Title: An analysis of the public relations management department’s strategies for sustaining stakeholder relationship with its key industry partners
ABSTRACT
Recent studies in the public relations discipline emphasise the importance of stakeholder relations management in order to service key stakeholders that remain despondent with the quality of engagement. Authors such as Steensen (2014), Steyn (2002) and Steyn and Niemann (2014) believe organisation stakeholder’s engagement strategies are critical for sustaining organisation stakeholder’s relations. The study will analyse strategies that the Department of Media Studies’ Public Relations Management programme use to build and sustain its relations with key industry partners. It will be framed around two key public relations theories: stakeholder and communicative action theory and it will use qualitative methods to collect empirical data from participants. To understand the strategies, key findings will be analysed and based on the findings, recommendations will be provided to the management of the programme. In addition to the recommendations, the study hopes to contribute to debates on the relationship between academic programmes and industry partners.
BIOGRAPHY
Frank Kassongo joined CPUT in 2010 as a public relations management student. In his first and 3rd year he managed to win various academics award including excellent academic award, most diligent and hard working student. Frank Kassongo is the founder of The Governance (an Nonprofit organisation) and StudentsIn.Pty.Ltd. Mr. Kassongo has successfully completed a baccalaureate degree of technology at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2013, and is now a Public Relations MTech candidate at CPUT. He has gained experience working directly with communities and university students focusing on education and empowerment of boys and girls. His interest in community development started in 2000 when he was still at High School. The nature of his work and education background has enabled him to identify challenges that young Africans are facing in high schools and at universities thus working on alleviating those challenges through significant programmes. In addition, Frank has worked in the faculty of Informatics & Designs at CPUT as a Work Integrated Learning Assistant Coordinator and was an assistant to Dr. Blessing Makwambeni who is the research coordinator in the department of public relations at CPUT. Frank Kassongo’s studies have been funded by different well-wishers including the Cape Agulhas Municipality, Cape Town Press Club, FloraLand (Pty) Ltd, Overberg Community Trust Fund, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and individuals including friends that he met at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Frank is indeed a product of good people and as a result he is always positive and grateful to all the institutions and individuals who have funded his studies to this day.