Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Public Relations In Social Capital And Civic Engagement, Weiwu Zhang, Alan Abitbol

Communication Faculty Publications

Public relations scholars have increasingly argued for the broader role of public relations and strategic communication in society (e.g., Taylor, 2010). That is, how can knowledge of public relations be used to make society better rather than simply making organizations more effective? This study examines how different types of public relations and strategic communication efforts contribute to citizens’ social capital and civic engagement. Specifically, this study uses data from the 2010 Pew Internet and American Life Project ‘Social Side of the Internet’ survey to examine the relationship between various strategic communication efforts by social, civic, professional, and religious organizations and …

Meat's Place On The Campaign Menu: How U.S. Environmental Discourse Negotiates Vegetarianism, Carrie Packwood Freeman

Communication Faculty Publications

Given the impact of America’s food choices, particularly animal-based foods, on life-sustaining systems, to what extent is the environmental movement making meat-based diets an issue? This research analyzes websites of 15 U.S. environmental advocacy organizations (EOs) to examine how they negotiate the question of animal versus plant-based diets and propose solutions for food producers and consumers. EOs proposed that industrial agriculture and commercial fishing/aquaculture severely limit destructive practices to more sustainably meet consumer demand for animal products. EOs offered consumers choices, including: 1) replacement of much industrial food with local, organic, and/or sustainable animal or plant foods, 2) reduction of …

Framing Animal Rights In The "Go Veg" Campaigns Of U.S. Animal Rights Organizations, Carrie Packwood Freeman

Communication Faculty Publications

How much do animal rights activists talk about animal rights when they attempt to persuade America's meat-lovers to stop eating nonhuman-animals? This study serves as the basis for a unique evaluation and categorization of problems and solutions as framed by five major U.S. animal rights organizations in their vegan/food campaigns. Findings reveal organizations framed problems as: cruelty and suffering; commodification; harm to humans and the environment; and needless killing. To solve problems, largely blamed on factory farming, activists asked consumers to become "vegetarian" (meaning vegan) or reduce animal product consumption, some requesting "humane"reforms. While certain messages supported animal rights, promoting …

A Greater Means To The Greater Good: Ethical Guidelines To Meet Social Movement Organization Advocacy Challenges, Carrie Packwood Freeman

Communication Faculty Publications

Existing public relations ethics literature often proves inadequate when applied to social movement campaigns, considering the special communication challenges activists face as marginalized moral visionaries in a commercial public sphere. The communications of counter-hegemonic movements is distinct enough from corporate, nonprofit, and governmental organizations to warrant its own ethical guidelines. The unique communication guidelines most relevant to social movement organizations include promoting asymmetrical advocacy to a greater extent than is required for more powerful organizations and building flexibility into the TARES principles to privilege social responsibility over respect for audience values in activist campaigns serving as ideological critique.

Public Relations Through A New Lens—Critical Praxis Via The Excellence Theory, Adam W. Tyma

Communication Faculty Publications

The “Excellence Theory” (J.E. Grunig et al., 2002) was initially developed, and is continually being tested, in order to demonstrate what makes for public relations practices that are both efficient and ethical for all parties involved. There is criticism which purports that such a normalizing theory is no longer relevant for current social, political, or corporate realities encountered by the public relations practitioner or researcher. This essay presents the “Excellence Theory” as a critical inquiry paradigm, allowing for the creation of spaces accessible by otherwise marginalized publics by the public relations practitioner.

Organizing The Baby Boomer Construct: An Exploration Of Marketing, Social Systems, And Culture, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Michael L. Hilt, Hugh J. Reilly

Communication Faculty Publications

Baby boomer trends are applied in the development of a conceptual framework that offers a social systems and cultural model for future studies. While there has been considerable recent attention paid to baby boomers, the studies lack a coherent theoretical base that would allow for more advanced and continuing research. Aging baby boomers heading into retirement present excellent research opportunities for scholars.

Are Anti-Spit Tobacco Campaigns Striking Out? A Survey Of Iowa And Nebraska College Baseball Players, David C. Ogden, Teresa A. Lamsam, Hugh J. Reilly, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

Anti-spit tobacco information is replete with fear appeals, including firsthand accounts of death and debilitation, to make users aware of the health risks and dangers. Those dangers, however, are well known by baseball players whose association with spit tobacco is historic. A survey of 217 Iowa and Nebraska college players showed that despite their awareness of spit tobacco's dangers, the players use spit tobacco to relax and focus on the field. This study supports other research showing that fear appeals may not be the most appropriate approach for anti-tobacco advertising campaigns. The study suggests that campaigns should promote relaxation and …

Business As Usual: Ethics As Mundane Behavior, And The Case Of Target Corporation, Jon A. Hess

Communication Faculty Publications

Ethics are in vogue in the 1990s America. Concerns for ethical behavior pervade almost every aspect of our lives and work. This trend has not been unnoticed by the American business community. In fact, many businesses have taken current ethical concerns and tried to put them into action. In some cases, the action has been out of necessity or self-interest, as in the case of companies hurt by an unethical reputation or companies forced to implement ethics programs because of legal indictments. But some companies are taking a proactive stance toward ethics without external pressure.

As these businesses strive to …