Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Sowing The Seeds Of War: The New York Times' Coverage Of Japanese-American Tensions, A Prelude To Conflict In The Pacific, 1920-1941, David Robrt Schreindl

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the New York Times' coverage of unique generational influences between Japan and the United States from 1920 through the start of hostilities at Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The purpose of this project was to see if the Times gave Americans an accurate picture of the relationship between the two countries or to determine if there was a lapse in coverage exhibiting negligence on the part of this prominent paper.

This thesis concludes that the New York Times was not negligent in its coverage of the issues prior to World War II. However, it was the …

September 11, 2001: An Individual Media Dependency Perspective, Tyrone Hamilton Glade

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses individual media dependency (IMD) to examine student dependency on the media before and during the attacks of September 11. A content analysis of media journals kept by a group of university students during the week of September 11 confirmed the existence of the IMD relationship, a finding that adds to the methodological breadth of IMD research. Goal scope, which is composed of the understanding, orientation, and play goals narrowed to the goal of social understanding on September 11 only to expand outwards to pre-September 11 levels by the end of that week. The theory postulates goal scope …

The Million-Dollar Question: Why Pre-Adolescents Watch Television, Emily A. Smurthwaite

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents qualitative research examining the relationship youth have with television. Information for this study was collected through media journals, personal essays, in-depth interviews, and focus groups held with eighteen sixth-graders who attended a charter elementary school in Lindon, Utah.

The question posed to the students multiple times during the data collection was: “Would you give up television for $1 million?” Through the students’ answers and ensuing dialogue, the researcher examined the social value the pre-adolescents attributed to watching television. The findings identify three main categories the students said were reasons they were attached to television, which also corresponded …

Online Crisis Management, Mauru Rushwaya

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to learn if public relations practitioners are using the Internet to its fullest capacity, when responding to crisis situations. The study attempted to find out if public relations practitioners had the necessary tools in place to respond to a crisis online.

The sample originally selected consisted of 515 United States public relations practitioners, all members of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and listed under the State of Pennsylvania. A survey consisting of 13 multiple-choice questions was posted on surveymonkey.com with a link included in the body copy of the query letter emailed …

2004 Gender Study Of The New Jersey Public Relations Society Of America, Megan A. York

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine the climate of New Jersey Public Relations Society of America, 2004. The researcher sought to find logical alternatives to the much-touted theory of the "glass ceiling," that many researchers blame for salary differential between the genders. E-mail surveys were distributed to research salary, title, industry, experience, etc.

Although NJPRSA men and women have much in common, not everything is mutual. The average male is older and more experienced. Overall female dominance continues in the trade, including in two of the three highest-paying industries. Most respondents were in management positions; however, men occupy …

The Effects Of Debater Styles On Audiences During Televised Political Debates, Juliette J. Broglin

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to examine the effects of certain predetermined debate styles on television viewing audiences. The study used three separate gubernatorial debates with identical questionnaires attached to determine the behavioral traits viewers found most appealing in state level political candidates during organized, televised events. The author acknowledges that many studies of this nature are conducted on the national level. The author chose to analyze the same type of material on a lower level of government to determine what potential voters find appealing in state level potential elected officials. The study places the two selected candidates in …

Revitalizing The Subaru Difference: A Communications Audit To Determine Effectiveness At Subaru Of America, Inc., Thomas Paolella

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was multifaceted. The first purpose was to examine the Subaru Difference Initiative campaign of several years ago and see what aspects succeeded and what areas needed change. The second purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Subaru Difference and the role it currently plays within the Subaru of America Corporation. The third purpose was to perform research to obtain a better understanding of how employees would like to be communicated with in the future regarding the Difference and also what future steps can be taken to improve the overall clarity and effectiveness of this …

The Impressions Of New Jersey High School Guidance Counselors On The Quality Of Education At Rowan University, Carolyn A. Krehel

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a comprehensive examination of New Jersey guidance counselors' impressions of Rowan University. Rowan University, a state funded school, is a rapidly improving and growing institution in the state and its region. However, the University is met with much opposition from those who remember it as a small teachers' college in South Jersey.

This thesis focuses on the history of the university, old impressions of the school, current impressions of the school and recommendations on how to improve the overall awareness and perception of the University.

An email survey was mailed to 1,000 school counselors in the six …

Media Relations Between The Hotel Casino Industry Of Atlantic City, New Jersey And The Press Of Atlantic City, Patrick T. Kuhlen

Theses and Dissertations

This study fulfills four purposes. First, it is essential to gain a perspective of public relations and public relations practitioners, specifically those in the Atlantic City hotel casino industry, from the point of view of media representatives. Secondly, how do public relations practitioners view the relationship between their organizations and similar organizations with local media? Next, what can an organization's public relations practitioners do to foster and subsequently nurture positive relationships with media representatives and public relations practitioners? Lastly, what can a public relations practitioner do to move the relationship with media representatives, reporters and editors from mere media relations …

Professional Sports Team Fan And Media Relations: A Public Relations Case Study Of The 2003-04 Philadelphia Flyers Professional Hockey Team, Joseph Mathew Harasta Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The relationships between a professional sports team, its fans and media determine the fiduciary success of the team. The responsibility of developing and fostering this relationship falls to the team's public relations department.

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the influence team performance has on the relationships between a sports team, its fans and media and (b) find ways to improve these vital relationships. In doing so, sports teams' public relations practitioners might better understand the relationships between their team and its key publics while maintaining these relationships during both winning and losing seasons.

To examine the …

Use Of Online Technologies By Higher Education Public Relations Practitioners And Practitioners' Perceived Preference For Their Use By Their Institutions' Audiences, Mary Elizabeth Erwin Hegel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the use of online technologies by university public relations specialists, and the PR professionals' perceived preference for their use by media, internal and external audiences. The research also looked at other aspects of online technology use by university practitioners such as Web site content and emerging technologies.

The researcher collected primary data through a cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire, designed for this study. The author gathered information for the survey from a literature review of Rowan University databases, scholarly journals, books and Internet searches. The survey contained Likert scale type questions, …

Amusement Park Crisis Management And Its Effect On The Crisis News Life Cycle, Kristin B. Siebeneicher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate whether effective amusement park crisis management can shorten the crisis news life cycle. Twenty-two in-depth interviews with seasoned media, amusement park public relations practitioners, and park PR practitioners who formerly worked in media were conducted and analyzed through content analysis. Coverage of an amusement ride incident was analyzed through content analysis to support interview findings. Numerous strategies are identified to build a foundation for effective crisis management, and to shorten the duration of crisis news coverage. Differences in managing print media versus television media are discussed. The thesis identifies amusement park incident …

Public Relations In Print: A Study And Profile Of Public Relations-Generated News Stories That Appear In Delaware Valley Daily Newspapers, Mark R. Marmur

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine public relations practice's impact on journalism throughout the Delaware Valley through analysis of journalistic attitudes about public relations and the success of public relations practice on publicity for Rowan University.

The study analyzed the results of a regional survey given to editors and reporters at 25 daily newspapers throughout the Delaware Valley. The study also included an analysis of publicity gained by Rowan University through its Office of University Relations over a two-month period.

The study found that although a majority of Delaware Valley daily newspaper editors and reporters see public relations …

The Significance Of Integrated Marketing Communication Techniques In The 21st Century Marketplace, Janice D'Amico Nee

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine integrated marketing communication techniques used to develop successful apparel brands. This author researched existing data and explored the IMC development of three successful brand apparel companies: Nike, Ralph Lauren Polo, and Tommy Hilfiger. The study included the process of building brand identity, including the tenets of brand management and the symbolic process, as well as the significance of brand equity and architecture.

This author conducted a pen and paper quantitative survey to a random sampling of 50 Cumberland County College undergraduate students concerning the influential factors in their choice of brand …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effectiveness Of The Cpj In Defending Journalists And Press Freedom Ideals In Latin America: Transnational Advocacy In The International Sphere, Leticia A. Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is one of many nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that work to defend press freedom and the safety of journalists in Latin America. Based on qualitative interviews with employees at the CPJ, open surveys with journalists who have been helped by the CPJ, historical archive research, and informal participant observation, this study shows that organized domestic and international nongovernmental groups can and do make improvements on behalf of journalists and press freedom in Latin America. The CPJ's activities raise issues and place them on the agenda, and they influence discourse, policy, institutional procedures, and state behavior. …

A Study Of Information Exchange Between United States Air Force Bases And Their Surrounding Communities, Andrew C. Clewett

Theses and Dissertations

Data, information, and knowledge are exchanged daily from United States Air Force (USAF) bases to surrounding communities. The purpose of this research is to aid managers and commanders in gaining a better understanding of their information flow and bettering their information management practices. The research specifically seeks answers to the questions of where information is exchanged, why information is exchanged, and to whom information is exchanged with.

Aggregation Techniques To Characterize Social Networks, Sara E. Sterling

Theses and Dissertations

Social network analysis focuses on modeling and understanding individuals of interest and their relationships. Aggregation of social networks can be used both to make analysis computationally easier on large networks, and to gain insight in subgroup interactions. Aggregation requires determining appropriate closely knit subgroups as well as choosing a measure or measures to represent the network data. This thesis provides the analyst with several techniques for using aggregation to analyze the characteristics of social networks. The contribution of this research lies in its ability to analyze a wide variety of social network structures and available data through two methods for …

The Longterm Effects Of Television Mediation On Lds Young Single Adults: An Exploratory Study, Jennia Parkin

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study examines what Latter-day Saint young single adults remember about their parents mediating the television and its use, and how those recollections contribute to their current attitudes and values toward the media, as well as their media choices. A stratified random sample of 267 LDS young single adults across the United States and outside the state of Utah responded to a cross sectional mail or online survey. The three mediation styles established by Valkenburg, Krcmar, Peeters, and Marseille (1999)—Restrictive, Instructive, and Coviewing—were used as the independent variables while scales assessing television offensiveness levels, attitudes, orientation, and usage were …

Internet-Mediated Communication: Publicly Interpersonal, Katharine A. Cannella

Theses and Dissertations

A thesis on communication between individuals as mediated by the Internet, concluding that certain types of messages are interpersonal as well as public in nature. Away messages and blogs are examined as evidence that Internet- mediated interpersonal communication is a new context. The researcher determines that Internet-mediated communication (IMC) results in several communicative adaptations unique to this medium and that significance lies within the development of extended interpersonal relationship through the creation and expansion of online social networks.