Understanding Extent of Media Effect Between and Across Global Cultures, Case Study Example

Abstract

Review of the literature has shown there is an authentic gap in studies revealing the extent of the American multi-media (Western) influencing national cultures globally. While there is a plethora of suppositions as well as assumptions how marketing of American products and services has become a visible part of the global national scene none the less the lack of statistical evidence on the impact on national cultures has been what prompted looking into this subject as a research proposal project. The following research proposal has addressed the issue in a problem statement that focuses on the specificity of the lack of data. The following proposal has provided the underpinnings of the stereotypic assumptions by anti-globalists pointing blame on American media a coercive and insidious intention to Americanize the global community. The methodology of the proposed research project is discussed as well.

Key words: multi media globalization; Americanization; national cultures; American culture.

Introduction

The problem is understanding the extent of the effect of multi-media across cultures specific to the influence of American cultures affecting changes in national cultures. By using a case study of Western media specific to America the purpose of the proposed study is to gather hard statics from existing literature about this issue. The intention of this proposed research and why it is important to the general field of media is to fill a gap in the literature that has been identified as lacking in studies on the influence of media across cultures. This proposed study is to focus on the extent of Western media influence on global cultures since the bulk of literature shows the effects of media in general have been centered on aspects of both financial and organizational interests (Hinton, 2007). Further to Hinton (2007), this has meant little in the literature has been directed at culture and again generally representative of sampling responses and other data connected to media reflecting that of political events. In fact, review of the literature has shown that the U.S. Anglo American effects of media has typically been on its own culture particular to such studies generalizing research results sans much critical analysis.

The Value of the Case Study                                                                               

This proposed research using the case study of Western media influence on global culture looks at what Baxter and Jack (2008) describes as the phenomenon of the complexity of focusing on the context of a case study. The value of using the case study as a methodology for academic research as described by Crowe, Cresswell, and Robertson, et al. (2011) is how it provides the opportunity for an in-depth as well as multi-faceted discovery of the complexity of issues within their true-life settings. Across different fields of research as further explained by Crowe et al. (2011) the use of the case study has been well-documented.

Olsen (2004) has discussed the argument on how realism (as applied to the case study included here) as an alternative study method looks at the way social objects are frequently affected by the manner they are construed, but these same realities at the same time have an ongoing existence. Olsen (2004) explains this existence as not entirely constituted of how contemporary researchers will construe them. Of course, the real is changeable – there is no argument, and further to Olsen (2004) who explains how the characteristics of the realism of the case study pragmatically and in part, unresponsive to how they are known and understood is relevant. “Realism is plural with respect to methodologies and with respect to theories, and therefore, offers a good platform from which to embark on integrated mixed methods research (Olsen, 2004, p. 4). In the methodology section that follows below the mixed method application to this proposal is discussed further.

Background and Significance

Arguably, the literature as exemplified by Madianou (2011) has shown the most influence U.S. media on global national cultures has been through T.V. programs. Researched, analysis of findings, and condensing of such studies has determined that even though miniscule data exists, nonetheless it has proved significant connected to the influence that U.S. entertainment programs has on cultures globally in attitudes and perception extending to the behavior of foreign audiences as described by Ware and Dupagne (1994). Thus, the implication holds how a preponderance of Westernized or U.S. cultural influence on cultural convergence remains again arguably, the most popular view. This influence is believed to contribute to the decrease of national T.V. programs globally. To this argument is added by Ambirajan (2000) how the U.S. culture through television influence has affected the erosion of diverse traditional values while threatening social practices, indigenous languages along with national identities as being lost.

Wang (2008) sees Americans having a monopoly in communication research lasting since the Second World War, that has made some people view mass media existing as a channel of Westernization with it flowing to less developed countries being regarded by the developed West as important. This is not only for those on the receiving end but also for those sending the mass media as well as who sees it. Thus, mass media has become viewed according to Wang (2008) as an integral part of the personal fight by some global national ideologies that is against both socialism and totalitarianism. “But this ethnocentric view of global communications has drawn a critical response from international scholars and receiving countries (Wang, 2008, p. 205)”.

To this the work of Hinton (2007) looks at both the framing and recipient framing methodology as another popular new media effecting the paradigm of how media uses, and its effects are treated. This is in such a manner that both cause and effect become interpreted socially or individually causal factors. It is social. Problems as exemplified by an aging society, migration, or poverty that media frames in such a manner that underpins this interpretation process.

In addition, Wang (2008) has reported, that “During the Cold War and the numerous resistance movements within many semi-colonial areas, the issue became an inevitable argument (p. 5)”. Consequently, this has made in Wang’s (2008) view that, “New media imperialism seemed to succeed more easily than the previous international propaganda because of its form of ordinary entertainment and the willingness of mass audiences to enjoy popular culture (p. 205)”. The implication of this can approach the pragmatic suggestion that this does not necessarily mean the international viewer of American popular culture is in any means going to change their culture.

Yet, as Wang (2008) reminds those who detract globalization look at the process of global communications as predominantly linked to ideas that media imperialism therefore is cultural imperialism. Wang (2008) explains how these detractors of globalization continue to view global communications remaining a significant vehicle with the intention of invading, controlling, or undermining other cultures. This is specific to how American media transmissions of ideological or cultural patterns continue seen as an invasion on global cultures to inject Western values.

Another view that provides more insights to the background of this proposed research project comes from Damm (2008). American plus culture is a combination that numbers of people globally believe do not really belong together. This connects to the often prevailing, stereotype of America by the global community as being a clueless people and even more significant for this proposal as uncultured. And as Damm (2008) has made clear this is a belief that runs deep and in the view of Damm it is one that is not just found abroad. This is as explained by Damm (2008) a belief that is a substance of the American culture itself. A belief that has come across as some type pride that being down-to-earth, and every day is a valued characteristic. In America as Damm (2008) has projected, it is the he common man and woman with the commonality of their tastes that have long been celebrated since America’s independence from Great Britain. Noting how, at the same time, Damm (2008) explains that from the onset of the established colonies to the 21^st century Americans continue viewing the sophisticated tastes of the upper classes as both satirical and disdainful. Herein, therefore as recognized by Damm (2008) the implication of the suggestion of a paradox existing that American culture through the advent of multi-media has become the global community’s most widespread and culturally influential entity today. But, in recognizing the conundrum just described, Damm (2008) nonetheless exerts how there is a global mindset among numbers of the community that America’s multi-media influence has become so ever-present and powerful and that it has generated fear that its culture may indeed damage these believers’ own national cultures.

Literature Review

Globalization of Culture Through Media                                                                             

Kraidy (2002) makes a case with their study results that had focused on what they call the popular view of the globalization of national cultures through the media. In other words, it is a view that holds the entire global community has been specifically modeled after the presumed image of mostly American (Western) culture. The professional as well as popular discourse Kraidy (2002) has referred connect to the influence of television programming exemplified by such viewings as MTV and Baywatch along with the international preponderance of the Big Mac via globally located McDonald’s fast food restaurants. Kraidy (2002) has provided fodder to the debate how these examples are expressly those as unmistakable signs in fulfilling theorist Marshall McLuhan’s long-standing prophecy about the emergence of the Global Village.

The effect of the role of America plays in international mass media is imputed as explained by Kraidy (2002) as the purveyor globalization of culture. The evidence of contemporary media technologies including satellite television as well as the Internet thus creating the constant flow of transnational images connecting audiences across the globe is undeniable. It stands to reason as outlined by Kraidy (2002) that teens in Argentina, Turkey, and India would not be embracing the cultural aspects of the American cultural framework of Coca-Cola, Nike shoes, or rock music without the strong influence of mass media.

Media Framing

Dixon and Josey (2013) talk about those stakeholders attempting to influence media coverage through strategically building specific framing in the process (as was discussed previously in the background presented above). These stakeholders seeking to influence the media coverage in the strategic frame building focus on influencing those using media and their interpretation of the social realty media presents. Dixon and Josey (2013) have noted that counter to such methods for influencing the audience of media information that takes a gratification approach, the effect of the framing of media that crosses those social and cultural groups remains relevant. This is connected to how those in this social and cultural audience is either most of the users or exist in privileged groups that are attempting to force poor, unemployed, and migrant people to be responsible for their respective social issues. This is intention extends to this taking place in an individualistic manner through the episodic media framing as well as through correlation of applied moral judgments. The second existing process is when dominant media thus frames programming at a level of societal dimension that produces implications of the potential for influencing how social groups will judge/evaluate one another culturally as a priming process.

Design and Method

Mixed Method

The design and method of this study will be mixed method based on the implications that a meta-search for data extraction will confront both types with the qualitative bridging the gap for the purpose of integrating such insights with the interpretation of the quantitative data. However, the focus of this proposed study is quantitative again, and will be based on the use of statistical information found in a systematic (discussed below) literature review.

Case Study

Baxter and Jack (2002) explains how the use of a case study approach to a research design as a methodology when it is applied correctly, thus becomes a valuable vehicle in developing develop the needed research theory. The design and methodology for this research proposal project will be specifically through use of meta-research statistical findings thus, applying the quantitative approach to the project. The use of the case study of America as the focus will allow developing thee research questions. As an option for a key methodology as explained by Crowe et al. (2011), the value of incorporating the case study in research is that it offers considerations in relation to developing the design, the planning, analysis, as well as both the interpretation and reporting in the research process.

Systematic Review of the Literature

For the design of this study a systematic review of the literature would be most beneficial since the study design will derive the quantitative statistical data from a meta-study of the existing literature that will be specific to the focus of determining the influence of American mass media on global national cultures. In doing so, as explained by Cooper, Chenail, and Fleming (2012) implementing a systematic review allows contrasting with the use of a narrative summary for the research findings report. This is because it will include a design that is both explicit and transparent. Cooper et al. (2012) note that experts have defined how the systematic literature review methodology thus imposes a specific discipline on the process. Cooper et al. (2012) further outline how, “These authors observe that ‘systematic reviews and meta-analysis are becoming more widely used in the social sciences, especially in psychology and education …’ (p 1)’”. This kind of confirmation of applying the meta-analysis for data extraction through the literature review underpins the choice of this being the methodology of design for this research proposal.

The authors further explain:

One benefit of systematic reviews over traditional literature reviews is that the application of scientific principles and procedures to the review process results in more rigorous design and reliable conclusions. In this sense, the systematic review design ‘is less of a discussion of the literature, and more of a scientific tool …’ (Pettigrew & Roberts, 2006, p. 10). Another benefit to the systematic review is that it provides a research design for both summarizing the evidence related to a specific research topic and providing evidence-based information to inform practice and future research. In addition, as Pettigrew and Roberts point out, ‘It is important to be able to tell the difference between real and assumed knowledge, and systematic reviews can help us to tell which is which’ (p. 2). (Cooper et al., 2012, p. 1)

The opportunity for enhancing the quantitative learning experience of the use of this methodology as explained by Cooper et al. (2012) views the systematic review as an appropriate research design for developing comparative tables from the extracted data as research evidence. The details of the criteria for this systematic literature review will be congruent with specific evidence of the influence of American multi-media on national cultures.

Preliminary Suppositions and Implications

Aneesh, Hall, and Petro (2012) get to the heart of preliminary suppositions and implications aligned to negative assumptions about the effect American media has on globalizing Western culture. These authors have challenged how, “the nature of integration, captured by the term ‘globalization,’ is often poorly understood, resulting in misplaced battles over homogeneity versus heterogeneity, as if the functional expansion of markets and media could turn the world into irremediable cultural sameness (Aneesh et al., 2012, p. 1)”.

At the same time, it is important to understand that the preliminary suppositions and implications in this research proposal and the desired outcomes align to how the intentions is to improve processes in the field of media as an influential aspect of globalization. This means that in the preliminary suppositions of this proposal the strength of this becoming a viable research project are the implications that the statistical data that is derived from the chosen methodology for contributing to the gap in the literature will challenge any ideological assumptions that now exist about American multi-media being a threat to global cultural sustainability. The desired supposition as connected to this proposed study is that the findings will provide a solid basis for further research and perhaps strengthen theories and models that align to the subject—no matter the outcome of the data gathered.

Conclusion

This proposed study should be considered for implementation because as was distinctly outlined in the above it will fill a recognized gap in the literature that exists. There is little literature that has performed research with statistical findings that support a wide-spread belief that the global community national cultures are being directly affected by American multimedia to replace them with that of the Western characteristics of the U.S. Again, the use of America a case study has profound implications for the potential for adding to the field of how exactly the influence of American multi-media has authentically changed the national cultures of the vast majority in the global community. This proposed study genuinely fits into the potential for contributing in a significant manner to the broader scholarship about the stated research problem, that proposes, “The problem is understanding the extent of the effect of multi-media across cultures specific to the influence of American cultures affecting changes in national cultures”.

References

Ambiraja, S. (2000). Globalization, Media, and Culture. Economic and Political Weekly, 35(25). Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4409414.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A04b323408ef5e24f24ceb220d88ac18f

Aneesh, A., Hall, L., & Petro, P (2012). Beyond Globalization: Making New Worlds in Media, Art, and Social Practices, New Directions in International Studies (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press). Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/read/125718463/beyond-globalization-making-new-worlds-in-media.

Baxter, P., & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative Case Study Methodology: Study Design and Implementation for Novice Researchers. The Qualitative Report 13(4). Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-191646999/qualitative-case-study-methodology-study-design-and.

Cooper, R., Chenail, R.J., & Fleming, S. (2012). Grounded Theory of Inductive Qualitative Research Education: Results of a Meta-Data-Analysis. The Qualitative Report. Retrieved from http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-608073953/a-grounded-theory-of-inductive-qualitative-research.

Dixon, T. L., & Josey, C. S. (2013). Race and news revisited: The content and effects of problematically framing the news. In E. Scharrer (Ed.), The international encyclopedia of media studies, 5. Media effects/media psychology (pp. 272–294). Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.

Damm, C. (2008). America’s Cultural Role in the World Today. Retrieved from https://access-internationalvg2.cappelendamm.no/c951212/artikkel/vis.html?tid=385685

Kraidy, M. M. (2002). Globalization of Culture Through the Media. Annenberg School of Communication. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1333&context=asc_papers

Madianou, M. (2011). Beyond the presumption of identity? Ethnicities, cultures, and transnational audiences. In V. Nightingale (Ed.), The handbook of media audiences (pp. 444– 458). Malden, MA: Wiley?Blackwell.

Olsen, W. (2004). Triangulation in Social Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Can Really Be Mixed. Retrieved from https://www.federica.eu/users/9/docs/amaturo-39571-01-Triangulation.pdf

Wang, W. (2008). Globalization of the Media: Does it Undermine National Cultures? Intercultural Communication Studies XVII:2. Retrieved from https://web.uri.edu/iaics/files/17-Dawei-Wang.pdf

Ware, W., & Dupagne, M. (1994). Effects of US television programs on foreign audiences: A meta?analysis. Journalism Quarterly, 71(4), 947– 959. doi: 10.1177/107769909407100418