Matthew Weber | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (original) (raw)

Papers by Matthew Weber

Digital Journalism , 2020

This article explores an effort to direct state-level public funds toward journalism by using a n... more This article explores an effort to direct state-level public funds toward journalism by using a national policy window combined with an intensive grass-roots effort. We use the lens of Kingdon’s policy process model to showcase dynamics that contribute to the media policymaking literature. The process and enactment of New Jersey’s 2018 Civic Information Consortium bill are analyzed using a combination of archival research and oral history, high- lighting the efforts of policy entrepreneurs and knowledge- brokers, who served as key advocates for the bill’s passage. However, they faced strong oppositional political factors that dampened their efforts; specifically, a policy window narrowed by institutional pushback and the tradition of conservative oppos- ition to public funding of media limited the ultimate outcome for the novel initiative. Looking at implications for policymaking and media, the results provide a framework for a new model of public funding for journalism, but the case study also highlights the headwinds facing these types of policy initiatives, at least in the current political climate.

This article develops the theoretical process of organizational speciation to explain how certain... more This article develops the theoretical process of organizational speciation to explain how certain new organizations are able to emerge and subsequently disrupt the organizational ecosystem by leveraging the blind spots of existing organizations. The process of organizational speciation addresses the means by which new organizations develop, compete for resources, and survive over time. As a theory of organizational communication, organizational speciation is particularly useful for understanding how rapid disruptions emerge. Changes in a number of industries are utilized to illustrate the process of speciation. This article lays a foundation for research examining how organizations understand and respond to rapid change.

This article examines the patterns of hyperlinking among key online newspapers from 1996 to 2000 ... more This article examines the patterns of hyperlinking among key online newspapers from 1996 to 2000 and provides critical insight into the processes by which media companies adapt to new technology. Theories of organizational imprinting and imitation in the media industry are used to frame the rise of online news in an effort to describe processes of growth and track the interactions among legacy newspapers during a formational period in the development of online news. Patterns of digital connectivity reveal the evolution of an increasingly close–knit online news community, as well as the trajectory of leadership positions in the online environment. The analysis reveals various approaches utilized by leading organizations as they adapted to online technology providing guidance for organizations moving forward.

Page 1. annenberg.usc.edu Identifying Perceived Experts in an Online Community of Practice Amanda... more Page 1. annenberg.usc.edu Identifying Perceived Experts in an Online Community of Practice Amanda M. Beacom,1 Young Ji Kim,1 Jaclyn L. Selby,1 Matthew S. Weber,2 & Peter R. Monge1 1 Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, University of Southern California 2 Fuqua School of Business, Duke University International Communication Association | Boston, MA | May 29, 2011 Page 2. Motivation • Online communities of practice have emerged as a medium for the development and sharing of knowledge among professionals 1 ...

Digital Journalism, 2017

This article examines the role of code in the process of news distribution and the degree to whic... more This article examines the role of code in the process of news distribution and the degree to which code and algorithms can filter and prioritize news, much as an editor would. The discussion focuses specifically on the context of mobile news applications that filter news for consumers. Given concerns raised by the intersection of computer science and journalism, analysis moves away from the common notion that code is replacing humans as producers of news and shifts toward the role of code in helping journalists order and communicate the news. Thus, the focus of this research is on code as technological actants, filtering news based on decisions imbued into the code by human actors. This article reports the results of an investigation of code contained in 59 open source mobile news apps and an analysis of the content of that code. Findings highlight the journalistic decisions made in code and contribute to discussion surrounding the relationship between algorithmic and traditional news values.

A number of new organizational structures have emerged in recent years, including peer productio... more A number of new organizational structures have emerged in recent years, including peer production networks, digitally organized social movements, and social networking sites. Researchers have devoted considerable attention to these phenomena as groups and communities. This article takes a complementary approach by conceptualizing them as organizational forms, with focus on the emergence of social networking sites as a distinct organizational form. Community ecology theory is implemented to explicate the emergence and subsequent legitimation of organizational forms, providing a foundation for understanding how new forms emerge through interaction with the surrounding environment. Industry data and historical records are utilized to illustrate the development of one specific form: online social networking sites (SNS). This analysis demonstrates that legitimation is an ongoing process of replication of features, but legitimacy also occurs through recognition from adjacent populations. Findings illustrate the validity of alternative processes of form legitimacy.

Management Communication Quarterly, 2011

In a previous MCQ article, Monge et al. overviewed the fundamental concepts and processes of evol... more In a previous MCQ article, Monge et al. overviewed the fundamental concepts and processes of evolutionary theory and their applications to key issues in organizational communication. This article extends that work by providing an overview of research tools for studying organizational ecology and evolution, including (a) the variation-selection-retention sequence, (b) the likelihood of events occurring over a period of time (event history analysis), (c) transition sequence of populations from one state to another (sequence analysis), (d) relationships among nodes in networks over time (network analysis), (e) simulation of complex relationships and interactions Downloaded from 212 Management Communication Quarterly 25 (computational modeling), (f) changes in populations' fitness for survival (NKC models), and (g) competitive interdependence among populations over time (predator-prey models). We conclude with a brief review of graphical and qualitative methods. Downloaded from Genealogy models How do new communication technologies diffuse through groups or organizations? Isomorphism; communication technologies and message genres Event history analysis Genealogy models Entropy measures to track change in a population What are the effects of changes in management communication strategies? Management Communication Quarterly 25(2) and the conditions under which stable discursive constructions are dislodged by new sense-making regimes (Monge & Poole, 2008).

Management Communication Quarterly, 2011

This article showcases current best practices in quantitative organizational communication resear... more This article showcases current best practices in quantitative organizational communication research. We emphasize their value in exploring issues of the day and their relation to other research approaches. Materials are presented around four themes: systematic development and validation of measures, including the use of mixed methods; multiple levels of analysis; the study of change and development over time; and relationships among people, units, organizations, and meanings.

Communication Research, 2012

Abstract This study examines the impact of legitimacy on the dynamics of interorganizational netw... more Abstract This study examines the impact of legitimacy on the dynamics of interorganizational networks within the nongovernmental organizations&amp;#x27; children&amp;#x27;s rights community. The 27-year period of analysis included a critical community event: the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Building on theories of organizational evolution, hypotheses proposed that (1) ratification of the UNCRC served to codify and more broadly communicate the legitimate norms of the community, and (2) ...

Abstract In a previous MCQ article, Monge et al. overviewed the fundamental concepts and processe... more Abstract In a previous MCQ article, Monge et al. overviewed the fundamental concepts and processes of evolutionary theory and their applications to key issues in organizational communication.

Enterprise social network sites (ESNSs) are increasingly being introduced into large multinationa... more Enterprise social network sites (ESNSs) are increasingly being introduced into large multinational organizations. In this paper, we consider their potential for supporting knowledge- sharing practices within the organization. First, we build upon prior work on affordances by applying notions of collective affordances (Leonardi, 2011, in press) and affordances for organizing (Zammuto et al., 2007) to the study of social media, and we theorize what organizational affordances ESNSs may provide for knowledge sharing in distributed multinational organizations in particular. Second, we articulate ways in which ESNS affordances may shape knowledge sharing through consideration of social capital dynamics, support for relationships and interactions, context collapse, and network interactions. Finally, and building upon these ideas, we propose a research agenda and suggestions for future research on this topic.

In recent years, scholars and practitioners alike have sought to better understand the emergent c... more In recent years, scholars and practitioners alike have sought to better understand the emergent communicative processes involved in the implementation of strategic organizational initiatives. In response, this article builds on sensemaking and sensegiving theory to understand the interactions that developed between internal and external stakeholders in response to a post-9/11 change in the Maritime Transportation Security Act. A detailed, emergent account of a failed initiative was derived from public comments in the Federal Register, transcripts from public meetings, newspaper articles, and semi-structured interviews with key internal informants. In-depth analysis of these data allowed us to examine a divergent sensemaking process and identify four critical triggers that led to a communication breakdown: 1) unidirectional and parsimonious communication, 2) multifaceted understandings of organizational identities, 3) misaligned cues, and 4) an emergence of inter-organizational sensemaking. A first-order analysis presents data from an in-depth case analysis, and a second-order analysis uses the analysis to develop a divergent sensemaking conceptual model. From a strategic communication perspective, our findings demonstrate the importance of taking a broad perspective of the legitimate participants in a sensemaking process, as well as reconciling sensemaking trajectories to avoid contradictions between perspectives. We offer implications for theory, future research, and practice.

Multinational organizations are turning to collaborative technology to enable virtual organizatio... more Multinational organizations are turning to collaborative technology to enable virtual organizational structures. While collaborative technology provides distributed workers with new affordances to form relationships and share knowledge, collaborative technology also has complex, interwoven implications for virtual organizing. To disentangle these concerns, this study considers four key dimensions of virtuality – spatial dispersion, temporal dispersion, dynamic structure, and functional diversity – in relation to technology use and engagement with peers within an organization. Survey data were collected in a multinational organization that facilitates work through extensive use of collaborative technology. The results of structural equation modeling reveal connections between two dimensions of virtuality, use of collaborative technology and peer engagement in the organization. Findings suggest that understanding interactions in virtual organizations requires a more nuanced approach to virtuality and active management of technology implementation. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that managers need to actively manage the deployment of new collaborative technology by focusing on specific characteristics of work groups.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, mobile phone penetration has increased dramatically throughout Latin A... more ABSTRACT: In recent years, mobile phone penetration has increased dramatically throughout Latin America. Rising penetration numbers tell an important story, but only part of the story. To fully grasp the social, economic and political impact of mobile telephony, we need to understand appropriation: the process through which mobile phone users go beyond mere adoption to make the technology their own and to embed it within their social, economic, and political practices.

Industries in Turmoil: Using Strategy to Drive Transformation During Period of Disruption Organiz... more Industries in Turmoil: Using Strategy to Drive Transformation During Period of Disruption Organizational scholars have studied the process of transformation for decades, focusing on the impact of organizational inertia and environmental disruptions as drivers of change. This study demonstrates the importance of strategic initiatives in driving organizational transformation.

Abstract This article showcases current best practices in quantitative organizational communicati... more Abstract This article showcases current best practices in quantitative organizational communication research. We emphasize their value in exploring issues of the day and their relation to other research approaches. Materials are presented around four themes: systematic development and validation of measures, including the use of mixed methods; multiple levels of analysis; the study of change and development over time; and relationships among people, units, organizations, and meanings.

This article presents an analysis of the flow of information in a network of online news sites. S... more This article presents an analysis of the flow of information in a network of online news sites. Social network theory and research on hyperlinked networks of Web pages are used to develop a model of information flow among Web sites. Kleinberg's authority-hub model is extended by introducing sources of information in the network. Significant support was found for a Source–Authority–Hub model, which shows the source, directionality, routing, and destination of news information flow through a network of authorities and hubs.

Teaching Documents by Matthew Weber

This class will expose students to the basic theoretical perspectives in organizational communica... more This class will expose students to the basic theoretical perspectives in organizational communication, and to a lesser degree, organizational theory and organizational behavior. The purpose of this course is to provide students a thorough grounding in organizational communication research. The readings are organized historically and integrate a survey of organizational communication research within a survey of organizational theory.

This will enable students to understand the intellectual development of the interdisciplinary area of organizational theory and the evolution of organizational communication research. The class will focus on the change in theoretical perspectives over time as well as on new methodological approaches to the study of organizational communication.

As the area of organizational communication continues to expand, it is important to examine the relationship of organizational communication studies to other related “disciplines” in light of historical events as well as alternative agendas in academic discourse. As part of the course, students will be exposed to both “classic” readings and current perspectives, as well as alternative/diverse methods of research. Because organizations and their problems have been much in the news (think ENRON, the White House, and Volvo) we will also have a focus on “organizational change.”

Digital Journalism , 2020

Digital Journalism, 2017

Management Communication Quarterly, 2011

Communication Research, 2012

Communication course that takes a project based approach to educating students about the applicat... more Communication course that takes a project based approach to educating students about the application of communication to the profession of marketing.

Based on our analysis of local news data provided by Facebook for February of 2019, a number of k... more Based on our analysis of local news data provided by Facebook for February of 2019, a number of key findings emerge that provide insight into local news on Facebook:
● For communities meeting Facebook’s threshold for launching the Today In feature, 61% of the stories aggregated were identified as serving a critical information need.
● While stories classified as critical information needs only made up 58% of the classified stories across all communities, those stories accounted for 65% of the interactions in that same dataset. Stories satisfying critical information needs received an average of 244 interactions, while stories categorized as not meeting a critical information need had an average of 158 interactions.
● Communities that met Facebook’s threshold for launching the Today In feature are larger in terms of population than communities that don’t meet the threshold (76,606 vs. 15,353) - suggesting community size is a key determinant.
● Factors such as population, and some US Census categories (percent white, percent college educated) increase the likelihood that stories associated with a community will meet a critical information need.

The economic challenges facing local journalism and the associated declines in revenues and newsr... more The economic challenges facing local journalism and the associated declines in revenues and newsroom staffs have generated great interest in understanding the composition and dynamics of local news ecosystems. Much of this research has focused on case studies of individual communities while other research has focused either on the content produced by local news outlets in the face of these challenges or on the consumption of local news by the American public.

However, despite what we know about the challenges faced by local journalism, the content of local news outlets, and Americans’ preferences for local news sources, we don’t know a great deal about how different types of outlets are serving the information needs of their communities. This paper addresses this question through an analysis of 100 randomly selected communities across the U.S. Across these 100 communities, this study analyzes over 16,000 stories provided by 663 local media outlets. For this analysis, local media outlets fall into one of four categories (radio stations, TV stations, newspapers, and online-only outlets). Each story in the sample was content analyzed to determine whether the story was original, local, and addressed a critical information need. To understand the journalistic performance of different outlet types, this study analyzes each the story output of each outlet type relative to the outlet type’s numeric frequency. Doing this allows us to assess each outlet type’s news production relative to that outlet type’s prominence in the news ecosystem. To examine production in this way, ratios were calculated comparing the share of total stories, original stories, local stories, and stories addressing a critical information from each outlet type to each outlet type’s share of outlets.

Key findings of this study include:

▪ Local newspapers significantly outperform local TV, radio, and online-only outlets in news production, both in overall story output and in terms of stories that are original, local, or address a critical information need. For instance:

o Local newspapers account for roughly 25 percent of the outlets in our sample, but nearly 50 percent of the original news stories.

o Local newspapers account for nearly 60 percent of the Local news stories in our sample – more than all of the other outlet types combined – despite accounting for only 25 percent of the outlets in our sample.

o Local newspapers account for nearly 60 percent of the stories that meet all three criteria (original, local, addresses a critical information need), with the other outlet categories each accounting for only 10 to 15 percent of the stories that meet all three criteria.

▪ Online-only media outlets remain a relatively small component of local media ecosystems, accounting for about 10 percent of the local outlets in the sample and generally producing only about 10 percent of the news stories in the sample, across the various content categories (original, local, addresses a critical information need).

o Online-only outlets do perform well in terms of the proportion of their story output that addresses critical information needs (over 80 percent).

▪ Radio stations represent the most common type of local media outlet in our sample, but generally are the weakest in terms of the extent to which their story output is original, local, and addresses critical information needs.

Overall, these findings suggest that newspapers are the most important producers of local news in terms of the volume of journalistic output being produced for local communities. The relative paucity of online-only local media outlets, and the relatively limited (compared with newspapers) journalistic output of these outlets suggest that online-only outlets have yet to come close to matching local newspapers as significant sources of reporting that is original, local, and addresses critical information needs.

These findings support the continued importance of public policy and philanthropic efforts to support the viability of local newspapers. These findings also suggest that commercial and philanthropic efforts to establish online-only outlets as comparable alternatives to local newspapers remain far from this goal.