed. Additionally, documents concerning the merger were analysed to reveal theway in which the company's organisational communication is constructed by managers.During the data collection, participants were questioned about their perspectives oforganisational communication and organisational culture with regard to the merger. The datastrongly shows that communication is generally not considered an important aspect in anorganisation during the merging process. Interestingly, when participants' attention is,however, drawn to specifically the concept of communication, a mechanistic view ofcommunication is presented with only selected communicative practices considered as'communication'. The analysis further indicates changing communicative practices in thenewly merged company.In conclusion, this study argues that organisations, especially in a merging context, canbenefit from a greater awareness regarding the importance of organisational communication.Further linguistic research in the form of organisational studies in this regard is suggested.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University