This interpretive research study examines peer leadership in a distributed online MBA community of practice at New States University (NSU pseudonym, based in USA). It explores ways in which faculty members in a global business course, NMBA616 (pseudonym), negotiate relationships, meaning and identity in their efforts to be effective teachers and address their own needs for professional growth and development. The research participants provide insights about community formation and function in a virtual domain where they work together at a distance without meeting face-to-face. The study appears to be a new application of culture code methodology, symbolic interactionism and social learning theory as they conjoin on social, psychological and organizational levels. To my knowledge it is the first study of an MBA virtual community of practice. Research interviews were conducted primarily by distance using web-based technology, teleconferences and email, as well as some face to face discussion. The central questions are: 1) To what extent does a distributed faculty team in an online global business management course constitute a community of practice? 2) What is the nature of faculty relationships in the online global business management course? and 3) What are the leadership issues in a virtual practice setting? Findings reveal that online community practitioners are resourceful in creating peer leadership that is embedded within the group and its relationships. The study is motivated by my personal interests and professional experience, as well as by the quest of online colleagues for ways to assess, support and improve themselves and their practice. Building on personal experience as an online business communications instructor, the thesis presents an example of peer leadership in a virtual global business community of practice and in its completion stands as a case study.

This thesis examines whether the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks caused a significant, lasting change in the American public's social construction of reality. A framework of everyday reality was created which focused on beliefs, behaviors, and cultural institutions in the United States. Data regarding specific beliefs and behaviors was collected from numerous survey sources, and content analysis was performed on media literature from September 11, 2001 to September 11, 2003. Findings from this study show that beliefs examined did change, while behaviors on similar topics did not. These finding represents an interesting paradox to be evaluated in future studies. Cultural institutions, as related to the public's knowledge of and relationship with each, also appeared little changed. Therefore, while some aspects displayed adjustment, this study cannot conclusively state that American public's social construction of reality experienced a "new reality" paradigm shift as proclaimed by the media immediately following the attacks.

Diploma thesis "Analysis of the Czech Media Market in 2009 - Constructing the Audience for Sale" aims to describe what kind of information do the Czech non- expert media use when constructing their audience for sale most often, what are the sources of such information and methods used for gathering them, and to what extent are those information, and the constructs themselves, verifiable, credible and relevant. Content analysis of publicly accessible materials the media provide about their audiences will be applied. In the first part of the diploma thesis we will define the audience within the media studies discourse and from the perspective of the advertisers. We will also apply the theory of social construction of reality to describe the process of the construction of the audience for sale. Brief overview of reported media audience characteristics and research and shielding institutions in the Czech Republic will follow. In the last part of the diploma thesis we will summarize the findings from the analysis and apply them on the prediction of the future development of the construction of the audience for sale. Complete list of media included in the analysis as well as raw data can be found in the appendix.

In my work I map the transformation of gender through media editorial in the journal Vlasta topics in 1991 and 2010 and how tthe communist regime influenced the thematic transformation of magazine in Czechoslovakia. In my work I also examine whether Vlasta magazine in 1991, presents a feminist ideas that have a negative connotation, as Osvaldová mentioned. The work is divided into three basic sections of theoretical, methodological and analytical. The theoretical part describes the current scientific discourse and puts the work in a social media context. This section presents the main concepts such as feminism, gender, gender stereotypes and patriarchy. It also mentions the importance of media and women's magazines for the female audience and the transformation of women's role in society before 1989 and after. In the methodological part, through open and axial coding I examine media content. In my research, I identify and describe significant editorial issues with which woman is associated in Vlasta magazine in 1991 and in 2010. Furthermore, using content analysis, I compare the contents of the magazine Vlasta 1991 and 2010 in terms of private and public spheres. Data are analysed by methods of the grounded theory, as described by Strauss and Corbin. The data from the content analysis shows the...

The diploma thesis The Břeclav's lie: Ethical Frontiers of Working with Sources and the Social Construction of Reality Created by the Media focuses on methods used by news media for creation of contents (about particular minority) and their ability to influence social processes according to which form for their contents they choose. The thesis si divived into four parts. In the first part of the thesis, the main focus is mainly on theory and concepts which are relevant for understanding other parts of the thesis, mainly the fourthone. Author focuses dominantly on respected paradigm of role of media in contemporary society and stereotypes as a necessary substance of media work. Second part established a line between theoretical and practical parts of the thesis. It describes ethical norms used for information handling not only when minorities are in the game. Routines as strong determinant in process of creating of media contents are analysed, as well as related polls and research focusing on impact on audience with particular focus on reliability and accountability of those sources. Data on size of the audience is mentioned as well. Third part consists of role of Roma minority in the Czech society regarding categorisation of thematic frameworks. This chapter involves parts on ethnicity as a tool of...

The thesis deals with the analysis of two years, namely 1991 and 2010, of the magazine Vlasta made with the gender optics. The aim is to compare thematic structure of the magazine in 1991 and 2010 from gender perspective and identify the central issues which are presented to women. The study is divided into three main sections: theoretical, methodological and analytical. The theoretical part describes the current scientific discourse, including terminological definition of basic concepts. The methodology part describes the research methods used and the analytical section presents the research outputs obtained through open and axial coding, which were used in analysis of the media content. Significant editorial issues, which are associated women in a magazine Vlasta with, have been identified and described.

The thesis "The cult of youth and the old age denial on the media image of celebrities: Content analysis of the Top Star Magazine TV show" explores the ways in which the values of the cult of youth exhibit and reproduce on the media image of celebrities. The analyzed material is a TV show about celebrities called Top Star Magazín which is broadcasted by Czech TV channel Prima Family. The research is based on the content analysis of the TV show and consists of two methodologically different surveys: a simple quantitative content analysis of episodes aired in 2012 and a qualitative content analysis of two randomly selected episodes. The research part of the thesis is supported by the theoretical and methodological parts. The methodological part describes the research techniques: choice of research method, setting of research questions and defining the sample. The theoretical part introduces all the essential theories, especially the media construction of reality, and also attends to the issues of age categories and social perception of people in different periods of life. The conclusion is that the media image of celebrities in the Top Star Magazine TV show is unified and significantly affected by the values of the cult of youth. One of the main symptoms is denial and repression of any signs of the...

La criminalité sexuelle constitue aujourd’hui l’un des enjeux politiques et sociaux de nos sociétés contemporaines. Les débats auxquels elle donne lieu sont généralement l’occasion de souligner le rôle central des criminels sexuels récidivistes et de certains types de personnalités particulièrement dangereuses, parfois désignés sous le terme de « prédateurs sexuels », les plus dangereux étant les tueurs en série en raison de leur violence sexuelle meurtrière et les pédophiles en raison d’une inclination qui non seulement repousserait les limites de la morale en les amenant à s’en prendre à des enfants mais qui, de plus, pourrait participer, selon les théoriciens de l’abuseur-abusé, à reproduire un contingent d’agresseurs sexuels toujours plus important. Dans un tel contexte cette recherche doctorale a tout d’abord eu pour objectifs de contribuer à une meilleure connaissance des catégories de tueur en série et de pédophile ; d’analyser ensuite comment un ensemble de pratiques et d'idées à-travers un processus de catégorisation sont amenées à être pensées comme relevant d'un problème plus large, en l’occurrence la criminalité sexuelle ; et, enfin, inspiré par l’approche de Ian Hacking des maladies mentales transitoires de mettre en évidence les effets de la catégorisation sur les individus ainsi catégorisés et l’action en retour de ces derniers sur les catégories. / Sex-related crime is currently one of the most concerning political and social issues of our day. The resulting debates usually highlight the central role of repeat sex offenders and a number of particularly dangerous types of personality, often referred to as “sexual predators”, the most dangerous of which are serial killers, who are responsible for sexual violence and death, and paedophiles. The latter display an inclination that far exceeds moral boundaries by targeting children as victims, and could also, according to the theorists of the abuser-abused relationship, reproduce a more significant contingent of sexual aggressors. Within this context, this doctoral research aims first to contribute towards a better understanding of serial killer and paedophile categories and, subsequently analyse how, through a long categorisation process, specific practices and ideas are considered relevant to the broader issues regarding sexual criminality. Finally, this research, inspired by Ian Hacking’s approach to transitory mental illness, seeks to underline the effects that categorisation has on the persons concerned, including the latter’s influence on the former.

This study explores how the only public TV channel designated for children in the Czech Republic approaches on a children's audience and how it communicates with a child and adult viewers. The primary research of this study has a qualitative nature. The case study was used, the data were analyzed thematically. In the study, several interviews were conducted with the key television staff responsible for communication. Research based on a literature review found that television workes view the viewer as an active audience. They create content which is to be edutainment. ČT :D follows world trends and uses the latest technologies, including social networks, to communicate with the child's viewer. However, social networks ČT :D does not consider to be the key means of communicating with child viewers due to the age of its target group. Within the paradigms that dominate the discourse of approaching to the child's viewer, social constructivism was found out.

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