It is argued widely that the academy today is in the process of significant change--in the institutional assumptions of what constitutes the university and the construction of knowledge and in its relations with the city and the world. This article addresses the evolution of the modern university in the context of the discourses of contemporary…

Analyzes an apologetic exchange between General Motors (GM) and NBC in 1992-93 over the safety of GM's C/K trucks. Concludes that NBC and GM used "kategoria-based apologiae," a heavy-handed strategy, in their interchange, but that, when used correctly, the strategy can be an important resource in challenging inaccurate and/or misleading…

Employs N. Fairclough's model of critical discourse analysis to explore the roles that public relations practitioners play in discursive struggles. Analyzes the discursive practices employed by practitioners in the research, redesign, and training phases of discourse transformation--transformations that emerge from discursive struggles engaged in…

Illustrates how Johnson & Johnson's crisis communication management adhered to many of the recommended guidelines for managing contingency planning, for mobilizing a crisis communication effort, and for post-crisis communication. Reveals the advantageous use of flexible, proactive, and corollary communication strategies. (MS)

Argues that organizations routinely engage in values advocacy (the appeal to shared cultural values) to perform three distinct functions: (1) to enhance the organization's image; (2) to deflect criticism of the organization and/or its policies, products, and services; and (3) to establish value premises that can be used in later discourse. (SR)

The Organizational Communication Culture (OCC) method, designed by Charles A. Bantz (1993) was utilized as the primary method for analyzing messages coming from the administration of California State University, Northridge, after the earthquake. Bantz feels that communication interactions in an organization bring meanings and expectations to that…

Analyzes the corporate apologetic discourses of three paradigmatic cases (at Chrysler, Toshiba, and Volvo) and examines the use of persuasive descriptions and strategic dissociations preferred by these corporate apologists. Shows how organizations label their wrongdoing in a way that displays sorrow but limits culpability and use dissociations to…

This paper describes the contingent media relations policy employed by Rockwell International, the prime contractor of the United States space shuttle program, following the 1986 destruction of the Challenger, and evaluates that policy in terms of its utility to Rockwell and its impact on public dissemination of information about the shuttle…