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Google in China: Examining Hegemonic Identification Strategies

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Google in China: Examining Hegemonic Identification Strategies GOOGLE IN CHINA: EXAMINING HEGEMONIC IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES IN ORGANIZATIONAL RHETORIC Jonathan W. Ford Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the Department of Communication Studies, Indiana University December 2012 ii Accepted by the Faculty of Indiana University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. ___________________________________ Catherine A. Dobris, Ph.D., Chair ____________________________________ Master’s Thesis John Parrish-Sprowl, Ph.D. Committee ____________________________________ Elizabeth M. Goering, Ph.D. iii DEDICATION To my parents for making education the centerpiece of my life. And to my wife and best friend for without her, I would not be the person I am today and will be tomorrow. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have Dr. Catherine Dobris, Dr. Beth Goering, and Dr. John Parrish-Sprowl to thank for my cumulative education in Communication Studies. Without these three individuals, I would be unable to produce this research paper. Each represent areas in our discipline I find engaging and I am eternally grateful for their wisdom and enthusiasm. I am a better friend, parent, academic, and civic minded individual because of these three teachers. v ABSTRACT Jonathan W. Ford GOOGLE IN CHINA: EXAMINING HEGEMONIC IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES IN ORGANIZATIONAL RHETORIC The author employs Hoffman and Ford’s method for analyzing organizational rhetoric to examine the discourse of Google, Inc. Employing a hybrid method, built on rhetorical criticism which incorporates elements of organizational communication theory, the analysis examines identity rhetoric present in Google’s discourse regarding its operations in China. Using this approach, the author leverages the method to critically examine hegemonic aspects of the discourse in order to examine how Google constructs its Western consumer based audience regarding online privacy and free speech. Catherine A. Dobris, Ph.D., Chair vi TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Rationale for the Study ....................................................................................................... 3 Description of Artifacts....................................................................................................... 6 Organization of Chapters .................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER 2 - LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................... 12 The Close Relationship Between Organizational Communication Theory and Rhetoric ...................................................................................................................... 12 Identification in Organizational Communication ............................................................. 14 Analyzing Hegemony ....................................................................................................... 16 Analyzing the Press Release ............................................................................................. 18 CHAPTER 3 - METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 20 Organizational Rhetoric .................................................................................................... 20 Frame Theory .................................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 4 - ANALYSIS ............................................................................................ 26 Rhetorical Situation .......................................................................................................... 26 Descriptive Reading Findings ........................................................................................... 28 Evaluative Reading Findings - Identification and Identity Rhetoric ................................ 29 Pathos and Philanthropy ................................................................................................... 31 Pathos and Shared Values ................................................................................................. 32 Pathos and Praise for the Individual ................................................................................. 37 Considerations on Frame Theory ...................................................................................... 39 Critical Reading ................................................................................................................ 43 Hegemonic Rule - Transparency Becomes Tolerable Alternative to Censorship ............ 44 Hegemonic Rule - The Internet Facilitates Free Expression as a Shared Value .............. 45 Analyzing the Customer Audience's Co-construction of Hegemonic Rules .................... 47 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 48 CHAPTER 5 - DISCUSSION ........................................................................................ 49 Impact of Future Research on the Field of Organizatonal Rhetoric ................................. 49 Future Research - Identification and Identity Theory ....................................................... 50 Future Research - Hegemony on a Specturm ................................................................... 54 Pragmatic Comments for the Organization ....................................................................... 56 For the Consumer .............................................................................................................. 57 Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 58 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 59 Appendix 1 ........................................................................................................................ 61 Appendix 2 ........................................................................................................................ 63 Appendix 3 ........................................................................................................................ 65 Appendix 4 ........................................................................................................................ 74 Appendix 5 ........................................................................................................................ 76 Appendix 6 ........................................................................................................................ 78 Appendix 7 ........................................................................................................................ 79 Appendix 8 ........................................................................................................................ 81 Appendix 9…..…………………………………………………………………………...82 vii Appendix 10 ...................................................................................................................... 84 Appendix 11 ...................................................................................................................... 85 WORKS CITED .............................................................................................................. 86 CURRICULUM VITAE 1 CHAPTER 1 Introduction “Don’t be evil,” the core of Google’s code of conduct for its employees, has been the rallying cry for the organization since its founding (Google Investor Relations, 2010). Since the late 1990’s, the online search engine has experienced tremendous growth and accolades for its forward thinking ideas on technology and human relevance (Google Milestones, 2010). Throughout its existence, the online search leader expanded into other online services such as e-mail, maps and satellite information, digitizing and indexing the world’s printed books, blog hosting, picture hosting and social media. Google’s goal is to “bring the power of search to previously unexplored areas, and to help people access and use even more of the ever-expanding information in their lives” (Google Philosophy, 2010). Google exists in a 21 st century marketplace with many competitors, including Yahoo, Microsoft, and AOL Search (Nielson Company, 2010). The search engine marketplace is competitive and Google has responded by re- interpreting how we search for information as well as expanding into additional online service areas such as e-mail, online maps, and social media. Despite Google’s expansion, they still remain a commodity in that their customer base can easily pick any number of competitors with similar products. Loyalty to the Google brand, like any other online service organization, is precarious as the customers can easily access Bing.com or Yahoo.com to utilize similar services. Therefore, Google must pay careful attention to the perceived priorities of its customers or risk abandonment and revenue loss. This relationship between search provider and customer represents Gramsci’s concept of hegemony in that there is a dialectal relationship between organization and audience 2 (Mumby, 1997). Hegemony is
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