Communication Science
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Browsing Communication Science by Author "De Wet, Johann C."
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Item Open Access Aspekte van narratiewe kommunikasie as retoriese strategie binne prediking(Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State, 2013) Van der Walt, Marésa; Marais, Willemien; De Wet, Johann C.Human beings are susceptible to the rhetorical power of narrative communication. Narrative communication is an organisational element that helps people to make sense of the world they live in. Rhetoric is the application of reason to imagination to bring the human will into movement. In the world of communication within the Christian philosophy, narrative communication can be used as a rhetorical strategy. This article discusses the different aspects of the use of narrative communication as rhetorical strategy within preaching. Both narrative techniques and narrative style elements can be used to contribute to the rhetorical effectiveness of a sermon. The use of “story elements” and “style elements” qualify a text (sermon) as “narrative”. The rhetorical success of narrative communication when used in sermons was tested in traditional Afrikaans-speaking Apostolic Faith Mission congregations in Bloemfontein. Churchgoers completed questionnaires to convey their experience and opinion of the use of narrative communication in preaching during 12 sermons. The results were overwhelmingly positive.Item Open Access An evaluation of COPE's communication strategy for 2011 municipal elections campaign in the Northern Cape(Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State, 2012) Turkington, Jamie-Ryan; De Wet, Johann C.The article is guided by the following research question: What factors found expression, and influenced the extent to which COPE’s 2011 municipal elections campaign in the Northern Cape met the objectives set in the developed communication strategy? Following the framework of systems theory, the developed communication strategy included an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing COPE prior to the election, as well as recommendations for the messages the campaign would use to persuade voters; the techniques it would use to reach them; and a targeting strategy that aimed to identify the priority localities where campaign resources should be focused in order to reach the required number of votes to achieve the campaign’s objectives and goals. The success of the communication strategy was then evaluated post-election by explaining to what extent the campaign was able to meet the objectives and goals set for it. The main factors influencing COPE’s election outcome were found to be non-adherence to targeting strategy; lack of national media coverage; poor distribution of campaign resources; state resources and patronage; insufficient visibility in targeted areas; COPE’s poor campaign organisation; the Mompati defection; and insufficient training.Item Open Access An integrated communication model for marketing the UFS(University of the Free State, 2008-06) Mulder, Dalmé; De Wet, Johann C.English: The higher education environment in South Africa has changed much in the past decade. In transforming the higher education sector, markets were created that lead to the corporatisation of universities. Corporate universities are predominantly characterised as institutions that follow a business model within the educational landscape. The University of the Free State (UFS) has accepted this new identity of corporate university in many ways. It is now also time to embrace it from a marketing communication, and specifically an integrated communication (IC), perspective. The goal of this study was to develop an integrated communication model for marketing the UFS. In realising this goal, the marketing-related structures and processes at the UFS were explored among other matters. The integrated approach to marketing and communication was dealt with as benchmark for the UFS and this approach directed a conceptual IC model for marketing the UFS. The conceptual model was subject to scrutiny by critical role-players at the UFS. Other critical issues explored were the higher education environment and its multi-cultural nature; the nature and scope of IC; and existing models of IC which were described and critically evaluated. A qualitative research approach was followed and the study was divided into four phases. Grounded theory was employed as overarching research strategy for all four phases, while other research strategies to gather and analyse data were implemented during some of the phases. The main contribution of this study was a conceptual IC model formulated for marketing the UFS. Based on the scrutinising of several IMC and IC models, a number of aspects were identified that was kept in mind when the IC model for marketing the UFS was developed. Furthermore, the basic principles of IC identified after an extensive investigation into the relevant literature, were interweaved in the conceptual IC model suggested for use by the UFS. The study confirmed that cultural sensitivity is a necessity if an organisation wants to be successful in the diverse South African environment. The factors that impact on inter-cultural communication effectiveness in organisations were described. It was explained that cultural differences manifest in an organisation in two ways, namely on an individual level, and on an organisational level. The organisational level indicators have specific relevance to this study. Organisational culture is also known as corporate culture. A number of corporate culture components that reflect an organisation with a strong culture were identified and it was noted that the majority of corporate culture components and integrated communication principles show significant resemblance. It is thus argued that the implementation of an IC model in a multi-cultural environment can foster a strong corporate culture. The scrutinising of the conceptual IC model by UFS role-players indicated that the majority of the respondents were positive about the model and were of the opinion that the model would address a number of marketing-related concerns and would provide a solution to some of the problems currently experienced with communication and marketing at the UFS. It was recommended inter alia that a number of structural changes with regard to the position of marketing and communication at the UFS be made. Processes that should be put in place were highlighted, and several conduct changes were advised. The application of the conceptual IC model within the suggested Institutional Communication section was illustrated.Item Open Access The rhetorical imprint from a constructivist perspective(Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State, 2014) Cawood, Stephanie; De Wet, Johann C.The rhetorical imprint, ideal for probing the rhetoric of a single rhetor, is defined as a unified set of characteristics that function at the manifest and latent levels of rhetoric. From a constructivist viewpoint, this concept is indicative of individual conceptual processes and structures. The constructivist lens is derived from George Kelly’s construct theory and his conception of a personal construal system governing human cognition and communication. Constructs develop from primitive constructs derived from human biology, while construct development is bound to embodied experience where the body mediates individual experience and provides content to the primitive constructs. The personal construal system resides in the cognitive unconscious and has a deep-seated and complex metaphorical structure, which is reproduced in the rhetorical imprint. A rhetorical imprint is dynamic and will evolve in concert with the personal construal system to make sense of the world, while remaining internally coherent. In a constructivist understanding of communication, sophisticated personal construal systems produce sophisticated communication, a crucial element of the rhetorical imprint. The rhetorical imprint corresponds to the classical canon of inventio where habitual topoi, metaphorical mental common-places from where available means of persuasion are sought, leave an indelible impression of a rhetor’s individuality in rhetoric.