The Economic Pressures and Their Impact on the Management Functions of Egyptian Press Organizations (A Field Study on sample of press organizations’ journalists)

Author

Faculty of Mass Communication, Ahram Canadian University

Abstract

Considering economic pressures, this study aimed to observe the impact of these pressures on the core management functions within Egyptian press organizations. It focused on the types and sources of these pressures and their influence on the performance of employees within the institution, with the goal of developing recommendations that contribute to adopting new and flexible strategies to effectively confront these crises. The theoretical framework of the study relied on the Organizational Support Theory and the Systems Analysis Approach, applying a questionnaire to a sample from the management of Egyptian press organization (state-owned, such as Al-Ahram, and private, such as Al-Watan, Cairo 24, and Al-Shorouk). The study sought to identify the types and sources of economic pressures and their reflection on management functions (planning, organizing, leadership and decision-making, control and evaluation) as well as their impact on professional performance. Moreover, it explored ways to mitigate the negative effects of economic pressures by proposing solutions to address these challenges in the management of press organization.
 
The study's findings indicate that economic pressures represent a significant challenge for employees in Egyptian press organizations, where long working hours and low wages are identified as major issues. The study also revealed that internal factors, such as interpersonal relationships among employees, have the greatest influence on the management of press institutions. This aligns with the Organizational Support Theory, which posits that to ensure its survival and success, an institution must establish a form of positive exchange between the individual (journalist) and the institution they work for. The more the press institution values the contributions and efforts of its employees, the more effort the employees will exert to help the institution achieve its goals. This, in turn, positively impacts the individual's psychological well-being in facing economic pressures, which is something that Egyptian press organization currently lack.

Keywords


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