Societal Approach for Interpersonal Communication and Social Interaction Analyses. Critical Discourse Analyses in Political Practice

The article analyzes how hostility is legalized in different societies and which narratives and discourses are used to make the dominant state ideologies acceptable for citizens. The authors use critical discourse analysis methodology to compare the main narratives of (a) the establishment of communism that was dominant in the Soviet Union and (b) the anti-terrorism movement in the first decade of the 21st century, used in the spread of democratic ideology and justification of the actions of different countries. The Cold War rhetoric in the Soviet Union meant the linguistic militarization of life: war rhetoric interdiscursively invaded everyday life though the language of the media and thus became the language of describing everyday life. After the events of September 11, 2001, a new global confrontation was constructed. During the Soviet Union period we fought against international imperialism; now we fight against international terrorism. Both main narratives, the one of the Soviet Union and the one formulated by George Bush (Jnr), are phrased by the political elite and made legitimate through mass media. Both narratives are characterized by euphemistic use of language, because military activity is justified by the need to defend democratic values

A walk in the public relations field: Theoretical discussions from a social media and network society perspective

A walk in the public relations field: Theoretical discussions from a social media and network society perspective   For public relations officers the last years were momentous. Changes in the surrounding life dictated also changes in the public relations PR practice. The birth of a so-called network society was significant not only for different information technology and computer-related professions, but also for communication science, including public relations, from a larger perspective. Talking about public relations we are mostly talking about managing communication and about relations born as a result of the managed communication flow. From a historical perspective communication and relations management means quite often a kind of use of power. At this point the existential question today is — how to manage communication and relations in the new situation — in the society which is guided by social networks where power is not always at the “top” of hierarchy anymore, but is “down” in the networks. Who has power, and who and how will control communication processes in the society of “mass self-communicators” Castells, 2007, which is designed and created by authors who are writing and expressing their ideas through social media, using their right of speech more than ever and which is no longer easily controlled and managed by others — authorities, press officers, public relations managers, censors, etc.A walk in the public relations field: Theoretical discussions from a social media and network society perspective   For public relations officers the last years were momentous. Changes in the surrounding life dictated also changes in the public relations PR practice. The birth of a so-called network society was significant not only for different information technology and computer-related professions, but also for communication science, including public relations, from a larger perspective. Talking about public relations we are mostly talking about managing communication and about relations born as a result of the managed communication flow. From a historical perspective communication and relations management means quite often a kind of use of power. At this point the existential question today is — how to manage communication and relations in the new situation — in the society which is guided by social networks where power is not always at the “top” of hierarchy anymore, but is “down” in the networks. Who has power, and who and how will control communication processes in the society of “mass self-communicators” Castells, 2007, which is designed and created by authors who are writing and expressing their ideas through social media, using their right of speech more than ever and which is no longer easily controlled and managed by others — authorities, press officers, public relations managers, censors, etc

The scope and limit for the development of corporate social responsibility in the Baltic States as a strategy of corporate communication

Corporate social responsibility CSR is a comparatively new term in the Baltic States’ business vocabulary. The value of the present study is the customer approach. The study examines stakeholders’ attitudes in Baltic States towards CSR activities of companies. The systematic examination of the current state of CSR development from the perspective of corporate communication and consumers will benefit the overall understanding of what the role and value of CSR is in the Baltic States. The study aims at defining the current point of CSR development with its characteristics, qualities, perspectives and tendencies. This would further enhance the understanding of future perspectives — scopes and limitations — for CSR development in the Baltic States. The empirical study uses a survey questionnaire as a research tool. The survey took place in the period of February–March 2010. The sample of the study is opinion elite persons in society who comment on diff erent societal aspects in the media: opinion journalists, politicians, business leaders, 3rd sector leaders, expert associations, etc. in the Baltic States. A study will give an insight into the present and future tendencies of the development of CSR. It will also give a perspective for corporate communication practitioners about CSR and how it works in a post-communist society, as a strategy for organizational communication and reputation building. Corporate social responsibility CSR is a comparatively new term in the Baltic States’ business vocabulary. The value of the present study is the customer approach. The study examinesstakeholders’ attitudes in Baltic States towards CSR activities of companies. The systematic examination of the current state of CSR development from the perspective of corporate communication and consumers will benefit the overall understanding of what the role and value of CSR is in the Baltic States. The study aims at defining the current point of CSR development with its characteristics, qualities, perspectives and tendencies. This would further enhance the understanding of future perspectives — scopes and limitations — for CSR development in the Baltic States. The empirical study uses a survey questionnaire as a research tool. The survey took place in the period of February–March 2010. The sample of the study is opinion elite persons in society who comment on diff erent societal aspects in the media: opinion journalists, politicians, business leaders, 3rd sector leaders, expert associations, etc. in the Baltic States. A study will give an insight into the present and future tendencies of the development of CSR. It will also give a perspective for corporate communication practitioners about CSR and how it works in a post-communist society, as a strategy for organizational communication and reputation building

Corporate social responsibility developments in post-communist countries: Towards organisations’ social legitimacy

The aim of the paper is to introduce corporate social responsibility CSR as an organisation’s management and stakeholders’ relations tool in post-communist countries for ensuring the organisation’s social legitimacy. The article discusses how understanding the interdependence between the organisation and society helps to support the organisation to develop social legitimacy and therefore ensure its sustainability. The general research problem in this article is connected with the societal context of studied organisations: how CSR could be positioned and managed in a post-communist society to avoid a rebuff against an organisation’s CSR activities. The topic of this paper is approached through three research questions: how post-communist organisations see the CSR position in the organisation, how social legitimacy is acknowledged and defined, and finally to what extent CSR is seen as a tool for ensuring social legitimacy. For the research, seven Estonian organisations’ representatives with management responsibility were interviewed to find out their thoughts and ideas about CSR and social legitimacy

Who defines the narrative of a crisis? The case of an Estonian online boycott campaign against an international supermarket chain

This study examines the impact of social media activism in the form of a boycott case through the analysis of online and mass media news articles. The article reviews a conflict between a supermarket chain and its Estonian customers in April 2010, and focuses on definition hegemony the process by which the crisis is defined, the reaction of journalists and consumers to the case, and its impact on a company’s crisis communication. It examines the role of social media in formenting a crisis and keeping it active. The analysis of social media and mass media texts, as well as press releases, suggest that citizens have power over corporations because of their ability to raise questions, be critical of company behavior, and in defining the crisis narrative. The findings indicate that who is able to define the crisis can significantly affect its course.This study examines the impact of social media activism in the form of a boycott case through the analysis of online and mass media news articles. The article reviews a conflict between a supermarket chain and its Estonian customers in April 2010, and focuses on definition hegemony the process by which the crisis is defined, the reaction of journalists and consumers to the case, and its impact on a company’s crisis communication. It examines the role of social media in formenting a crisis and keeping it active. The analysis of social media and mass media texts, as well as press releases, suggest that citizens have power over corporations because of their ability to raise questions, be critical of company behavior, and in defining the crisis narrative. The findings indicate that who is able to define the crisis can significantly affect its course

Facebook discussion of a crisis : authority communication and its relationship to citizens

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the authority communication and its relationship to citizens during a disaster. This analysis is crucial for organisations to help them understand the different ways in which crises are perceived by citizens, and the reactions they may cause. The results will help authorities in planning their crisis communication. Design/methodology/approach Facebook comments written by authorities and citizens are studied and analysed in an exploratory case study related to the 2011 catastrophe in the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant via content analysis. Findings The analysis of Facebook comments revealed that authorities have to be prepared for communicating with citizens with diverging interests, who have different perceptions on a crisis and that relation is not the same with those different profiles of citizens. Research limitations/implications This case study only focusses on the Fukushima debate from the point of view of the authorities and citizens. Practical implications This study argues that it is crucial for both authorities and public relations practitioners to acknowledge that competing opinion holders are challenging each other and authority online, and that crisis communication should be planned accordingly. Originality/value The participant profiles can help organisations to clarify citizens’ crisis perceptions that can emerge in online discussions. Practitioners need to concentrate on determining how to get their voice heard so that there are perceived credible and legitimate actors.peerReviewe

Organizational Decision Making: The Luhmannian Decision Communication Perspective

Studies of organizational communication around decision-making and decision communication have largely concerned how decisions should be made and promoted. Less efforts have focused on how decisions should be communicated inside organizations and how they influence organizational effectiveness and performance. This study examined decision communication in an engineer-based organization 2008–2009. Key findings demonstrate that effective decision communication can be considered as the backbone of organizational communication, which can benefit the whole organization from the top management to lower levels. This paper also discussess the concept of decision communication generally and from theoretical point of view. Decision communication can be seen as a very special part of organizational communication. Additionally, it can also be seen as the guiding force of organizational effectiveness. Organizations need to make decision-making processes visible. From the organizational communication perspective this means holding decisions’ meetings, certain rites and documents. Organizations as systems need a rational type of order to follow the decision-making process. The public relations or communication management workers’ (specifically internal relations management) role in organizations has traditionally been to communicate the goals and objectives of current decisions at hand.peerReviewe

Cross-cultural comparisons of bullying among university students : perspectives from Argentina, Estonia, Finland and the United States

The chapter compares bullying experiences among university students between four countries and aims to provide an understanding of the cultural features which might affect these experiences. We start by providing a summary of the results from a cross-cultural survey conducted among undergraduate students in Argentina, Estonia, Finland and the United States. We continue discussing the ways in which the current cultural, political, historical and economic status and challenges in each country might explain the cross-cultural differences and similarities detected in students’ bullying experiences in higher education.peerReviewe