Hypothesis of individualism and equality? cultural representations in American organizational media releases

According to previous research, American cultural values are reflected in the external communication of organizations. This study aimed to explore how cultural features are reflected in a specific American organization’s, the Coca-cola Company’s, web based media releases and to hypothesize what kind...

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Main Author: Niskala, Niina
Other Authors: Humanistinen tiedekunta, Faculty of Humanities, Kielten laitos, Department of Languages, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylän yliopisto
Format: Master's thesis
Language:eng
Published: 2012
Subjects:
Online Access: https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/39944
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author Niskala, Niina
author2 Humanistinen tiedekunta Faculty of Humanities Kielten laitos Department of Languages University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto
author_facet Niskala, Niina Humanistinen tiedekunta Faculty of Humanities Kielten laitos Department of Languages University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto Niskala, Niina Humanistinen tiedekunta Faculty of Humanities Kielten laitos Department of Languages University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylän yliopisto
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description According to previous research, American cultural values are reflected in the external communication of organizations. This study aimed to explore how cultural features are reflected in a specific American organization’s, the Coca-cola Company’s, web based media releases and to hypothesize what kind of effects the discourses could have on the viewers’ perceptions of the world. In this cultural studies oriented research, the notion of cultural transference was adopted to explore the way texts can carry and represent cultural features, such as values, norms and behaviour models. In addition, effects research was adopted to reveal the texts’ potential effect on people’s worldviews. Specific research questions included: (1) What American cultural characteristics (values, norms or behavior models) are represented in the discourse of media releases? And (2) what kind of general judgments can be made from these representations of the North American culture on the public’s perception of “normality” (cultural change phenomena)? The data consisted of 24 media news releases posted in the year 2009 on the target company’s official website’s Press Centre section targeted to North American press and audience. Theoretically based content analysis was used to study the data. Althen’s (1988) five characteristics of American culture were used as the main theoretical background in the study: (1) high level of individualism; (2) emphasis on equality; (3) future orientations; (4) desire for action and achievement; and (5) directness and assertiveness (Okigbo, Martin & Amienyi 2005: 315). According to the study findings, the media releases reflected many of Althen’s model’s American cultural characteristics at least on an average level. Especially desire for action and achievement and directness and assertiveness were strongly transferred in the discourse. On the other hand, surprisingly the results revealed more collectivist values instead of individualist values and a differentiation perspective was emphasized instead of equality. The contradictory values could have potential effect on viewers’ cultural perceptions. In conclusion, the results reveal interesting cultural transference aspects of media releases which might need future research especially from the release objective perspective.
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This study aimed to explore how cultural features are reflected in a specific American organization\u2019s, the Coca-cola Company\u2019s, web based media releases and to hypothesize what kind of effects the discourses could have on the viewers\u2019 perceptions of the world.\r\nIn this cultural studies oriented research, the notion of cultural transference was adopted to explore the way texts can carry and represent cultural features, such as values, norms and behaviour models. In addition, effects research was adopted to reveal the texts\u2019 potential effect on people\u2019s worldviews. Specific research questions included: (1) What American cultural characteristics (values, norms or behavior models) are represented in the discourse of media releases? And (2) what kind of general judgments can be made from these representations of the North American culture on the public\u2019s perception of \u201cnormality\u201d (cultural change phenomena)?\r\nThe data consisted of 24 media news releases posted in the year 2009 on the target company\u2019s official website\u2019s Press Centre section targeted to North American press and audience. Theoretically based content analysis was used to study the data. Althen\u2019s (1988) five characteristics of American culture were used as the main theoretical background in the study: (1) high level of individualism; (2) emphasis on equality; (3) future orientations; (4) desire for action and achievement; and (5) directness and assertiveness (Okigbo, Martin & Amienyi 2005: 315).\r\nAccording to the study findings, the media releases reflected many of Althen\u2019s model\u2019s American cultural characteristics at least on an average level. 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spellingShingle Niskala, Niina Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases Coca-cola company cultural transference Englannin kieli English 301 kulttuuri viestintä tiedotteet Amerikka
title Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases
title_alt Cultural representations in American organizational media releases
title_full Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases
title_fullStr Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases
title_full_unstemmed Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases
title_short Hypothesis of individualism and equality?
title_sort hypothesis of individualism and equality cultural representations in american organizational media releases
title_sub cultural representations in American organizational media releases
title_txtP Hypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases
topic Coca-cola company cultural transference Englannin kieli English 301 kulttuuri viestintä tiedotteet Amerikka
topic_facet 301 Amerikka Coca-cola company Englannin kieli English cultural transference kulttuuri tiedotteet viestintä
url https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/39944 http://www.urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-201210102643
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