Blog 1 - Begining

Last week, we paid a visit to San Juan Island. In that day’s morning, there were three people in our car, my family, a friend and I. Both of them work. We were so happy and excited on the way. When we were buying the ferry ticket, the conductor asked us “two adults and a teenager?” Explain a little more. The “teenager” means me. “Be shocked”.

         Hark back to the subject. My name is Ling. You can imagine how I look like but I worked for a few years before. My public apology topic is talking about an Apple apology letter published to the fans on its official website in China on April 1^st in 2013. Here is a web link related to this topic: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/01/tech/mobile/apple-ceo-apologizes-china.

         As a famous global company, each Apple’s tiny movement is arresting. At the same time, Apple’s apologies have always been interesting news for media around the world to report, such as its apology to Samsung occurred last July “All right. You win. You don’t infringe because your product is not as beautiful as mine”. Nowadays, more and more Chinese people have chosen Apple because Apple really creates awesome electronic products. Meanwhile Apple does provide sub-par customer services in China. From March 15^th, China central television and several big media began to criticize Apple in various ways. Chinese consumers also expressed their dissatisfactions. Two weeks later, Apple had to face the criticism and apologized in public because of the highly exposure. One thing, Chinese consumers love Apple. The other thing, China is Apple’s fast growing market. As a Nokia honest fan, it could be very interesting for me to watch this game. It should be interesting to analyze this apology refer to Apple’s apology to Samsung.

         There’s no doubt that the apology needs to be revised this time. Abdoulaye Mbaye talked about several features about public apology and analyzed some effective and failure apologies in The Pragmatics of Public Apologies. Sara Ahmed explained shame, nation shame in a professional way and also analyzed some public apologies in chapter Shame Before Others in her book. Both of them indicated that a successful and public apology should be an acknowledgement of wrongdoings and deliver sincerity. Apple did half on the two jobs and made an incomplete public apology. One of rules in 10 Rules of Crisis Management by Brian Ellis is “You’ve Got 48 Hours” (link http://www.crt-tanaka.com/insights/whitepapers/10-rules-of-crisis-management/ ). What does it mean? It means a company should begin to deal with or response to a crisis in 48 hours after the crisis happen. Apple was definitely too late this time. The apology is not so effective as it thought. So I re-made a response plan for the event.

          To do this apology revision, I created an invention firstly based on the information what I searched online, including analyzing this event according to the 8 elements of a rhetorical situation by link http://rhetorica.net/kairos.htm, generating persuasive points using “statsis theory” by link http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/736/1 and thinking about other possible questions. Then my first draft came out but I simply analyzed good and bad aspects of the public apology and revised one. I didn’t point at a clear target that how to make it into works with purpose. Later, I realized that I needed to make a production and then I enriched the first draft with more things from the beginning invention.

         Though a lot of public apologies were discussed, a successful apology is not just decided by the apologizer, but also the addressee. If we make too much effect on how to comfort addressee by learning about their hobbies, it’s difficult to guarantee the sincerity of apologizer. The victims could get more hurt in future without luck. The technic may be abused. An apology is a kind of interactivity. Positive and sincere communication is crucial to solve problem. Apology is just some conversation during the process.

         This is my first time to write such subject specially. This subject is related to psychoanalysis, psychology and phenomenology quite far from my original major. But the process is quite interesting. It’s a search. All right, not that far now. It is just like the process we figure out a problem which we need to and have to do in all our life. The difference is that the topic is done by words but I am used to code.