Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management

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COMMUNICATING STRATEGY IN SOUTH AFRICA USING STORYTELLING
(2012-12-04) Felix, Wilhelmus Martinus
The purpose of the research was to explore the power of storytelling as a tool or medium in communicating strategy to a company’s employees. This study explored and researched why storytellers and strategists were making companies aware of this powerful form of communication, and why they thought storytelling could be used for effective communication of strategy. Consequently this study was a storytellers’ and strategists’ view of what they considered the key factors for stories to be effective in communicating strategy. Five storytellers and five strategists were interviewed; all 10 interviews were transcribed and summarised. The results have been recorded in bullet form, and summarised with key findings, patterns and trends. These findings have been supported with selected direct quotes from the interviewees. From the review of literature and interviews with ten interviewees (storytellers and strategists) the following emerged:- • Many different forms of stories were used; the choice was based on the user’s preference. In addition, a certain type of story was selected to best meet the needs of a particular organisation at a particular time. • Stories were best delivered orally and in person, and storytellers used a variety of techniques to enhance the effect of the story. • The ‘world’ and culture of an organisation had to be researched and understood before a story was selected. This was essential to ensuring that the story was relevant and meaningful. It seemed the use of storytelling was popular and generally effective in communicating a corporate message, whatever the nature of this message may have been. The general impression was that this method of communicating strategy was becoming increasingly in demand in organisations. In addition, areas of possible further research were identified.
impact of storytelling training on managerial applications of storytelling in South African organisations
(2012-11-14) Shih, Feng-Ju (Ray)
The purpose of this research is to explore the different practical managerial applications of stories and storytelling used by managers in South African organisations after they have received formal storytelling training. This study was consequently an accumulation of views on the different managerial applications of storytelling in the context of South African organisations after partaking in formal training on storytelling. Nine senior business managers and the lecturer of the Storytelling Elective for the Wits Business School were interviewed; all ten interviews were recorded and summarised. The results have been recorded in bullet form, and summarised with key findings, patterns and trends. These findings have been supported with selected direct quotes and electronic documents from the interviewees. From the review of literature and interviews with ten interviewees, the following emerged:  All the identified application themes explored by the various literatures namely, 1. Corporate culture and identity (a. Communicating vision and mission; b. Transmitting norms, c. Values and ideals; d. Genesis narrative and organisational history; e. Brand enhancement; f. Socialization of organisation members); 2. Knowledge management (a. Meaning making and sense making; b. Training and teaching; c. Learning; Problem solving and decision making; d. Innovation and new product development) and 3. Change management seemed to be supported to a greater or lesser extent by the result of the interviews.  An additional application was identified from the conducted interviews where stories were used to enhance engagement and sharing in a professional working environment. This was not specifically identified under the literature review.  It appears that the definition and possible applications of storytelling remain unclear to some respondents, even after receiving formal training. In most instances, the applications are applied in a less deliberate style rather than implementing stories in a conscious and methodical manner by managers who have undergone formal storytelling training. The results indicate that managers utilise the various applications of storytelling to some extent; however it appears that the majority cannot see the broader possibilities of its uses in their respective professional areas. As a result, areas of possible further research were identified.
STORYTELLING AND KEY MANAGEMENT MESSAGES IN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONSULTING FIRM
(2012-10-08) Pascoe, Allen
The art of storytelling is an age-old phenomenon used in many situations and settings to convey allegoric and metaphoric messages to a myriad of audiences in various forms and genres (Parkinson, 2001). Understanding the intricacies of this art form more deeply assists the storyteller in identifying the preferred mode of delivery, content to the storyline and potential audience receptiveness. The challenge for any organisation is its ability to harness the power and value of effective communication with its staff in a way that ensures optimum organisational effectiveness (Gardner, 1999). This study adopted an action research model to explore the use of storytelling within a South African consulting firm that normally utilises more conventional and formalised communication methods. The research sets out to explore the effectiveness of the use of storytelling in such a formally structured environment and whether the use of an allegoric and metaphoric story in fact heightens awareness within the target audience. The findings show that even in the typical and formal environments of high powered consulting, there is room for storytelling as an alternate method to formal communication. It not only confirms the effectiveness of storytelling in creating awareness within the audience, but also proves that it facilitates the articulation of the original message intended by the storyteller. The research conducted in the action learning intervention indicates storytelling to be the chosen form of communication by both the staff and management team on the unit. The implications of the positive response obtained during the study will require that management become more accustomed and trained in the use of storytelling in their approach to communication. Different scenarios require different approaches and there is no wrong and no right way of approaching these.
The dominant themes in storytelling by entrepreneurs in small business enterprises in South Africa
(2012-01-20) ISA, REHEMA K.
The purpose of the research was to gain meaningful insights on the dominant themes of stories as told by entrepreneurs in the course of running their businesses. This research focussed on entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises and varied in reach to entrepreneurs from services, manufacturing, construction and retail industries. It is less apparent what entrepreneurs of small business enterprises recount as the most significant story that they tell, the reasons why they tell it and the impact of the stories they tell. A significant proportion of the stories told were in the format accounts, telling of specific points in time of the business. The dominant theme for each entrepreneur was typically linked in many instances to what the literature available on the subject of storytelling in organisations documents. The narratives were analysed in three aspects, themes, forms and purpose the result of which were namely: • Purpose: the stories told by entrepreneurs were predominantly stories to create meaning, inform and to enhance knowledge around entrepreneurship • Themes: the stories told by entrepreneurs of their businesses were linked to the leader (themselves) and the role they have played in their businesses. • Forms: the forms of storytelling by the entrepreneurs being interviewed were predominantly accounts with the exception of two anecdotes. Although each entrepreneur found a story to tell, it was noted that most responded that they never considered what they were recounting as stories, but rather as statements of fact of what happened in their businesses. The main application of storytelling was never as a deliberate action or process but rather circumstantial opportunity to narrate. Stories remain in the domain of social interaction with the majority of stories circulated within the entrepreneur circles, friends and family. - III - While each entrepreneur had a unique tale, with common lessons and messages, in only three instances were the stories told used internally within the organisation. The main audience that the entrepreneurs told their stories to was other entrepreneurs. The richness in terms of the content, form and purpose of the stories told, their current application as evidenced by entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises, indicates that storytelling in South Africa remains an untapped business tool.
The efficacy of narratives as a
(2011-06-24) Wanting, Eric
This research was aimed at determining the extent to which narratives are effective in communicating strategic intent within organisations. This research also served to investigate the factors that make the use of narratives an effective means to communicate corporate strategic intent. The research questions for this research were as follows: · Are narratives effective in communicating corporate strategic intent? · Are narratives an effective teaching method? · Are narratives an accepted management tool? · Are narratives effective for communicating with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds? · Can audiences relate to the stories? This research is based on a case study conducted at Ernst & Young, South Africa. The research examines their use of storytelling within the Technology and Risk Services Division. The data was collected by means of semistructured interviews, conducted on those respondents that had been involved in the storytelling initiatives. The interview transcripts were interpreted by means of content analysis, making use of content analysis software. In addition to codifying the interview transcripts according to the research questions, a number of new themes emerged that supported the use of storytelling within organisations. The first use of storytelling at Ernst & Young was through the telling of the “Fearless” story. The story was however not widely communicated throughout the division
A LITERATURE REVIEW OF STORYTELLING IN ORGANISATIONS
(2011-06-09) Rolfes, Hanli
The purpose of this research report was to offer a literature review of research concerned with storytelling in organisations published from 1990 to 2006. The review was not exhaustive, but attempted, nevertheless to be sufficiently comprehensive in order to identify key areas of research in the discipline of storytelling in organisations. In the summary the weightings of the literary genres surveyed for the purpose of this report are indicated as follows: published books (12%), interviews (1%), academic journal articles (63%), papers delivered at symposiums (1%), popular business articles (21%) and unpublished dissertations (2%). The main finding of this research was that extant research tended to focus on three key areas within the discipline: a) Storytelling Applications in Organisations, b) Storytelling as Research Methodology, c) Story Skills. The weighting of combined genres focusing on the three key areas identified within the discipline were found to be “Storytelling Applications in Organisations” at 53%, “Story Skills” at 37% and “Storytelling as Research Methodology” at 10%. Given that the weighting within the readings were dominated in percentage by the primary categories – “Storytelling Applications in Organisations” and “Story Skills”, these two primary categories were further deconstructed. No sub-categories could be derived from the categories “Change Management”, “Power and Politics” and the primary category “Storytelling as Research Methodology
EMERGING THEMES IN THE LIFE STORIES OF
(2011-06-09) Reyneke, Cindi
This report focuses on emerging themes in effective managers’ life stories. The literature review looks at the role of stories in a broader sense in organisations and more specifically the life stories or autobiographical stories and their impact on learning, management, leadership and self development. Regarding methodology, utilising phenomenography, the research aims to uncover conceptions and conclusions that can be drawn from managers’ life stories and how they could have a bearing on their success. The result of this phenomenographic study is a structure of categories of description which is interpreted with respect to existing theory on stories and autobiographical writing. This research has implications in the fields of self-development when grounded in the managers’ experience of a multifaceted context, reflection, reconceptualisation and action become means with which to solve problems, clarify ambiguities and develop personal skills and abilities. For persons in management these skills are essential and academic training is not particularly useful in developing a manager’s ability to deal with problems. This research also has a bearing on career management, recruitment and selection as well as training and development in that stories act as enablers to describing and reflecting an organisational climate. This allows individuals to make personal decisions about the appropriateness of their “fit” with the organisation and provides a common framework to discuss inconsistency and incompetence
Allegorical storytelling as a problem solving method by South African MBA students
(2011-05-16) Maree, Izak Schalk
This research report aims to identify the main managerial issues South African managers face and how the tool of s torytelling can be used to enhance managerial knowledge. John Heron’s (1992) fourfold epistemology is used as a theoretical basis in which he argues that in epis temology, mov ing from an experiential to a presentational form of knowing enhances knowledge. This research uses story equivalents of the experiential and the presentational, in the form of transforming anecdotal into allegorical stories, to test whether managerial knowledge is enhanced through this transformational process. The research utilises hermeneutic phenomenology as research methodology which is applied to 51 assignments wherein students were as ked to transform literal stories into allegorical stories and reflect on their experience during a storytelling elective course for MBA students held at the Wits Business School during 2006, 2007 and 2008. The study success fully identifies the main managerial issues faced by South African managers, identifies the story archetypes used in the process and conc ludes that storytelling, where literal stories are trans formed to allegorical stories, is an effectiv e tool in managerial knowledge enhancement

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