Understanding the Managerial Logic Used by the Iranian Public Science Magazines for the Production of Content

Ojagh, Zahra; Abdollahyan, Hamid

doi:10.7508/ijcr.2014.27.002

Understanding the Managerial Logic Used by the Iranian Public Science Magazines for the Production of Content

Document Type : Scientific Research Manuscript

Authors

Zahra Ojagh ¹

Hamid Abdollahyan ²

¹ PhD Graduate, Department of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran

² Professor of Communication, Department of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran

10.7508/ijcr.2014.27.002

Abstract

This paper will attempt to discover how public science magazines in Iran use a managerial logic in order to produce their projected content. Production of knowledge in this area will contribute to understanding why and how specific type of content is being produced in science magazines in Iran. In order to acquire such knowledge the paper will focus on how a language is being used as a tool of simplifying science. In addition, the paper will explore the type of logical relations which have been established between application of language capabilities in such magazines and the managerial logic that run such magazines. The importance of this research lies in the fact that these magazines have been around for about 100 years, while the management of transmitting their scientific messages has not yet been researched on. In order to do this research we have used a combined methodology that consists of content analysis, direct interviews and survey. The units of observations or subjects of study included individuals who are considered to make up such magazines’ audience, as well as randomly selected magazines. Due to the fact that when we started the research we figured out that a thorough list of Iranian science magazines did not exist, therefore, we first had to provide such list. Afterwards and according to such list as one of our units of analysis, we were able to determine how to do random sampling.

Some findings indicate that science magazines in Iran have been using a simplified language accompanied by making science attractive to their audience while interacting with their audience as strategies of building up their audience. Other findings indicate that the managerial logic that leads the content has been focusing on the dichotomy of culture and information as major function of their content. Based on our interviews and survey results, we however discovered that focusing on business and education would probably be a more effective strategy to organize the content of science magazines in Iran.

Keywords

Science Magazines

Media Management

Managerial Logic

Production of Content

Public Science

Simplification

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