Organizations, prizes and media

Abstract

Purpose This paper circulates around two major questions: what is the character of prizes as a media product? And how do the specifics of media prizes relate to the understanding of organizations with respect to a given aspect of their activities? The purpose of this paper is to bring forward theoretical arguments that show the significance of media preferences and values as central in how media prizes and awards are created and operated by discussing these questions. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on a variety of literature – mainly within management and media/communication studies – that is interested in the construction of different assessment tools such as prizes and rankings. Findings The paper addresses three particular characteristics of media prizes relevant for the understanding of how media evaluate organizations: the forming and spreading of stereotypical representative or behavior within a specific category or field; the simplification of status through the creation of “winners”; and the popularization of public measures for success in business life. Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual paper and as such it needs more systematic empirical testing to validate the findings. Practical implications The paper suggests three different roles media prizes have in evaluating organizations’ performance and their social status. The findings suggest that the qualities/aspects emphasized by the prizes are framed in such a way that they follow the rational or logic of media, and that they as such bear witness should be regarded with certain critical scrutiny. Social implications The paper discusses an expanding area of journalistic practice – i.e. production and proliferation of media prizes. These prizes have a significant effect on how the authors conceptualize and understand different aspects of the life – in the case business practices such as entrepreneurship. The authors suggest here how media prizes can come to shape the perceptions of reality through processes of simplification, stereotypification and popularization. Originality/value Up to now there are few studies focusing on media as a producer of assessments central for building normative and cognitive bases on which organizations are evaluated. The conceptual arguments in this paper highlight a number of areas that can serve as a starting point for future inquiry.

Die pad na gedeelde betekenis: Inlynkommunikasiemedia as veranderingsagent vir volhoubare strategiese belangegroepverhoudings

“…Dit verkondig die proses van 'n toenemende verspreiding van tegniese kommunikasiemedia in verskeie sosiale en kulturele sfere (Hepp 2010:39). Die media, of inlynkommunikasiemedia in die konteks van hierdie artikel, vorm wêreldbeskouings, ervarings en verwagtings binne verskeie instellings deur op die rasionale soos plaaslike relevansie, sensasie, konflik, drama en personifikasie staat te maak (Pallas, Wedlin & Grünberg 2016:1069. In wese dui mediatiseringnavorsing op hoe sosiale media "lewe" geword het, die kultuur en die wêreld, en hoe lewe die media is en die wêreld die media is (Fourie 2017:33).…”