Exploring the link between culture and strategy in media organisations: The cases of the BBC and CNN

Abstract

This study employs participant observation methodology to examine the U.S. broadcast industry's cognitions of its external environment. Previous research has documented a tendency among industry participants to operate under outdated mental models of their environment. This tendency ‐ labeled ‘cognitive inertia’ ‐ provides the analytical framework for this study. The results provide indications that broadcasters operate under what appear to be outdated mental models of their external environment, with broadcasters appearing to pay inadequate attention to competing program sources and failing to account for the changing demographic composition of the television audience. However, these conclusions are tempered by the broadcast industry's dual‐product marketplace characteristics, wherein cognitions that would appear to reflect inadequate assessment of the content market may in fact reasonably reflect the contemporary realities of the audience market.     

Secondary-school students' motivation for portfolio reflection

Several studies concluded that deep reflection is infrequently reached in student portfolios. An explanation for these disappointing conclusions might be that motivation for portfolio reflection determines the quality of reflection. This study aimed to examine the relationship between motivation for using digital portfolios and reflection. Participants were 156 eleventh-grade students in secondary education, whose motivation for composing a digital portfolio was measured by the motivation part of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Portfolios of 37 of the 156 students were examined in terms of the amount and nature of reflection by means of a coding scheme based on Mezirow's model of transformative learning. On average, one-fifth (19.5%) of the paragraphs in a portfolio contained reflection, and paragraphs with deep reflection were hardly found (0.8%). It was concluded that motivation for composing a portfolio was fair, but not related to the amount and nature of reflection. This exploratory study gives rise to further research into factors that might influence the quality of portfolio reflection.     

The National Curriculum and Standards in Primary Schools: A comparative perspective

A comparison is made of the standards in primary school mathematics in England and Cyprus, drawing upon national curricula, content of textbooks and data from international comparisons of attainment. Standards are conceptualised in three ways: expected, planned and realised. It is demonstrated that high expected and high planned standards, as set in national curricula and textbooks, are not associated with high realised standards. Four possible explanations are explored and policy issues associated with national standard setting are discussed. The value of setting national curriculum standards and targets by reference to comparative international data is raised.     

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This article attempts to analyse the ongoing debate regarding open-mindedness as an educational value. The views of Hare, McLaughlin and Gardner are considered. They do not always agree on what open-mindedness is, and the discussion could benefit from a more unified terminology and better counter-examples. The value and limitations of open-mindedness in both science and the humanities are discussed and analysed. It is argued that open-mindedness, while clearly a virtue if not taken to excess, need not be a goal of the educational process.