Who is Included and Who is Left Out: Humanitarian Organizations’ Stakeholder Communication via Social Media

• In Event: B.E.S.T.: Activism, Volunteerism and Nongovernmental Organizations

Abstract

This study employs a multi-theoretical framework to examine the mechanisms behind organizations’ strategic use of social media to target different stakeholders and the resulting outcomes. Moreover, considering the importance of accommodating different stakeholders’ technology access and usage habits, this study investigates organizations’ use of non-social media channels to engage with the stakeholders not reached through social media. Data from an online survey with 157 humanitarian organizations operating across the Asia-Pacific region, North America, and Europe showed that for the stakeholders with which organizations put on frontstage image building, organizations tend to use social media in diverse and interactive ways. Specifically, organizations’ diverse uses of social media help the informational, community-building, and mobilization gratifications related to organizational operations. To accommodate certain stakeholders’ interests and needs, organizations use non-SM channels to reach those targeted stakeholders, which helps organizations improve the overall communication capacity. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Authors

• Chih-Hui Lai, National Chiao Tung U

• J. Sophia Fu, Northwestern U