Digital Commons Network^™

Method Of Product Placement In Computer Games. Qualitative Research Amongst Polish Players, Magdalena Hofman-Kohlmeyer

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

Nowadays, new technologies enable practitioners to create brand experience in the virtual world of computer games. Marketers use product placement to reach potential and current customers. In the meantime, computer games have become an attractive medium because they attract an increasingly wider audience of different genders and various age groups. Therefore, an important issue is to know and systematize current methods of brand placement in computer games. For the purpose, the author carried out 20 in-depth interviews with players of chosen computer games, Second Life, Euro Truck Simulator 2 and The Sims. According to the analysis, it can be distinguished …

Mediating Effect Of Mobile Banking Trust On Information And System Quality, Marko Van Deventer

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

In the context of mobile banking services, trust emerges as a pivotal factor influencing both the acceptance and utilisation of these services, significantly shaping customers' confidence in their usage. Existing literature proposes that trust operates as a mediator in the connection between customers' perceptions of the quality of information and the overall system in mobile banking.

This study aimed to investigate whether trust acts as a mediating variable in the relationship between information and system quality within the mobile banking experiences of Generation Y customers in the South African banking sector. Employing a descriptive research design, the study distributed self-administered …

Bridge The Gap: Using Advocacy To Bridge The Gender Wage Gap In Sports - A Comparative Analysis Of Venus Williams And The Us Women’S National Team, William E. Mitchell

Student Theses and Dissertations

For decades sports and activism have been synonymous. Many remember Jesse Owens and Tommie Smith’s Olympic protests, Mohammed Ali’s anti-war protest and Collin Kaepernick kneeling to bring attention to racial injustices. More recently many joined in celebration and applauded when the US Women’s National Team secured equal pay. However, many women in sports remain invisible. Activism is a viable form of seeking change, but can the route taken by Venus Williams work in team sports? This project will seek to examine if activism is a viable change agent in sports especially in closing the gender pay gap. While several female …

Savouring The Veiled Narratives Of Banquet Menus, Adriana Sohodoleanu

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

The study explores the semiotic significance of late nineteenth to early twentieth-century Romanian banquet menus, transcending culinary functions to convey broader societal messages. Examining 30 menus from Romania and Austro-Hungarian Romanian-speaking Transylvania, predominantly sourced from newspapers, it reveals banquets as platforms for political and social expression. Written in Romanian or French, these menus serve as conduits for political opinions, declarations of friendship or enmity, and expressions of pride or despair. Intentionally published in newspapers, they reflect a society valuing freedom of speech and exhibit a discernible discursive character, treating food as intellectual nourishment. The coverage of banquets in newspapers offers …

Understanding Older People’S Voice Interactions With Smart Voice Assistants: A New Modified Rule-Based Natural Language Processing Model With Human Input, Zhengxu Yan, Victoria Dube, Judith Heselton, Kate Johnson, Changmin Yan, Valerie Jones, Julie Blaskewicz Boron, Marcia Shade

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has expedited the integration of Smart Voice Assistants (SVA) among older people. The qualitative data derived from user commands on SVA is pivotal for elucidating the engagement patterns of older individuals with such systems. However, the sheer volume of user-generated voice interaction data presents a formidable challenge for manual coding. Compounding this issue, age-related cognitive decline and alterations in speech patterns further complicate the interpretation of older users’ SVA voice interactions. Conventional dictionary-based textual analysis tools, which count word frequencies, are inadequate in capturing the evolving and communicative essence of these interactions that unfold over a series …

Perceptions Of Science Communication’S Domain, Practices, And Identity: What Concerns Members On The Peripheral Edge Of A Community Of Practice, Rebecca Swenson, Corissa Marson

Journal of Applied Communications

This research shares insights from qualitative interviews with scientists in agricultural and environmental science programs (n=26) to better understand how occasional, peripheral, or emerging members of the science communication community of practice perceive its domain, practices, and identity. Findings suggest concern about personal risks of communicating, especially control over messaging, interactions with disagreeable audiences, being incorrect, and reputation damage. However, many believe that communication is broadly important for their field and resources. Scientists did not have clear agreement on boundaries of science communication, and advocacy and uncertainty were points of contention. Suggestions for strengthening science communication training are proposed.

Ai And Advocacy: Maximizing Potential, Minimizing Risk, Matthew Salzano, Nicholas Fung, Ada Lin, Sofia Marchetta, Faith Colombo, Kaylah Davis, John Flynn, Carlos Fuentes, Fion Li, Malar Paavi Muthukumaran, Angelica Paramoshin, Chrisanne Pearce, Vianney Ramos, Charles St. Hilaire, Xi Zheng, Wei Zhuang

School of Communication and Journalism Faculty Publications

New Generative AI tools are revolutionizing writing and communication. This report focuses on AI and advocacy, the act of influencing public policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. This report identifies three major opportunities and accompanying risks, plus one strong recommendation for advocates considering using AI. We argue that AI can be useful for advocates, but they must be careful to center human judgment and avoid risks that could distract from their important work or even contribute to societal harms.

Spiking Engagement: Analyzing Social Media Tactics And Fan Interaction In The Omaha Supernovas, Anne Thomas

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The available engagement of social media for firms and their target market is unmatched. Rather than a one-way communication, it is an open channel. Potential customers can share their thoughts and feelings on the firms’ products and services, and firms can connect with their customers and create brand loyalty. This opens opportunities for marketers to look at new ways and strategies to connect with their customers. This is the same for professional sports teams. Just like a traditional firm, professional sports teams rely on being able to connect with and sell to their target market.

The newly established Omaha Supernovas …

Close To Home, Closer To Fun: Bringing Local Customers Back To Metropolis Resort, Kate Burhop

Strategic Communication Master of Arts Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Interaction Time And Verbal Engagement With Personal Voice Assistants On Alleviating Loneliness Among Older Adults: An Exploratory Study, Changmin Yan, Kate Johnson, Valerie Jones

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Faculty Publications

Background: Loneliness in older adults is a critical issue that negatively affects their well-being. The potential of personal voice assistant (PVA) devices like Amazon’s Alexa Echo in reducing loneliness is an emerging area of interest, but it remains under-researched. Objective: this study aims to investigate the effect of interaction time and verbal engagement with PVA devices on reducing loneliness among older adults living alone. Method: In this experiment, individuals aged 75 and older (n = 15), living alone, were provided with Amazon Alexa Echo devices. They were instructed to interact with the device at least five times a day …

The Study Of Baby Boomers And Generation Z’S Attitudes Towards Generational Mental Health Dynamics, Regina M. Luttrell Ph.D., Hunter Harpin, Emma Grace Reville, Yunxiang Yu, Abagail Sweeney

Real Chemistry Emerging Insights Lab

The purpose of this research is to compare and contrast how different historical events have impacted Generation Z members’ and the Baby Boomers’ attitudes towards mental health and how those attitudes have guided members of these generations to feel about medical experts and the technology that they use to deliver their services in the post-COVID era. Studying these topics allows our group to make recommendations as to how medical experts should go about interacting with members of the Generation Z and Baby Boomer generations respectively, based on how historical events have influenced their attitudes towards mental health topics, their perceived …

The Impact Of Loneliness Post-Pandemic And Immersed In The Upcoming Political Election, Regina M. Luttrell Ph.D., Gwen Pratt, Abigail Kludt, Amy Barone, Kwadwo Osei-Poku, Lihan Wang

Real Chemistry Emerging Insights Lab

The Real Chemistry Emerging Insights Lab emerged with a partnership between Real Chemistry and the Public Relations department at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication and serves as a multidisciplinary research center focusing on analytics, artificial intelligence, digital and emerging media for a number of organizations regarding communications.

Healthcare professionals and organizations are interested in identifying how mental health impacts different U.S. generational groups after the COVID-19 pandemic and the intersectionality of U.S. Politics. Our team focused on two generational cohorts – Generation X (1965-1980) and Generation Z (1997-2012) – as an entry point into navigating the impact of …

Examining Connectivity And Mental Health Amongst Generation Z And Millennials, Regina M. Luttrell Ph.D., Alexandra Hosilyk, Nyah Jones, Grace Kos-Dondlinger, Runchu Lang, Katerina Miller

Real Chemistry Emerging Insights Lab

The Real Chemistry Emerging Insights Lab tasked our research team to develop findings based on two generational cohorts and mental health. Our team decided to research Millennials and Generation Z in relation to their mental health and connectivity habits. In addition to these general topics, we analyzed how remote work, the COVID-19 pandemic and U.S. political turmoil have played a role in the mental health status of these two generational cohorts.

The Millennial generational cohort is defined as individuals born from 1981 to 1996. The Generation Z generational cohort is defined as individuals born from 1997 to 2012. In order …

The Kanye Factor: A Brand’S Dilemma, Rachel Oyinloluwa Oyinloye

Global Strategic Communications Student Work

Adidas is a global sportswear manufacturer that grew from roots that started in 1924 by the Dassler brothers before, evolving into the second largest sports brand in the world, now known as Adidas, on August 18, 1949. The brand has had its fair share of success and scrutiny in its 73-year existence. As a company that has diversity, equity, and inclusion as key points in its global strategy, Adidas is not a stranger to facing criticism in this area. In October 2022, recording artist, producer, and entrepreneur Kanye (Ye) West came under fire for a series of controversial actions. From …

Identifying Barriers: Analysis Of Federal Law Enforcement Social Media And Recruitment Efforts, Reena Desai, Edgar Greer, Meghan Waldron

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Richmond Field Office seeks to diversify their applicant pool. In an effort to provide information on how to meet this need, our doctoral team analyzed the social media sites of six federal law enforcement agencies to include: the Federal Bureau of Investigation- Headquarters, Federal Bureau of Investigation-Richmond Field Office, Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the United States Marshal Service. By examining a 60-day window of images and their associated text on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram accounts, we wanted to gain a stronger understanding of …

From Conspiracy To Normalcy: The Mainstreaming Of Qanon In “Disney Grooming” Messages Online, Daniela Peterka-Benton, Bond Benton, Joel Penney

School of Communication and Media Scholarship and Creative Works

In March of 2022, The Walt Disney Company voiced opposition to Florida’s "Parental Rights in Education" (“Don’t Say Gay”) in support of LGBTQ+ stakeholders within in the company and the public. This research studied a dataset of 68,481 tweets where the company’s stance was constructed as “grooming” children, i.e. manipulating children for sexual abuse. Tweets were collected from March 13, 2022 to May 16, 2022 representing a two month period from Disney’s stance against "Parental Rights in Education.” As grooming is a term often associated with human trafficking and Disney is a major media company, this study is interested in …

“What Planet Are You On” - Making Meaning Of Sustainability Through Storytelling, Nancy T. Ladeinde

Masters Theses

The term “Sustainability” has come to stay as it is deeply integrated into our everyday life, although it seems complex to understand and engage with. The purpose of this thesis is to know how Unilever, a global consumer goods organization, makes meaning of its sustainability efforts. The method used to achieve this is a thematic analysis of Unilever’s campaign “What Planet Are You On?” a brand campaign documenting their sustainability efforts. Building on storytelling as a theoretical framework, it delves into the strategic use of stories as a communication tool for sustainability efforts, emphasizing its impact on brand narrative, stakeholder …

Gender Representation In Indian Television Advertisements From 2011 To 2020, Himika Akram

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This thesis delves into the ways in which gender is portrayed in Indian television advertisements, with a focus on key areas such as male and female ratio as primary characters, in voiceovers, at home, outdoor, and workplace settings, and finally, in product categories. The thesis draws on a content analysis of 120 strategically selected Indian television advertisements from 120 brands from 2011 to 2020. Findings reveal that men were portrayed as the primary characters in 54.6% of these advertisements, and females were portrayed as the primary characters in 45.4% of advertisements. For voiceovers, the male ratio was 70.1%, and the …

The Impact Of Utilitarian Product Reviews On Brand Perception, Benjamin Libon

Masters Theses

The impact of online reviews on consumer behavior has been increasingly studied as online retail platforms have grown exponentially, and internet research used prior to purchasing products has become more common. However, limited research has examined the impact of those product reviews on the overall perception of the brands selling these products. This study exclusively looked at product reviews for high and low-involvement utilitarian products and analyzed how those reviews affect consumers' perception of a brand. Taking a sample of 301 participants, findings showed that star ratings had a drastic effect on consumers' perception of a brand, associating a low …

The Alumni Base Holds The Institution In Their Heart: Alumni Decision Making And Communication Strategies During University Leadership Change, Brandy Cox Jackson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the research was to understand how alumni executives make decisions and formulate communication strategies during university leadership change. The research was based on the trends found by the American Council on Education that the tenure of the college president has been on the decline since 2006 and is currently 5.9 years. Multiple factors have been identified in the literature that have led to this decline. The research focused on the largest constituency of most universities, its alumni base, and provides context and a description of decision making and communication strategies for alumni executives navigating leadership change. The …

The Crusading Days Of Jackie Stewart: Evaluating The Development Of Safety In Motor Racing During The 1960s., Alex Twitchen

Journal of Motorsport Culture & History

This article critically evaluates the contribution of Jackie Stewart in making motor racing a safer sport for competitors. It challenges the validity of the popular assumption that Jackie Stewart by himself developed a ‘culture of safety’ that transformed the sport. Instead, the role of other individuals are identified alongside the importance of three social processes. These processes are identified as the changing balance of power between different masculine identities, the development of commercial sponsorship and a growth in the coverage of the sport on television.

The development of motor racing from the 1960s onwards as a safer sport in which …

Building Solidarity Between Minority Groups, Seonwoo Kim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Although a considerable number of scholars agree that an intergroup coalition among minorities will be more powerful in changing biased perceptions, regulations, and policies (e.g., Burson & Godfrey, 2020; Lane et al., 2019), cross-minority solidarity is challenging due to the inherent difficulties in establishing a shared goal and reaching a consensus on methods and tactics (Gawerc, 2021; Rogers, 2004) and competing policy stances and stereotypes (Hope, 2019; Nopper, 2006). Numerous instances of social movements that failed due to the failure of coalitions to form have been documented in the literature (e.g., Almeida, 2010; Ferree & Roth, 1998; Gelb & Shogan, …

Curating A Consumption Ideology: Platformization And Gun Influencers On Instagram, Jenna M. Drenten Ph.D., Lauren Gurrieri, Aimee Dinnín Huff, Michelle Barnhart

School of Business: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This study explores how a platform enables social media influencers to promulgate a consumption ideology. We show how gun influencers, or “gunfluencers,” use Instagram to link products, activities, and meanings to Second Amendment ideology – a gun-centric belief system in the United States colloquially known as “2A ideology.” Through a qualitative study of 25 Instagram gunfluencers, we identify a process of curating a consumption ideology wherein social media influencers employ four curatorial tactics: glamourizing, demystifying, victimizing, and tribalizing. Findings suggest gunfluencers extend audiences and leverage algorithms to prescribe and model how supporters of 2A ideology should look, act, speak, feel, …

Hulu's Multicultural Mingle: Embracing Diversity In Entertainment, Cindy Alghawi

Global Strategic Communications Student Work

The increasing demand for streaming services has propelled platforms like Hulu to explore innovative approaches to bolster their popularity. As competition in the streaming industry intensifies and consumer trends evolve, maintaining relevance becomes a paramount challenge. Hulu, a prominent on-demand streaming service in the United States, possesses a significant opportunity to enhance its demand by curating a more culturally diverse content portfolio. This article elucidates strategic approaches to highlight cultural diversity and inclusion within the Hulu platform. Drawing on comprehensive survey findings and primary research, this report will showcase the pressing demand for cultural diversity on the Hulu platform, an …

Ua12/2/2 Talisman: Dimension, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

Fall 2023 Talisman:

• Johnson, Katelyn . Flora & Fauna - Biology
• Pollard, Evynn. Inked Imagination
• Booth, Pandora. Sowing Grace - Mothers
• Murray, Debra. Shapes of Beauty
• Bivens, Emily. The Life Lesson
• Figures of Fall
• Meyers, Jeffrey. Level Up - eGames
• Walsh, Aidan. Unsung Heroes
• Sandlin, Ellie. Place to Be - Habitat for Humanity, Hotel, Inc.
• Youngers, Joel. An Endless Starry Sky
• Muscutt, Carson. True Colors - Queen Venus Knight
• Drury, Faith. Innovative Mind - Concrete Canoe, Steel Bridge
• Ousley, Rachael. One Man's Treasure - Matt Tullis
• Haines, Lily. Chuck Close
• Thompson, Sarah. En Pointe
• Hunt, Janie. Open Your Eyes
• Halstead, …

Ua45/1 Registrar Updates, Wku Registrar

WKU Archives Records

Newsletter created by and about the WKU Registrar's Office. Articles:

• FERPA Reminders (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act)
• Most Common FERPA Violations
• Drop for Non-Attendance
• Attendance Policy
• Application for Graduation
• Events
• Fall 2023 Important Dates
• Finals Week Fall 2023
• Meet Our Team

Ua19/16/2 Women's Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Archives Records

Press releases and game statistics for WKU women's basketball team from August to December 2023.

Factors Influencing Employee Satisfaction In Nonprofit Organizations In The United States, Kristi Egbert

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Employees in nonprofit organizations are not paid as much as for-profit employees according to the United States 2014 Labor Statistics. Nonprofits work to meet community needs. Since turnover rates impact a company’s ability to these needs (Lee, 2015), it is important to learn what keeps employees satisfied. This review found that employees find the work itself satisfying when they see how they support the organization’s mission (Haley-Lock, 2007), chances to move up in the company, autonomy, (Weisberg & Dent, 2016), and inclusivity (Brimhall, 2019), and workplace relationships (Mathieu & Nabiak, 2016; Slater & Slater, 2018) are related with job satisfaction.

Flower Power: Testing Social Media Advertising Strategies For Floral Products, Rachel Corry, William R. Taylor, Jessica Holt, Hailey Bittles, Benjamin L. Campbell, Julie Campbell

Journal of Applied Communications

Social media and the internet have impacted how companies and organizations advertise to consumers. Digital advertising has created the opportunity to engage with consumers, target specific groups, and capture metrics of use to help build effective advertising strategies. The floral industry is a large sector within the agricultural arena, which is primed to engage with young consumers. This research examined the effectiveness of utilizing static and animated social media advertisements to increase consumers’ intention to purchase floral products. Using an online survey and an experimental design, this study examined 8,488 respondents’ intention to purchase floral products after viewing static and …

Instagram As A Tool Of Diffusion For The Livestock Industry, Savannah Locke, Karen Hiltbrand, Katie Corbitt, Darcey Richburg, David Shannon, Soren P. Rodning, Jason T. Sawyer, Don Mulvaney

Journal of Applied Communications

Studies have shown that more people are getting their information through social media (SM). With so much misinformation presented in global media, it is difficult for consumers to distinguish what is true and what isn’t. With negative images and minimal context, consumers have a tendency to believe and trust what they see on SM. After IRB approval, a survey study was launched on Qualtrics and accessed via email. Using Instagram as platform, this study presented 5 cognitively and 5 emotionally oriented posts focused on the aspects of animal welfare, diet/health, and environment/sustainability. Prior to viewing the Instagram posts, study participants …