The Dynamics of Social Media Capital and Offline Social Capital: Exploring social media strategies by environmental NGOs

• In Event: Social Media and Digital Philanthropy

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the process and dynamics of social media-based capital and offline social capital in non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Social media is used by NGOs to accomplish a series of organizational missions (Lovejoy et al., 2012). Scholars have expressed concerns about social media primarily serving as a one-way communication tool, prompting discussions on the importance of NGOs in building online interactive communities, thus fostering stakeholder engagement (Lovejoy & Saxton, 2012; Mato-Santiso et al., 2021; Svensson et al., 2015). Hence, integrating social capital perspective into NGO social media research offers insights into the strategic value of social media, viewing resource accumulation through social networks as an investment (Lin, 2007; Saxton & Guo, 2020). Xu & Saxton (2019) assert that this social media-based capital, abbreviated as “social media capital,” operates by accumulating, converting, and expanding, ultimately contributing to organizational goals. However, this process remains unclear. While research has also highlighted the distinctions between social media capital and traditional offline social capital (De Zúñiga et al., 2017), few studies have conducted a thorough examination and qualitative linkage between social media capital and offline social capital perspectives, particularly concerning their potential to advance organizational goals (Saxton & Guo, 2020).

Based on these gaps, our main research question is: How do NGOs establish, transform, and leverage social capital to promote organizational missions, considering the dynamics of social media/offline social capital? To answer these questions, Chinese environmental NGOs (ENGOs) were selected as the target case because they usually pursue multiple organizational goals with a broad social mission, combining not only service delivery but also advocacy and public education. Effective utilization of social media capital by ENGOs is expected to be crucial, especially in advocacy and public education in this global society, and because environmental protection is a pivotal international social issue to be tackled seriously.

We collected data through in-depth interviews with staff from 20 Chinese ENGOs, with each interview involving a varying number of employees. The sampling criteria were having multiple active social media accounts and covering different activity areas. Qualitative content analysis was adopted as the social media capital theory is yet fully explored. We applied summative coding (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005) using the conceptual framework outlined by Saxton & Guo (2020), including codes like acquisition, the nature of social media capital, capital conversion, and strategic outcomes. (Other themes and sub-codes will be developed while coding.)

We are expected to construct a comprehensive theoretical model that bridges social media capital with offline capital, uncovering their interplay. Theoretically, our study is expected to shed light on the development of emergent social media capital theory, combining the use of social media into the strategic management of NGO literature. Practically, we can provide insights for NGOs to better utilize their social capital both online and offline, especially for more effective advocacy and public education strategies, and enhance organizational outcomes and social impact.

References

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Authors

• Wenye Mao

• Yuko Nishide, Tohoku University