Blog Assignment #8

MSMC Blog Assignment #8
Organizational Behavior MGT 505.0-D1 Chapter 14: Blogging
Professor Cynthia L. Krom By May Lee
10/28/07


“My experience with blogging”



Visit at two “official” corporate blogs. Describe how each is being used and the “power” being exercised by using the blog. Then reflect on your own experience blogging for this course, responding, and receiving responses. How did/didn’t this process impact your communication skills and your learning of the course content?

Since I have kids of my own, I decided to visit Mattel’s official corporate blog. Mattel has been in the news of late due to the hazardous lead paint found in their toys made in China. I found Mattel’s blog to be teaming with the words “safety”, “3 stage safety checks”, and “voluntary safety recall”. Notice a theme? Mattel’s CEO even has a video message assuaging the public on its dedication to safety. What Mattel is utilizing here is the “expert power” on its expertise or knowledge of the materials used to manufacture toys. Expertise has become one of the most powerful sources of influence as the world has become more technologically oriented (Robbins & Judge 2007). Mattel is using legitimacy and inspirational appeal and personal appeal tactics to persuade the buying public to purchase Mattel toys. Mattel’s CEO Robert Eckert appears as a regular Joe, in an open collar shirt, no tie, beseeching us to trust him once again. He says that Mattel is “one of the most trusted names with parents” and was “working extremely hard to address your concerns and continue creating safe, entertaining toys for you and your children.”

Mattel toys are made in China and sold in Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart’s corporate blog is spattered with the words “savings”, “low prices”, and “value”. The greater the consumer’s dependency is on savings, the greater the power Wal-Mart exerts over that consumer. The reward power Wal-Mart exerts over the consumer is financial savings. Dependency is increased when the resource you control is important, scarce, and nonsubstitutable (Robbins & Judge 2007). For a family with limited means Wal-Mart is the only game in town where you can feed and clothe your family for $.99 for a lb of ground round and $4.99 for a package of underwear. Wal-Mart is utilizing rational persuasion and exchange power tactics, and quite successfully too.

Before this course I have never read a corporate blog, let along create my own. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a technophobe. I’ve known of its existence and the power it exerts. But since I consider myself a “laggard” and will someday catch on and dive in, there was no hurry to jump on the bandwagon. Since taking this course I’ve created my own blog, received responses (some good, some a blow to my ego, but all positive), I’ve come to the conclusion that blogging is not for the faint of heart. It’s putting yourself out there for public consumption, with all your blemishes. This process has impacted my own communication skills in that I’m learning to be more empathetic towards others, because “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (King James, 2000). I’ve learn to be more forgiving in my responses to the efforts put forth by others. Because whether or not you are addressing a positive or negative aspect of an issue, you have to put your best foot forward, and review your grammar, punctuation, and spelling. All of it reflects on the author’s statements. A well written blog, email, or letter garners respect for the writer, where as a blog, email, or letter filled with grammatical and spelling errors will be dismissed as having been written by an ignoramus.

References
1 Robbins, S.P., & Judge, T.A. (2007). Organizational Behavior ,Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice Hall
2 The Holy Bible (King James Version 2000) Matthew 7:2