Corporate apologia : Exxon's use of video in response to the Valdez incident.

This thesis explores the genre and subgenres of apologia as they relate to internal corporate discourse, using the first three of a series of video tapes as examples. The tapes were produced by Exxon Corporation and were used as part of an ongoing employee information program designed to update the company's employees and affiliates immediately following the grounding of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker which spilled 240,000 barrels of oil into Prince William Sound Alaska on March 24, 1989. The material in the tapes is critically analyzed using the models set forth by Ware and Linkugel (1973) and Rosenfield (1968). Additionally, the tapes and the material they contain, are compared with the conclusions of Cheney and Vibbert (1987) and others with regard to the nature of internal corporate discourse. Concluding remarks suggest that the tapes demonstrate the elements of discourse typically associated with the genre of apologia, yet they do so from the viewpoint of a corporate persona, rather than from an individual speaker. Further, the tapes are said to serve functionally as highly influential public relations tools which provide information and training for its primary targeted audience -- the employees and affiliates of Exxon Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

1990

Author dc:creator

• Hester, David W.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Bass, Jeff Davis, 1951-

• Exxon Corporation.
• Exxon Valdez (Ship)
• Corporations -- Public relations.
• Issues management.
• Oil spills -- Alaska -- Prince William Sound.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14349

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14349