Communication Commons^™

Social Enterprises And Social Media: A Dialogic And Comparative Analysis, Kevin L. Rawls

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study is devoted to assessing the public relations activities of social enterprises on social media through a dialogic communication lens and comparing those activities with traditional businesses. Social enterprises are fundamentally devoted to leveraging market forces to help create sustainable social change, and as such are interested in not only financial returns but also specific social returns, and the public relations strategies of these organizations should be more aligned than traditional businesses with fully functioning society theory and dialogic communication principles. This study reveals areas of opportunity for both social enterprises and conventional companies to develop in the area …

Zoo Communication: A Study Of Stewardship With Animal Conservation In Zoos Across The United States, Abby Rachelle Lester

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This thesis investigates the communication strategies employed by zoo professionals to promote engagement and advanec animal conservation education. Through in-depth interviews with zoo experts, the stidy explores the intricate connections between communication practices and stewardship princliples within zoo facilities. Findings from this study contribute to the understanding of effective communication in the realm of animal conservation, with implications for both zoo practitioners and conservation educators. The study delves into the effective strategies for identifying and fostering relationships with environmental stewards, alongside encouraging their involvement in zoo-based animal conservation initiatives. The theoretical implications highlight gaps in existing models, emphasizing the need …

Prsa District Leadership Shows Strong Ohio Connection, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

When the Public Relations Society of America East Central District begins its 20^th year on January 1, 2024 its board of directors will have a distinct connection with the Buckeye State.

"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.

Building A Library Renovation Website Using Public Relations Principles, Kristen S. Shuyler

Libraries

Learn how James Madison University Libraries built an award-winning library renovation website using core principles from the field of public relations (PR). Key features include an interactive visual timeline (created with an open-source tool), a collection of memories of the library, and FAQs based on actual user questions.

Reputation Themes From Communication Perspective: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Omar Abu Arqoub

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education (مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية (للبحوث في التعليم العالي

The article aimed to systematically review communication reputation-related research to shape the reputation literature from a communication perspective. After investigating several databases, a total of 366 peer-reviewed communication journal articles focusing on reputation were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. A qualitative text mining and thematic analysis approach was conducted using the NVivo program to examine the most frequently used words and major emergent themes. The results revealed that the topmost frequently repeated words in communication reputation-focused articles were “crisis,” “public,” “reputation,” “communication,” “media,” and “relations.” Also, this study discussed the six major themes that …

Communicating Diversity, Equity And Inclusion: A Public Relations Class/Client Partnership With A Dei Focus, Arien Rozelle, Nicole Smith

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

In an effort to enhance the typical semester-long class/client campaign partnership, students in COMM472 PR Research & Planning (a campaigns style course) partnered with their campus library as a “client” to communicate about on-campus diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Throughout the semester, students researched, planned, implemented and measured campaigns to help make the library a more inclusive environment for students of diverse backgrounds. Students were introduced to and applied a variety of research methods and public relations theories to guide their strategy. In addition, students developed a greater understanding of the necessity of DEI both on-campus and in the field …

Media Literacy And Covid-19 Communication: Work And Home Sphere Differences, Donnalyn Pompper, Tugce Ertem-Eray

Journal of Media Literacy Education

As a learning process wherein we ask questions to enhance knowledge, media literacy offers a powerful lens for examining how people practice communication across diverse applied contexts such as professional communicators shaping messages about COVID-19. Borrowing a page from Renee Hobbs’ (1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2021) media literacy education research, we sought to compare/contrast media content creators’ (journalism, advertising, public relations, marketing communication) information-seeking behaviors during the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic for both their paid work and unpaid volunteer work, as well as for their own and family edification. Blending the media literacy lens with social construction theory (Berger & Luckmann, …

Social Media In The Corporate World, Linelle C. Lestrade

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the rise of corporate brands on social media and the resulting identity issues. Four marketing and PR professionals were interviewed for this study utilizing oral history as qualitative research method. People were selected for membership based on their networks and reputations as authorities in their respective fields. All the discussions were recorded on Zoom with everyone's consent. All four participants brought varied expertise and experience in social media marketing and management to the discussion. They were picked because their backgrounds fit the study's goals best. Open-ended questions were used to elicit responses to personal experiences, issues, …

Prsa Communicator Of The Year: Cedarville's Mark Weinstein, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Mark D. Weinstein, an experienced public relations professional, has been named the recipient of the 2023 Communicator of the Year Award by the Dayton chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He will be presented his award at the Gem City PR Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 24, at the Top of the Market in Dayton.

Prsa Communicator Of The Year: Cedarville's Mark Weinstein, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

Mark D. Weinstein, an experienced public relations professional, has been named the recipient of the 2023 Communicator of the Year Award by the Dayton chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He will be presented his award at the Gem City PR Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 24, at the Top of the Market in Dayton

The Value Of An Integrated Marketing Campaign To Grow Interest In Visiting The U.S. National Parks, Hermine Granberry

Honors Theses

When the centennial celebration of the National Park Service was approaching in 2016, the National Park Service launched a two-year campaign to only commemorate the last century of NPS, but to also reconnect Americans with the parks. Ten years have passed since the initial creation of the campaign. This thesis researches the value of how another integrated marketing campaign could increase visitation to the U.S. National Parks in the future.

Through evaluating the previous Find Your Park campaign and current trends in travel and vacation, this research investigates not only future campaign ideas but also the use and incorporation of …

Promoting The Bc Digital Commons: For And By The Community, Ady Dewey

Strategic Public Relations Projects

The BC Digital Commons (DC) is an open-access robust repository of artifacts, scholarship, publications, performances, events, and more. Through Google Scholar and other search engines, the content is accessed worldwide, yet the DC remains a little-known resource on campus. This fact motivated the director of the Forrer Learning Commons to seek input on how to more effectively increase submissions and the number of users.

The 2023 Strategic Public Relations class (COMM 347) began by educating themselves on the DC and brainstorming about potential advantages from a student’s perspective. They identified stakeholders to interview to determine general awareness and to test …

The Nashville Predators Social Media Audit, Sam Baranek, Connor Clouthier, Toniya Johnson, Mary Kate Reid, Micaela Trimble

Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

This report and presentation will deliver a comprehensive social media audit completed on the Nashville Predators, a national hockey team. In the end, it will show results of our group’s analysis of the communication strategies on the various platforms that the Nashville Predators use for their business and brand. While we already have prior knowledge and experience in social media, we plan to use the theories and principles to come to even better conclusions about the success of the Nashville Predators’ online presence.

The Nashville Predators are known for being a professional hockey team in the NHL. The Predator’s brand …

Presidents And Media During Initial Federal-Level Hurricane Relief: A Study Of Presidential Crisis Communication Efforts, Emily A. Ball

Honors College Theses

Public relations serves a huge role in almost every sector, including politics. Crisis communication, a subset of public relations, is very important in a setting that constantly undergoes crises. The response to these crises matters a great deal on the federal level because the outcomes can affect such a wide variety of policies and even elections. Because of this, I wanted to focus on one type of crisis that every president is almost guaranteed to face: hurricanes. To examine the effectiveness of federal-level crisis communication, I look at Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden’s responses to the worst hurricane during their …

​​Pr 101: A Resource For New Public Relations Professionals, Ilana M. Weinberger

Publications and Research

The field of public relations (PR) is often misunderstood, despite the fact that it is a growing field (Fawkes, 2018). New employees enter the field of PR every year, whether as new graduates or as those making a career change, yet the intricacies of working in PR are not generally taught in the classroom (Meganck, Smith & Guidry, 2020). Most people do not have a solid understanding of what PR professionals do on a day-to-day basis, and in fact, many of those entering the field don’t either. They may think that PR is simply social media management, or even confuse …

Soche Honors Cedarville’S Public Relations Director, Mark D. Weinstein

News Releases

The Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) has presented Cedarville University’s Mark D. Weinstein, executive director of public relations, with a Staff Excellence Award for September 2022.

“We’Re Not Gay One Month Out Of The Year…We’Re Always Who We Are.” Exploring Connections Between Organizations, Pride Branding, And Lgbtq+ Publics, Sam Goodman

All Theses

LGBTQ+ visibility has increased in American society; moral acceptability of these identities increased significantly over the last 20 years alone and several US Presidents deemed June to be Pride Month in recognition and celebration of these individuals. To major companies and organizations, LGBTQ+ identities – which constitute more than 11 million US adults – are a growing and richly diverse market segment with considerable buying power and cultural influence. As companies attempt to engage with this segment, they increasingly attempt to engage with Pride Month and events related to Pride – including but not limited to having same-sex representation in …

Review Of Writing Like A Pr Pro: Why Writing Is Still Crucial In A Digital And Visual World, Christopher Ortega

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Review of Writing like a PR pro: Why writing is still crucial in a digital and visual world (2017) by Mary Sterenberg found at https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/writelikeapro/

Examining The Intersection Of Public Relations And Vaccine Communication: An Analysis Of Audience-Centered Strategies For Evolving Health Information, Julia A. Mills

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In an uncertain environment, public relations (PR) practitioners provide signposts to fulfill different audience information needs. However, little research exists on the role of the PR practitioner in communicating evolving health information, especially during urgent health events like a pandemic. Through a comparative case study of PR tactics by three American public health organizations, this project aimed to understand what strategies health care professionals can use to improve communication about the COVID-19 vaccine to priority populations. The findings then informed an original artifact with six best practices for audience-centered vaccine communication.

Digital Communication Channel Selection For Organizational Leadership: Best Practices For Interacting With Dispersed Stakeholders, Sarah M. Diefenbach

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As organizations embrace hybrid and remote work models, there is a growing need for organizational leaders to use digital communication channels to maintain active communication with dispersed stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to analyze what digital communication channels have been implemented by organizational leadership and why they were selected. LinkedIn, Twitter, and corporate posts from six CEOs within the New York Metropolitan area were analyzed over a four-year period. Results revealed that personal social media channels were the most frequent forms of communication. Additionally, multimedia and multichannel strategies enhanced the communication messages and led to a best practices …

Response To A Shooting: Supporting A Community’S Steps Forward, Ady Dewey

Strategic Public Relations Projects

On February 1, 2022, two security officers were killed by a gunman on the Bridgewater College campus. Our peaceful community was rocked by heartbreak. The fear, trauma, and grief of that day and the days—and months—to follow were uncharted and challenging in as many different ways as there were individuals impacted.

When the Strategic Public Relations (COMM 347) met for the first time when classes resumed a week later, after processing together their feelings and reactions to the day, they determined that they wanted to do something to help in the healing. They identified two needs: encouraging self-care and promoting …

Situational Crisis Communication Theory And The British Royal Family, Addison Shaw

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis will analyze the public relations of the British Royal Family as seen through the lens of Timothy Coombs’ Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). Coombs’ (2007) theory provides a theoretical framework and guidelines for crisis response strategies when organizations experience a crisis. This thesis will particularly evaluate the public relations of the British Royal Family during the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death by examining primary artifacts such as newspaper articles and public statements made by the organization and the public. Furthermore, this thesis fills in the research gap regarding the evolution of the public’s perception of an organization with …

Towards A News Industry Framework For Tackling The Vice Of Brown Envelope Journalism: Perceptions Of Journalists And Public Relations Practitioners In Uganda, Sandra Lamwaka

Theses & Dissertations

Journalism, just like any other institution in society has been tainted with acts of corruption and bribery or what is scholarly known as Brown Envelope Journalism (BEJ). The practice takes shape in form of cash, gifts/ freebies, and incentives, given to a journalist to influence the reportage of news. This has affected the quality of news and undermined fundamental journalistic principles. Anchored on McQuail’s theory of Media and Society and the Social Responsibility Theory of the Press, this study sought to examine journalists and PR practitioners’ perceptions of BEJ and what the industry can employ to address the vice The …

Framing Friction: A Content Analysis Investigating How The Cdc Framed Social Media Communication With The Public During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michaela Kandzer, Valentina Castano, Lauri M. Baker, Ashley Mcleod-Morin

Journal of Applied Communications

The novel coronavirus was first discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019. This zoonotic disease quickly spread through over 100 countries, including the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency by the end of January 2020. Soon after, many U.S. states issued mandatory stay-at-home orders, which caused adverse effects for agricultural businesses and food supply chains. During this crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared information through social media platforms such as Facebook. This study sought to understand how the CDC framed direct communication to the public about issues related to COVID-19 using …

Influencing Public Opinion: Activist Public Relations And The Arrest Of Susan B. Anthony, Arien Rozelle

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

The Suffrage movement stands out as an early progressive cause that utilized an integrated approach to public relations in support of a clear objective. The arrest of Susan B. Anthony provided the movement with a huge opportunity to influence public opinion in order to win the right to vote.

Covid-19 & University Stakeholders: A Faculty Perspective, Torie Fowler

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate faculty member perceptions of job satisfaction, response efficacy, organizational communication efforts, along with organizational trust and goodwill in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, using faculty members employed at their institution of higher education during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years. A total of 285 responses were analyzed.

Results of this study suggest faculty member perceptions of job satisfaction and response efficacy were significant in predicting perceptions of trust and goodwill. The most significant predictor of organizational trust and goodwill was perceptions of organizational communication efforts. Also, this …

Symbolism Or Substance: Factors Influencing Campus Messaging Decisions And Their Alignment With Institutional Values, Laura Herzog Jacobs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Historically, institutions of higher education (IHE) have been cautious and slow in making changes. Yet in today’s fast-paced and dynamic world of content availability and information flow generated by 24-hour news cycles and the ubiquity of social media present a challenging reality for colleges and universities in their public relations and communications approaches (Sands & Smith, 2000). Creating a harmonious and agile approach to managing these responsibilities against the backdrop of an incessant flow and public demand for information, including responses to national events often with seemingly little or no connection to the institution, suggested a need to examine the …

Public Relations Of Inclusion: A Critical Reframing Of Autism Inclusion With Professors Of Teacher Candidates, Jessica Block Nerren

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

There is a problem when inclusion is broken in our communities and in our schools while preliminary teachers call out for more preparation for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) inclusion in their credential programs (Bryant, 2018; Busby et al., 2012; Finch et al., 2013; Loiacono & Valenti, 2010; Morgan, 2015; Robertson et al., 2003; Walters, 2012). The purpose of this study is to explore the framing of ASD inclusion by professors of multiple and single subject preliminary teacher candidates. At this stage in the research, the framing of inclusion is defined as a pre-conscious sensemaking of inclusion for individuals with ASD …

Putting The Social In Social Media: How Human Connection Triggers Engagement, Stephanie Adomavicius

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

Social media has become the preferred channel of information and has altered patterns of interaction and connection. As a result, society now revolves around a two-way form of communication with constant dialogue and instant responses. Public relations practitioners have had to adapt and change their strategy in order to keep up with the times, and because of this, engagement is now considered to be a measurement of success.

In terms of social media, engagement is how users interact with content and participate in online conversations. This study will uncover what causes people to engage on social media and identify the …