Shaping our perception of reality: sustainability communication by Canadian festivals

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-492
Author(s):  
Rachel Dodds ◽  
Michelle Novotny ◽  
Sylvie Harper
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Sustainable Transportation ◽  
Cultivation Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the extent of online communication by festivals regarding their sustainability practices using Cultivation Theory as the framework to determine perceived value creation.Design/methodology/approachA mixed method approach was utilized to achieve data triangulation through a content analysis of websites, content analysis of social media sites as well as interviews.FindingsFindings indicated that 64% of festivals did not communicate any sustainable practices through their websites and only 6% communicated via social media. The most common sustainability practices communicated were waste management and sustainable transportation, yet few festivals engaged in effective, consistent and sufficient marketing of initiatives to festivalgoers. Best practice festivals (having communicated 5.47 initiatives or more) were found to have been significantly more likely than non-best practice festivals to be music festivals and have been in operation longer. Best practice festivals were also more likely than non-best practice festivals to have sustainability engrained into their corporate philosophy via a communicated sustainable vision and mission. Interviews revealed that most festivals did not have a designated role responsible for all sustainable initiatives and the responsibility was often taken on by volunteers or festival organizers. Festival organizers that communicated sustainability initiatives efficiently, consistently, and sufficiently perceived these efforts to benefit the festivals value amongst festivalgoers and host communities. Propensity to communicate sustainability initiatives was found to have been impacted by awareness, categorization, timing, policy and funding.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the findings are limited to the country of Canada and the extent of communication on websites and social media platforms as well as those festivals who participated, interviews helped to overcome these limitations as they gained an understanding of what was undertaken but not necessarily communicated.Practical implicationsThe findings generated from this study could be used as a guide for establishing a benchmark for festivals regarding sustainable communication as well as strategies for overall corporate responsibility. Content regarding sustainability at festivals is scarce, as is information on festival communication. As a result, this paper seeks to understand the sustainable initiatives that are being communicated by festivals.Originality/valueThis is the first time Cultivation Theory was used within a tourism context and may be a useful tool to determine value creation. Through Cultivation Theory, festival organizers believed to have the ability to impact perceived value of the festival by implementing efficient, consistent and sufficient communication of sustainability initiatives.

scholarly journals Social Media use and value creation in the digital landscape: a dynamic-capabilities perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-343
Author(s):  
Aurora Garrido-Moreno ◽  
Víctor García-Morales ◽  
Stephen King ◽  
Nigel Lockett
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Business Value ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities Perspective

PurposeAlthough Social Media use has become all-pervasive, previous research has failed to explain how to use Social Media tools strategically to create business value in today's increasingly digital landscapes. Adopting a dynamic capabilities perspective, this paper empirically examines the specific process through which Social Media use translates into better performance and the capabilities involved in this process.Design/methodology/approachA research model is proposed that includes both antecedents and consequences of Social Media use. Existing research was examined to derive the research hypotheses, which were tested using SEM methodology on a sample of 212 hotels.FindingsThe results show that Social Media use does not exert significant direct impact on organizational performance. Rather, the findings confirm the mediating role played by Social CRM and Customer Engagement capabilities in the value creation process.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate how Social Media tools should be implemented and managed to generate business value in hotels. Implications yield interesting insights for hotel managersOriginality/valueThis study is a first attempt to analyze empirically the real impact of digital media technologies, particularly Social Media use, drawing on the dynamic capabilities perspective and focusing on service firms (hotels). Including the variable “Organizational Readiness” as a basic prerequisite to benefit from Social Media use enhances the study's novelty and contribution.

Does KFC sell rat? Analysis of tweets in the wake of a rumor outbreak

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 660-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anjan Pal ◽  
Alton Y.K. Chua ◽  
Dion Hoe-Lian Goh
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Food Chain ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Personal Involvement ◽  
The Social

Purpose In the wake of a rumor outbreak, individuals exchange three types of messages: rumor messages, counter-rumor messages, and uncertainty-expressing messages. However, the properties of the three types of messages are relatively unknown particularly in the social media context. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to examine these three types of messages posted on social media in the wake of a rumor outbreak. Design/methodology/approach Data included tweets posted after the outbreak of a rumor that wrongly accused the fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) for selling rats instead of chicken. Using a deductive approach, codes were derived via content analysis on the tweets. Volume and exposure of tweets were also examined. Findings Counter-rumor tweets (52 percent) outnumbered rumors tweets (32 percent) and uncertainty-expressing tweets (16 percent). Emotions and personal involvement were abundant in rumor tweets. Expressions of credence and references to URLs were high in counter-rumor tweets. Social ties were found widely in uncertainty-expressing tweets. The high volume and exposure of counter-rumor tweets compared with those of either rumor tweets or uncertainty-expressing tweets highlight the potential of counter-rumors to mitigate rumors. Originality/value This research ventures into a relatively unexplored territory by concurrently examining rumor messages, counter-rumor messages and uncertainty-expressing messages in the wake of a rumor outbreak. It reveals that counter-rumor messages have the potential to mitigate rumors on social media.

Sharing tourism experiences in social media

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marios D. Sotiriadis
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Research Themes ◽  
Consumer Perspective ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to perform a synthesis of academic research published between 2009 and 2016 regarding the changes in tourism consumer behavior brought about by the use of social media (SM); and to suggest a set of strategies for tourism businesses to seize opportunities and deal with resulting challenges. Design/methodology/approach A volume of 146 peer-reviewed journal articles were retrieved from two major databases. Content analysis of this academic research has been performed, exploring the effects of online reviews on tourism consumers and providers. Findings The content analysis identified three main research themes that were investigated by scholars and classified into two major categories, namely, consumer perspective and provider perspective: the antecedents (factors motivating and influencing tourists); the influence of online reviews on consumer behaviour; and the impact of these reviews on tourism businesses (providers’ perspective). Research limitations/implications This study is based on a literature review and outcomes reported by previous studies; hence, the suggestions are indicative rather than conclusive. Some publication sources were not included. Practical implications This paper suggests a range of adequate strategies, along with operational actions, formulated for industry practitioners in the fields of management and marketing. Originality/value It provides an update of the state of published academic research into SM and an integrated set of management and marketing strategies for tourism providers in seizing the opportunities and dealing with the challenges raised in a digital context.

Young adults know that their issues are not represented in the news: Israeli young adults and mainstream news media

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benny Nuriely ◽  
Moti Gigi ◽  
Yuval Gozansky
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
News Media ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Online News ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mainstream Media ◽  
The Media

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the ways socio-economic issues are represented in mainstream news media and how it is consumed, understood and interpreted by Israeli young adults (YAs). It examines how mainstream media uses neo-liberal discourse, and the ways YAs internalize this ethic, while simultaneously finding ways to overcome its limitations. Design/methodology/approach This was a mixed methods study. First, it undertook content analysis of the most popular Israeli mainstream news media among YAs: the online news site Ynet and the TV Channel 2 news. Second, the authors undertook semi-structured in-depth interviews with 29 Israeli YAs. The analysis is based on an online survey of 600 young Israelis, aged 18–35 years. Findings Most YAs did not perceive mainstream media as enabling a reliable understanding of the issues important to them. The content analysis revealed that self-representation of YAs is rare, and that their issues were explained, and even resolved, by older adults. Furthermore, most of YAs' problems in mainstream news media were presented using a neo-liberal perspective. Finally, from the interviews, the authors learned that YAs did not find information that could help them deal with their most pressing economic and social issue, in the content offered by mainstream media. For most of them, social media overcomes these shortcomings. Originality/value Contrary to research that has explored YAs’ consumerism of new media outlets, this article explores how YAs in Israel are constructed in the media, as well as the way in which YAs understand mainstream and new social media coverage of the issues most important to them. Using media content analysis and interviews, the authors found that Young Adults tend to be ambivalent toward media coverage. They understand the lack of media information: most of them know that they do not learn enough from the media. This acknowledgment accompanies their tendency to internalize the neo-liberal logic and conservative Israeli national culture, in which class and economic redistribution are largely overlooked. Mainstream news media uses neo-liberal discourse, and young adults internalize this logic, while simultaneously finding ways to overcome the limitations this discourse offers. They do so by turning to social media, mainly Facebook. Consequently, their behavior maintains the logic of the market, while also developing new social relations, enabled by social media.

Examining drivers and outcomes of social media brand engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Civilai Leckie ◽  
Abhishek Dwivedi ◽  
Lester Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Brand Trust ◽  
Consumer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Brand Congruence

PurposeThis study empirically examines a set of drivers (i.e. social media involvement, self-brand congruence, firm image and relationship age) of consumers’ social media brand engagement (SMBE), which subsequently influences consumer outcomes (i.e. consumer satisfaction, brand trust and perceived value).Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a self-administered online survey of 340 social media users. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the conceptual model.FindingsFindings indicate that social media involvement, self-brand congruence and firm image are significant drivers of SMBE, while relationship age is not. SMBE subsequently impacts consumer satisfaction, brand trust and perceived value.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contains some limitations associated with cross-sectional research. It does not investigate consumer engagement with other entities (e.g. other commercial brands) through the use of social media.Practical implicationsThese findings call for marketing managers and social media brand managers to pay attention and invest resources in the significant drivers of SMBE. They also provide insights on enhancing SMBE to strengthen consumer–brand relationships.Originality/valueBased on consumer–brand relationship marketing and consumer psychology of brands, this study investigates brand-related relational drivers and outcomes of SMBE, thereby deepening understanding of consumer engagement in digital environments.

Internet reporting, social media strategy and firm characteristics – an Australian study

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Xiang ◽  
Jacqueline L. Birt
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Firm Size ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Social Media Strategy

Purpose This paper aims to investigate internet reporting and social media strategies by Australian firms. This study looks at the extent of internet reporting and considers firm characteristics associated with disclosing information on the internet. This research is timely as in the past decade, this paper has witnessed the rapid growth of technologies such as the internet and social media and their subsequent impact on business and the economy. Design/methodology/approach This paper constructs a disclosure index featuring a wide range of both financial and non-financial disclosures including social media strategy. This study then investigates the firm characteristics associated with the level of internet disclosure. Findings This paper finds that a firm’s internet reporting is associated with firm size, financial performance and analysts’ coverage but not associated with the percentage of independent board members. A firm’s social media strategy is associated with firm size and its environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) ranking. Practical implications The findings can help firms improve their internet reporting disclosures by providing a comprehensive list of disclosures that could benefit users of financial reports. It also helps standard setters and regulators understand some of the firm factors related to internet reporting and provide guidance for standard setters to consider in developing best practice internet reporting standards. Originality/value The research features the top 100 Australian companies’ internet disclosures in 2018 and also includes social media strategy. The results highlight that there is room for improvement with firms’ internet disclosure. By constructing a comprehensive index, this study provides guidance for standard setters to consider in developing best practice internet reporting standards.

scholarly journals Assessing the applicability of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions for Global 500 corporations’ Facebook profiles and content

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin D. Lo ◽  
Richard D. Waters ◽  
Nicklas Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Media Culture ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Specific Direction ◽  
Global Nature ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Facebook Pages

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions are reflected on the official corporate Facebook pages from 259 organizations on Fortune magazine’s Global 500 list. This is the first attempt to create a conceptualization of Hofstede’s dimensions for organizational social media use. Design/methodology/approach To determine how Facebook is used by the Global 500 corporations, a content analysis was carried out based on the 2013 listing of the highest revenue corporations throughout the world. As a research method, content analysis allows researchers to examine the actual practices of communication by focusing on the information provided through textual and visual messages. Findings The results paint a mixed picture indicating that the global nature of these corporations is echoed in a somewhat similar overall presence on Facebook; but when the individual elements (About Us, updates, and media) are examined, statistical differences emerge in relation to the reflection of the cultural dimensions. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work to match Facebook behaviors with Hofstede’s dimensions. This work needs to be replicated with other organizations to determine its staying power. In addition, future research might tap into agency and any consciousness on the part of social media managers in a specific direction. Depending on those findings, they might make important statements on the emergence of a global social media culture.

Twitter sentiments related to natural calamities

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumeer Gul ◽  
Tariq Ahmad Shah ◽  
Muzaffer Ahad ◽  
Mir Mubashir ◽  
Suhail Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Jammu And Kashmir ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Naturalistic Approach

Purpose The study aims to showcase public sentiments via social media, Twitter, during 2014 floods of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on content analysis of tweets related to Kashmir floods. Search was performed with “#kashmirfloods” and was confined to tweets posted from 4 September 2014 through 3 November 2014. A naturalistic approach was applied to examine the content and classify tweets into 5 major and 25 sub categories. Data as such collected were tabulated in SPSS 21 for analysis. Findings During the study period, individuals, news channels, and organisations posted a total of 36,697 tweets related to Kashmir floods. It all started with an outburst of tweets which goes on declining (exponentially) with every passing day. People express themselves in a number of ways with informational tweets used more during the time of disaster. Individuals expressing their sentiments outscore other types of sentiments with text-based tweets ranking high. About 44 per cent of tweets were retweeted, and nearly 31 per cent tweets were marked favourite. Comparatively, more number of informational and help tweets were retweeted or marked favourite. Contextual richness of tweet (i.e. number of embedded expressions) enhances its visibility by means of getting liked and/or retweeted. A statistically significant positive association is observed between the number of expressions in a tweet and the number of times it is liked (favourite) or retweeted. Research limitations/implications Twitter plays a pivotal role during natural calamities like Kashmir floods to connect people in the hour of need and help. It provides a platform where the plight of people is heard across the globe and which encourages people to unite and overcome hurdles together. Originality/value This study examines the sentiments of people expressed during Jammu and Kashmir (India) Floods 2014 on social media – Twitter.

Digital transparency and public accountability in Spanish universities in online media

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 701-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yolanda Ramírez ◽  
Ángel Tejada
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Spanish Universities ◽  
Spanish Public Universities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent and quality of online intellectual capital (IC) disclosure released via websites and social media in relation to university stakeholders’ information needs in Spanish public universities. In addition, this paper examines whether there are differences in the online IC disclosure according to the type of university. Design/methodology/approach The study applies content analysis and a survey. The content analysis was used to analyse the websites and social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram) of all Spanish public universities in the year 2019, whereas the survey was submitted to all members of the Social Councils of Spanish public universities. Findings The findings indicate that university stakeholders attach great importance to online disclosure of specific information about IC. However, the findings emphasise that Spanish universities’ website and social media content are still in their infancy. Specifically, this study found that the quality of disclosed information on IC in public universities’ websites is of low level, particularly with regard to the disclosure of relational capital. The study found that the information provided by Spanish public universities via social media mainly concerns the structural and relational capital. Likewise, the results of this paper evidence that the larger and more internationally focused universities reveal more online information on IC. Practical implications The results of the research may be beneficial for managers of higher education institutions as a basis for developing adequate strategies addressing IC disclosure through the websites. In order to satisfy the information needs of university stakeholders, Spanish universities can be recommended to focus on reporting higher-quality information on financial relations, students’ satisfaction, quality standard, work-related knowledge/know-how and collaboration between universities and other organisations such as firms, local government and society as a whole. Originality/value This study explores two innovative tools to provide IC disclosure in the higher education institutions context, namely, websites and social media, whereas previous studies focused on traditional tools as annual report. Likewise, this study considers the quality of this information.

A content analysis of Arabic YouTube videos for cancer treatment

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-273
Author(s):  
Ajayeb S. Abu Daabes ◽  
Faten F. Kharbat
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Objective Data ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Subjective Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Youtube Videos

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and assess Arabic videos related to cancer treatment to gain insights about the nature of health information as it is shared on YouTube. Accordingly, future strategies for different bodies are suggested to promote effective communication. Design/methodology/approach The approach is to select a representative sample of YouTube videos for certain search terms related to cancer treatment in the Arabic language. In order to identify the search terms, Google Trends is utilized. To retrieve the most relevant videos, a simple python tool is developed using YouTube API V3. For this study, the first 150 relevant videos are quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. Objective data and subjective data are collected for each video and analyzed. Objective data include video title, URL, length, view count, like count, dislike count, comment count and the associated tags. For content analysis, coding themes are defined for the subjective data as follows: video format, video authorship and video content. Video content includes three categories: types of treatments, targeted part and evidence-based indicators. Findings The study included 150 videos, from which 30 videos were not content related; therefore, 120 videos remain in the analysis. Using rounding values, it can be observed that the average video lasted 10 min, had 184,966 views, was commented on 263 times, was liked by 2,295 users and disliked by 148 users. Non-professional individuals (46 percent) posted less than half of the videos, whereas public institutions posted only 18 percent of videos. More than half of videos (56 percent) promoted using herbal, botanical, and other natural products for cancer treatment. The majority of YouTube video formats were videos (52 percent), followed by audio with captions (30 percent). News and stories were the dominant videos, with (16 percent), and other types of videos were mostly testimonials and private centers promotions. Only 6 and 9 percent of videos targeted the genetic and immune systems, respectively. Out of the 120 analyzed videos, 86 percent did not mention any risk factor for the recommended treatment, and 73 percent did not offer the details of their usage direction. Research limitations/implications Researchers need to understand the information that is currently available on social media platforms related to the high-risk diseases in order to design initiatives, tools, and actions to allow an easy effective transfer of knowledge. Practical implications Recounting in-depth knowledge of YouTube cancer treatment contents will allow policy makers, YouTube management, medical organizations, and government agencies to understand the viewers’ behavior of YouTube and their needs to provide accurate and trustworthy information to adopt evidence-based resources. Social implications Creating the suitable content, in terms of health promotion strategies, associated with the appropriate format and understandable language that people need will be one of the major responsibilities of YouTube management, government and professional bodies. The well-designed health messages will enhance users’ engagement and attention to health issues from trusted sources. Originality/value There is very less information about Arabic messages in social media, YouTube in particular, specifically regarding cancer treatment. Thus, this study is one of the first studies to explore how Arabic messages are presented on YouTube. The aim of the assessment is to extract the current status and suggest future strategies for different bodies to have effective communication toward the Arabic communities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document