What Drives the Adoption of Social Media Applications by the Public Sector?

Social media applications (SMAs) have been increasingly used by the public sector to interactively communicate with citizens, businesses, and other stakeholders, but we know little about what drives their adoption and usage. In this paper the author hypothesizes that SMA adoption is jointly shaped by top management characteristics, organizational attributes, and interorganizational and environmental factors. Drawing on a national survey of the U.S. local health departments (LHDs), his empirical findings suggest that the age and career background of top executives, organizational size, jurisdictional coverage, quality improvement initiatives, contracting-out experience, and emergency presence are key predictors of SMA adoption. The author also finds that the adoption and number of SMAs are affected by two different groups of antecedents. The results contribute to our understanding of SMA adoption and generate meaningful policy implications for LHDs and other public sectors.

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Measuring the Impact of Social Media use in the Public Sector

Public Service, Governance and Web 2.0 Technologies - Advances in Web Technologies and Engineering ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-0071-3.ch004 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 48-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Inez Mergel

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Sector ◽

Measurement Techniques ◽

Current Standard ◽

The Public ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Standard Practices ◽

Media Applications ◽

The Impact ◽

Current Practices

Existing research on eGovernment performance has provided limited proof for the impact the use of technology has on citizen participation, engagement or generally satisfaction with government activities. Social media applications have the potential to improve responsiveness, reach, and efficiency, and even cost savings in government. The current Government 2.0 initiatives launched by all executive departments and agencies of the U.S. Federal Government as a response to President Obama’s Transparency and Open Government memo show that government agencies are implementing social media applications as additional information and communication channels. This chapter provides a comparison between traditional eGovernment measurement techniques and the current practices, highlighting the current practices of measuring social media impact in the public sector. The insights are based on data collected in 2010 from interviews with social media directors in the most innovative executive departments and agencies. The results show that the current standard practices mostly include quantitative impact measures instead of the qualitative measures needed to better understand the sentiments of citizens.

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Understanding risks, benefits, and strategic alternatives of social media applications in the public sector

Government Information Quarterly ◽

10.1016/j.giq.2012.07.002 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 504-511 ◽

Cited By ~ 178

Author(s):

Sergio Picazo-Vela ◽

Isis Gutiérrez-Martínez ◽

Luis Felipe Luna-Reyes

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Sector ◽

The Public ◽

Media Applications

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The challenges of public sector communication in the face of the pandemic crisis: professional roles, competencies and platformization1

SOCIOLOGIA DELLA COMUNICAZIONE ◽

10.3280/sc2021-061002 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 9-19

Author(s):

Gea Ducci ◽

Alessandro Lovari

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Sector ◽

Media Use ◽

Public Communication ◽

Professional Roles ◽

Special Issue ◽

Critical Approach ◽

The Public ◽

Regulatory Processes ◽

The Face

The pandemic crisis has led to a renew centrality of public sector communica-tion in a hybrid and convergent media ecosystems aiming at (re)building relation-ships based on trust between institutions and citizens. This contribution reflects on the strengths and fragility of the Italian public communication in the face of the pandemic, considering regulatory processes and paths of professionalization. It focuses also on the challenges of social media use in public sector, suggesting a critical approach towards the platformization of the public sector communication activities. The last part of this manuscript presents the different articles that com-pose the special issue.

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Social media responsiveness in the public sector: A study of social media adoption in three functional areas of local government

International Journal of Organization Theory and Behavior ◽

10.1108/ijotb-20-01-2017-b003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 72-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Daniel J. Seigler

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Sector ◽

Local Government ◽

Citizen Participation ◽

The Public ◽

Organizational Influences ◽

Online Social Media ◽

Social Media Tools ◽

Similar Path ◽

Functional Areas

Based on the importance of citizen participation and the collaborative potential of online social media tools, this study tests four proposed influences on administrators who are deciding whether or not to adopt these tools to engage citizens. A survey of 157 department managers from large U.S. cities shows that 82% report using some form of social media to engage citizens and that perceived organizational influences and administrator preconceptions have the strongest impact on the respondentsʼ decision to adopt social media. Possible explanations for the results are that the use of online social media in the public sector may be following a similar path of adoption as earlier forms of e-government or managers may be operating in a rational environment when deciding whether or not to adopt online social media tools.

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Social Media in the Public Sector

Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy, Third Edition ◽

10.1081/e-epap3-120051204 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Sector ◽

The Public

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Application for Public Health Accreditation Among US Local Health Departments in 2013 to 2019: Impact of Service and Activity Mix

American Journal of Public Health ◽

10.2105/ajph.2020.306007 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. e1-e8

Author(s):

Jonathon P. Leider ◽

Jessica Kronstadt ◽

Valerie A. Yeager ◽

Kellie Hall ◽

Chelsey K. Saari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

United States ◽

Latent Class ◽

The United States ◽

Local Health ◽

Health Departments ◽

Local Health Departments ◽

Profile Data ◽

The Public ◽

Funding Support

Objectives. To examine correlates of applying for accreditation among small local health departments (LHDs) in the United States through 2019. Methods. We used administrative data from the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) and 2013, 2016, and 2019 Profile data from the National Association of County and City Health Officials to examine correlates of applying for PHAB accreditation. We fit a latent class analysis (LCA) to characterize LHDs by service mix and size. We made bivariate comparisons using the t test and Pearson χ2. Results. By the end of 2019, 126 small LHDs had applied for accreditation (8%). When we compared reasons for not pursuing accreditation, we observed a difference by size for perceptions that standards exceeded LHD capacity (47% for small vs 22% for midsized [P < .001] and 0% for large [P < .001]). Conclusions. Greater funding support, considering differing standards by LHD size, and recognition that service mix might affect practicality of accreditation are all relevant considerations in attempting to increase uptake of accreditation for small LHDs. Public Health Implications. Overall, small LHDs represented about 60% of all LHDs that had not yet applied to PHAB. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print December 22, 2020: e1–e8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.306007 )

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Managing E-Governance

Advances in Electronic Government, Digital Divide, and Regional Development - Developing E-Government Projects ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-4245-4.ch010 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 204-224 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Gianluca Misuraca ◽

Gianluigi Viscusi

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Smart Cities ◽

Analytical Framework ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Value Drivers ◽

Digital Innovation ◽

The Public ◽

Digital Governance ◽

The Relationship ◽

Practical Recommendations

This chapter presents and discusses the application of an analytical framework for managing digital innovation initiatives in the public sector. The chapter positions e-Government and digital innovation initiatives in the public sector within the broader framework of e-Governance (i.e. governance aided by ICT). It first introduces the conceptual framework on which the discussion is based, and then proposes a higher order conceptualization of the relationship between e-Governance and its underpinning value drivers of performance, openness and inclusion. In particular, the analysis focuses on the role that these value drivers plays in the enactment of digital governance initiatives such as the ones related to open government and smart cities. To this end, the chapter discusses its application to initiatives carried out in Barcelona and Tallinn. A typology of e-Governance ‘attitudes’ is then identified to provide evidence of further specific interventions required for an appropriate management of similar initiatives in other countries. The chapter concludes by highlighting the policy implications for administrative reform and offering practical recommendations for implementing digital governance initiatives.

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The Role of Social Media in the Public Sector

Citizen 2.0: Public and Governmental Interaction through Web 2.0 Technologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-0318-9.ch001 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 1-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anteneh Ayanso ◽

Darryl Moyers

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Sector ◽

New Wave ◽

Web Based ◽

The Public ◽

Government Organizations ◽

Public Service Agencies ◽

Service Agencies ◽

Effective Integration

Social media is promising new opportunities across a broad spectrum of public services. As the Internet and its ubiquitous applications extend globally, an increasing number of governments and their public service agencies are embracing social media as one of the major mechanisms to interact with the public. Social media provides a new wave of Web-based applications and channels for citizens to share constructive ideas and opinions and play active roles in various areas in the public sector. At the same time, social media helps government organizations and elected officials of different government levels to actively listen to citizens and constantly monitor their existing services as well as develop new initiatives. Effective integration of Web 2.0 technologies and applications into existing Internet infrastructure adds visibility and accountability in the public sector and enhances services to citizens.

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Web 2.0 Usage by Saudi Female Students for Information Sharing in Public Sector University a Pilot Study

International Journal of Public Administration in the Digital Age ◽

10.4018/ijpada.2017070106 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 79-90

Author(s):

Saqib Saeed ◽

Hina Gull ◽

Sardar Zafar Iqbal

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Public Sector ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

Information Sharing ◽

Female Students ◽

Academic Collaboration ◽

The Public ◽

Rigorous Study ◽

Saudi Female Students

In this paper the authors explore the usage of Web 2.0 by the Saudi female students for their information and knowledge sharing. The results are based on a survey conducted in one of the public sector universities in Saudi Arabia. Questionnaire is developed to get insight about the usage of social media by female students. The results highlighted that Web 2.0 applications are widely adopted by students for their academic collaboration and information sharing. This pilot study advocates for a more rigorous study to validate the findings across the country.

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