Organizational Communication Commons^™

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 …

Welcoming Families With Children To Csusb: Making An Intergenerational Difference, Leslie Leach

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Coming back to school after a gap in your education can be a daunting task. For students with children (SWC), the undertaking has different challenges than their classmates. Providing resources geared towards their success plays a significant role in the student's ability to complete their education. It also allows the SWC to feel a sense of belonging within their institution of higher learning. This project analyzes other California State Universities' family housing programs to advocate a similar program at California State University, San Bernardino. Using the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI) and Organizational Identity (OI), I can illustrate how resources …

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 …

Demystifying Operational Definition And Levels Of Measurement, Arvind Diddi

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

Teaching mass communication research methods at the undergraduate level attains an increased challenge because students at this stage seem to be more focused on skill-based courses in order to work in various media-related professions. Most of them have difficulty in comprehending that learning research methods is beneficial to them as it helps build their analytical and logical thinking. Among various aspects of research methods such as trying to figure out the link between theory and method, a constant struggle for beginners is to understand what is an operational definition and the levels of measurement. The key lies in demystifying research …

Going Remote: Marketing Library Resources And Services, Lin Wu, Sarah Thompson, Jennifer M. Langford, Kaylee Strahan

Southern Chapter/Medical Library Association Annual Conference

Objectives

• Describe the library’s efforts in restructuring marketing strategies strategies to reach out and engage library patrons in a virtual environment

• Examine the impact of the efforts on library services and resource access

Ua45/1 Registrar Updates, Wku Registrar

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about the WKU Registrar's Office.

Eureka: Identifying What It Means To Practice Student- Centered Teaching In A Hypermodern Age, Audra Diers-Lawson

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Contemporary professional reports and research suggest that in corporate communication and related programs, we are not creating environments for modern students to thrive nor are we meeting the industry’s expectations in a ‘hypermodern’ world. Using personal ethnography, this article to analyzes industry-articulated limitations in the knowledge and skill sets of new communication practitioners, reviews contemporary literature identifying the learning needs of today’s students, and proposes a set of best practices based on the literature and the author’s own journey as a higher education practitioner of 20 years. Best practices identified incorporate elements of entertainment, engagement, and an ‘open-world’ approach that …

Corporate Social Advocacy On The Blm Movement: A Content Analysis Of Corporate Responses Via Instagram, Oromidayo Racheal Tunji-Ajayi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black Lives Matter (BLM) has been a concern in the US since 2013, thereby becoming an increasing interest. Several US corporations’ attention has been drawn to BLM due to its radical strategy on social media to facilitate engagements. Research shows that a company's engagement in activism by taking a stance on socio-political issues often records growth. Also, scholars have focused on corporate responses to BLM through the lenses of the implications or intentions of the brand’s engagement. This study, however, analyzes 236 corporate Instagram BLM posts through the lenses of the attributes of their responses. It is assumed that brand …

Preferred Methods Of Communication Of Millennial Alumni Of The University Of Arkansas’ Agricultural Education, Communications And Technology Department And The Impact Of Brand Community On Potential Philanthropy, Wells William Clark

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions depend upon alumni support (Gaier, 2005). Understanding how those institutions communicate with alumni about methods of financial giving is necessary in securing their support. The concept of brand community, an idea formed through social relationships amongst consumers of a common brand, regardless of location, who acknowledge their overlapping interests and share traditions and a sense of duty related to the brand (McAlexander et al., 2006; Muniz & O’Guinn, 2001), can contribute to desired behaviors such as donations and engagement in alumni groups. Exploration of this concept was conducted in relation to young alumni (those graduating from 2008-2018).The …

People-First Promotion: Rallying Library Workers During Covid-19 And Beyond, Katy Kelly, Christina A. Beis, Ann Zlotnik, Maureen E. Schlangen

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

COVID-19 forced workers around the world to face the realities of closed buildings, precarious employment situations, and challenges to their well-being. This article will showcase how library workers’ resilience during COVID-19 depended on people, not buildings, and a people-first public relations strategy was employed to reveal that distinction. The authors, a team of librarians and communicators, share three pandemic-era communication stories developed to put people at the forefront of initiatives and messaging: a revamped marketing strategy for a research appointment service puts faces to the work and student support; the cancellation announcement of a beloved annual event reveals how the …

"Airbnb Go Home:" Tourism Frictions And Short-Term Rentals In New Orleans, Madeline R. Fussell

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines the concerns and conflicts around short-term rental (STR) properties in New Orleans neighborhoods. Using data from collected from critical discourse analysis, semi-structured interviews and social media posts, this paper analyzes the ways the city of New Orleans, residents of the city, STR hosts, and platforms like Airbnb discuss issues of safety, displacement, rising costs of living, as well as responsible STR practices. To understand the complexities of the issues people, have with short-term rental properties, this project approaches STRs from a housing and gentrification lens to understand the role these properties play within in the daily atmospheres …

Best Practices For Voter Engagement Within Higher Education, Alyssa Tomins

Honors Projects

It is imperative that higher education institutions learn more about how to recruit members of younger generations to participate in future elections. Young people have historically voted at low rates, but that trend has started to change in recent years as more resources are being devoted to voter engagement among young people. This leads to the interest of understanding what best practices and strategies have academic institutions utilized to advance voter engagement on their campuses. This qualitative study analyzes these best practices and strategies at 84 colleges and universities, all of whom are members of The Andrew Goodman Foundation Vote …

Ua19/16/1 Wku Football Media Guide, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

WKU football media guide for 2021.

Ua35/7 Preparing Students For Infinite Possibilities 2007-2021, Wku Gatton Academy Of Mathematics & Science In Kentucky

WKU Administration Documents

Report of awards, research projects, study abroad opportunities and alumni achievements.

• Hannah Fugate
• Naomi Kellogg
• Niven Achenjang
• Tyler Jury
• Paul Hudson
• Luke Yap
• Chris Obermeyer
• Vishnu Tirumala
• Hannah Pennington
• Shelby Rader
• Sarah Schrader
• Ryan Gott
• Alex Pena
• Jenna Ellis
• Elaine Flynn

Ua1f Kern Alexander Censorship Vertical File, Wku Archives

WKU Administration Documents

Digitized vertical file materials regarding WKU President Kern Alexander's interactions with the College Heights Herald.

Ua1f Kern Alexander Vertical File Part 3, Wku Archives

WKU Administration Documents

Digitized vertical file materials regarding WKU President Kern Alexander and his tenure as president 1986-1988.

Ua68/17 Wku Dance: Creating, Thinking, Artists, Wku Theatre & Dance

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about the WKU Dance program.

2021 Icrcc Proceedings Table Of Contents, Conference Organizers

International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference

These proceedings are a representative sample of the presentations given by professional practitioners and academic scholars at the 2021 International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference (ICRCC) held virtually March 8-10, 2021. The goal of the ICRCC is to bring together prominent professional risk and crisis communication practitioners and academic scholars from around the world to spend a few days networking and engaging in conversation about issues and problems related to risk and crisis communication in a variety of contexts (e.g., natural disasters, political crises, food safety issues, biosecurity, health epidemics and pandemics).

Is Care In The Air?: A Crisis Ethics Case Study Of American Airlines’ Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lily V. Hicks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research proposes a qualitative case study of American Airlines’ communication during the first month of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Data from the airline’s press releases along with its tweets and a sample of organizational responses to those tweets are offered for proposed analysis using the lenses of Situational Crisis Communication Theory, the Applied Model of Care Considerations, and the body of crisis literature on audience coping and emotions during crises. This in-depth look at a unique communication phenomenon will be a fundamental step in examining how airline communication exhibits ethics or lack thereof and is related to people’s emotions …

Guided Toolkit For Virtual Programming, Sienna Mcarthur

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Coronavirus pandemic that has occurred over the last year was a major detriment to the entire world. COVID-19 caused businesses to shut down, people to shelter in place, and restricted in-person gatherings. Specifically, in the event coordinating profession, planners had to pivot their thought process and change how they saw their careers. Virtual events became a reality for most, but some were unsure of where to start the transition.

This research focuses on the importance of continued programming, even virtually, in order to keep positive relationships alive and encourage participants to be engaged from their homes. It also creates …

Ua77/1 Wku Spirit, Wku Alumni Relations

WKU Administration Documents

WKU's alumni magazine. Contents:

• Trabue, Amanda. VP Notes
• WKU Increases Access with Hilltopper Guarantee, Other Scholarship Program Changes
• WKU Sets Records in Freshman Class Growth, Quality
• Four New Members Join WKU Board of Regents – Currie Millikin, Jan West, Garrett Edmonds, Shane Spiller
• Ethan Logan Named Vice President for Enrollment & Student Experience
• WKU Celebrates World Teachers’ Day by Announcing Two Scholarship Programs
• WKU Student Publications Earns Three National Pacemakers
• WKU to Go Test Optional for Admission
• WKU’s Panhellenic Council Earns National Recognition
• WKU Department of Art is Now WKU Department of Art & Design
• WKU Food Recovery Network Redirects …

Ua19/16/1 2020-21 Wku Hilltopper Basketball Preseason Prospectus, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

2020-21 preview of the WKU men's basketball team.

Relationship Marketing And Intercollegiate Sport Promotion, Alison Fridley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The first article, a case study on a NCAA Division I Power Five university in the southeastern United States, employed a case study framework, explored target markets and exposure techniques through both the planned behavior theory and social identity theory theoretical lenses. This study aimed to better understand how university students and booster club members identify as a social group. The data emerged into four distinct themes, including communication, social interaction, connection, and hospitality. The findings suggested booster club members are primary fans and help the team generate fan interest. The importance of sociability was clear and the implications for …

Student-Run Agencies: A Guideline For Agency Survival, Brooke Borgognoni

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to study 110 student-run agencies (including advertising, public relations, integrated/digital marketing, communications, and graphics and/or design) in the U.S. by analyzing how they currently operate, what practices exist in the agencies for learning, growth, and continuation and how leadership roles of students and advisors influence the agency. This project built upon past studies of student-run agencies and expanded on the topic using the evolutionary theory of a firm by analyzing factors that determine whether it appears that a student-run agency might dissolve or last. This was determined by measuring the faculty advisor involvement level, …

Ua3/10 Big Red Restart, Wku President's Office - Caboni

WKU Administration Documents

Report regarding reopening procedures for WKU after COVID-19 shutdown.

Driving Disruption: Assessing Uber's Corporate Identity In The Battle Over Driver Classification, Benjamin Peterson

Master's Projects and Capstones

This research analyzes the ongoing effort by Uber’s executives to prevent the reclassification of the company’s drivers from independent contractors to employees. Through rhetorical appeals made to customers, regulatory bodies, and drivers themselves, Uber’s executives are attempting to cultivate a corporate identity that portrays the company’s labor practices in a way that adheres to California’s labor laws, namely the “ABC” test for worker classification codified in Assembly Bill 5, while maintaining the company’s ill-gotten reputation as a bastion of Silicon Valley innovation. The success of this posturing hinges on attempts to conflate Uber’s labor practices with equitable social outcomes, publicize …

Tackling Toxicity: Identifying And Addressing Toxic Behavior In Online Video Games, Matthew Lapolla

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Online video games are plagued with toxic behavior, which has a strong potential to cause a reputation crisis for online video game developers. A grounded theory study was conducted to determine what online video game players consider to be toxic. An analysis of online forums for Overwatch and League of Legends was conducted alongside the observation of player behavior in Apex: Legends. Behaviors that were found to be toxic include flaming, poor teamwork, trolling, cyberbullying, and hate speech. The results were used to create a series of recommendations for online video game developers in their attempts to address toxicity. …

Thomas Kent's Paralogic Rhetoric As A Framework For Analyzing Corporate Social Responsibility Discourse, Donald E. Penner

English Department Theses

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) scholarship increasingly uses rhetorical theory as a method for analyzing contested meaning between communicants. However, the classical and social constructivist rhetorical theories typically used for analysis do not address the primary cause of contested meaning – relativism. Conversely, such theories often contribute to a dualistic worldview by utilizing internally imagined conceptual schemes for analyzing texts. This thesis proposes Thomas Kent’s paralogic rhetorical theory as an alternative method of analyzing CSR texts, and focuses on three common areas typically utilized in rhetorical analyses of CSR texts: text reception, the rhetorical situation, and genre. Where paradigmatic rhetorical theories …

The Role Of Arkansas Ffa Chapter Reporters And Advisors, Jessica Wesson

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

FFA reporters are tasked with conveying the FFA brand to the public. They are supposed to follow a set of guidelines set forth by the National FFA Organization that suggests different public relation activities for them to participate in. This organization has a long history of impacting the agriculture industry, but who tells people about it?

In 2018 the University of Arkansas agriculture education, communication and technology department sent a team of students and professors traveled to the 91^st Arkansas FFA State Convention to work the media room. This team was in charge of creating different communication pieces for …

Lessons Learned: Jack Gutt, Mercedes Cardona

Journal of Financial Crises

Gutt, who joined the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2009 as Vice President, Head of Media Relations and Public Affairs, shares with us his reflections on that period.