Investigating strategic management roles of the corporate communication function in the Department of Housing

Abstract

The first phase of this qualitative study employed the extended case method. Its aimwas to explore the role behaviour of the most senior corporate communicationpractitioner in the government Department of Housing, South Africa. It was foundthat the Director: Communication Services played a combination of roles: firstly, Dozier's(1984) media relations specialist (seen as part of the historic technician role) and secondly,she also performed certain generic managerial activities. The two (new) strategicmanagement roles of the corporate communication function, the strategist and theredefined manager, were not observed (Steyn, 2000a; 200Gb).The second phase entailed the development of a corporate communication strategy forthe Department by the Deputy Director, using action research. The unit of analysis washer communicative output, in the form of the strategy. Empowered by postgraduatestudies, she was found to possess the necessary strategic communication managementknowledge and skills to perform this important activity of a practitioner in the redefinedrole of manager successfully.