Author Archives: Eric

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Number of Posts: 3
Number of Comments: 2

About Eric

5.08119E+15

Pragmatism Interpretive Framework

Pragmatism is an American philosophical movement or interpretive framework “holding that truth and value can only be determined by practical application and consequences”(O’Leary, Z., 2007). Pragmatists are concerned with knowledge that is useful and which helps individuals solve practical problems (In Vogt, Paul W.; 2005). A central notion of pragmatism is “that truth is found in ‘what works’ and that truth is relative to the current situation;” or in other words  that “truth is not  seen as an absolute but a moveable and usable construct for understanding the nature of reality” (McCaslin, M., 2008).

Researchers using this framework will use multiple methods of data collection, techniques, and procedures of research that “best meet their needs and purposes” and that best address their research questions (Creswell, 2013). Creswell notes, for example, that this framework is used when researchers doing case study or ethnography use both qualitative and quantitative (i.e. surveys) data collection (p.29).

Creswell, John W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five 
      Approaches. (3rd ed., pp. 28-29). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

McCaslin, M. (2008). Pragmatism. In Lisa M. Given (Ed). The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative
     Research Methods. (pp. 672-676). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. doi:
10.4135/978142963909.n336

O’Leary, Z. (2007). Pragmatism. In the Social Science Jargon Buster. (pp. 207-209). SAGE
Publications Ltd. Doi: 10.4135/9780857020147.n103

Pragmatism. (2005). In W. Paul Vogt (Ed.), Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology.
(3rd ed., p. 244). SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: 10.4135/9781412983907.n1482

Multiple Case Study of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. & The Ralph Lauren Corp.

My research focuses on a comparison of how Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and the Ralph Lauren Corporation managed the public relations around their company violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The FCPA makes a federal crime any incident of bribery of foreign officials. Consequently, I am interested in how each company responded to uncovering violations of the Act and how their press releases or press statements reflect their handling of the matter.

I am using a Case Study approach that utilizes a content analysis of each company’s press releases/statements. Categories that I will look at are the type of frame(s), themes, sub-themes, and key words that are presented in each press release or statement. After completing the content analysis, I will gauge each company’s treatment of the FCPA violations against best practices of public relations management as prescribed by the Arthur W. Page Society’s Page Principles.

To date, I have been able to secure four press releases from Wal-Mart related to the bribery violations from their online news archives. I have also reviewed all of Ralph Lauren’s news archives but have not found any releases on the FCPA violations. I have however, found quotes from the company in online news stories related to the bribery case. I will call the company this week to see if they have an official press statement. The fact that they don’t have any releases on the matter in their archives is an interesting finding in itself.

Overall, I am very interested in any theories involving public relations management or research involving best practices in the field. I expect that the findings from my research will touch upon these two areas.

Eric

I am a graduate student in the Corporate Communication Program at Baruch College. I have been in the communicaton field for over 20 years; practicing public relations, government relations, and community relations. I am looking to fine tune my skills and am studying qualitative research methods over the summer 2013 semester.

Photo-transactional_model_of_communication

 

 



Comments:

"One of the factors important in my decision as to which research topic and question I focus on is whether I think I will be able gather multiple forms of data. Is this a valid concern? Or does having a large sample in one specific type of data collection suffice?"
posted on Jun 11, 2013, on the post Chapter 7: Data Collection

"I am also reviewing this chapter carefully, as I assess the different options I have for my research topic. I think that conceiving the potential research questions and subquestions of the various topics is helpful in choosing which direction I will go in. Additionally, I think that having a specific question in mind will help determine which approach it take. For instance three questions I am pondering and their potential respective approaches are: 1) Does the 25th Street Plaza contribute to a sense of community at Baruch College?; (Possibly Narrative approach) 2) Does one's perceived moral obligation to one's employer affect one's engagement in time theft? (Possibly phenomenological approach) and 3) What public relations lessons can be learned from a comparison of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Ralph Lauren's handling of violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act? (Case study (multiple) Approach) Do you think these questions are sufficiently focused? (Hopefully I will decide sooner than later)."
posted on Jun 11, 2013, on the post Chapter 6: Introducing and Focusing the Study