Communication Commons^™

The Co-Creation Of Social Value: What Matters For Public Participation In Corporate Social Responsibility Campaigns, Sun Young Lee, Young Kim, Yeuseung Kim

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This study explores the impact of organization–public relationships (OPRs) and issue-related situational factors on publics’ intention to participate in CSR campaigns, based on relationship management theory and the situational theory of problem-solving (STOPS). We surveyed 698 respondents living in the United States about two CSR campaigns, one focused on girls’ empowerment and one on deforestation. The results showed that situational motivation and OPRs were strongly and directly related to publics’ participation intention for both CSR campaigns. Only two situational perceptions – constraint recognition and involvement recognition – were indirectly related to publics’ participation. We discuss the theoretical implications of these …

Piercing The Veil: Examining Demographic And Political Variables In State Foi Law Administration, A.Jay Wagner

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

State and local governments play an important, and growing, role in everyday lives. The exploratory study positions FOI laws as a central mechanism in providing transparency to these more proximate governments. It is premised on a FOI audit, or field experiment, of 1002 requests across 9 U.S. state laws and 334 jurisdictions. The sample represents a broad cross-section of geographic, demographic and political variables, and the study analyzes these variables predictive and correlative value in determining outcomes, timeliness and communication in FOI requests. The results suggest significance in race and political variables in FOI outcomes and processes. The study's strongest …

Considering The Ethics Of Political Communication And Doing The Right Thing, Kati Tusinski Berg

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

From Espn To Instagram Live: The Evolution Of Fan–Athlete Interaction Amid The Coronavirus, Lillian B. Feder

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

With sporting events canceled and Safer at Home orders in place, both athletes and sports fans have a void to fill. Consequently, social media use by both parties has increased. Athletes have become more active and interactive online, which may serve to strengthen parasocial relationships between them and their fans. These connections could develop to the extent that the line between parasocial relation- ship and friendship is blurred. Will stronger ties between athletes and fans be a by-product of COVID-19? In this editorial, the author builds an argument for the plausibility of this result by linking published studies regarding sports …

Collective Sensemaking Around Covid-19: Experiences, Concerns, And Agendas For Our Rapidly Changing Organizational Lives, Keri Stephens, Jody L.S. Jahn, Stephanie Fox, Piyawan Charoensap-Kelly, Rahul Mitra, Jeannette Sutton, Eric D. Waters, Bo Xie, Rebecca J. Meisenbach

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

Uncertainty is at the forefront of many crises, disasters, and emergencies, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no different in this regard. In this forum, we, as a group of organizational communication scholars currently living in North America, engage in sensemaking and sensegiving around this pandemic to help process and share some of the academic uncertainties and opportunities relevant to organizational scholars. We begin by reflexively making sense of our own experiences with adjusting to new ways of working during the onset of the pandemic, including uncomfortable realizations around privilege, positionality, race, and ethnicity. We then discuss key concerns about how …

Bork, Robert H. Neutral Principles And Some First Amendment Problems, 47 Ind. L. J. 1 (1971), Erik Ugland

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Effects Of Different Online Syllabus Formats On Student Engagement And Course-Taking Intentions, Young Kim, Daradirek Ekachai

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This study explores how different online syllabus formats affect students’ engagement and their course-taking intentions. Using a 2 (format: online learning management system vs. instructor’s website) X 2 (information amount: more vs. less) between-subjects design, an experimental study was conducted with undergraduate students at a large university in the United States Midwest to examine the effects of online syllabus format. This study found that students who read the instructor’s website syllabus were more likely to engage with and take the course than students who received the syllabus through an online learning management system. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Power Skills, Diverse Workforce Dismantle Racism, Eric D. Waters

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Activating Constructive Employee Behavioural Responses In A Crisis: Examining The Effects Of Pre-Crisis Reputation And Crisis Communication Strategies On Employee Voice Behaviours, Young Kim, Hyunji Lim

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This study explores how organizational management can promote employee voice behaviours, as positive behavioural reactions with constructive ideas, in responding to organizational crisis. Using an experimental study (N = 640) among full-time employees in the United States, the study found that pre-crisis internal reputation and crisis communication strategies—accommodative response and stealing thunder—positively and directly affected constructive employee voice behaviours in a crisis situation. Furthermore, the study revealed how post-crisis internal reputation mediates the influences of pre-crisis internal reputation and stealing thunder on positive/constructive and negative/destructive employee voice behaviours. The findings of this study contribute to the theoretical …

Activating Constructive Employee Behavioural Responses In A Crisis: Examining The Effects Of Pre‐Crisis Reputation And Crisis Communication Strategies On Employee Voice Behaviours, Young Kim, Hyunji Lim

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This study explores how organizational management can promote employee voice behaviours, as positive behavioural reactions with constructive ideas, in responding to organizational crisis. Using an experimental study (N=640) among full‐time employees in the United States, the study found that pre‐crisis internal reputation and crisis communication strategies—accommodative response and stealing thunder—positively and directly affected constructive employee voice behaviours in a crisis situation. Furthermore, the study revealed how post‐crisis internal reputation mediates the influences of pre‐crisis internal reputation and stealing thunder on positive/constructive and negative/destructive employee voice behaviours. The findings of this study contribute to the theoretical development of crisis communication in …

Repetition Or Reckoning: Confronting Racism And Racial Dynamics In 2020, Kevin D. Thomas, Judy Foster Davis, Jonathan A.J. Wilson, Francesca Sobande

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Organizational Resilience And Employee Work-Role Performance After A Crisis Situation: Exploring The Effects Of Organizational Resilience On Internal Crisis Communication, Young Kim

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study is to explore the positive outcomes of organizational resilience to see how resilient employees can support an organization by adapting to and initiating changes during the recovery process following a crisis. This study focuses on organizational resilience generated by employees, as a resilient system, through their psychological ability and positive communication behaviors. Resilient employees can help their organization bounce back to normal functioning following a crisis. A nationwide survey (N = 830) was conducted among full-time employees in the U.S. to examine the positive effect of organizational resilience on employee work-role performance. The results …

A Structural Imperative: Freedom Of Information, The First Amendment, And The Accountability Function Of Expression, A.Jay Wagner

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Coke And The Digital Age, Tao Deng, Daradirek Ekachai, Jean M. Grow

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The Hunt With John Walsh: True Crime Storytelling, Amanda R. Keeler

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

In her analysis of The Hunt with John Walsh, Amanda Keeler explores the public service function of true crime television programs that feature unsolved or unresolved cases. Trough an investigation of visual style and narrative elements, Keeler examines the multiple intentions of television programs that seek to entertain audiences and simultaneously help solve crimes.

Exploring Crisis Communication In The Internal Context Of An Organization: Examining Moderated And Mediated Effects Of Employee-Organization Relationships On Crisis Outcomes, Young Kim, Minjeong Kang, Ejae Lee, Sung-Un Yang

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This study seeks to foster a greater understanding of effective crisis communication from the internal context of organizations. The present research conducted an online experimental study of 640 full-time employees in the United States. Results through OLS multiple regression and path analysis indicated 1) employee-organization relationships (EOR) and timing strategy of self-disclosure (stealing thunder) were positively associated with the positive internal reputation and employees’ supportive behavioral intentions, 2) the positive effects of EOR on the employees’ supportive behaviors appeared differently according to whether or not stealing-thunder was used, and 3) the effects of EOR and message strategy (accommodative …

Maturity As A Way Forward For Improving Organizations’ Communication Evaluation And Measurement Practices: A Definition And Concept Explication, Nathan Gilkerson, Rebecca Swenson, Fraser Likely

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an explication of the concept of “maturity,” as it applies to communication evaluation and measurement (E&M) practice, along with contextualization of recent maturity model adoption within academic and professional communities.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from previous work on maturity models within other fields, recent communication scholarship and industry practice, this paper fills a gap in the literature by offering a theoretical conceptualization of communication E&M maturity, including the construct’s core dimensions and sub-dimensions.

Findings

Communication E&M maturity is conceptualized into four essential elements: holistic approach, investment, alignment and culture. The contribution of E&M …

Integrating Mindfulness Into Ethics Teaching, Practice And Research, Kati Tusinski Berg

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same: When Innovation Meets Resistance, Eric D. Waters

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Advocating For Media Law & Policy Education, Erik Ugland

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

"Longstanding, Systemic Weaknesses": Hillary Clinton's Emails, Foia's Defects And Affirmative Disclosure, A.Jay Wagner

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The Hillary Clinton email fiasco demonstrated alarming failures in the procedures of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); derelictions in archive integrity and adequacy of search that an internal report identified as “longstanding, systemic weaknesses” in the FOIA. These procedural gaps pose dire consequences for the future of the FOIA, where requesters query incomplete archives and agencies intentionally desert their search obligations. The abandonment of these duties necessitates that the federal government look toward new mechanisms for access to government records and adopt strong affirmative disclosure principles. There has been little scholarship on the twin failures of archive integrity and …

Social Media And Forecasting Stock Price Change, Joseph Coelho, Dawson D'Almeida, Scott Coyne, Nathan Gilkerson, Katelyn Mills, Praveen Madiraju

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The Stock Market is a big influence on both national and international economies. Stock prices are driven by a number of factors: industry performance, company news and performance, investor confidence, micro and macro economic factors like employment rates, wage rates, etc. Stock pricing trends can be gauged from the factors that drive it as well as from the stock's historical performance. As fluctuations in stock prices become more volatile and unpredictable, forecasting models help reduce some of the randomness involved in investing and financial decision making. Users on social media platforms like twitter, StockTwits, and eToro discuss issues related to …

Expanding Media Law And Policy Education: Confronting Power, Defining Freedom, Awakening Participation, Erik Ugland

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The changes brought about by the Digital Age have not triggered significant increases in political participation or meaningful reductions in longstanding social power asymmetries, which are now increasingly negotiated in policy contexts that involve mass media (surveillance, big data, net neutrality). At the same time, new technology and communication patterns have opened fissures in public opinion about the limits of free expression while also creating new legal risks for citizen-communicators. This article suggests that universities need to recalibrate their curricula to meet the exigencies of this moment, which should include an increased emphasis on media law and policy courses and …

Take Me Out To The Facebook Page, James Pokrywczynski

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This analysis examines why fans would visit a professional baseball team’s Facebook page. The broader objective is to understand motivations for using communication channels in social media. Given the popularity of Facebook[A1] , with over 2 billion active monthly users starting in 2017 according to Statista¹, insights from use of this communication channel should provide an important understanding of how digital and social media channels work. The results support a proposed model for understanding fans’ interactions with a sports team’s Facebook page. Team identification related positively with the value fans put on relevant outcomes from visiting the …

Information Seeking Among Women Aged 18 To 25 About The Risk Of Sexual Aggression, James Pokrywczynski, Robert J. Griffin Ph.D., Gregory J. Calhoun

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

Many researchers have studied risk factors related to sexual violence, and few studies have explored what differences account for the various ways women seek information about sexual violence. This study accomplishes this by applying part of the Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model to sexual aggression among young females (18-25 years). The results from a national survey of females show that negative affect (worry and anger combined) showed a direct positive effect on risk information seeking. Also, binge drinking does not make women feel much more at risk from sexual assault. Some differences exist between women in school and …

Does Your Pr Course Syllabus Excite, Intrigue, And Motivate Students To Learn? Syllabus Designs And Student Impressions Of The Pr Course And The Course Instructor, Daradirek Ekachai, Young Kim

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study is to examine how a format of a syllabus influences student motivation and engagement in a public relations course and students’ impression of the course and course instructor. This study conducted focus group interviews and a lab experiment with undergraduate student at a large university in the Midwestern United States to examine how a format—design or length—of a PR course syllabus can affect student motivation, engagement, and impression of the course and course instructor. Results from the two focus group interviews were mixed, but students’ preferences were geared toward the long version of the visually …

Radio Research As Critical Archival Studies: Cross-Sector Collaboration And The Sound Record, Amanda R. Keeler, Josh Shepperd

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

Radio studies occupies an unusual position within film and media studies. As Journal of Radio & Audio Media Editor, Anne MacLennan (2016) has noted, the area is often recognized as a euphemism for media history. It’s a small sub-discipline that has already been legitimated, yet at the same time has difficulty maintaining visibility within broader media studies discourses. Fewer graduate programs are supporting radio or media history research, with notable exceptions, leading to fewer media historians rising to replace a previous generation that has recently retired. But the work continues and has undergone several recent changes. Radio studies often receives …

Mapping The Road To Maturity: Characteristics Of Leading Research, Evaluation & Measurement Programs, Rebecca Swenson, Michael Ziviani, Nathan Gilkerson

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Visible/Invisible: Female Astronauts And Technology In Star Trek: Discovery And National Geographic’S Mars, Amanda R. Keeler

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This article examines the newest television programme in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Discovery (2017–) and National Geographic’s part-documentary, part-fictional series Mars (2016–). I argue that Discovery and Mars make visible the depiction of developing technology and a breadth and depth of female astronaut characters, two elements that have been historically marginalised in sf narratives such as Star Trek: The Original Series (1966–9). Discovery and Mars both emphasise the purposeful centrality of female characters and their positions of authority as female astronauts and ship leaders. Each programme also foregrounds the representation and framing of technology, emphasising the not-yet-perfect science …

“Dear Editor: Can You Tell Me What Happened To My Favorite Nbc Program, Dimension X?”, Amanda R. Keeler

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

Over the course of its seventeen-month run in 1950 and 1951, the science fiction anthology radio program Dimension X served as a showcase for many new and established science fiction writers. Dimension X was among several adult science fiction and fantasy shows that debuted on radio in the late 1940s and early 1950s, alongside CBS’s Escape and Mutual’s 2000 Plus. While many listeners celebrated these programs, NBC received letters detailing concerns over the subject matter of three episodes. In addition to providing insight into the reception of Dimension X, the responses from NBC personnel are equally informative. This …