Introduction:
In today's fast-paced world, effective communication has become a vital tool in achieving personal
and organizational success. Communication takes on many forms, including verbal, nonverbal,
written, and visual. Effective communication skills are essential for building positive relationships,
resolving conflicts, and creating a productive work environment. As a result, businesses and
organizations around the world place great emphasis on improving communication skills among
their employees. In this context, public relations practitioners play a critical role in developing and
implementing communication strategies that promote positive relationships between organizations
and their stakeholders.
Portfolio activity 1: Public relations research
Research Proposal: Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Communication Tools at the University of South
Africa
Research Problem Statement
According to literature, a research statement is a clear and concise description of the problem that
the research seeks to address (Bryman, 2016). The research problem statement for this study is:
What are the stakeholders’ perceptions of communication tools at the University of South Africa,
and how can these perceptions inform the university’s communication strategies and activities?
Literature Review
Effective communication is a critical aspect of organizational success (Jiang & Men, 2021).
Organizational communication is defined as the process of creating, exchanging, and interpreting
messages within and between organizations (Shockley-Zalabak et al., 2019). Communication tools
are the channels and technologies used to facilitate organizational communication. Examples include
email, social media platforms, newsletters, and intranets (Makhanu & Nyamwange, 2018).
The literature suggests that communication tools can have a significant impact on stakeholders'
perceptions of an organization (Xu et al., 2021). Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an
interest or concern in the organization's activities (Wright et al., 2019). In the context of this study,
stakeholders would include students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader community.
Research Method
The chosen research method for this study is a qualitative research approach. Qualitative research is
appropriate for exploring stakeholders' perceptions and experiences in-depth (Creswell, 2014). The
, advantages of this approach include the ability to gain rich and detailed data, to explore complex
phenomena, and to gain insight into stakeholders' perspectives (Patton, 2015).
Population
The population for this study is the stakeholders of the University of South Africa, including students,
faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader community.
Sampling Method
Sampling refers to the process of selecting a subset of the population for inclusion in the study
(Bryman, 2016). The sampling method for this study will be purposive sampling. Purposive sampling
involves selecting participants based on their relevance to the research question (Creswell, 2014). In
this study, stakeholders will be selected based on their involvement with the university and their
experience with its communication tools.
Sample Size
The population size of the University of South Africa is approximately 350,000 stakeholders
(University of South Africa, 2021). The sample size for this study will be determined based on data
saturation, which occurs when the research team has collected enough data to fully explore the
research question (Guest et al., 2020). The sample size will be approximately 30 stakeholders.
Data Collection
The data collection method for this study will be semi-structured interviews. Semi-structured
interviews provide a flexible approach to exploring stakeholders' perceptions and experiences
(Creswell, 2014). Other potential data collection methods include focus groups, surveys, and content
analysis.
Data Analysis
The data analysis process for this study will involve coding the data and identifying themes and
patterns that emerge from the stakeholders' perceptions of the university's communication tools.
The analysis will be guided by the research question and will involve both inductive and deductive
approaches (Guest et al., 2020).
Portfolio activity 2: Media monitoring
Marikana miners' strike
In today's fast-paced world, effective communication has become a vital tool in achieving personal
and organizational success. Communication takes on many forms, including verbal, nonverbal,
written, and visual. Effective communication skills are essential for building positive relationships,
resolving conflicts, and creating a productive work environment. As a result, businesses and
organizations around the world place great emphasis on improving communication skills among
their employees. In this context, public relations practitioners play a critical role in developing and
implementing communication strategies that promote positive relationships between organizations
and their stakeholders.
Portfolio activity 1: Public relations research
Research Proposal: Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Communication Tools at the University of South
Africa
Research Problem Statement
According to literature, a research statement is a clear and concise description of the problem that
the research seeks to address (Bryman, 2016). The research problem statement for this study is:
What are the stakeholders’ perceptions of communication tools at the University of South Africa,
and how can these perceptions inform the university’s communication strategies and activities?
Literature Review
Effective communication is a critical aspect of organizational success (Jiang & Men, 2021).
Organizational communication is defined as the process of creating, exchanging, and interpreting
messages within and between organizations (Shockley-Zalabak et al., 2019). Communication tools
are the channels and technologies used to facilitate organizational communication. Examples include
email, social media platforms, newsletters, and intranets (Makhanu & Nyamwange, 2018).
The literature suggests that communication tools can have a significant impact on stakeholders'
perceptions of an organization (Xu et al., 2021). Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an
interest or concern in the organization's activities (Wright et al., 2019). In the context of this study,
stakeholders would include students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader community.
Research Method
The chosen research method for this study is a qualitative research approach. Qualitative research is
appropriate for exploring stakeholders' perceptions and experiences in-depth (Creswell, 2014). The
, advantages of this approach include the ability to gain rich and detailed data, to explore complex
phenomena, and to gain insight into stakeholders' perspectives (Patton, 2015).
Population
The population for this study is the stakeholders of the University of South Africa, including students,
faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader community.
Sampling Method
Sampling refers to the process of selecting a subset of the population for inclusion in the study
(Bryman, 2016). The sampling method for this study will be purposive sampling. Purposive sampling
involves selecting participants based on their relevance to the research question (Creswell, 2014). In
this study, stakeholders will be selected based on their involvement with the university and their
experience with its communication tools.
Sample Size
The population size of the University of South Africa is approximately 350,000 stakeholders
(University of South Africa, 2021). The sample size for this study will be determined based on data
saturation, which occurs when the research team has collected enough data to fully explore the
research question (Guest et al., 2020). The sample size will be approximately 30 stakeholders.
Data Collection
The data collection method for this study will be semi-structured interviews. Semi-structured
interviews provide a flexible approach to exploring stakeholders' perceptions and experiences
(Creswell, 2014). Other potential data collection methods include focus groups, surveys, and content
analysis.
Data Analysis
The data analysis process for this study will involve coding the data and identifying themes and
patterns that emerge from the stakeholders' perceptions of the university's communication tools.
The analysis will be guided by the research question and will involve both inductive and deductive
approaches (Guest et al., 2020).
Portfolio activity 2: Media monitoring
Marikana miners' strike
