Informal Networks of Educators and Innovations at Journalism Schools

• In Event: Organizational Communication Research Escalator - Extended Session

Abstract

In today's media environment, where journalism is changing too quickly, requiring journalism schools to constantly update their curricula, invite more faculty to keep the students up to date, communication within organizations, between faculty and leaders will change too. Applying a diffusion of innovations and a network analysis perspective, this research explores informal communications among journalism faculty members in the Republic of Georgia, to reveal the professional network of journalism educators, role of formal leaders in comparison to role of informal experts and effects of communication networks on adoption of innovations. This research looks at multiple organizations in the country, trying to map the professional network of journalism educators across the country, and also explaining communication between organizations.

Author

• Ana Keshelashvili, Georgian Institute of Public Affairs