International Communication: Women In Culture And Society

“There is still an ‘imbalance’ in the flow of global news.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The 21st century is characterized by dynamic and multi-dimensional forms of flow of information that have been channeled towards driving development and modernization, especially in decolonized countries. Despite the steps made, an imbalance still exists when it comes to the flow of global news. This paper, therefore, provides an analysis on the imbalance in the flow of global news using the Structural theory of imperialism and the world system theory.

The structural theory of imperialism by Johan Galtung argues that the world is made up of center and periphery nations and each nation has its periphery and center (Cho, 2013, p. 785). The theory states that usually, information flows from the developed nations to developing. Meaning, there is an unbalanced and unidirectional flow of news and television programs from the center (developed countries) to the periphery (developing nations) (Cho, 2013, p. 788). This is true considering the number and type of information covered by international media. For example, most news content covered by the CNN is usually based on the good happenings in developed countries. However, when discussing Africa, which has more developing nations, the stories are emphasized on calamities such as drought, diseases, and warfare.

Just like the Structural theory of imperialism, the World system theory developed by sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein can be used to explain the nature of information flow of global news (Ei-Ojeili, 2014, p. 135). This approach suggests that there exists a world economic system where some countries benefit and others are taken advantage of. Meaning that there is some degree of superiority among nations and the core countries dominate the peripheral.  The dominance is manifested in the makeup of news and program content (Ei-Ojeili, 2014, p. 140). Most news covered by international news agencies is based on the developed nations. For example, during the US elections, all eyes were on what was happening there. This may not be wrong. However, Zambia had election few months before then, and the international media came to cover it only when chaos erupted.

In conclusion, the analysis done showed that indeed, there is a state of imbalance in the flow of information news. This state shows that there is still some form of neocolonialism where nations perceived to be superior dominate the flow of information. Moreover, developing nations are brought to limelight in the global news to show how things are bad there.

Write an Essay in which you explain the relevance of social media networks in shaping political debates

Many describe social media as the greatest invention of all times. This is because, for the first time in history, people from all over the world can communicate, exchange ideas and bring significant change together. Social media networks such Facebook and Twitter created a new channel of mass communication with new possibilities.  In light of this, this article discusses the relevance of social media networks in shaping political debates.

Social media networks have enabled a networked society and global connectivity (Kiesler, 2014, p. 178). Today, communication on politics, economy and social welfares happen beyond national borders and seen by everyone from anywhere so long as one has access to the Internet. Groups have taken advantage of this feature of social media networks to popularize their ideologies and mobilize the masses to help in achieving their objectives (Kiesler, 2014, p. 179).

This could not be truer in discussing the #feesmustfall protest in South Africa that began in October 2015 in response to the increase in fees at South African universities. The protests began at the University of Witwatersrand and spread to Rhodes University and the University of Witwatersrand. After that, the protest spread to all the universities within the country. They used Facebook in sending messages to students in other universities to join the protest that later saw the government announce that fees had been decreased. This shows that SNSs are effective platforms of expressing the problems faced by the society and ensuring that the challenges are addressed (Leung, 2015, p. 1007).

The students protest in South Africa and the article, “Will the revolution be tweeted?” show us the extent to which SNSs have rendered the world connected. Based on their effectiveness in ensuring people’s voices are heard, these platforms are very relevant on a national scale (Leung, 2015, p. 1020). They can be used by anyone to bring change that will have an everlasting effect.

In conclusion, Social Media Network has proven to be crucial in shaping people’s views in politics. Through sites such as Facebook, students in South African universities are enjoying low fees. Therefore, institutions such as governments should invest more in using SNSs in communicating with the public.

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Campaign

The beauty of international communication is that it enables the business to have their products displayed not just within the home state but also outside the country. Kawai-International Motors is a South African international motorbike manufacturing company that seeks to import Kanko1.2GL motorbikes to the Nigerian market. As the international marketing consultant, I have been requested to plan an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) campaign for the promotion of Kanko1.2GL motorbikes in the Nigerian market. Below is a discussion of how I will do it.

An integrated marketing communication is a concept in marketing that ensures all promotional tools are together and working in harmony (Touboulic, 2016, p. 85). Being that promotion is one of the Ps in the marketing mix, it is important in creating a link between the messages and communication tools.

 The 4 Ps in marketing represent the product, price, promotion, and place (Touboulic, 2016, p. 86). It is important for the consumers to have a clear idea of what the product is and what it does. The price of the product determines the profit margins, supply, demand, and marketing strategy. Promotion ensures that the consumer receives the product's information. It usually induces the purchase of the product.  Lastly, place in marketing ensures that the product is placed in an ideal location with the ability to turn potential customers into actual customers.

The IMC created is geared towards enlightening the people in Nigeria about the qualities of the Kanko1.2GL motorbikes. Secondly, the campaign will create a distinction between our product and those of our competitors. Thirdly, through it, we hope to achieve a 10% increase in profit within the first year of our product in Nigeria. Moreover, we hope to build a customer base and induce brand loyalty among our potential customers.

In this campaign, I intend to use television adverts as the main promotional tool. This is because, over 70% of the population in Nigeria have access to television and since our targets are the motorcycle riders, it is easier to find them turning to television after work hours than using the internet (Tibu, 2013, p. 2).  I also intend to use the web in advertising our product on different active websites such as Facebook. Statistics show that more than 20 million Nigerians depend on motorcycles as means of transport (Tibu, 2013, p. 2). Also, many unemployed youths and men earn a living by running motorcycles as a commercial activity (Tibu, 2013, p. 2). This shows that there is a readily available market; we just have to adjust our prices and ensure that the motorbikes we are selling are unique and long-lasting.  Lastly, the adverts shall be in English since most Nigerians speak this language.

The IMC has proven to be an effective marketing strategy especially in selling the product beyond a country’s borders. Therefore, businesses should plan carefully when creating an IMC to reach its objectives.

References List

Cho, S. (2013). Toward a Field of Intersectionality Studies: Theory, Applications, and Praxis. Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 38 , 785-810.

Ei-Ojeili, C. (2014). Reflections on Wallerstein: The Modern World-System, Four Decades on. Sage Journals , 138-154.

Kiesler, S. (2014). Culture of the Internet. Psychology Press.

Leung, Y. Z. (2015). The New Media and the society: A review of the Social Networking Service. New Media& Society , 1007-1024.

Tibu, F. (2013, June 21). Nigeria Manufactures the First Motorcycle. Retrieved May 2, 2017, from Autoevolution: https://www.autoevolution.com

Touboulic, A. (2016). Sustainable purchasing and supply. Journal of Marketing Channels , 85-87.