Elizabeth Minei

Negotiating the Meaning of Team Expertise A Firefighter Team’s Epistemic Denial

In this case study, we report how a team of firefighters critiqued one of its member’s decisions to facilitate learning and process improvement. The study is supported by 500+ hr of ethnographic observations, documents, and 11 retrospective interviews, which captured how the team’s talk about the member’s decision shaped their interpretations of their own and others’ expertise—interpretations that ironically undermined learning. Constant comparative analysis revealed that these firefighters positioned themselves as experts by crediting either personal experience or technical knowledge and then discrediting the alternative way of knowing. We labeled this process epistemic denial. The process of epistemic denial was rooted in identity concern; specifically, veteran team members relied on personal experience and newer members relied on technical information gained from training to assert their expertise, and to devalue others’ expertise. The article concludes with recommendations for avoiding problems associated with epistemic denial in high-reliability teams.

Cyberterrorism: Its Effects on Health-Related Infrastructures

ABSTRACT This article examines cyberterrorism, the use of computers or the Internet against infrastructures whose systems or networks rely on computers or the Internet, and the effects it has on oil and gas utilities, water facilities, and hospitals. The main premise of this analysis is that cyberterrorism is a real threat and represents a continuous struggle. Because such critical health-related infrastructures have become increasingly dependent on computer-based technologies and the Internet, cyberterrorists are potentially a few mouse clicks away from breaching dams, damaging the control systems of hazmat companies, or compromising important hospitals databases.

Managing Illegitimate Task Requests Through Explanation and Acknowledgment: A Discursive Leadership Approach:

This study explored how discursive framing can mitigate an illegitimate task request—a request from a supervisor that extends beyond the appropriate parameters of the role. Using hypothetical vignettes in an experimental design, we examined how including an acknowledgment and/or explanation when making an illegitimate task request mitigated perceptions of illegitimacy and anger. Results indicate that acknowledgments mitigated perceptions of illegitimacy whereas explanations mitigated anger. Furthermore, the combination of acknowledgments and explanations had the strongest effects on reducing perceived illegitimacy and anger. We conclude with practical recommendations.

Cyberspace as a new arena for terroristic propaganda: an updated examination.

This paper analyzes the role of propaganda use in cyberterrorism. The main premise is that cyberterrorists display various semiotic gestures (e.g., the use of images and Internet videos) to communicate their intents to the public at large. In doing so, they communicate themes—these themes range from hate to anger. Cyberterrorism, then, is a form of theater or spectacle in which terrorists exploit cyberspace to trigger feelings of panic and overreaction in the target population. In many cases, this form of propaganda is the primary means of communication for various cyberterrorist groups to convey their intents. Internet sites also produce numerous opportunities for in-group communication and publicity.

Discursive Leadership: Harmonious and Discordant Framing-to-Sensemaking Outcomes

Changes in the business world come from many different unfamiliar organizational events, including mergers and acquisitions, leadership takeovers or company-wide expansion. When these unfamiliar organizational events occur, employees feeling the negative effects (e.g. confusion, anger, anxiety) often need to make sense of the event in a way that is meaningful (Weick & Sutcliffe, 2007). Whatever the cause of change, leadership must take a proactive role in managing the meaning of organizational events in a way that makes sense for employees. Using framing (Fairhurst, 2010), sensegiving (Gioia & Chittipeddi, 1991) and sensemaking (Weick, 1995), this study explores the successful and unsuccessful framing attempts of small business leaders to manage the meaning of organizational events for employees during a turning point in the organizations development. Data for this study were collected via 27 in-depth interviews, ethnographic participant observation data collection and through archival data collection. Leaders’ attempts to frame fell into two categories: harmonious framing-to-sensemaking endeavours; and discordant framing-to-sensemaking endeavours.

New Trends in Globalisation: An Examination of the Brazilian Case

This analysis looks at the role of Wal-Mart in Brazil by using glocalisation theory. Glocalisation refers to the strategies and practices adopted by transnational corporations to cater to local cultures and customs. In the case of Wal-Mart in Brazil, it unsuccessfully attempted to impose the US strategy of management practices, employee standards, low wages, EDLP (every-day-low pricing) for buyers, fierce pressure on suppliers, harsh anti-union policies and aggressive expansionism tendencies. In this, Wal-Mart was met with heavy resistance because it failed to glocalise. However, Wal-Mart changed tack or ‘compromised’ by following glocalisation principles and made deep inroads in the Brazilian market. This analysis is important for two reasons. First because it analyses the functioning of a giant corporation that ventured into unchartered territory from a theoretical perspective; an endeavour that has few scholars have hitherto undertaken. Second, in recent years, there has been scant consideration of the Brazilian market and its role in the global retailing process.

Corporate acculturation neglect in cross-border acquisitions: the case of Denmark and the United States

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of national culture on employee perceptions of internal communication during at Danish–American corporate cross-border acquisition. Twenty interviews were collected comprised of employees, managers, and chief executive officer whose organisations were directly involved in a cross-border acquisition. A modified constant comparative analysis of the data revealed that the three following identifiers were prominent as invaders to a successful Danish–American cultural integration: awareness of hierarchical communication differences; communication as misdirection; and reflection on consequences. The ways in which the acquisitions were mishandled led to the identification of a process we have labelled corporate acculturation neglect (CAN). CAN in acquisitions occurs when the acquired party feels that their familiar corporate culture has been neglected in favour of the communicative preferences of the acquiring company, resulting in feelings of frustration, uncertainty, and mistrust. This study concludes with recommendations for avoiding problems associated with CAN in cross-border acquisitions.

Teaching group interdependence: A campus murder mystery activity

Courses: Introduction to Communication; small group; interpersonal Objectives: This single activity demonstrates: (1) how interdependence can lead to better group outcomes than individual outcomes can; (2) how diversity of knowledge from multiple contributors helps group functioning; and (3) how students can be introduced to members of the department in a creative way. Successful completion of this activity familiarizes students with both administration, staff, and faculty members, as well as undiscovered resources.

Cyberterrorist messages: A semiotic perspective

Abstract This paper provides a semiotic perspective on cyberterrorism and its opportunity to cause maximal damage while using terrorist propaganda. By and large, cyberterrorism refers to the use of the Internet, technology, and computerbased networks against critical infrastructures. A major premise of this paper is that the Internet revolutionizes the way in which cyberterrorists communicate, recruit new members, and advertise propaganda for their cause. In an attempt to shed light on the transition from traditional to modern methods of attack, the authors apply the different levels of Stampers Semiotic Ladder – morphological, empirical, syntactical, semantic, and pragmatic – to cyberterrorism.