Student Research Symposium Program Portal: Submission #156

serial: '156'
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uri: /student-research/symposium/research-symposium-program-portal
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data:
  abstract: |-
    In 2022, The Walt Disney Company faced widespread criticism for its initially cautious response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. As a brand known for storytelling which features inclusion, Disney’s measured communication prompted questions regarding leadership authenticity, values alignment, and stakeholder trust.
    This research examines audience interpretations of Disney’s leadership communication during the controversy using a narrative leadership framework inspired by Wicked. The study maps three leadership archetypes to the Disney case: transformational leadership (Elphaba), symbolic leadership (Glinda), and authoritarian leadership (the Wizard). These archetypes offer a clear interpretive lens for analyzing perceptions of leadership communication strategies during the crisis.
    Using a mixed methods exploratory sequential design, the study combines qualitative coding of public social media discourse across platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, with narrative analysis of key scenes from the Wicked films. These data sources enable examination of stakeholder interpretations of Disney’s communication and alignment with various leadership communication styles. Additionally, a pilot survey was developed to explore stakeholder perceptions of leadership authenticity, communication timing, and values alignment. Despite limited early responses, the survey provides an exploratory foundation for future research.
    By integrating leadership theory with cultural narrative analysis, this research demonstrates how storytelling frameworks can illuminate complex organizational communication challenges and provides insights for leaders navigating politically sensitive issues while maintaining credibility and stakeholder trust.
  additional_research_mentor: 'Dr. Sandra Pugh'
  annual_description: '5th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 17, 2025'
  co_presenters: ''
  first_name: Dixie
  i_will_be_printing_my_poster: '1'
  keywords: 'Leadership Communication, Organizational Vales & Trust, Crisis Communication, Popular Culture in Research, Corporate Political Engagement'
  last_name: Collins
  major: 'Corporate & Public Communications (M.S.)'
  poster_pdf: '73192'
  poster_session_number: '10:00 Graduate and Undergraduate presentations'
  poster_thumbnail: '73189'
  presentation_modality: 'Face to Face Poster session'
  pronouns: She/Her/Hers
  research_mentor: 'Dr. Brian Parker'
  research_mentor_s_college: 'Florida State University'
  research_mentor_s_department: 'Professional Communication'
  research_mentor_s_email: bparker@fsu.edu
  student_bio: |-
    Dixie Collins is a graduate student and emerging researcher in the M.A. in Corporate & Public Communication program at Florida State University. Her academic interests are motivated by a passion for creative inquiry, interdisciplinary thinking, and exploring leadership through unconventional and engaging frameworks. Attracted to both popular culture and complex public discourse, she embraces approaches that connect theory to lived experience and enhance the accessibility of scholarly concepts to broader audiences.
    Her current research examines The Walt Disney Company’s leadership response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, employing characters from Wicked as an interpretive lens to illustrate and analyze contrasting leadership styles. This approach reflects her commitment to thinking beyond traditional academic boundaries while upholding analytical rigor.
    Dixie’s professional background includes corporate and customer-facing roles, with experience collaborating closely with executive leadership. These perspectives inform my research and strengthen my interest in how leadership decisions influence organizational culture and individual experience. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. and aspire to a career as a professor and researcher.
  student_email: dcw09d@fsu.edu
  student_photo: '72789'
  title: 'Messages, Magic, and Misalignment: Interpreting Disney’s Leadership Communication Through the Leadership Archetypes of Wicked'
  update_url: 'https://pc.fsu.edu/student-research/symposium/research-symposium-program-portal?element_parents=elements/student_photo&ajax_form=1&_wrapper_format=drupal_ajax&token=qi9uexuJG4lgNqMCztsw3Opa-OXuTLu1z7o55cOVM2w'
  work: Exploratory
  year: '2026'