Dr Elivra Wood Corporate Publications: The key to successful communications in the digital era

8 September 2010 Excellent in-house journals in South Africa: case studies of five leading publications

Corporate publications:

the key to successDr Elvira Wood


The issue

• Although the publication of in-house journals is a huge industry in South Africa, until this study only one known South Africa academic research project focused specifically on this issue and it was published in 1977. The industry therefore had no well-grounded set of criteria that could inform professionals on the theory as well as the technical aspects of producing an in-house journal. Given the many communication theories explaining journalism, mass media, corporate communication and specifically public relations (e.g. the agenda-setting theory and the uses and gratifications theory), this was clearly problematic.


Objectives of the study1. To determine what guidelines can be drawn from theories

such as the excellence concept of public relations and the two-way symmetrical communication theory regarding the management of in-house journals.

2. To determine what the internal (vision, mission, cultural, public) and external (political, social, economic, ecological and judicial) context is in which in-house journals function in South Africa.

3. To determine what the features of an excellent in-house journal are, as suggested by international and local literature as well as the SA Publication Forum.

4. To determine how and to what extent excellent South African in-house journals measure up to the technical criteria suggested by literature as well as the SA Publication Forum.

5. To determine what general and specific theoretical conclusions can be drawn from the application of the said criteria, all placed within the intellectual framework suggested by Grunig (1992).


The process

An extensive literature study was done and specific theoretical statements were made for each of the goals set for this study.

These statements where then measured against actual publications to determine their relevance. A content analysis was done on the publications.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of the editors.


The case studies

• Abacus (Absa) • Harmonise (Harmony Gold Mining

Company)• Hello the Future (MTN)• Pick ’n Patter (Pick ’n Pay)• Sandaba (Sanlam)


The result

A set of guidelines based on normative theory and supported by scientific research, taking into account the uniqueness of every company, its environments, communication strategy and tools and specifically its in-house journal, was formulated.


Guideline 1

An in-house journal must be well managed. This can be achieved either by a manager employed by the company publishing the journal or by a professional consultant employed to manage the publication on behalf of the company.


Guideline 2

A company must ensure that its in-house journal has a very specific place in its overall communication strategy and that it is fully aware of what it wants to achieve with the publication.


Guideline 3

The editor of the in-house journal must acknowledge the presence and use of other communication channels, specifically new media, and adapt the publication in such a way as not to compete with any of these.


Guideline 4

In-house journals must be headed by professionally trained and experienced editors assisted by skilled technical professionals (either as full-time employees or as contracted professionals). The role of the editor must be clearly defined and he/she must produce the publication in line with the company’s aims to ensure consistency in producing the journal.


Guideline 5

The in-house journals should ideally be the responsibility of the public relations (or specifically the internal communications) department. However, if publishing the in-house journal is the responsibility of another department (in most cases the marketing department), the unique role of the publication needs to be acknowledged and the publication needs to be managed accordingly either by editors employed by the company or by professional consultants contracted by the company.


Guideline 6

The in-house journal could, given the dominance of marketing and branding objectives in many companies, be (mis)used as a purely internal marketing tool, but sensitive editors who acknowledge the unique place of a public relations based internal communication function, would strive to balance marketing messages with information not aimed at this function.


Guideline 7

If an in-house journal editor does not form part of senior management, he/she must have direct and easy access to this group.


Guideline 8

Senior management must support their company’s in-house journal without using it as a propaganda tool.


Guideline 9

An in-house journal should acknowledge the environments in which it functions by adapting both its content and format to best suit the internal (as well as external) environments as well as offer a symmetrical world view in the articles it publishes that incorporate both these environments.


Guideline 10

Even if an in-house journal does not have any influence on any strategic decisions made by senior management (as is the case in most companies), it needs to support these decisions by reporting on them and explaining them to employees.


Guideline 11

In-house journals tend to report extensively on typical general country-related issues such as social development, judicial issues, crime, health issues (including HIV/Aids) as well as ecological issues, since these influence the company, its operations and employees. However, it is the prerogative of the editor to decide whether this type of information is relevant to employees or not, and to define a strategy on reporting on external issues in the publication’s editorial policy.


Guideline 12

Generally speaking, in-house journals need to report extensively on relevant internal company issues such as branches, company news and achievements, products and services and marketing, as this is still the main reason for publishing such a journal.


Guideline 13

It is advisable that companies encourage two-way symmetrical communication in their in-house journals as part of a climate where the employee is regarded as an important stakeholder in a company’s success.


Guideline 14

In-house journals should pro-actively discuss socio-economic, health and political issues that will have an impact on the company and its employees.


Guideline 15

In-house journals should present information in professionally produced (well written, edited, designed, reproduced and printed) publications that have set budgets and production schedules and are distributed on time to all employees.


Guideline 16

In-house journal editors should regularly evaluate their publications by either conducting research (for example readers’ surveys) or by obtaining an outside opinion on the in-house journal. This can, for example, be done by participating in the annual corporate publication competition hosted by the SA Publication Forum. Results from these surveys need to be evaluated and incorporated in the in-house journal to ensure its sustainability.


Guidelines ONLY!

It is important to remember that these are only guidelines, and must therefore be adapted to suit every individual company and its in-house journal. However, should these guidelines be followed (especially as explained in the case studies used in this research project), companies should be able to produce excellent in-house journals that acknowledge their South African character, convey relevant information, enable internal communication flow and justify the investment companies make in terms of finances and human resources, to publish these journals.


Custom publishing?

1. Well managed2. Unique place in industry (not a company)3. Acknowledge other communication

channels4. Headed by a professionally trained editor5. Custom publishing is not PR, but one

must clearly separate the editorial and marketing functions within a custom publication just as is the case in an in-house publication (Guidelines 5 and 6)


Custom publishing? (cont)

7. Editor must be part of senior management of a publishing company – if it is a custom publication for a client – he/she must have access to senior management

8. Senior management should support the editorial team – especially where a custom publication is produced for a specific company

9. Environments should be acknowledged



10. The concept of supporting senior managerial decisions would not be relevant to custom publications

11. , 12. and 14. Relevant information should be published in a custom title

13. Two-way communication could benefit a custom publication in that it would inform the editor on whether it reaches its target market.



15. Professionally produced publication

16. Regular evaluation


Thank you!


References• ARNOLD, E.C. 1982. Editing the organisation publication. Chicago:

Lawrence Ragan Communications.• BIVINS, T.H. 1993. Fundamentals of successful newsletters. Chicago:

NTC Business Books.• DE JAGER, J.1977. Die interne skakelblad (personeelblad) as

kommunikasie medium in die bedryf. (Unpublished MA thesis), Potchefstroom: North West University.

• GRUNIG, J.E. 1992. Excellence in public relations and communication management. New Jersey: Hillsdale.

• MERSHAM, G.M.; VAN RENSBURG, R.S. & SKINNER, J.C. 1995. Public relations, development and social investment: a South African perspective. Pretoria: Van Schaik.

• WOOD, E. 2006. Excellent in-house journals in South Africa: case studies of five leading publications. (Unpublished PhD thesis), Potchefstroom: North West University.

• These are only some of the more than 100 references used for this PhD study.