Analyze International/Cultural Communication

Addendum: Analysis Paper I

This paper have to be 2 pages with five paragraph: introduction, description,

interpretation, evaluation, and conclusion paragraphs. The third paper is for citation and Evaluation Criteria

READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY PLEASE

General Discussion

The analysis papers, in general, are opportunities for you to demonstrate your familiarity and the

expertise you have gained through engagement of library and internet sources on one subject using

communication concepts. This assignment thus provides an opportunity to show that you know

and can use the theoretical concepts acquired in class while demonstrating information literacy by

both assembling and critically assessing sources of information on the artifact.

To help guide your written responses, please familiarize yourself with the differences between

describing, interpreting and evaluating. This engagement and writing tool will help you in

conceptualizing issues and communicating that conceptualization to others. We will utilize a

particular writing structure–the D.I.E framework.

Writing guidelines1

1) The paper must be two pages in length (no more or less)

2) Your response papers must include precisely 5 paragraphs: introduction, description,

interpretation, evaluation, and conclusion paragraphs (the specific length of each paragraph

is offered in the example below).

3) Your paper must be written in Times New Roman and 12 point font (or Calibri 12 pt)

with 1” margins on ALL sides. A specific example is offered at the end of this syllabus.

4) You are allowed a single quote of no more than fourteen words. The point of this paper

is original writing – not stitching together a bunch of quoted material.

5) Your analysis must include a minimum of five sources, properly cited, of which only

one can be a source we provide in the assignment prompt.

6) Spelling and grammatical mistakes are graded negatively. You should check your paper

several times for spelling and grammatical mistakes before submitting.

The D.I.E. framework

The analysis paper gives you the opportunity to demonstrate ability to utilize communication

concepts. The assignment prompt ask you to first describe a case in purely factual terms, interpret

the case using a concept from our course readings, and, finally, evaluate the case using the same.

Information Literacy

This assignment requires that you search the library and internet for no fewer than five (5) sources

for various types of information on the chosen topic.

• You are allowed to use only one of the sources we provide in the assignment prompt

• You will need to assess this information to demonstrate your information literacy.

1

Note that Guidelines are strict rules (not recommendations). This paper provides an opportunity to practice your

writing and editing skills.

• You will utilize these sources in conjunction with the theories and concept expertise

from class to build and support your thinking about the case prompt you have been

provided. We will discuss specific assessment criteria in class (see syllabus for days

designated for these discussions).

Writing Prompts.

Analysis I: Analyze International/Cultural Communication

1) Watch videos and collect information2

regarding one of the four following cases.

Case I

I. Freshness burgers napkin:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/22/sacco-aids-africaapology/4165415/

II. The modest mouth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgJIzeklRz0

Case II

I. Justine Sacco’s media meltdown including #HasJustineLanded, and her apology:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/22/sacco-aids-africaapology/4165415/

Case III

I. I, Too, Am Harvard

Case IV

I. Sikh or Muslim?

2) Choose one concept from the cultural communication module.

3) In applying the concept, (i) describe the current event, (ii) interpret how the

concept/theory helps us to understand the event, and (iii) evaluate the outcomes or

potential outcomes of the event. Including a paragraph for an introduction and one for

a conclusion, your 5 paragraph paper must be two pages (no longer or shorter).

4) Find five sources to develop and substantiate your own assessment of this case.

Remember to look at a diversity of sources which both challenge and help you discuss

your critique of the artifact.

2

There are many, many more videos and positions. This is just a sample of get started. It is

expected you will find more sources with potentially different positions to describe, interpret,

and evaluate the case.

Few rules about sources:

i. Wikipedia may NOT be used as a source.

ii. Class lecture notes may NOT be used as a source.

iii. Textbook may be used as a source, but it has to be cited properly (please note

each individual article is authored by different people, your paper should cite

the original author and original publication.)

iv. You may use only one source provided to you in the assignment prompt.

v. It is advised that you research on the topic given, much beyond the prompt given

here, and build your case. You DO NOT have to follow the stand given in the

case prompt. You decide to choose which stand you follow. No stand is right or

wrong, you are evaluated/graded on the clarity and discussion of the concepts.

vi. All sources have to be cited, both in-text and in bibliography section, in APA

style. Failure to follow proper APA style will be negatively graded.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE PAPER LOOK LIKE

Perceptions of Apple in the Foxconn Suicides

Todd Norton

Student ID: #######

The Apple’s handling of the Foxconn-labor scandal is an important example of international/intercultural communication. Several people committed or attempted suicide at Foxconn plants 2010 in Foxconn plants. When labor relations at Foxconn became international news, they also became an issue for tech-giant Apple.

The overwhelming majority of Foxconn’s 1.2 million employees, a China-based manufacturer, work in plants assembling Apple products. In 2010, eighteen Foxconn workers killed or attempted to kill themselves reportedly due to severe working conditions in the plants. Additional deaths occurred prior to 2010 and have occurred in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, for example, three additional Foxconn employees were killed in an explosion on an iPad assembly line (Blanchard, 2012). When questions arose about poor working conditions at Foxconn, one of Apple’s main responses was that Foxconn had been audited and found mostly compliant with Apple’s standards (Dean, 2007). Yet, when Foxconn’s workers began committing suicide by jumping from the building, public concern and outrage focused squarely on Apple. As suicides of Foxconn employees began common in 2010, Apple reversed its position and said it would investigate the company.

The Foxconn suicides demonstrate the strong role perception plays in international business and marketing. First, perceptions or interpretations of this incident are driven partly by the selection process. Media outlets airing this story provide an example of the selection process. Several people committing suicide is a rare occurrence. As a result, media outlets aired the story, making the public aware of the incidents. This, in turn, opened the case up to potentially volatile public perception, regardless of whether the company had broken any laws. And though Apple does not manage those production plants, public perception of Foxconn clearly impacted perceptions of Apple. The public could interpret any violation as a serious problem regardless of whether Apple or Foxconn interpreted the violation in that way. As The Economist reports, Apple has been hurt by the Foxconn scandal by saying, “Apple was expecting lots of publicity ahead of the international release of the iPad, its latest gadget, on May 28th—but not the sort it received in Hong Kong this week, which included the ritual burning of pictures of iPhones and calls for a global boycott” (Light and death, 2010).

Apple did a poor job of communicating throughout the scandal. As a result, it will cost the company in the long run. Apple would have been best served by early and effective communication with the public about labor issues at Foxconn. However, its delay made the problem far more significant as negative public perception of Apple exploded in 2012. Despite the fact that the Foxconn workers were making Apple’s products, Apple attempted to frame the issue as a supply problem outside of its main operations. Thus, Apple’s attempts to distance the company from the negative perceptions failed. Although this strategy was intended as a way of avoiding blame, the negative publicity generated considerable blame and ultimately hurt Apple more than it helped. As Jary (2012) showed, Apple’s sales are slumping in China. This is a great example of Apple not understanding the concept of perception. The most recent events, headlined by the Foxconn scandal, has left Apple with a tarnished brand name.

In conclusion, because of its botched handling of the Foxconn scandal, Apple will suffer serious consequences that negatively impact its public image and its sales. Had Apple’s response been developed with a better understanding of key communication principles like perception, self-serving bias, and recency, the company might have continued enjoyed the same kind of success it had developed under the late Apple founder Steve Jobs.

Jary, S. (2012). Apple iPhone sales slump in China. PCAdvisor, August, 24. Retrieved September, 09 2012: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/apple/3377785/apple-iphone-sales-slump-in-china/

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