Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Understanding the creative process is important for society?s advancement and organizations? survival in the competitive global market. Within organizational communication, there is currently a need to transcend the functional input-process-output framework used in small group research to study team creativity (Wittenbaum et al, 2004). In the study of creativity across disciplines, there is need for more contextualized understanding of creativity (Sternberg, 2005).

In response, this paper uses the microsociological perspective (Haragon, 2006) to study team creativity as contextualized by social and historical factors. It investigates the nature of critical inputs used for idea generation and the role of communication in influencing inputs used. This exploratory study shows that using a different perspective to study team creativity gives new insight on inputs that team members utilize during idea generation as well as new insight on the role of communication in influencing the use of these inputs.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Mass media in the United States have hosted news content and delivered audiences to advertisers. But while advertiser support for traditional media has been dropping, activities of online ‘citizen journalists’ have been on the rise. A key question for both traditional news organizations and citizen journalists is who will pay for content of online news and information. In-depth interviews were used to gain insight into consumer understanding of changes in the relationship between news and advertising as both adapt to the online environment. Three types of news and advertising users were identified: engagers, receivers, and avoiders. Among these three groups there were also three approaches to user-generated content: those who participate broadly, those who saw it primarily as being for interpersonal exchanges, and those who did not invest any time in it. Implications are discussed for the future of user-generated content.

Publication Type: Proceeding
Abstract: This study examines policy bloggers, a subset of the political blogosphere. These bloggers focus on one policy area and attempt to “get the word out” about the importance of their policy area and policy recommendations. Information was gathered from in-depth interviews of nine policy bloggers and content analysis of their blogs during the summer of 2006. Findings show that most policy bloggers are highly educated, but aren’t among the most influential in their policy areas; they are a substrata of policy elites. Policy bloggers all engage in six activities on their blog: filtering information, providing expertise, forming networks, gaining attention, framing arguments, and using windows of opportunity. They rarely urge their readers to partake in political activity. Nearly all received attention from major media sources and some gained a significant daily readership. Despite these victories, their blogs were primarily labors of love, bringing in little money or professional rewards.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study documents the rise and fall of boxing in Korea since its introduction in 1912 by the American missionaries. The participation of amateur athletes in boxing has decreased sharply since the 1980s. Also, the popularity of professional boxing among sports fans has diminished in recent decades. I consider boxing as a “product” that is “consumed” by individuals as participants and fans. I apply product life cycle theory in analyzing the changing popularity of boxing. I argue that changes in the tastes of sports fans are closely linked to economic development, industrialization and the standard of living. The role of the state in creating professional leagues of baseball, soccer, basketball and other sports is one of the critical factors that have influenced the fate of the boxing industry in Korea. The authoritarian military regime had a political motive of its own behind its involvement of the creation of the leagues in that it wanted to divert the political grievances of the civil society against the political establishment and provide them with entertainment outlets for their frustrations. With increasing democratization of the political system the economics of the sports industry became increasingly free from the government interferences.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: New interest in the measurement of religiousness has been spurred by the recent growth of research in religion and health. However, measurement efforts have been dominated by attention to subjective, individualized facets of religiousness such as spirituality, beliefs, and attitudes, and little attention has been paid to congregate aspects beyond the single item measuring attendance at services. We develop and test measures for religious practices and feelings occurring during regular congregational worship services. Respondents (N=576) were religiously-diverse community-dwelling adults interviewed prior to cardiac surgery. Exploratory factor analysis of the new items with a pool of standard items yielded a readily interpretable solution involving seven correlated but separable factors and one index variable, with high levels of internal consistency. We describe religious affiliation and demographic differences in these indices. Attendance at religious services exposes individuals to multifaceted physical, emotional, social, and spiritual experiences that may promote physical health through multiple pathways.