Communication Strategies Research Articles

Identification of Customer Through Voice Biometric System in Call Centres

In recent times, there has been a growing emphasis on adjusting communication strategies to foster strong customer relationships. This shift is driven by intensified competition, market maturation, and swift advancements in business technology. Consequently, companies have established call centers to efficiently handle customer support and fulfil customer inquiries. A pivotal aspect of enhancing service quality within these call centers involves accurately identifying customers during their interactions. The primary objective of this study is to introduce a methodology for identifying customers within call centers by analyzing their voice characteristics. Voice authentication (VA) has gained prominence in critical security operations, including banking transactions and conversations within call centers. The susceptibility of automatic speaker verification systems (ASVs) to deceptive spoofing attacks has prompted the development of countermeasures (CMs). These countermeasures are designed to differentiate between authentic and fabricated speech. ASVs and CMs collectively constitute contemporary VA systems, positioned as robust access control mechanisms. To achieve this goal, various customer identification systems within call centers have been examined, along with an analysis of audio signal attributes. Ultimately, the manuscript presents a novel approach to customer identification through voice biometrics. Notably, this method excels in recognizing customers even when provided with limited voice data. Empirical findings demonstrate that the suggested speaker identity confirmation method outperforms alternative techniques utilizing different algorithms, exhibiting a higher recognition rate. The present research work is based on two important perspectives of the call centres: a. call center agents experience and b. customer experience. The data collected separately from customers and agents for understanding the effective usage of voice biometric system in call centres. The data represented and satisfies the effectiveness of voice biometric system from both the perspectives. From the data it is also cleared that, the implementation of voice biometric system in call centres still have long way to go but will be a major technological change for the industries worldwide.

New Turkey, social policy, and a daytime talk show as a remedy: Müge Anlı as a modern Çalıkuşu

ABSTRACT ‘Müge Anlı ile Tatlı Sert’, which investigates unresolved criminal cases with interactive audience support, is one the most popular daytime television shows in contemporary Turkey. The neoliberal restructuring of the welfare system in New Turkey posits that providing protection and security against social risks is the sole responsibility of individuals and families. In line with this approach, the show individualizes social problems ready to be resolved by ‘Müge Abla’ (Sister Müge) and her audience. Müge Anlı's image, which conforms to the ideal modern and modest Republican woman, allows her to gain authority, trust, respect, and popularity. The show’s discourses, structure, and communicative strategies are the product of the New Turkey where ‘the sacred family’ is the central political unit and the nation is an extended, happy family reproduced through this show.

Breaking Down Silos Within a Multihospital System: Lessons From the California Department of State Hospitals Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The California Department of State Hospitals and Department of Public Health collaborated to develop infection control programs in five inpatient psychiatric hospitals in response to COVID-19. In the retrospective observational study described here, conducted from March 2020 through February 2023, we calculated seven-day rolling averages of COVID-19 cases overlaid with key interventions, communication strategies, and policies implemented to break down silos for a consistent and coordinated response. Our findings may inform others regarding effective strategies and partnerships with public health experts during future outbreaks. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print October 3, 2024:e1-e5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307846).

How Online Patient-Provider Communication Alleviates Psychological Distress Among Patients with Chronic Diseases: The Role of Perceived Patient-Centered Communication and Adaptive Coping Strategies

ABSTRACT Chronic diseases, which require long-term continuous care due to the long clinical courses, may cause severe harm to the psychological well-being of a large population in the U.S. Providing convenient and affordable access to healthcare, online patient-provider communication (OPPC) is considered a potentially effective means in safeguarding psychological well-being among patients with chronic diseases. However, what underlying mechanism OPPC helps patients deal with psychological issues is largely unknown in the context of chronic diseases. Thus, drawing on the health communication pathway model, this study seeks to address the gap by investigating the psychological and behavioral mechanism of how OPPC alleviates psychological distress among patients with chronic diseases. Analyzing secondary data derived from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5, Cycle 3, N = 879), this study reveals that OPPC can elicit perceptions of patient-centered communication (PCC) and facilitate patients to take adaptive coping strategies, including problem-oriented and emotion-oriented coping, thus alleviating psychological distress among patients with chronic diseases. However, only emotion-oriented coping in this process significantly reduces psychological distress. On this basis, this study advances the understanding of the therapeutic effect of OPPC among patients with chronic diseases and extends the health communication pathway model by examining the role of patient-provider communication in facilitating adaptive coping strategies.

Mengurai Polarisasi Politik di Kalangan Milenial Peran Komunikasi dalam Pemilu

Abstract Political polarization among millennials has become an increasingly prominent challenge in recent years. This generation, which is a significant potential voter in the 2024 Election, is vulnerable to misleading political campaigns, hate speech and false information spread through social media and digital platforms. High levels of polarization can threaten social cohesion and hinder constructive dialogue in the democratic process. This research aims to explore the role of effective political communication and media literacy in unraveling political polarization among millennials in the 2024 elections. By using a mixed method, this research combines quantitative survey methods, qualitative studies with in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, as well as media content analysis to provide a comprehensive picture of this issue. It is hoped that the research results can provide insight into effective political communication strategies, the importance of cross-group dialogue, and the role of media literacy and political education in reducing polarization among millennials. It is hoped that these findings can contribute to efforts to create a healthier and more constructive political environment in the 2024 elections and the democratic process as a whole. Keywords: Political Polarization, Political Communication, Media Literacy, Millennials, 2024 Election

Exploring corporate reputation and crisis communication

AbstractCorporate reputation, the collective perception of company attractiveness towards stakeholders, impacts business outcomes, while effective communication strategies play a critical role in shaping and maintaining the reputation. The role of communication is highlighted during crises, crisis communication being a strategic approach to managing and mitigating the impact of unexpected or adverse events on the reputation, operations, and stakeholders. These concepts are deeply interrelated with interactive marketing. This study explores the dynamics of corporate reputation and crisis communication during a recent global crisis by combining a literature review, opinion mining, and classification analysis. This is because stakeholders rely on various information sources and engage in online discussions, which can impact the reputation, and pose new challenges. The opinion mining analysis draws from the media communication of selected stock-listed companies during a crisis. The key findings shed light on the dynamics of corporate reputation and crisis communication and the impacts on interactive marketing. Critical components of crisis communication are identified to include monitoring, tactics of responding, and response management. Linkages between these, crisis communication theories, and corporate reputation are synthesised. Indications are provided on how the crisis can affect the corporate reputation and the significance of the speed of preventive communication measures.

Understanding the factors that impact federal rulemaking: a survey of former EPA regulators

Abstract While federal rulemaking is an essential part of American governance, it is not well understood by researchers and advocates. We surveyed 115 former regulators at the Environmental Protection Agency to understand their views on the kinds of information they valued most and their communication preferences (June – August 2023). Respondents highly valued information about the scope of a problem (93%), legal analysis (96%), technology assessments (93%), and impacts of a proposed rule (97%). Regulators had difficulty accessing several kinds of information: 16% of respondents viewed racial equity information as easy to access and 28% thought financial information was easy to access. Respondents valued communications that provided data (99% viewed as effective), made compelling arguments (96%) or technical recommendations (91%), and storytelling (88%). Respondents indicated that the content of comment letters was important: 92% viewed letters containing data as important, and 90% valued technical recommendations. Only 22% thought that repetition of the same comments across letters was important. Our findings reveal opportunities for researchers and advocates to help fill information gaps and identify communication strategies that might resonate with federal regulators.

Public perception of esports: an examination of esports image and genre differences

ABSTRACT As esports continues to gain popularity, a clear understanding of the public image associated with esports would help corporations and organizations working within or collaborating with the esports industry to establish effective communication strategies for their target audiences. In this study, we identify the image people associate with esports and examine whether it varies across different esports genres. Two surveys were conducted for exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, followed by a series of ANOVA. Results reveal mixed image of esports, comprising three negative associations (i.e. provocative, addictive, and impulsive) and four positive associations (i.e. entertaining, competitive, aesthetic, and social). Moreover, distinct patterns exist for the image of esports across five different genres (i.e. Fighting, FPS, MOBA, Sport Simulation, and DCC games). It appears that positive associations vary more distinctly across esports genres than negative associations. Findings imply that there is no “one-size-fits-all” regarding how esports are perceived, highlighting the image of esports as multidimensional, highly contextual and advising against uniform treatment.

Discourse analysis and communication strategy of sport learning: a systematic review assisted with VOSviewer

This research aims to analyze bibliometrically related discourse analysis and communication strategies in sports, especially physical education, sports, and health. The research uses a literature review. The literature review aims to find the latest literature and build a foundation for academic inquiry related to sports learning in communication and discourse, as well as build a foundation for scholarly inquiry regarding student communication strategies based on the latest articles reviewed. The articles used were selected according to the topic by eliminating irrelevant keywords in the VOSviewer application. The most relevant keywords are "physical activity," " teach*," "communication strategy," "discourse analysis," and "learn*" which are directly related to the main focus of the research. The result showed effective communication strategies in sports have a major impact on motivation, skill acquisition, performance, and overall athlete satisfaction. The use of various communication styles, including nonverbal communication, plays an important role in forming athletes' self-confidence, motivation, and learning process. These findings underscore the importance of communication skills and strategies in optimizing athlete performance and overall well-being. Keywords: Discourse Analysis, Communication Strategy, Sport Learning, VOSviewer

Effective Communication Strategies for Business Analysts to Bridge the Gap between IT and Finance

As organizations depend more on technology to stay ahead of the competition, their information technology (IT) and business departments must work together closely. However, cultural differences and understanding between the specialized fields often make it hard for them to work together effectively. If these issues are fixed, they could make it easier to finish projects, stick to budgets, and agree on the company's goals. Many companies use business analysts to help people talk to each other by acting as liaisons knowledgeable in technology and finances. However, there is limited information in the literature about how analysts can connect the tasks. This study fills that gap by looking into the problems when IT and finance work together and suggesting specific steps analysts can take to improve strategic alignment. Looking at past studies shows that common differences make it hard for people to work together. IT and finance use different vocabularies for technical terms and project-based versus financial terms, leading to misunderstandings. They also set other priorities. It emphasizes speed of innovation and technical practicality, while finance emphasizes reducing risk, accuracy, and returns. There are also differences in the amount of knowledge and skill that people in IT and finance have regarding technical solution details and financial effects. They also use different ways to make decisions. IT bases judgments on technological factors, while finance assesses business impact. Besides, cultural norms diverge between the flexible and creative IT culture and the rigorous and methodical finance culture. Business analysts should utilize several focused communication strategies to close these gaps. Creating a shared vocabulary helps terms from diverse fields fit. Regular mapping and stakeholder conversations help you grasp other perspectives. Actively listening, repeating, asking questions, and summarizing shows you comprehend. Educating on decision-making variables and expertise broadens perspectives. Discussing cultural meanings and making sure individuals understand questions improves discussion. Using shared goals like increasing sales or lowering costs is another way to unite people around similar goals. By using these specific methods, business experts can help IT and finance work together despite cultural differences. Mapping and teaching regularly help keep relationships strong even as needs and staff change. By focusing on active listening, aligning vocabulary, and highlighting shared interests, you can build good working relationships necessary to get strategic benefits from technology investments.

Modernized Hippies and Extreme Eco-Warriors

This study is the first qualitative examination of the prototype willingness model (PWM), which includes both rational and socially reactive decision-making processes, in the context of eco-friendly behaviour. In total, 33 individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with Flemish young adults between 18 and 25 years to explore how the constructs of this dual-process model manifest and interconnect in the young adults’ lives in the context of eco-friendly behaviours, and which aspects should be leveraged when encouraging eco-friendly behaviour. Three prominent patterns were identified during data analysis: (1) The rational roadblocks, (2) the social stepping stone, and (3) the distant ‘darker’ green. Implications for (social) marketers are, among other things, to defy context-dependent attitudes of resistance (e.g. highlight applicable self-interest motives), to use social – and in particular socially reactive – levers, and to represent more diverse eco-friendly people that reflect the diversity within target audiences in behaviour change interventions and communications strategies.

Strengths, Barriers, and Recommendations for a Wraparound Gang Intervention Program Targeting High Risk Youth

ABSTRACT The Wraparound approach aims to prevent and interrupt gang activity by “wrapping” youth with individualized supports to increase prosocial connections and reduce the risks for gang involvement. The current study examines 38 interviews with program staff and external stakeholders to assess implementation strengths and challenges of a Wraparound program in British Columbia, Canada. Thematic analysis resulted in seven strengths-related themes concerning program structure, team, and youth engagement strategies, and seven challenge-related themes regarding youth interactions, resources, and communication. Findings highlight the benefits of an individualized approach, with consideration of enhanced communication and outreach strategies, resource allocation, and case manager training.

Impacts of knowledge and trust on consumer perceptions and purchase intentions towards genetically modified foods.

Genetically Modified Foods (GMF) have emerged as a significant topic within the global food industry, provoking extensive debates over their safety and impact on consumer choices. This research aims to explore the impact of knowledge and trust in GMF on Vietnamese consumers' perceptions and their subsequent purchase intentions. By employing a quantitative methodology, this study gathered data from 424 valid respondents. The research model focuses on five constructs: knowledge, trust, perceived benefits, perceived risks, and purchase intentions. The data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test hypotheses and examine the interrelationships among these constructs. The results showed that increased knowledge of GMF is linked to heightened perceptions of benefits and reduced perceptions of risks, thereby elevating purchase intentions. Trust in GMF significantly enhances perceived benefits but does not significantly affect risk evaluation, although it is positively correlated with purchase intentions. Moreover, perceptions of greater benefits are positively associated with higher purchase intentions, whereas increased risk perceptions negatively influence them. These results underscore the complex relationship among knowledge, trust, perceived benefits, and perceived risks in shaping consumer purchase intentions toward GMF. The study proposes a comprehensive model delineating how knowledge and trust impact Vietnamese consumers' perceptions and purchase intentions regarding GMF. These findings provide implications for policymakers, business managers, and marketers, emphasizing the importance of disseminating transparent information, prioritizing trust-building, and adopting nuanced communication strategies. By effectively enhancing perceived benefits and addressing perceived risks, these strategies aim to foster positive consumer intentions and behaviors toward GMF.

The potential of small-scale owners’ associations for sustainable forest management: the case of the Czech Republic

ABSTRACT Small-scale owners constitute an essential share of private forest ownership, and their decision-making significantly affects nature conservation and landscape formation. From economic and environmental viewpoints, forest owners’ associations are one of the most effective ways to manage small-scale forest property. Using the example of the Czech Republic, this paper focuses on small-scale forest associations’ potential in sustainable forest management. For the qualitative study, the authors interviewed small-scale owners to elicit how they perceived joint management through associations and what they considered their most significant benefits and values. The findings indicate that although small-scale owners realize the importance of associations for joint forest management, they are reluctant to join or form them. Their restraints mainly result from insufficient awareness. Improving the communication strategy amongst forest policy players with small-scale owners as stakeholders on the one side and state authorities on the other is vital. The positive approach could also be reached by inevitable changes in legislation and subsidy schemes because, as they are set now, they provide little opportunity for small-scale owners to associate. The findings, however, indicate a shift from small-scale owners perceiving the forest purely economically to understanding its socio-ecological values.

Are women's breast cancer risk appraisals in line with updated clinical risk estimates communicated? Results from a UK Family History Risk and Prevention Clinic.

The incorporation of breast density and a polygenic risk score (PRS) into breast cancer risk prediction models can alter previously communicated risk estimates. Previous research finds that risk communication does not usually change personal risk appraisals. This study aimed to examine how women from the Family History Risk (FH-Risk) study appraise their breast cancer risk following communication of an updated risk estimate. In the FH-Risk study 323 women attended a consultation to receive an updated breast cancer risk estimate. A subset (n=190) completed a questionnaire, assessing their subjective breast cancer risk appraisals, satisfaction with the information provided and cancer related worry. One hundred and three were notified of a decrease risk, 34 an increase and 53 an unchanged risk. Women's subjective risk appraisals were in line with the updated risk estimates provided, with age, a PRS and breast density explaining most of the variance in these appraisals. Those notified of an increased risk demonstrated higher subjective risk perceptions compared to those whose risk remained unchanged or decreased. Women's subjective breast cancer risk appraisals are amenable to change following updated risk feedback, with new information breast density and a PRS accepted and integrated into existing risk appraisals. Trust in the service, the analogies and visual communication strategies used may have positively influenced the integration of this new information. Further research is warranted to assess whether similar patterns emerge for other illnesses and in different clinical contexts to determine the best strategies for communicating updated risk estimates.

Sustainability Strategies in Clusters and the Role of Communication

Environmental sustainability impacts on industrial districts and their lifecycle evolutionary processes. Nevertheless, research in this direction is scant, suggesting on the one hand, the role of lead firms of global value chains and, on the other hand, potential contributions of suppliers. e paper explores how district firms have invested in sustainability by analyzing sustainable-oriented communication strategies (certification, web, exhibitions) of Italian leather and jewelry clusters. Results show that districts are evolving by including sustainability in their strategies. A variety of sustainability strategies emerge among district firms, with differences also between firms in B2B and B2C markets.

Impact of a Design Thinking Educational Activity on Graduate Students' Knowledge, Confidence, and Perceived Benefits.

Design Thinking is gaining recognition as an innovative and creative approach to problem solving. Though nurse leaders need problem solving tools to address health care challenges, Design Thinking concepts are not commonly taught in nursing education. To introduce graduate level nursing students to Design Thinking, we held an educational activity focused on this content as part of required coursework. The purpose was to describe and compare outcomes of a Design Thinking educational activity on students' perceived knowledge, confidence, and benefits to nursing practice. Graduate level nursing students participated in a 3-hour educational activity. After the session, students completed an anonymous 10-item survey of their perceptions of the educational activity. Students reported increased knowledge and confidence of communication strategies and Design Thinking concepts that would benefit their practice. Nurse educators should include Design Thinking teaching and learning strategies in their programs.

Animal health as a function of farmer personality and attitude: using the HEXACO model of personality structure to predict farm-level seropositivity for Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi in dairy cows

IntroductionInfections with Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi impinge upon dairy cow health and welfare and represent a major economic factor in livestock industry. Control measures largely rely on the use of anthelminthic drugs. However, reports of anthelmintic resistance necessitate sustainable approaches. Farmer characteristics such as attitude and personality are crucial for the implementation of control strategies and on-farm practices.MethodsIn the present study, the HEXACO (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, eXtraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness to experience) model of personality structure, which conceptualizes human personality, was used to evaluate the relationship of farmer aspects with on-farm bulk tank milk seropositivity for F. hepatica and O. ostertagi. Moreover, information on farm structure, housing, management, and farmers’ attitude was collected in a face-to-face interview. Farm-level seropositivity for F. hepatica and O. ostertagi was predicted via elastic net regression.ResultsOut of 193 farms housing 8,774 cows in the German Federal State of Bavaria, 47 farms (24.4%) were seropositive for F. hepatica, 77 farms (39.9%) for O. ostertagi, and 42 farms (21.8%) for both endoparasites. The model for F. hepatica seropositivity selected the covariates pasture access, O. ostertagi seropositivity, higher farmer conscientiousness, and organic farming as relevant predictors. Seropositivity for O. ostertagi was predicted by F. hepatica seropositivity, pasture access, organic farming, and farmers being neutral regarding their satisfaction with animal health on their farm. Higher values for the HEXACO factors extraversion and emotionality were inversely associated with O. ostertagi seropositivity.DiscussionThe present work emphasizes the importance of farmer traits in regard to animal health and parasite occurrence. For the effective acceptance and implementation of sustainable control strategies for livestock helminth infections, it is crucial to consider these aspects to holistically address the challenges of managing parasitic diseases. Moreover, tailored communication strategies can be developed incorporating the understanding of individual stockman characteristics and subsequently ensuring encouragement of stakeholders.

Understanding public opinion formation in Southeast Europe: Exploring social forces and communication dynamics

The article investigates the mechanisms through which social forces, networks, cognitive frames, and institutions shape public opinion in Southeast Europe via communication. Employing a qualitative approach, data was collected through synchronous focus groups conducted in six Southeast European countries. The findings reveal that social networks play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion, with organizational position and relationships influencing communication effectiveness. Cognitive frames significantly impact public perception, with entrenched beliefs guiding interpretation of information. Meanwhile, social institutions, such as language and communication rules, influence the clarity and accessibility of messages, thereby shaping public understanding. The research underscores the need for deeper research, ethical standards, and transparent communication to build and maintain public trust. Continuous engagement with the public and adaptability in communication strategies are essential for fostering mutual understanding and trust. This research emphasizes social forces’ complexity and overlapping nature in shaping public opinion and the strategic approaches required for effective communication in Southeast Europe.

Evaluating Negotiators Who Deceptively Communicate Anger or Happiness: On the Importance of Morality, Sociability, and Competence

AbstractResearch has shown that negotiators sometimes misrepresent their emotions, and communicate a different emotion to opponents than they actually experience. Less is known about how people evaluate such negotiation tactics. Building on person perception literature, we investigated in three preregistered studies (N = 853) how participants evaluate negotiators who deceptively (vs. genuinely) communicate anger or happiness, on the dimensions of morality, sociability, and competence. Study 1 employed a buyer/seller setting, Studies 2 and 3 employed an Ultimatum Bargaining Game (UBG). In all studies, participants learned a negotiator’s (the target’s) experienced and communicated emotions (anger or happiness), before evaluating the target. Across studies, targets were evaluated lower on morality if they deceptively (vs. genuinely) communicated anger or happiness. Notably, negotiators deceptively communicating anger were evaluated lower on morality and sociability but higher on competence than those deceptively communicating happiness. Studies 2 and 3 investigated behavioral consequences by examining whether in a future negotiation participants chose the target to be their opponent or representative. Results showed that for opponents, participants preferred targets who genuinely communicated happiness (vs. anger), which was associated with their perceived morality or sociability. For representatives, participants not only preferred targets who had genuinely communicated happiness (vs. anger), but also targets who had deceptively communicated anger (vs. happiness), which was associated with their perceived competence. These findings show that when evaluating deceptive (vs. genuine) communication strategies, people distinguish between morality, sociability, and competence. The importance they attach to these dimensions is also contingent on the behavioral decisions they face.