Institutional Authority and Communication in Localization

Or... Is ATA certification worth it?

Kekoa didn't just want to be a translator, he wanted to be the cream of the crop. After talking to other volunteer interpreters he learned that to be legit, he needed to be ATA certified. After a little research and thanks to Google, he knew that the organization his coworkers mentioned is the American Translators Association [1. Authoritative Organization].  So, he set off to determine whether or not ATA certification is worth it. The website taught him that he had to pay a significant amount to take the certification test and become a member of the organization [2. Regulating Standard]. Was all that work to pass the test and money each year worth it? Talking with industry professional Dale Woo-ten, Kekoa thought that the ATA conference each year may make membership worth it. Learning about industry standards, innovations, and other relevant material for a translator. Learning those things in one weekend each year while networking with potential clients, seemed like membership was worth it [3. Influential Event]. Soon after, Kekoa found out that he didn't need to be a member to go to the conference! In fact, he could present at the conference and get published by the organization without even being a member [4. Authoritative Publication]. "What is this certification good for?" Kekoa wondered. So, he spoke to a current member and he told him that he got certified to let his clients know that they uphold a specific standard. "Standard" Kekoa asked. The ATA member responded: "As a certified member, I have committed to certain ethical standards which gives me an upper hand on other translators that haven't made such commitments." The member went on to tell Kekoa that if he failed to uphold the standards that his certification would be revoked [5. Challenging Authority / Changing Standards].

Kekoa quickly decided that ATA certification was not worth it.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Public Relations

“I’m a member of PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) and I attend all the events, I’ve gotten a few internships and I might stay with one firm that I like for a little bit after I graduate, but I’ve been reading the Public Relations Journal [4. Authoritative Publication] and I think I may want to explore a wider variety of opportunities,” said John, a senior at BYU. 

Dr. Brown, on of John’s mentors in the School of Communications, leaned forward a little across his desk. “So you want to continue to build your network and attend events? Did you know that PRSA—the official Public Relations Society of America [1. Authoritative Organization]—will allow you to extend your membership and even give you a discount for having already been a student member?”

John’s eyes lit up, “Really? Would I still be able to get the same benefits that I have now in PRSSA?”

“Of course! I would suggest that you familiarize yourself thoroughly with the PRSA Member Code of Ethics [2. Regulating Standard]. Having a PRSA membership is a valuable asset to your career and if you violate the code of ethics—even by accident—PRSA could bar, limit or expel you from membership—not to mention you could get arrested. Think of the lost networking opportunities!” Dr. Brown shook his head at the imaginary scenario.

“What kind of networking opportunities? How can I get to them?” John pulled out a notebook.

“Not only networking, but internship and even career opportunities, trainings to strengthen your strategic planning skills and presentations to challenge your view on modern public relations practices. The field is changing so fast…”

By that November, John had crossed the stage with a diploma in hand, worked at a firm and was now making his way around to different key public relations practitioners in what the PRSA International Conference [3. Influential Event] called the ‘Networking Hall.’ Afterwards was a workshop on how to deal with authorities that make unethical decisions within a business or firm. John was eager to learn more about how to stay honest with the public in order to keep in line with his moral and career goals while perhaps risking his relationship with bosses and organizations. [5. Challenging Authority/Changing Standards] Public relations was so much more strategic, in-depth and interesting than he had ever imagined!

Institutional Authority and Communication in Microbiology

Months of effort had gone into this immunology paper, and it was finally done.  After weeks of research, days of writing, and hours of editing Anne looked up from the document on her laptop towards the clock, as she was about to meet with Dr. Wilson, her mentor and research director.  Their aim was to decide which journals she would submit her paper to.

"That's going to depend on the journal's impact factor!"  It was one of the first things Dr. Wilson said.
"What's an impact factor?" asked Anne.  She had only briefly heard of the term before.
"It's how the credibility of a journal is gauged.  Each journal gets a new impact factor each year," Dr. Wilson replied.
"But how do they calculate it?"
"Well, it's based on the average number of citations of articles from the journal in more recent articles published worldwide [2. Regulating Standard]," said Dr. Wilson.  The more the articles from the current year have cited those articles from a particular journal from the past year, the higher their year's impact factor.  It allows for a measurement of the credibility and relevance of the research being published by each journal."

"Who implemented it?" asked Anne.
"A man named Eugene Garfield devised it, but the organization that is now in charge of implementing and regulating the impact factor process is called Thomson Institute for Science Information [1. Authoritative Organization], or Thomson Reuters is what it's now called.  They have a website that offers the most extensive bibliographic database in the world, as well as a blog keeping track of trending topics and related articles for reference [4. Authoritative Publication]."
Anne became animated. "Do they have a journal? Could I submit my paper to them?"
"No, they don't have a journal," replied Dr. Wilson.  "If they did, it would be far too easy for them to skew their own impact factor.  They already have some criticism from researchers, primarily that the validity of an article should not be based on the impact factor of the journal it has been published in, but rather that that article should stand on its own.  These complaints, as well as others, were taken into account and have established a sort of democratic set of rules to govern Thomson ISI's impact factor [5. Challenging Authority/Changing Standards]."

"Well," said Anne, still hopeful, "perhaps they have a conference or international event I can attend?"
Dr. Wilson explained "Not exactly, but they do have a Citation Index for approved conferences worldwide [3. Influential Event], where emerging ideas and new research is tracked and made accessible for people like you and me.  Speaking of which, which journals are you thinking about submitting your paper to?"

Institutional Authority and Communication in OR Nursing

"Institutional Authority and Communication in OR Nursing"

Nancy comes into the hospital. Unlike most days the hospital seems to be in full force. “What is going on?”, Nancy  asks her coworker. “JACHO is company that pretty much runs the heath system. They occasionally audit our facility [1. Authoritative Organization]. “These audits are just one of their many regulation processes”[2. Regulating Standard]. “Nancy, aren’t you going to the conference that they have in San Diego?” her coworker asks. 

“Ya I am! I heard that it was really great last year.” Nancy replays

 “These conferences are a way for JACHO to teach and encourage good nursing practices, but they are also really uplifting, and get you pumped to be a nurse”, the coworker explains to the patient who asked about JACHO [3. Influential Event]. “They also use these conferences to convey and instill values in the nursing leadership so that they can then enforce these values in the work place”.

 Nancy thought back to when her boss, Sara, went to the conference and it was all she could talk about for months. She loved how focused JACHO was on helping the patients. She would quote the conference constantly. She also talked about how she made other nursing friends that she is excited to see at the next conference [4. Authoritative Publication]. This is why Nancy is so excited to go to the conference this year.

One of the meeting that Sara often referenced back to was the meeting about maintaining a system of integrity. This meeting discussed how JACHO is constantly checked on by the state legislature, just as JACHO constantly checks on hospital to make sure they are meeting core measures. The government changes laws and regulates JACHO just as JACHO makes changes to and regulates hospitals [5. Challenging Authority / Changing Standards]. The purpose of this meeting was to help the hospital staff relate to JACHO, and make nurses realize that they are both working to create a positive work environment that benefits the patients. This conference helped in steal a sense of unity between JACHO and the nurses. "That is way these checkups are necessary", Sara would always say. “They can be annoying if you don’t understand the reason for them.” So Nancy was excited to go to the conference and begin to understand, because to her, the audits were still extremely annoying. Perhaps Nancy will gain a new perspective by participating in the conference.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Public Relations

David is the single PR representative for a new chain restaurant, Freakin' Deli, in the state of Utah. The corporate office is small and is still trying to build a positive reputation and a strong client base. One day, the founder of the new restaurant came to David’s desk with a new idea.

“Morning, David,” said Fred, the CEO of Freakin' Deli “How’s everything going on your end of things?”

“Great! I started a Facebook page for Freakin' Deli a few weeks ago and we already have 120 likes and 45 positive reviews. I feel confident in the client base we’ve been building.” David said with a grin.

“Hey that’s terrific, but I think we need to at least triple those numbers if we want to be taken seriously as a restaurant,” said Fred

“Well, we could hold a few community events—”

“No, I had something else in mind. What if we paid a few people to endorse us on their blogs and Twitter accounts? Maybe even have them leave a few reviews on Google and Facebook. Also, do you mind leaving about 5-10 anonymous reviews every day? This is business today, David, it’s all about the reviews!”

David felt concerned, as a volunteer member of the Greater Salt Lake Chapter within the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) (1. Authoritative Organization) he had a solid set of professional values. When David became a member he made a pledge from the Code of Ethics (2. Regulating Standard) stating that he would conduct himself professionally with truth and accuracy.  He knew he had an obligation to the public. Having a company write its own reviews didn’t feel right to him.

David had just returned from the PRSA International Conference (3. Influential Event) earlier this month and subscribed to the Public Relations Journal (4. Authoritative Publication). Sure enough, in September’s issue, it discussed the ethics behind unreported endorsements and improper anonymity. 

Since the government did not sanction Freakin’ Deli, David knew he would not be convicted in a court of law for unethical conduct, but he did know his membership could be revoked (5. Changing Standards), and being expelled from the largest PR organization in the world would not be worth a few phony restaurant endorsements and reviews.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Written Journalism

Megan was in the newsroom when then the shooting at the local college occurred. Her Twitter feed was already exploding with information: it was a lone wolf, there were three shooters, fifteen killed, five killed, the shooter had been captured, he was still on the loose. Megan’s editor was already breathing down her neck for a story and she knew that the other news groups would be publishing any moment. She needed to get her story out fast, but she didn’t have all the facts yet.

She knew the Code of Ethics (2. Regulating Standard) published by the Society of Professional Journalists (1. Authoritative Organization). Her news group had modeled their own code after the SPJs. These codes emphasized the importance of accuracy over speed. But that model, to many journalists, seems outdated. 

Megan’s editor had just sent her to the SPJ Spring Conference where other journalists as well as students and educators all meet to hear for experts on current journalism topics (3. Influential Event). Some of the speakers talked about social media and how these platforms made new more immediate. They talked about how in the past, journalists would go through many checks before a story was published, but now stories are often published and then checked. But just because that may be the case with some groups (typically the less professional ones), doesn’t mean the SPJ deems it ethical.

Besides the conference, the SPJ publishes an ethics blog to keep members updated (4. Authoritative Publication). But nothing has changed on the accuracy front—and Megan thinks it never officially will. Accuracy will always ethically trump speed on the ethical front (5. Changing Standards).

So despite other organizations who publish their “facts” as soon as they get them and then make updates to fix the stories later, Megan settles down to research. She picks up her phone and calls the police on the scene while checking the school’s official feed for information. She wants her story to be right the first time.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Nursing

Kami had just ended her third 12 hour shift of the week. As a 40 year old woman, the demand was harsh on her body.  By the 9th hour of the shift, she was usually dragging and praying for strength to finish the tasks at hand.  “I cannot continue on like this,” she moaned, “something needs to change.”

The next day at work Kami began talking to Tracy, one of her good friends and co-workers.  She discussed with Tracy her thoughts and complaints about the work hours for nurses- especially the lengthy shifts.  Tracy piped in, “You should write to the Utah Nurses Association (1. Authoritative Organization), they exist to be an advocate for nurses in Utah, and I’m sure if you wrote a letter and got enough people to sign it, they would listen to your complaint. Who knows, maybe they would even discuss it at the annual Utah Nurses Association Conference (3. Influential Event)?”

“Yeah, maybe.  I’m just not sure if I can get enough people to get on board with me to make a difference.”

“Well, you can start with writing an article in the Utah Nurse magazine- I know that’s how I stay connected with other nurses to know what’s going on with changes in our field and comments from other nurses (4. Authoritative Publication).  I think if people saw your bravery to stand up on this issue, they would want to join your cause.”

Kami pondered on what Tracy had said.  “You know, that’s actually not a bad idea.  Even though it seems almost impossible to change much in our behalf, it can’t hurt to try.”

Kami worked on her idea for the next couple of weeks, collaborating with other nurses about how to be heard.  She read through the endless Utah “Nurse Practice Acts”, and many of the other statutes and rules that applied (2. Regulation Standard).  She wanted to have all of it sent in and seen before the next Utah Nurses Association Conference, so they would take it seriously enough to have it submitted to the Utah Board of Nursing, which is held monthly, and where the real changes take place (5. Challenging Authority/ Changing Standards).  With all the support she was getting from nurses across the state, she knew their voices would have to be heard; even if it didn’t mean instant changes, the seed would be planted.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Social Work

             

                Giovanni Habakkuk finally knew what he wanted in life, and it wasn't dentistry.  But he wasn't at the light at the end of the tunnel yet.  He outlined his dilemma to his academic adviser,

                "There are so many degrees that would allow me to become a therapist, but most of them seem to care about research more than actually helping people."

                Mr. Zephaniah set a pamphlet down on the desk between them.

                "How about this one?"  He read from the pamphlet:  " Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest...Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with no expectation of significant financial return."

                Giovanni was surprised.  "Where is that from?"

                "It's a document for social workers called the Code of Ethics.  The NASW uses this to keep all the therapists in line [2. Regulating Standard]."

                "The NASW?"

                "The National Association of Social Workers.  They train social workers, maintain a professional standard, and try to make large-scale change in the country [ 1. Authoritative Organization]."

                "And how exactly do they do all of that?  They can't watch every social worker all the time."

                Mr. Zephaniah nodded.  "I think one of their biggest achievements has been using the Code of Ethics to create a culture of altruism within the field.  They also have a newspaper, NASW News, which proliferates changes in policy [4. Authoritative Publication].  It also includes information on research and new legislation.  Every year they hold a NASW National Conference for professional development and continuing education [3. Influential Event].

                Giovanni was impressed, but it was still a little too good to be true.  "That wouldn't work for everyone, though, right?  There are always a few bad apples wherever you go."

                Mr. Zephaniah nodded.  "They have a process called professional review to evaluate the status of social workers who violate the Code of Ethics [5. Challenging Authority].  It works a little like a court hearing, but instead of sentencing people to jail, they order corrective action, such as retraining or restitution, or sanctions, such as revoking NASW membership and credentials."

                "I see.  that makes sense."  Giovanni smiled softly to himself.  Perhaps he had found the field he was looking for.

"Families Matter," no changes made, by joelle t. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/legalcode

Institutional Authority and Communication in Business Management Consulting

Stephen straightened his tie as he gave himself one last look in the mirror. "All right," he thought, "Here goes nothing!" He had prepared for this moment his entire college career, and now he was about to have his final round interview [3. Influential Event] with Bain and Co, one of the "Big Three" companies that controls the management consulting world [1. Authoritative Organization], and the one that he'd been dreaming of joining ever since he decided he wanted to be a consultant. He would sit across from the interviewer, who would give him a case study, a hypothetical business case that he would have to think through and solve as the interviewer watched, closely observing his analytical skills, creativity, mental math, and interpersonal skills. [2. Regulating Standard] Every aspect of his performance would be closely examined, analyzed, and reported, and he was more than a little nervous.

He walked into the room that had been set aside for Bain interviews, shook hands with the interviewer, and sat down. For two and half hours, he was presented with case after case, answering and asking questions, analyzing diagrams and drawing his own. He was very glad that he'd spent a lot of time poring through the many Bain publications, such as Founder's Mentality and Results Delivery, as well as keeping up with general business news in the Wall Street Journal, [4. Authoritative Publication] because they gave him valuable industry insights into several of the cases. At the end of the interview, his interviewer stood up to shake his hand. "Thanks for coming! You should hear from us in a couple of weeks whether or not we'll be taking you on." And that was that! Stephen hopped in his car and drove home, relieved to be through that experience, but almost sick with anticipation of the results.

As luck would have it, he received a phone call three weeks later. "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted as an associate at Bain and Co." Sweeter words had never reached his ears. Stephen packed his bags and reported at the Dallas office the next week.

Over the years, Stephen was an integral member at Bain. He moved up the ranks, from associate to consultant, and eventually to partner. He pioneered new management techniques in new industries, and this innovative mindset helped drive him from success to success [5. Changing standards] He changed the face of management consulting, and it all started with that one interview at Bain.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Legal Mediation

I've worked for Jeff a little over a year now, and he has helped me see that attorneys don't all fit the mold portrayed by jokes and TV shows. He has been a practicing attorney for almost 30 years, having passed the bar in New York, Pennsylvania, and Utah. In each of the states in which he has worked, his life has been enriched by the relationships and connections he made along the way. Now, in Provo, he is the owner of a successful boutique-sized business law firm. Yet he feels that as a legal professional and as a faithful latter-day saint he owes something more to his clients than merely expert legal advice. He wants to save his clients time and money in a more effective way, which is why he's had me research expanding the legal mediation element of our law firm [3. Influential Event].

Within the United States all attorneys are required to pay annual fees and attend Continuing Legal Education courses (CLE) to maintain their bar status active [2. Regulating Standard]. These fees and the list of CLE completion are sent to the American Bar Association (ABA), an organization that gives structure and validity to each attorney [1. Authoritative Organization]. Although the ABA has a special membership fee that can be paid to gain access to more resources surrounding legal mediation and dispute resolution, the community of attorneys and other professionals dedicated to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) remained relatively small.

Jeff has been paying his ABA fees for many decades now, for he understands the importance of being qualified and authorized by each state to practice law. Since he lives in Utah, however, he pays the active fees for Utah and pays a minimum fee for inactive attorneys in these other states. Be that as it may, he can still mediate in whichever state (or nation) he is wanted. For example, one segment of Jeff's firm is China business law, a specific niche that is quite unique to Utah county. This work has taken him all across China, and he has acted as counsel for many businesses and individuals in need of his legal assistance. In each case he felt that mediation could have benefited the parties involved, and in those instances where it was used, it did help. The ADR program at this stage leaves determinations for attorney requirements to each individual state, but as mediation becomes more influential the ADA is likely to formalize a more detailed program [5. Challenging Authority / Changing Standards].

In my research for Jeff I came across an extremely useful document on the ABA website entitled "A Manual for Legal Services and Pro Bono Mediation Programs" [4. Authoritative Publication]. This document contains essential information for both designing and implementing a mediation program, which is exactly what Jeff has requested I do. If any legal professional is seeking to expand their mediation and alternative dispute resolution portion of their practice, the ABA does possess very useful resources and information that will prove invaluable to use. For now, Jeff thinks that the best way to make a difference with mediation is to advertise we do offer these services and to keep our eyes open for cases where mediation is a smarter option.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Family Mediation

Evan placed his ceramic mug on the composite-wood, cherry-finished table, glancing at his surroundings whilst wiping warm dairy from his upper lip.  He frequented this bookstore/cafe when he needed time to think: Time he really didn't have to spend in so lax a manner, but necessary for his sanity.

I don't think I could spend another minute in that court room, he thought to himself wearily, stretching his arms high above his head, interlocking and cracking the joints of his fingers, then lowering them to rest once more on the belly of his hand-tailored dress shirt.

His smartphone buzzed, and a text notification appeared.

Honey, don't forget: your membership fees for the American Bar Association are due soon.  I hope I'll get to see you tonight, but if not, I love you! [Authoritative Organization]

Evan slumped in his chair.  Would it really be so bad to be disbarred? He thought vainly.  Maybe I'd see my family once in a while?  Or go to my cousin's wedding?

Sighing sorrowfully, he pulled out his laptop and quickly navigated to the Bar's webpage to pay his dues... When something caught his eye.

"Annual Spring Conference for Alternative Dispute Resolution?" He muttered to himself, clicking the link. [Influential Event]  It was only a few months away.  Evan had seriously considered mediation when first choosing his career, but it was such a new avenue with very few professionals and experts, and, after reading the official standards of practice, he had several concerns about the lack of national requirements to become a mediator; now, in just a few short years, they had their own community, supported by the Bar! [Regulating Standards]

He quickly paid his fees, and added a few extra dollars to join the ADR community- After all, they promised to send their semi-annual edition of the official ADR magazine, an opportunity to join their roster of certified mediators, and a monthly newsletter. [Authoritative Publication]

The more he read, the more excited he got: It looked like there was even a "Mediation Week" he could attend this month where he could raise his certification concerns. [Challenging Authority]

Signing up for everything he could, for once, Evan had hope of taking his wife for a proper honeymoon.  For once, Evan was happy.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Marketing

Nelson stood there speechless. The Board of Directors stared blankly back at him in still silence. The company president broke the quiet: “Well, aren’t you going to say something?” In that moment, Nelson's mind raced with combined disbelief and wonder. As Chief Marketing Officer at Adobe Systems, Nelson had worked tirelessly, creating new brands, maintaining old ones, and broadcasting the Adobe name across the world. And he had done so all before the age of 40. He stood in the boardroom now, facing his bosses, who had apparently thought his efforts were worthy of being nominated for (and winning) the American Marketing Association’s 4-Under-40 Emerging Leaders Award [Authoritative Organization].

Nelson knew what this meant for his career. The award was given every year to up and coming executives that demonstrated leadership, forward thinking, and innovation in marketing. Nelson’s work in marketing data analytics was novel and innovative, and it was quickly becoming common practice among other companies. Nelson never liked to brag. But now he had the approval of his bosses and the validation of his profession’s highest authority.

The company president spoke again: “Nelson, you better pack your bags. The Annual Marketing Conference doesn’t appreciate tardiness.” [Influential Event]. This shocked Nelson back into reality. “Yes, sir. Thank you,” was his reply.

Nelson walked contentedly back to his office. The AMA Annual Marketing Conference was a mecca. Aspiring marketers have always dreamed of attending, hoping to build their networks and capitalize on connections. Another annual conference in summer honored excellent articles written for the Journal of Marketing, the principle medium for communicating and changing marketing standards, but it paled in comparison to the main conference [Authoritative Publication, Changing Standards]. In attending this marketer’s paradise, Nelson’s career would never be the same.

As Nelson walked and contemplated his future, he passed a picture frame that had hung on the wall for as long as he had been at the company. In the frame, in neat script, was a portion of the Statement of Ethics [Regulating Standard]. The marketer’s version of the Hippocratic Oath, Nelson remembered bits and pieces of it from graduate school. He smiled a little half smile as he read the marketer’s charge to “Contribute to the overall betterment of marketing and its reputation.” Nelson, a normally quiet, reserved man, allowed himself a single fist-pump; it had been a big day for him.

Institutional Authority and Communication in Electrical Engineering

Bobby's interests in engineering really developed in college, where he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering and began working for Texas Instruments. He began to realize, however, that researching, developing, and inventing were a lot harder than he previously thought. Every time he proposed a new idea to his team, he was shut down.


"It's already been done".

"We don't have the budget".

"Corporate is looking for something else".


Bobby grew sick of these typical responses and approached his boss. "Steve, I feel like I'm missing something. It seems everyone else has an edge over me. They know something I don't! Their ideas are put into action while mine are always rejected. What can I do?"

"Well Bobby, when was the last time you compared your ideas with the IEEE standard (Authoritative Organization)?"

"IEEE? Well, never! I've never even heard of IEEE!" he replied, somewhat exasperated.

"You see that's the problem with universities these days," sighed Steve. "They teach the theory and ignore the real world application. IEEE -- pronounced 'I triple E' -- is the world’s largest professional association advancing innovation and technological excellence for the benefit of humanity. IEEE and its members inspire a global community to innovate for a better tomorrow through its highly-cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities".

"How exactly does that help me?" asked Bobby.

"Look. Every month they produce hundreds of publications informing EEs about the latest technologies, inventions, and ideas. You should really subscribe to their main magazine, IEEE Spectrum (Authoritative Publication). They have also set up specific standards when designing new product interfaces, safety requirements, and many other guidelines that will ensure your ideas are compatible with today's market (Regulating Standard)."

"In all honesty", started Bobby, "I don't like being regulated. I feel like it inhibits innovation".

"Ha oh Bobby. Your ideas simply don't work because you don't follow the IEEE guidelines (Challenging Authority). That is why you're here with me, is it not?"

"Steve I guess you're right... It's time I inform myself about this IEEE thing. How should I start?"

"Bobby you're in luck. This weekend they are hosting a conference here in Dallas. These conferences are international and designed to bring out the latest trends and standards (Influential Event). Our company will pay you to go. Just make sure you take advantage of your time and be prepared to report to the team once you're done."

"Steve thank you so much! I really appreciate it!"