The developments in the digital word introduced new communications channels in the Public Relations (PR) work, which encompass technologies such as social networking. PR
and communications practitioners generally accept this development as an advantageous phenomenon. However, recent research on social media has shown that the PR industry in the nonprofit sector lacks a full integration of new media to its full extent in order to be more efficient. Limited research has been carried out to explore the challenges in the adoption of social media channels in this particular sector.
This study sought to explore the experiences and perceptions on the process of social media integration in an international NGO. By using the findings of semi-structured interviews of the staff and that of the content analysis of the deployed social media channels, it aims to investigate the effect of social media communication on the relationship building with the supporters through dialogue.
The study revealed that different concepts such as dialogical communication and relationship building have enormous value within the online PR work in organisations. The new online platforms can be used for building relationships with stakeholders by embracing two-way communication which leads to a mutual understanding and commitment from the donors.
It seemed that strategic social media adoption is also dependant on the organisational culture and power structures in it. Providing for a different understanding of organisational goals and the value of social media on the management level can marginalise a successful contribution of these channels to the strategic communications and fundraising work.
The conclusions from this research represent a broad theoretical framework for further research into the effects of social media on successful PR practice in NGOs on a local, national and international level.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literature review introduction
3. Dialogical communication
3.1 What is dialogue?
3.2 Dialogue from a communication perspective
3.3 Dialogical communication within PR
4. Relationship management
4.1 Definition of relationship management
4.2 Relationship management from the PR perspective
4.3 Dialogue and relationship management
5. Internet, new media and social media
5.1 Dialogic principles in online relationships
5.2 Relationship management in and through social media
6. Social media use of NGOs, relationships and dialogue
7. Literature review summary
8. Methodology introduction
8.1 Aims and research questions
8.2 Research strategy
8.3 Methodology
8.4 Research approach
8.5 Sampling
8.6 Data collection or methods
8.6.1 Interview
8.6.2 Content analysis
8.7 Authencity and trustworthiness
8.8 Ethical considerations and limitations
9. Findings and analysis introduction
10. Presentation of the findings
10.1 Mercy Corps European Headquarters
10.2 Mercy Corps US Headquarters
11. Discussion and analysis
11.1 Relational antecedents
11.1.1 Understanding of social media
11.1.2 Power within internal structures
11.2 Relational maintenance
11.2.1 Dialogue
11.2.2 Trust and accountability
11.3 Relational outcomes
11.3.1 PR and social media
11.3.2 Control mutuality
11.3.3 Satisfaction
12. Summary discussion
13. Conclusions and recommendations
13.1 Limitations
13.2 Recommendations for future research
Research Objectives and Themes
This study explores how international non-profit organizations (NGOs) integrate social media into their public relations and communication strategies. The core research objective is to analyze the relationship between social media utilization and the adoption of dialogical communication, and the subsequent impact on relationship-building with stakeholders, using the international NGO Mercy Corps as a case study.
- Strategic adoption of social media in the non-profit sector.
- The role of dialogical communication in online PR.
- Relationship management and stakeholder engagement strategies.
- Organizational culture, power structures, and the impact on digital communication efficiency.
- Comparative analysis of social media utilization between different regional offices (US vs. Europe).
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Within the last 50 years the internet evolved from a medium for self-defense communication, academic and professionally technological purposes to the so called Web 2.0 medium, which stands for the social technologies development after the dot-com bubble and the big crash in 2000 (Mandiberg 2012). The focus on new media forms and social networking sites shifted with the focus on active, collaborative audience participation and changed the way that people communicate in a revolutionary way. The people known as the audience became participants in a multivoiced conversation, shifting from “one-directional broadcast from reporter to an audience…” (Yochai Benkler 2006 cited in Mandiberg 2012, p.3).
Currently it is estimated that around one billion people are using Facebook and over 500 million people are using Twitter (Mashable 2012; Semiocast 2012). This growth of electronic communication has also been reflected within organisational communication with various stakeholders (Melcrum 2007) and a lot of organisations and companies take advantage of this growth. Public Relations (PR) practitioners figured out that organisations and companies could be more efficient when adopting social media (Li and Bernoff 2008). Therefore, Hon and Grunig (1999) call in their research for an examination of the effects of new media on organisation-public relationships, which previous studies had failed to capture properly. Current research shows that especially nonprofit organisations ignore the opportunity for furthering dialogue with supporters and potential donors on social media channels (Bortree and Seltzer 2009, Greenberg and MacAulay 2009).
This study proposes to investigate the adoption of social media into PR and communications work of NGOs by examining one specific example, namely the NGO Mercy Corps. It takes into consideration the relationship between social media utilisation and the adoption of dialogical online communication, and the resulting effect of relationship building. The integration of the new media into the communications strategy will also be an important part of the investigation.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the evolution of Web 2.0 and the increasing significance of digital communication in PR, framing the study of Mercy Corps.
2. Literature review introduction: Introduces the theoretical foundation regarding dialogue, relationship management, and new media integration.
3. Dialogical communication: Explores the philosophical and communication theory roots of dialogue and its application in Public Relations.
4. Relationship management: Discusses the paradigm of relationship management in PR and the critical link between organizational goals and stakeholder engagement.
5. Internet, new media and social media: Examines the transition of PR to online platforms and the principles of dialogic interaction.
6. Social media use of NGOs, relationships and dialogue: Surveys existing research on how non-profits currently utilize social networking tools.
7. Literature review summary: Synthesizes the theoretical framework and justifies the case study approach.
8. Methodology introduction: Describes the qualitative research approach, including semi-structured interviews and content analysis.
9. Findings and analysis introduction: Prepares the transition from raw interview data and content analysis to a thematic discussion.
10. Presentation of the findings: Presents the empirical results from Mercy Corps’ European and US offices.
11. Discussion and analysis: Critically evaluates the findings against the established literature, focusing on strategies, antecedents, and outcomes.
12. Summary discussion: Reviews the key takeaways regarding strategic social media adoption and barriers within NGOs.
13. Conclusions and recommendations: Summarizes research findings and suggests future directions for NGO digital PR practice.
Keywords
Public Relations, Non-profit Organizations, NGO, Social Media, Dialogical Communication, Relationship Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Digital Strategy, Mercy Corps, Two-way Communication, Organizational Culture, Online Fundraising, Content Analysis, Qualitative Research, Web 2.0.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This research focuses on how the international NGO Mercy Corps utilizes social media to communicate with stakeholders and the extent to which these platforms support relationship-building and two-way dialogue.
What are the primary themes addressed?
Key themes include the integration of new media into organizational PR strategy, the concept of dialogic communication, relationship management paradigms, and the impact of internal organizational structures on social media effectiveness.
What is the primary research goal?
The aim is to investigate how social media channels are incorporated into PR practices at Mercy Corps and whether these practices facilitate a "collaborative dialogue" that leads to long-term relationship building with supporters.
Which methodology is employed?
The study adopts an interpretivist paradigm using a qualitative methodology, specifically semi-structured interviews with staff and qualitative content analysis of social media posts (Facebook and Twitter).
What does the main body cover?
The body covers a comprehensive literature review on dialogue and relationship theory, an in-depth explanation of the chosen methodology, and an analysis of empirical data from Mercy Corps' US and European offices.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Public Relations, NGOs, Social Media, Dialogical Communication, Relationship Management, and Stakeholder Engagement.
How does the US office differ from the European office?
The US office utilizes social media more formally and strategically with dedicated staff and a larger budget, whereas the European office is in earlier stages of development and has historically used the platforms more ad-hoc and primarily for fundraising.
What role does organizational culture play?
The study concludes that organizational power structures and leadership understanding are critical determinants; if leadership does not value social media as an engagement tool, it is difficult to implement a successful strategic approach.
- Quote paper
- Maria M. (Author), 2012, Social media utilisation as relationship building component in the Public Relations (PR) strategy of nonprofit organisations (NGOs), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/342569
