https://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/gateway/plugin/WebFeedGatewayPlugin/atomInformation & Media2024-02-07T12:36:10+00:00Prof. Vladislav Fominvladislav.fomin@knf.vu.ltOpen Journal Systems<p style="text-align: left;">Founded in 1994 and dedicated to analysing the issues in the information and knowledge society, knowledge management, organisational communication management, culture studies, media and new media, international and intercultural communication, and science research. Indexed in the <em>Scopus</em> (Q3) database since 2018.</p>https://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/31800Debating Feminism on Instagram: A Critical Discourse Analysis of @LasIgualadas in Colombia2023-12-28T06:36:41+00:00Admilson Veloso da SilvaAna María Cuesta López
<p>The first organized feminist movement in Colombia demanded the right for women to vote in 1954 and, despite its progressist agendas and decades of work, it still tends to be distorted by traditional media representation. With social media, these activists can reach the audience directly, disseminate information, and dispute narratives. Hence, this study addresses the question: how are the discourses about feminism constructed on Instagram in Colombia? Based on netnography and critical discourse analysis, the paper analyzes the discussions on publications and comments on the most popular feminist Instagram account in Colombia, @LasIgualadas. The results indicate that the platform usage could help create a less stereotypical perspective on the movement while informing society on its agendas and raising awareness about rights violations. However, the debate on @LasIgualadas is still predominantly carried out by women (80.5%), and some topics, such as abortion and LGBTQI+ rights, are distorted or deviated from by some Instagram users’ comments.</p>
2023-11-23T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Admilson Veloso da Silva | Ana María Cuesta Lópezhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/34195Editorial Board and Table of Contents2024-01-12T09:09:16+00:00Vladislav Fomin
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2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Authorshttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/34194Editorial Board and Table of Contents2024-01-12T09:03:19+00:00Vladislav Fomin
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2023-12-27T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Authorshttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/34193Editorial Board and Table of Contents2024-01-12T09:01:18+00:00Vladislav Fomin
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2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Authorshttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/34192Editorial Board and Table of Contents2024-01-12T08:53:46+00:00Vladislav Fomin
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2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Authorshttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/27659Feminist Methodologies for Gender Studies Teaching: Cross-Case Analysis of Practical Applications in Three Universities2024-02-19T07:11:33+00:00Ann WernerAurelija NovelskaitėElena Lukovitskaya
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">In this article interpersonal communication in Gender Studies teaching is mapped and compared in feminist pedagogy in three universities: Södertörn University in Sweden, Novgorod State University in Russia and Vilnius University in Lithuania. The aim of this article is, first, to compare the uses of feminist methodologies in teaching during the first semester undergraduate Gender Studies courses in a cross-case comparison. And secondly, to suggest developments needed to pursue teaching in Gender Studies in the three countries. Scholarly discussions about feminist pedagogies are accounted for and characteristics from the field are identified and compared in the three empirical cases. The article further draws on qualitative feminist methodology and concludes that while the contexts investigated are different, the methodologies used have similarities. In all three universities the teaching methods focus on students’ experiences and differences, teacher’s reflexivity, working in smaller groups, highlighting community building and empowerment. In the conclusion these teaching holdings are discussed, and further development of interpersonal communication in Gender Studies teaching is suggested.</span></p>
2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Ann Werner | Aurelija Novelskaitė | Elena Lukovitskayahttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/33572Design of a Blockchain Technology Competence Model for Interdisciplinary Curricula Development2024-02-26T09:29:47+00:00Vladislav FominTan GürpinarDovilė Balevičienė
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" data-mce-fragment="1">Contribution. This study identifies blockchain-related competences essential for professionals involved in blockchain projects and develops a blockchain technology competence model for interdisciplinary curricula development. Background. Amidst the surge in blockchain implementations, a gap exists in systematic knowledge about the skills required from blockchain professionals. While the number of new blockchain implementation cases is growing, there are no systematic reviews on the success factors or the skills required from blockchain professionals. Lack of systematic information on blockchain projects and their implementers presents a substantial obstacle to the development of new competence-oriented academic and professional educational programs, as well as for guiding recruitment for blockchain projects. </span><em style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" data-mce-fragment="1">Research Question. </em><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" data-mce-fragment="1">This research investigates the necessary knowledge and skills to leverage opportunities and adapt to changing employment trends in blockchain technology. The guiding research question of this study is, what knowledge and skills must be acquired in order to be able to exploit opportunities and to be prepared for changes in employment trends in the context of blockchain innovations? Methodology. The study adopts exploratory multiple case analysis based on qualitative content analysis of job advertisement and expert interviews. Findings. The study develops a blockchain technology competence model for interdisciplinary academic and professional educational programs. The developed model can also be used for guiding the development of professional training, certification, and recruitment strategies and practice for blockchain projects.</span></p>
2024-02-26T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2024 Vladislav Fomin | Tan Gürpinar | Dovilė Balevičienėhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/33245Online Dating Apps: How a Man’s Attractiveness Rating Depends on His Level of Disclosure and Women’s Level of Loneliness2024-03-04T07:34:35+00:00Miglė JanulevičiūtėVita Mikuličiūtė
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">The link between self-disclosure and attractiveness is well-researched, yet studies often overlook the rater’s loneliness, a potentially vital aspect in this dynamic. The aim of this study is to examine how women evaluate a man’s social and physical attractiveness in dating app profiles based on disclosed personal information. Additionally, it explores the connection between women’s feelings of loneliness and their assessment of social attractiveness in this context. 90 students, aged from 19 to 26, participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups. All groups were presented with the same two photographs of a man but differed in the amount and depth of information presented next to each one (high, optimal, and no exposure). The UCLA Loneliness Scale (version 3) was used to measure loneliness, and the Interpersonal Attractiveness Scale was used to measure attractiveness. The study discovered that women rated a man disclosing an optimal amount of information as more physically attractive than one sharing excessive details. There were no between-group differences in ratings of a man’s social attractiveness. Although social attractiveness ratings correlated negatively with women’s loneliness (r = -0.32), loneliness did not significantly influence social attractiveness ratings based on disclosure levels.</span></p>
2024-03-04T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2024 Miglė Janulevičiūtė | Vita Mikuličiūtėhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/29467The Paradox of Communication Professionals: Identifying the Gap between Theory and Practice and its Determining Factors2023-12-28T06:36:42+00:00Lina Jakučionienė
<p>Researchers emphasize the need for communication to be part of the strategic management of an organization and its importance to the organization is recognized, yet the role of communication as a success and value creator for business organizations is not appreciated. This paper presents a study that aims to explore the perception of the role of communication professionals from the perspective of CEOs of business organizations. Semi-structured individual interviews were used to gather the views of CEOs of business organizations. The results of the research revealed a paradox that has not been explored so far. While CEOs of business organizations do not see top-level communication professionals as technical staff, but rather as having a strategic advisory role, the need of CEOs for the capabilities of communication professionals in the strategy development process is more of a technical operational rather than a strategic nature. CEOs tend to ignore the core mission of strategic communication which is to align the communication strategy with the business organization's strategy. The traditional view of the role of communication professionals leads to the perception that communication professionals are not perceived as important strategists in the development and implementation of the business organization's strategy.</p>
2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Lina Jakučionienėhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/IM/article/view/33198Role of Social Media Health Influencers on Purchase Intention of Functional Beverages: Moderating Impact of Health Consciousness2024-03-04T07:23:54+00:00Satinder KumarBipinpreet KaurShavina Goyal
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">As consumer interest in wellness and health continues to rise, functional beverages have gained popularity. However, the specific characteristics of social media health influencers (SMHIs) that affect consumers’ willingness to buy these products, particularly in relation to health consciousness, remain relatively unexplored. Motive of the study is to examine the influence of SMHIs on consumers’ intention to purchase functional beverages in the presence of health consciousness. Conceptual framework of the study was built upon the Social Learning Theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the survey conducted in Northern India, involving 360 participants. The structural model analysis reveals noteworthy associations between the attributes of social media health influencers (namely, expertise, attractiveness, and trustworthiness) and consumers’ willingness to buy functional beverages. Moreover, study highlights that the impact of trustworthiness on purchase intention is moderated by the level of health consciousness among consumers. However, it was observed that health consciousness did not significantly moderate the relationship between expertise and attractiveness with purchase intention. Marketers can leverage the finding by strategically choosing influencers who possess desirable qualities, thereby increasing the persuasiveness and effectiveness of their promotional campaigns. Study reinforces the notion that consumers are highly influenced by the content and recommendations presented by influencers.</span></p>
2024-03-04T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2024 Satinder Kumar | Bipinpreet Kaur | Shavina Goyal