The impact of organisational culture on integrated communication : the case of the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in Polokwane

Abstract

This study explored the impact of organisational culture on integrated communication (IC) at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in Polokwane, South Africa. Martin and Niemann-Struweg (2015), argued that top management in organisations poorly understood IC. This study investigates if the same applies to the GCIS in Polokwane. The study adopted a qualitative approach and made use of individual interviews and content analysis in order to collect data, which was then analysed by means of thematic analysis. The study used both the General Systems Theory (Bertalanffy, 1968) and the Organising Theory (Weick, 1989) as its theoretical framework. The findings suggested that organisational culture at the GCIS was shaped by both employee behaviour and organisational activities. The study found that information sharing was poorly implemented by the GCIS, which meant that, information contained in organisational documents differed from the perceptions shared by the employees. Measures to improve both the sharing of information and the perception of this information have been provided in the recommendations