COM2602
EXAM PACK
,UNIVERSITY
EXAMINATIONS
MAY/JUNE 2025
Examination session: Semester 1/2025
COM2602
Integrated organisational communication
100 marks
Duration: 3 hours
Examiners: Ms PT
Ratshinanga and Ms N
Langa Second examiner:
Prof BT Mbatha
, Primary information and instructions
• This examination paper consists of four (4) pages.
• This examination paper consists of four (4) questions.
• Answer all the questions.
• Fill in your student number and the module code (COM2602) on your submission.
• Attach the Declaration to your submission.
Additional information and instructions
1. Upload your answer script as a single file in PDF. Do not password protect your file or upload it as a
“read only” file.
2. You are not allowed to e-mail your script.
3. This is an open-book exam, and so you must include in-text references in your answers.
4. Preview your submission (answer script) to ensure that it is legible and that you have uploaded the right
file.
5. You are allowed to resubmit your answer script if your file does not upload successfully the first time.
6. Files in the wrong file format and uncollated answer scripts will not be marked.
7. Answer scripts submitted via unofficial examination platforms (including the Invigilator cellphone app)
will not be marked and you will not be allowed to resubmit your script.
8. If you submit an incomplete exam script, the mark awarded will be taken as your final mark. You will
not be allowed to resubmit your script.
9. If you submit an illegible scanned script, the mark awarded will be taken as your final mark.
You will not be allowed to resubmit your script.
10. Submissions will be accepted from registered student accounts only.
11. Students suspected of dishonest conduct during the examinations will be subjected to disciplinary
processes. Unisa has zero tolerance for plagiarism and/or any other forms of academic dishonesty.
12. Following the official end of the examination, you have 30 minutes in which to submit your answer
script. Any scripts submitted after this will be rejected by the system, and will not be marked.
13. Students experiencing network or loadshedding problems that prevent them from completing their
examinations within the allotted time may apply for an aegrotat exam within three (3) days of the original
examination session. These applications must be accompanied by supporting evidence.
If you experience technical problems, contact the SCSC 080 000 1870 or e-mail
or refer to Get-Help for the list of additional contact numbers. Only communication received from your myLife
account will be considered. This examination uses the Invigilator app.
Please see page 2 of the question paper for the QR code.
YOU HAVE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS.
QUESTION 1 COMMUNICATION IN THE ORGANISATION
There is a debate among communicators in the field of organisational communication regarding the role
of communication. Some communicators view communication as a tactical activity in the organisation,
manifested in practices such as public relations or advertising, while other communicators argue that in
fact communication has a strategic role in the organisation.
Taking this scenario into consideration, discuss the following:
1.1 Discuss, with examples, the concept of strategy according to Mintzberg’s (1987) five
Ps. (20)
, 1.1 The Concept of Strategy According to Mintzberg’s Five Ps
The term strategy is one of the most contested and widely debated concepts in
organisational studies. While some communicators and managers conceive
strategy narrowly—as a plan, a document, or a set of pre-determined actions—
others view it as a broader pattern of behaviour, a perspective that shapes
organisational culture, a position in the competitive environment, or even a
deliberate “ploy” to influence stakeholders or competitors. In response to this
multiplicity of meanings, Henry Mintzberg (1987) proposed a theoretical
framework known as the Five Ps of Strategy. This framework argues that
strategy is not a single idea but rather a cluster of interrelated concepts, each
capturing a different dimension of how organisations think and act
strategically. Mintzberg’s Five Ps—Plan, Ploy, Pattern, Position, and
Perspective—offer a holistic and multi-dimensional understanding of strategy.
In the context of organisational communication, understanding the Five Ps
allows communicators to play both tactical and strategic roles. On the tactical
side, communicators may produce advertising, press releases, or campaigns;
however, strategically, communication shapes organisational culture, signals
competitive positioning, influences stakeholder perceptions, and enables long-
term planning. Thus, a communicator who appreciates Mintzberg’s framework
is better equipped to contribute meaningfully to strategic decision-making
rather than merely executing instructions.
This section discusses each of Mintzberg’s Five Ps in detail, provides practical
examples, and illustrates their relevance to organisational communication.
1. Strategy as a Plan
Mintzberg’s first P—Plan—is the most traditional understanding of strategy. A
strategy as a plan is a consciously intended course of action developed in
advance of execution. It involves outlining goals, defining steps required to
achieve them, and allocating resources to guide the organisation toward its
mission. This form of strategy is deliberate, structured, and often documented
in strategic plans, annual reports, and policy statements.
Characteristics of Strategy as a Plan
It is intentional and pre-established.
EXAM PACK
,UNIVERSITY
EXAMINATIONS
MAY/JUNE 2025
Examination session: Semester 1/2025
COM2602
Integrated organisational communication
100 marks
Duration: 3 hours
Examiners: Ms PT
Ratshinanga and Ms N
Langa Second examiner:
Prof BT Mbatha
, Primary information and instructions
• This examination paper consists of four (4) pages.
• This examination paper consists of four (4) questions.
• Answer all the questions.
• Fill in your student number and the module code (COM2602) on your submission.
• Attach the Declaration to your submission.
Additional information and instructions
1. Upload your answer script as a single file in PDF. Do not password protect your file or upload it as a
“read only” file.
2. You are not allowed to e-mail your script.
3. This is an open-book exam, and so you must include in-text references in your answers.
4. Preview your submission (answer script) to ensure that it is legible and that you have uploaded the right
file.
5. You are allowed to resubmit your answer script if your file does not upload successfully the first time.
6. Files in the wrong file format and uncollated answer scripts will not be marked.
7. Answer scripts submitted via unofficial examination platforms (including the Invigilator cellphone app)
will not be marked and you will not be allowed to resubmit your script.
8. If you submit an incomplete exam script, the mark awarded will be taken as your final mark. You will
not be allowed to resubmit your script.
9. If you submit an illegible scanned script, the mark awarded will be taken as your final mark.
You will not be allowed to resubmit your script.
10. Submissions will be accepted from registered student accounts only.
11. Students suspected of dishonest conduct during the examinations will be subjected to disciplinary
processes. Unisa has zero tolerance for plagiarism and/or any other forms of academic dishonesty.
12. Following the official end of the examination, you have 30 minutes in which to submit your answer
script. Any scripts submitted after this will be rejected by the system, and will not be marked.
13. Students experiencing network or loadshedding problems that prevent them from completing their
examinations within the allotted time may apply for an aegrotat exam within three (3) days of the original
examination session. These applications must be accompanied by supporting evidence.
If you experience technical problems, contact the SCSC 080 000 1870 or e-mail
or refer to Get-Help for the list of additional contact numbers. Only communication received from your myLife
account will be considered. This examination uses the Invigilator app.
Please see page 2 of the question paper for the QR code.
YOU HAVE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS.
QUESTION 1 COMMUNICATION IN THE ORGANISATION
There is a debate among communicators in the field of organisational communication regarding the role
of communication. Some communicators view communication as a tactical activity in the organisation,
manifested in practices such as public relations or advertising, while other communicators argue that in
fact communication has a strategic role in the organisation.
Taking this scenario into consideration, discuss the following:
1.1 Discuss, with examples, the concept of strategy according to Mintzberg’s (1987) five
Ps. (20)
, 1.1 The Concept of Strategy According to Mintzberg’s Five Ps
The term strategy is one of the most contested and widely debated concepts in
organisational studies. While some communicators and managers conceive
strategy narrowly—as a plan, a document, or a set of pre-determined actions—
others view it as a broader pattern of behaviour, a perspective that shapes
organisational culture, a position in the competitive environment, or even a
deliberate “ploy” to influence stakeholders or competitors. In response to this
multiplicity of meanings, Henry Mintzberg (1987) proposed a theoretical
framework known as the Five Ps of Strategy. This framework argues that
strategy is not a single idea but rather a cluster of interrelated concepts, each
capturing a different dimension of how organisations think and act
strategically. Mintzberg’s Five Ps—Plan, Ploy, Pattern, Position, and
Perspective—offer a holistic and multi-dimensional understanding of strategy.
In the context of organisational communication, understanding the Five Ps
allows communicators to play both tactical and strategic roles. On the tactical
side, communicators may produce advertising, press releases, or campaigns;
however, strategically, communication shapes organisational culture, signals
competitive positioning, influences stakeholder perceptions, and enables long-
term planning. Thus, a communicator who appreciates Mintzberg’s framework
is better equipped to contribute meaningfully to strategic decision-making
rather than merely executing instructions.
This section discusses each of Mintzberg’s Five Ps in detail, provides practical
examples, and illustrates their relevance to organisational communication.
1. Strategy as a Plan
Mintzberg’s first P—Plan—is the most traditional understanding of strategy. A
strategy as a plan is a consciously intended course of action developed in
advance of execution. It involves outlining goals, defining steps required to
achieve them, and allocating resources to guide the organisation toward its
mission. This form of strategy is deliberate, structured, and often documented
in strategic plans, annual reports, and policy statements.
Characteristics of Strategy as a Plan
It is intentional and pre-established.
