A great example of examining theoretical literacy and framework is within a textual analysis that I conducted of the City of Tuscaloosa’s Website. The theoretical framework for the textual analysis was under the premise of the social capital theory by Robert D. Putnam. The rationale was that the theory operated under the assumption of “social capital as a public good—the amount of participatory potential, civic orientation, and trust in others available to cities, states, or nation” (Claridge, 2014, para. 2). This theoretical framework related to the subject matter by the fact that the City of Tuscaloosa was attempting to build trust within the Tuscaloosa community. The textual analysis can be downloaded here >
In using a theoretical framework to address a real-life communication problem, I am highlighting a digital and oral presentation, applying theory to practice. The real-life problems were centered on the radio industry concerning “uh-oh” moments and turning them into “ah-ha” learning experiences in effort to prevent the mistake to occur repeatedly.
The digital presentation was about applying theory to practice within a crisis moment in my broadcasting career. The one that made the most impact and guided my interest in management happened in the ’90s when the radio station when off the air, and it was out of my control. I did not like the feeling of being out of control and not understanding what to do. Ultimately, that started my interest in being prepared for those types of situations, and it piqued my attention on how to be prepared for various types of crisis situations within the broadcast industry.
Over time I learned that a great leader takes ownership of their part of communication breakdowns. In taking ownership, it establishes to others, including yourself, that you are accountable, relatable, and that you have integrity. In my oral presentation of applying theory to practice it related to a real-life issue with board operators have procedural composure during technical malfunctions.
