Social media utilisation as relationship building component in the Public Relations (PR) strategy of nonprofit organisations (NGOs)

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

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.