Abstract:
Several factors have the potential to negatively impact employee-organisation
relationships (EORs) including acrimony between management and non-management
employees. Relationship management scholarship describes organisation relationships
precious and non-financial assets that need to be well managed by public relations or
communication managers in order to maintain internal equilibrium and help organisations
meet their objectives. The aim of this study was to establish whether the relationship
management theory could provide insights into how better to manage internal
relationships. The three stages of relationship management theory provided a framework
to examine internal relationships: relationship antecedents; relationship cultivation
methods and relationship outcomes. The study also applied selected constructs of the
symmetrical communication framework. Five research questions informed this study:
What are the existing relationship antecedents in non-profit organisations? How do
internal publics in non-profit organisations construe existing relationship cultivation
strategies? What is the PR/communication manager‘s role in managing internal
relationships in non-profit organisations? How do internal communication practices
(symmetrical or asymmetrical) influence internal relationships in non-profit
organisations? Which factors, within the organisation boundaries, shape the quality of
internal relationships in non-profit organisations? The study adopted a relativist ontology
and constructivist epistemology. An exploratory qualitative research approach was used
with a multiple case study of two conveniently selected non-profit organisations.
Purposive sampling and snow-ball sampling were used to identify the 24 participants in
this study. In-depth interviews were carried out using a modified instrument and the data
analysed thematically. Data was presented using participant voices. The study findings
identified several relationship antecedents including internal communication,
organisation structure and trust. Results also suggest that communication managers were
not tasked with managing internal relationships in the selected organisations. Power
relations, organisation structure and leadership culture emerged as some of the factors
affecting internal relationship outcomes. The study concludes that a participatory
leadership culture and more open and symmetrical forms of internal communication
enhance EOR quality as opposed to top down and asymmetrical communication. Among
recommendations made was a more strategic approach to internal communication. A
continuum model for studying internal relationships was proposed.
