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dc.contributor.authorNiskala, Niina
dc.date.accessioned2012-10-10T07:47:46Z
dc.date.available2012-10-10T07:47:46Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.identifier.otheroai:jykdok.linneanet.fi:1232122
dc.identifier.urihttps://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/39944
dc.description.abstractAccording 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.
dc.format.extent69 sivua
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsThis publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.en
dc.rightsJulkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.fi
dc.subject.otherCoca-cola company
dc.subject.othercultural transference
dc.titleHypothesis of individualism and equality? : cultural representations in American organizational media releases
dc.title.alternativeCultural representations in American organizational media releases
dc.identifier.urnURN:NBN:fi:jyu-201210102643
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
dc.type.ontasotPro gradu -tutkielmafi
dc.type.ontasotMaster’s thesisen
dc.contributor.tiedekuntaHumanistinen tiedekuntafi
dc.contributor.tiedekuntaFaculty of Humanitiesen
dc.contributor.laitosKielten laitosfi
dc.contributor.laitosDepartment of Languagesen
dc.contributor.yliopistoUniversity of Jyväskyläen
dc.contributor.yliopistoJyväskylän yliopistofi
dc.contributor.oppiaineEnglannin kielifi
dc.contributor.oppiaineEnglishen
dc.date.updated2012-10-10T07:47:46Z
dc.rights.accesslevelopenAccessfi
dc.type.publicationmasterThesis
dc.contributor.oppiainekoodi301
dc.subject.ysokulttuuri
dc.subject.ysoviestintä
dc.subject.ysotiedotteet
dc.subject.ysoAmerikka
dc.format.contentfulltext
dc.type.okmG2


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