LONDON SCHOOL of PUBLIC RELATION

COMMUNICATION STUDIES
WEEKLY DISCUSSION
SESSION 2

Oleh:

Joshua Boanerges Tampi

21072140019

POSTGRADUATE PROGRAM
MARKETING COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
JAKARTA
2021
 STATEMENT LETTER

I certify that the attached assignment is my own work and that any material
obtained from other sources has been acknowledged following the latest version of APA
style. I declare that I know what plagiarism is and I confirm I have not plagiarized any part
of this assignment.
I grant permission to the London School of Public Relations to make copies of
assignments for assessment, review and/or record keeping purposes. I note that the
London School of Public Relations reserves the right to check my assignment for
plagiarism anytime even on mid and/or the final exam. I am ready to bear any
consequences including a fail grade in the subject, ineligibility to proceed to thesis
defense, and/or graduate in the given year without any complaint or dispute.

Name : Joshua Boanerges Tampi

Signed : Date : 25th March 2021

Saya menyatakan dengan ini bahwa tugas yang dibuat ini adalah pekerjaan saya
sendiri dan semua materi yang ada sudah dituliskan sumber referensinya dengan
mengikuti APA style versi yang terbaru. Saya menyatakan bahwa saya memahami
tentang plagiarism dan tidak ada satu bagian pun dari tugas ini yang mengandung
plagiarisme.
Saya mengizinkan The London School of Public Relations untuk menilai,
mengevaluasi, dan/atau menyimpan tugas ini. Saya mengizinkan pemeriksaan untuk
mendeteksi plagiarism ini dilakukan setiap saat baik saat Mid maupun Final Exam. Saya
menyanggupi untuk menanggung segala akibat dari plagiarisme yang dilakukan baik jika
tidak lulus dari mata kuliah, tidak dapat mengikuti sidang thesis/non thesis, maupun tidak
dapat mengikuti wisuda tanpa melakukan protes dalam bentuk apapun.

Name : Joshua Boanerges Tampi

Tanda Tangan : Date : 25th March 2021

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 WEEKLY DISCUSSION
SESSION 2

Discussion Session 2
Looking of research (could be article in journal or thesis) example for each paradigm given on
the slide (classic paradigm, constructivist, & critical).

Explain of what makes them looks difference? Based on quality / criteria of research on the three
paradigms on the slide!

Note: When you submit your paperwork, please also attached the file (article in journal or thesis)
on EdLink.

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 CONTENTS

COVER .......................................................................................................................................... 1
STATEMENT LETTER .............................................................................................................. 2
WEEKLY DISCUSSION SESSION 2 ....................................................................................... 3
CONTENTS................................................................................................................................... 4
CHAPTER 1 CLASSIC PARADIGM ........................................................................................ 5
CHAPTER 2 CONSTRUCTIVISM PARADIGM .................................................................... 7
CHAPTER 3 CRITICAL THEORY PARADIGM ................................................................... 8
CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................... 9

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 CHAPTER 1
CLASSIC PARADIGM

The classic paradigm consists of positivism and post-positivism. Guba defines positivism as a
belief system that embraces a paradigm that reality can exist outside of individuals. Immutable
natural laws drive reality (Guba, 1990). In other words, positivism is a philosophical ideology that
believes that truth exists in reality bounded by natural laws such as the law of causality. (Mulyadi,
Basuki, & Prabowo, 2020). Another classic paradigm is post-positivism which also known as a
modification of positivism. Post-positivism is a paradigm born to fix the weaknesses of positivism.
In the paradigm of positivism, reality exists in natural laws, and humans cannot perceive reality.
Therefore, methodologically, the experimental approach uses triangulation methods such as
various methods, data source, research, and theory. Post-positivism states the importance of the
connection between researchers and the research objects. These two aspects must be connected
to get knowledge. Post-positivism emphasizes that there is no way for a researcher to obtain
knowledge without getting in touch with the research objects (Salim, 2001). Both paradigms have
one obvious similarity, which is a reality that exists following the natural laws. Therefore, these
two paradigms called classic paradigm. Positivism chiefly uses quantitative methods, while post-
positivism may include qualitative methods to seek knowledge.
A journal named A Research Paper on Digital Marketing Communication and Consumer
Buying Decision Process: An Empirical Study in the Indian Passenger Car Market aims to
understand the effect of digital marketing communication on the process of consumer buying
decision in the Indian passenger car market. This research adopted a mixed methodology for the
study, meaning the researchers used post-positivism, a paradigm that may also use qualitative
research methodology. 784 respondents from Delhi provided data for the research. The objective
tests conducted in the research were one sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank, one sample binomial
test and chi-square tests applied as tests of significance. As a result, there were 75% of the
respondents used at least one digital communication channel while buying a car (Dahiya &
Gayatri, 2017, p. 1).
This research paper also provides an interpretation of the result. According to the research’s
interpretation, every stage of a customer’s car-buying decision was extremely affected by digital

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marketing communication with evaluation as the most affected stage. Digital marketing
communication is capable to stimulate the need for recognition in high involvement of product
like a car. Customers feel positive towards digital communication, influenced by reviews made
by other customers. Although they appreciate the usage of digital channels, they still don’t book
a car online (Dahiya & Gayatri, 2017, p. 1). Based on the way how to obtain knowledge, the classic
paradigm used in this research involves a scientific and objective approach to get knowledge.
Formulas and machine were utilized to get all the results. This is called as reality exists by the
natural laws, not by the subjectivity of the researchers.
Reliability and validity tests were involved in the research, along with other statistic tests.
This means that researchers do not affect the results or reality. In this case, the result is outside
of human interpretation. However, this research also used a qualitative approach. Theoretical
implications are written in the journal to explain the contribution of this research to science.
Managerial implications are also elucidated to give insight regarding the importance of the
synergistic effect of traditional and digital channels of communication (Dahiya & Gayatri, 2017,
pp. 14-15). This is a qualitative method applied in this research as addition of the results.

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 CHAPTER 2
CONSTRUCTIVISM PARADIGM

Based on Guba’s definition, constructivism is a philosophical ideology that holds a principle

that a fact is within the theoretical framework. Discovering how things really are and really work
is lost. Reality exists only in the mental framework. Knowledge is an outcome or consequence of
human activity, problematic and ever-changing (Guba, 1990). Therefore, constructivism holds
the view that facts can only exist within theoretical construction. A researcher interpretation of
the reality he or she studies is the knowledge itself. In other words, human constructs the
knowledge within their cognitive interpretation upon reality. This view synchronized greatly with
the philosophy of existentialism that believe humanity is the source of knowledge. The world
cannot be defined in the absence of humanity, since human defines everything in the world
(Snijders, 2004). The absence of humanity means the absence of knowledge, according to
existentialism philosophy.
An example of constructivism journal is an article from the journal of international food and
agribusiness marketing. This research emphasizes the need to understand the individual or
family-owned casual Chinese restaurant’s marketing communication strategies. Based on this
research, they are highly aware of the importance of promoting their business. There are three
external factors and one internal factor that influence their selection of marketing (Lian & Chen,
2020, p. 1). This research uses a qualitative approach by using the interview to obtain data and
interpret it as knowledge. In the constructivism paradigm, data does not serve as knowledge
without the theoretical framework of the researchers. Perceiving reality such as data is the way
to explain the knowledge regarding reality. This research emphasizes the qualitative method as
the spirit of constructivism.

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 CHAPTER 3
CRITICAL THEORY PARADIGM

Critical theory is about paradigm that includes ideology such as neo-marxism, materialism,
feminism, freireism, and many more. These perspective deny that knowledge is value free.
Ontologically speaking, this paradigm has similarity to post-positivism that perceive reality
critically which is difficult for human to see clearly (Mulyadi, Basuki, & Prabowo, 2020).
Therefore, critical theory offers a dialogue method with transformation to find the truth and
reality. Subjectivity plays its part to define knowledge, because this paradigm greatly involves
researchers in determining truth regarding something (Salim, 2001). Critical theory can be
regarded as a philosophical ideology that empowers people to see a better world by changing it.
In doing research or study, researchers must aim for a change based on the research results.
Michael Nicholson and Sarah Hong Xiao from Durham University in the United Kingdom
researched consumer reinforcement's evolutionary bases to reinterpret utilitarian and
informational reinforcement. The reinterpretation was used to provide knowledge regarding
consumer behaviour by integrating evolutionary-psychological frameworks. The modern neo-
Darwinism ideology was implemented to establish the reinterpretation. The research provides
insight that consumers behaviour can be shaped by past natural and sexual selection pressures,
for example, food and music genres choice (Nicholson & Xiao, 2010, p. 127).
Critical theory inspires people to have innovation to be better and create a better
environment. Similar to the research above, these two researchers used neo-Darwinism as
innovation to understand consumer behaviour. They also reinterpret utilitarian and
informational reinforcement as a contribution to knowledge regarding consumer behaviour.
Perhaps, before this research was conducted, no one ever used a theory similar to neo-
Darwinism to explain consumer behaviour. From this research, people can see that neo-
Darwinism and the reinterpretation of this research greatly help to better understand consumer
behaviour.

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 CHAPTER 4
CONCLUSION

Classic paradigm tends to provide what is really like when it comes to reality using a scientific
approach such as statistic. Constructivism gives an insight to explain reality using the subjective
interpretation of the researchers regarding reality. However, critical theory encourages people
to innovate in changing the world, exposing what is actually bad and provide things that can be
better for society and the world. Researchers must comprehend all of these paradigms to choose
wisely which paradigm suitable for their research. Using paradigms without proper
understanding might hinder researchers from obtaining intelligible knowledge.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dahiya, R., & Gayatri. (2017). A Research Paper on Digital Marketing Communication and
Consumer Buying Decision Process: An Empirical Study in the Indian Passenger Car
Market. Journal of Global Marketing, 31(2), 1-12.
Guba, E. G. (1990). The Paradigm Dialog. New Delhi: Sage Publication.
Lian, X., & Chen, H. (2020). A Qualitative Study on Local Individual or Family Owned Casual
Chinese Restaurants Marketing Communication Strategies. Journal of International Food
& Agribusiness Marketing, 1.
Mulyadi, S., Basuki, H., & Prabowo, H. (2020). Metode Penelitian Kualitatif dan Mixed Method.
Depok: Rajawali Pers.
Nicholson, M., & Xiao, S. H. (2010). On the Evolutionary Bases of Consumer Reinforcement.
Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 30(2), 127.
Salim, J. A. (2001). Teori dan Paradigma Penelitian Sosial. Yogyakarta: Tiara Wacana Yogya.
Snijders, A. (2004). Antropologi Filsafat Manusia Paradoks dan Seruan. Depok: Kanisius.

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