Communication Commons^™

"Social" Movements: A Trend Analysis Of The Role Of Social Media In Social Movements, Courtney Nelson Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

The gay rights movement has been very active on social media throughout the years. Using a trend analysis this study aimed to answer how social media is being used during a social movement, how a social movement evolves on social media, and how social media is being used by organizations as a public relations strategy to create change in social movements. Overall, the findings revealed 11 different ways social media is being used during a social movement, which shows how important opinion leaders are in helping a social movement gain traction and create the desired impact.

Brand Communication Through Social Media Influencers: How Organizations Can Advance Effective Relationships With Smis In Brazil, Andressa Ferreira Gaertner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to shed light on how brands can build relationships with social media influencers (SMIs). By replicating Pang et al. (2016) research in different cultural settings, the present study identified internal and external influences that are important for SMIs routines in Brazil, generating additional enlightenment into the Mediating the Media model for SMIs and evaluating to what extent cultural differences may impact the proposed theoretical framework. The research was conducted in two major parts. The first replicated the method used previously by Pang et al. (2016), performing in-depth interviews with eight SMIs. In the second …

How Public Relations Firms Do Pr For Themselves Through Corporate Social Responsibility, Melissa Elise Steckler

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate social responsibility has become an increasingly important topic within the workplace. This subject continues to garner further attention and scrutiny, especially with regards to public relations firms and their CSR-related engagements because of how practical motivations for charitable giving may blend with the nature of their business. Public relations professionals were interviewed to uncover information regarding each firm's CSR programs and level of engagement, in addition to textual analysis that included the PR firms' websites, social media presence, and what the media has said about the firms' CSR efforts. Findings revealed five cross-company patterns with regard to CSR made …

We're Friends Right? Dialogical Strategy Effects In Csr Facebook Posts On Perceived Organizational Trust And Authenticity, Casey J. Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

A study examining the effects of public relations' dialogical communication strategies on stakeholder's perceptions of trust and authenticity of organizations was conducted. The experiment was tested on organizational Facebook posts broadcasting a corporate social responsibility message. While "Human Voice" had no affect on perceived trustworthiness or authenticity, Dialogical Loop was found to significantly effect stakeholder perceptions of authenticity, but not trustworthiness. Due to the presence Dialogical Loop in the form of replies to user comments, users perceived the organization as less authentic. Ruminations about possible implications for public relations theory and practice on social media as well as recommendations for …

The Role Of Documentary Film In The Emerging Social Entrepreneurial Culture, Karyn Elizabeth Daley

Theses and Dissertations

Considering the current skepticism surrounding the impact and efficacy of nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations, some believe that a unique category of innovator known as the social entrepreneur may be society’s best hope for bringing innovative, scalable, and systemic solutions to bear on the world’s most intractable problems. Social entrepreneurs, as defined by Ashoka, have a unique set of characteristics that determine not only how they move within the world of social change-making but also how they communicate their ideas and mission to the public.

This exploratory study reviewed how social entrepreneurs currently use documentary film and visual media in their …

Television Executive Producers' Use Of Twitter As A Public Relations Tool, Scott Joseph Nash

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how television executive producers are utilizing the social media platform of Twitter as a public relations tool. Utilizing a qualitative textual analysis, this study examines 10 executive producers' use of Twitter over a three-week period. The results of the textual analysis indicated executive producers primarily used Twitter as a public relations tool in five different themes: clarification, compliment, gratitude, promotion, and engagement. Future research should utilize additional qualitative research through in-depth interviews with industry professionals such as television executive producers or public relations firms that work directly with the television industry and those who specifically work with …

Adapt, Adopt Or Create New Approaches? Albania And The Question Of An Emerging Country In The Field Of Public Relations, Jetmira Karanxha

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a description of the emerging state of the public relations field in Albania under the framework and influence of four main public relations worldviews including persuasive/marketing, relationship management, community building, and personal influence. This study seeks to give insights into how an emerging country in the field of public relations approaches the development of the field; whether it adapts, adopts or creates new practices. The research design proposed by the author aims to shed some light on possible theoretical meanings and themes that could be developing in countries where the field of …

Public Relations For Prosocial Change: A Case Study Of A Nonprofit Organization's Efforts To Gain Visibility And Support For Its Cause, Kathryn J. Burnett

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the theory of prosocial public relations as proposed by Wakefield, Burnett, and van Dusen (2011). The propositions put forth by the theory are that in gaining visibility and support for prosocial causes, an organization will engage in non-confrontational (prosocial) public relations by building up internal resources, reaching out to target publics, and making connections with those publics related to the cause. This single-case study explored the public relations and communication tactics of a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide aid and service to the poor. A Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul located …

Autonomy-Dependency Paradox In Organization-Public Relationships: A Case Study Analysis Of A University Art Museum, Christopher E. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents an exploration of the autonomy-dependence paradox inherent in organization-public relationships that is informed by paradox theory, structuration theory and scholarly and philosophical literature on authenticity. These theories suggest that relationships between organizations and their publics are defined by interdependence, or the centripetal and centrifugal forces of autonomy and dependence that cause tensions that can influence the decision making of the relational partners. They also suggest that organizations must use their agency, their knowledge of relational structures, and their understanding of their authentic selves to manage their own behavior and communication rather than that of their publics. The …

Pioneers In Twentieth Century Mormon Media: Oral Histories Of Latter-Day Saint Electronic And Public Relations Professionals, Jonice L. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

The project consists of three parts: a summary of the research, a collection of sixteen oral histories of Latter-day Saint Electronic Media and Public Relations professionals who contributed to the development and growth of media in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a one-hour documentary film, Pioneers in Mormon Media, which gives a brief history of the development of modern mass communications and its use by the Church. This qualitative study investigates who has been involved in Church media, what projects have been accomplished and provides some explanation as to why the Church uses media. The oral …

An External Communication Audit Of The National Tropical Botanical Garden, Jennifer Melody Murdock

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents the results of an external communication audit of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG), a congressionally chartered nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of tropical plant diversity. Information was gathered during the communication audit through interviews with NTBG's key decision makers, content analyses of NTBG's primary publications, and a questionnaire measuring the public-organization relationship.

The audit assesses NTBG's external communication policies, practices, capabilities, and needs in the context of systems theory and external relations strategic planning theories. The findings of the audit identify who NTBG considers its target publics and how well they are reaching certain audiences. …

Measuring Press Release Placement From Brigham Young University's Public Communications Office To Utah's Newspapers, Gregory T. Kunde

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a replication of a study conducted at Oklahoma State University in 1986. This study measures the percentage of Brigham Young University press releases published in Utah newspapers during a four month period in 1989. The results of the two studies are analyzed and compared.

Additionally, personal interviews were conducted with thirty Utah newspaper editors to help determine any additional factors that may affect publishing decisions among Utah's newspaper editors.

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Current Status Of Paid Religious Broadcasting On National Television, Wayne R. Bills

Theses and Dissertations

In examining the use of paid television by various evangelical organizations (the "Electronic Church") as contrasted with its use by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), several important differences were discovered. First, the programs of the electronic church are usually designed much like a normal Sunday service with a "preacher" and "congregation" (the T.V. viewers). The LDS approach has been to communicate religious principles through the use of a story. Their productions are attractive to a large audience because they often feature a well-known television or motion picture celebrity, and are aired during prime-time viewing hours.

The …

The Public Relations Practices Of Directors Of Institutes Of Religion Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In California, 1974-75, Ronald Charl Louw

Theses and Dissertations

Seventy-five directors of the Institutes of Religion of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California, responded to a questionnaire regarding their public relations' practices. Institute directors with formal training in public relations utilized more practices, an average of 30.4, than directors without formal training who used an average of 26.9 practices. Institute directors in different locations (divisions) did not differ in the average number of practices used. Seventeen percent of the directors had structured public relations' programs. Directors emphasized more frequently public relations practices relating to priesthood leaders (72 percent) and students (67 percent) than practices relating …

Mormonism In National Periodicals, 1961-1970, Dale P. Pelo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the image of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as reflected in articles appearing in general national periodicals of the United States during the decade 1961-1970. All articles listed in Readers Guide to Periodical Literature under the heading "Mormons and Mormonism" or related topics were searched. A rating system as devised by Dr. Richard O. Cowan in his work "Momonism in National Periodicals" was implemented.

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Broadcasting By The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In The Northern States Mission Area, Robert W. Donigan

Theses and Dissertations

There has been no systematic study of the effectiveness of broadcasting by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since the advent of TV and the nation-wide telecasting of the Annual and Semi-Annual General Conferences of the Church each April and October. In addition to determining effectiveness, there is a need to discover to what degree people watch or listen to religious programming in general, and what types of religious programs they wouldm most like to have available.

The Northern States Mission of the Church, including all or part of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana, was seleceted as a …

An Evaluation Of Public Relations Contacts With High School Seniors Made By A Representative Of Brigham Young University, Dale L. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

This study was an attempt to determine to what extent personal contacts, as a part of student recruitment, acquainted high school seniors of 1958 with Brigham Young University and influenced them in their enrollment. Opinions of college freshmen who were graduated from high schools visited by a B.Y.U. public relations representative were elicited by mail questionnaire. Respondents were asked to list the means through which they became "acquainted" with the University. They were also asked to list what "influenced" them to attend. Personal contacts by a public relations representative were considered among various means of "acquaintance" and "influence" of a …