In line with Schwarz’s (2008) suggestion of extending Situational CrisisCommunication Theory (SCCT) with Kelley’s covariation principle, the presentresearch aims to further examine the applicability of integrating a covariation-basedapproach to crisis responsibility assessment into the SCCT framework. Specifically, acontent analysis was conducted to verify the basic assumptions for applying acovariation-based approach in crisis communication context. A follow-upexperimental study was exercised to test the effect of consensus information – themissing variable in SCCT – on crisis responsibility attributions. The researchsuggested that a covariation-based approach of crisis responsiblilty assessment couldbe legitimately applied in the SCCT framework, and that crisis responsibilityassessment in the SCCT framework could be improved, at least in some particularsituations, by more consistently and systematically taking into account the threeinformation dimensions in covariation principle as integrated information patternsrather than separately considering the effect of one single information dimensionalone.Keywords:

Communication is very common in human life. In fact, we take communication for granted and do not think about the challenges involved except when miscommunication happens. When two people communicate, information is exchanged. Each piece of information that comes through eliminates a series of structural choices an individual has available to him. According to Shannon‟s information theory, information reduces uncertainty by selecting one item from a set of possible items. That is Information distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant items in a set essentially dividing the set into two categories. Knowing also implies distinction or classification. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between information and knowledge by observing what happens when people communicate to each other in an experimental context. The focus of our observation is on three main situations: – 1. What happens when people communicate to each other in the context of known categorical attributes; 2. What happens when people communicate in the context of unknown categorical attributes; and 3. How is the communication process affected in the presence of known but misleading attributes as, for instance, in a situation of a cross-functional communication in organization? By studying the interaction between pairs of participants, we propose that information and categorical knowledge relate to each other, as in a duality, and influence the communication process. The study comprises four experimental conditions. This thesis provides a description of the experimental conditions, a brief report on what happened during people‟s performance, as well as some preliminary findings based on observations.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 7, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Contract no. AF-33(615)-3227. Project DSR 76143.

This thesis focuses on the search for accountability processes related to the standard setting powers of a transnational regulatory network that operates in the highly complex and uncertain environment of global finance: the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). The thesis draws upon and builds on two main resources: the academic literature from international law, political science, international relations and public administration about the concept of accountability and- as a theoretical framework - Niklas Luhmann's idea of communication which suggests that communication is a selection process rather than a process of transmission. In this selection process the idea of meaning in the sense of a common understanding is paramount. The analysis focuses on the key milestones of the Basel Committee's work: the Concordat, as well as the Basel I, Basel II and Basel III accords. The thesis also draws on a qualitative original data set compiled by the author, made up of extracts of discussions of the Basel Committee's work in the international financial journalistic press. Additionally, official documents and press releases from the BCBS were coded by classifying them into common themes (such as minimum capital standards or the delay on the implementation timetable of Basel III) and the thesis' analysis assessed whether they formed part of an accountability process (i.e., whether they asked for an account, responded to an accountability claim, judged an accountability claim and referred to which consequences should follow the judgement). On the basis of this thematic analysis the thesis identifies five accountability processes in relation to the work of the Basel Committee based on communication. These revolve around the standards for minimum capital requirements in Basel II, the standards for debt exposures of banks lending to small and medium size enterprises, the over complexity of the Basel III accord, the alleged detrimental effects of the Basel accord for US banks, and the delay in the schedule to implement Basel III. Drawing on Luhmann's ideas about communicative events, the thesis develops a novel account of communicative accountability that explains accountability as the decentred and flexible communicative interaction between an accountor and an accountee whose communications have to resonate with an epistemic community. This epistemic community plays the role of a social system in which expectations about the exercise of regulatory powers of the Basel Committee are managed. The thesis argues that this process of communicative accountability can be empirically traced and that it is significantly facilitated by reliance on a shared language and expertise of a common professional community to which both the Basel Committee and a wider professional community belong to. The thesis argues that while the concept of communicative accountability developed through the research can be used to identify processes which seek to render TRNs like the BCBS accountable, these processes may also lack sufficient legitimacy, in the sense of formal power from a recognized source such as a state or an international organization underpinning these accountability processes. Increased legitimacy matters because it would enhance certainty in an accountability process and therefore, help to identify more clearly the legitimate accountor and to uphold his or her authority to ask for the account. Hence, as a whole, this thesis contributes towards the quest for alternative ways of understanding and improving accountability mechanisms in relation to the exercise of regulatory powers by globalized regulatory institutions in a transnational sphere such as the BCBS.

A national mail survey of 117 journalists and 127 PR practitioners in 2008 shows that a majority of journalists and PR practitioners are familiar with at least one mass communication theory; a majority perceive that at least one mass communication theory influences their work; a majority think it is important to teach mass communication theories to students; and a majority think it is important to conduct research on mass communication theories. Compared to journalists, PR practitioners perceive more influence on their work from mass communication theories. The results also show that familiarity with mass communication theories is a strong predictor of journalists' and PR practitioners' perceived theoretical influence on their work, and their perceived importance of teaching and conducting research on mass communication theories. Education has indirect influence on journalism and PR: those who have learned theories in school are more familiar with mass communication theories; the more familiar people are with mass communication theories, the more theoretical influence they perceive and the more important they think it is to teach and conduct research on mass communication theories.

Business organizations disclose financial Information to a wide range of audiences through the medium of audited financial statements. Distinct classes of readers come in contact with these statements—each reader possessing varying degrees of financial expertise. Readers as "semantic reactors" develop their own expectations and interpretations of the messages management and the auditor are attempting to convey. In the process, many readers look upon the auditor's report as a "symbol" or seal of approval. The purposes of this study were to assess the role that communication theory plays In the auditor's attestation, to examine the perceived communication effects of the expanded auditor's certificate versus the current auditor's certificate, and to recommend ways in which communication problems can be dealt with more effectively. It was concluded that a communication problem does exist in relation to the auditor's report, and communication theory can play a distinctive role in reducing the magnitude of this problem. The profession should continue to seek answers as to the proper role of the auditor and management in relation to audited financial statements, as well as to settle the question concerning whom the statements are intended to serve.

abstract: This research examines the communicative processes of resilience in the organizational context of public education. The research utilizes one-on-one interviews to elicit descriptions of resilience and well-being and collect stories of success and overcoming challenges. The study purpose is two-fold: (1) to understand the ways in which organizational members construct and enact resilience individually and collectively through their talk and stories, and (2) to extend the communication theory of resilience through an empirical investigation of resilience in an organizational context. An iterative, thematic analysis of interview data revealed that resilience, as lived, is a socially constructed, collective process. Findings show resilience in this context is (1) socially constructed through past and present experiences informing the ways organizational members perceive challenges and opportunities for action, (2) contextual in that most challenges are perceived positively as a way to contribute to individual and organizational goals and as part of a “bigger purpose” to students, (3) interactional in that it is constructed and enacted collaboratively through social processes, (4) reciprocal in that working through challenges leads to experience, confidence, and building a repertoire of opportunities for action that become a shared experience between educators and is further reciprocated with students, and (5) is enacted through positive and growth mindsets. This study offers theoretical contributions by extending the communication theory of resilience and illuminating intersections to sensemaking, flow, and implicit person theory. I offer five primary practical applications, discuss limitations, and present future directions highlighting community development and strengths-based approaches. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Communication 2018

Submitted by (edna.saturno@ufrpe.br) on 2016-05-31T13:33:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Jorge Newton de Sousa Borges.pdf: 860593 bytes, checksum: 2115356263c7a7d538086683752f0262 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-31T13:33:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jorge Newton de Sousa Borges.pdf: 860593 bytes, checksum: 2115356263c7a7d538086683752f0262 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-28 / This paper examines the importance of radio as a medium to promote development in the rural area. This study is presented following a non-linear structure: the development, end of the process studied, leads to a trail that will reach to the Rádio Mulher, initial part of the process. In this way, studies of freedom, communication, information, radio and gender issues are present in order to guide the discourse and build understanding. Most research aimed at examining the communication rural spends much of its efforts to examine the impact that the media has on their audience. In addition to this proposal, this paper focuses on the importance of such impacts and their role to promote rural development. For this, the present paper examines the case of Rádio Mulher program, broadcast daily on Rádio Farol FM, located in the town of Catende in the Zona da Mata Sul de Pernambuco, Brazil. A qualitative research with exploratory analysis was performed whit focusing on identifying the contribution of the program on the expansion of the substancial freedom of rural women and their transformation in to change promoters. Five women envolved in production of Rádio Mulher at Cabo de Santo Agostinho and Catende were interviewed. The broadcast of the program was also followed. Although the Rádio Mulher is an important communication tool for the voices of all women in the region, the program comes as a vindication of freedom, in particular for rural women, in reference to the search for better quality of life, citizenship, political participation, sexual and reproductive rights and health. / O presente trabalho disserta sobre a importância do rádio como veículo promotor do desenvolvimento. O estudo é apresentado seguindo uma estrutura não linear: o desenvolvimento, fim para o qual se destina o processo estudado, conduz por uma trilha que chegará ao Rádio Mulher, parte inicial do processo. Neste percurso, os estudos sobre liberdade, comunicação, informação, rádio e questões de gênero se fazem presentes com o intuito de nortear o discurso e construir a compreensão. A maioria das pesquisas cujo objetivo é a análise da comunicação rural despende grande parte de seus esforços em examinar os impactos que os meios de comunicação causam em sua audiência. Para além desta proposta, o presente trabalho foca a importância de tais impactos e sua relevância na promoção do desenvolvimento rural. Para isto, estuda-se o caso do programa Rádio Mulher, veiculado diariamente pela Rádio Farol FM, localizada no município de Catende, na Zona da Mata Sul de Pernambuco. Foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa com análise exploratória cujo foco está em identificar a contribuição do programa na expansão da liberdade substantiva das mulheres rurais e sua transformação em agentes promotoras de mudança. Foram entrevistadas cinco mulheres envolvidas na produção do Rádio Mulher nos municípios do Cabo de Santo Agostinho e Catende, além de acompanhar a realização do programa ao vivo. Embora seja um importante instrumento de comunicação para a fala de todas as mulheres da região, o programa surge como veículo de libertação, em especial, para as mulheres rurais, no que se refere à busca por melhor qualidade de vida, cidadania, participação política, direitos sexuais e reprodutivos e saúde.

O objetivo desta tese é compreender o lugar e a relevância do conceito de classe social no campo da comunicação e quais sentidos teóricos o conceito apresenta na área. Como ponto de partida, apresentamos mapeamento e análise de teses, dissertações e artigos de congressos (Compós, Comunicon e Intercom) entre os anos de 2010 e 2014. Em geral, podemos observar fragilidades teórico-metodológicas com relação aos conceitos de classes e comunicação, ocorrendo muitas vezes uma naturalização do conceito de classe. Além disso, em alguns casos, não há relação mais explícita com a perspectiva comunicacional ou vigilância epistemológica entre instâncias e fases da pesquisa. Em alguma medida, salvo exceções, os sentidos teóricos das classes são banalizados ou pouco aprofundados, não considerando questões de lutas e conflitos, com as desigualdades sendo transformadas em meras diferenças. Então, partindo de uma perspectiva marxista, discutimos implicações teórico-metodológicas das teorias de classes, em suas diferentes abordagens e procuramos traçar uma trajetória do conceito de classes nos estudos de comunicação. A partir dos sentidos do conceito no corpus, esboçamos três eixos teóricos, a saber: a) estudos de recepção; b) eixo discursivo; c) eixo da produção, de modo a englobar a complexidade dos processos comunicacionais. Propomos, então, pensar em midiatização, mediação e circulação das classes (e suas lutas), sendo a circulação a categoria mais ampla, envolvendo a circulação comunicacional e do próprio capital. A partir dessas categorias, podemos compreender as lutas de classes nas relações de comunicação. / The aim of this thesis is to understand the place and the relevance of the concept of social class in communication research and which theoretical senses the concept presents in the studies. As starting point, we present an analysis of PhD and Master thesis, and conference papers of Compós, Comunicon and Intercom between 2010 and 2014. In general, we can observe theoretical and methodological weakness in classes and communication concepts. Moreover, in some cases, there is no explicit relationship with communicational perspective or an epistemological reflexivity between research instances and phases. To some extent, with some exceptions, theoretical meanings of concept are trivialized and not considering issues of struggles and conflicts, with inequalities transformed into mere differences. Then, from a Marxist approach, we discuss theoretical and methodological implications of class theories, in their different approaches and try to draw a way of the concept of classes in communication studies. From the meanings of concept, then, we outlined three theoretical areas: a) reception studies; b) discoursive axis; c) production axis, in order to encompass the complexity of communication processes. We propose, then, to think of mediatization, mediation and circulation of classes (and struggles of classes), with circulation as broadest category, involving communicational and capital circulation. From these categorias, we can understand class struggles in communicational relations.