Stakeholder communication in service implementation networks: expanding relationship management theory to the nonprofit sector through organizational network analysis

Abstract

Nonprofits increasingly participate in government‐funded service implementation networks (SINs). However, extant research does not explore how organizations might strategically tailor communication to different stakeholder groups or use different communication tools for management. Stakeholders are not a monolithic group, and communicating with stakeholders within SINs is hypothesized to involve different forms of communication than communicating with stakeholders outside of the network. In this paper, relationship management theory is used to examine strategic communication with stakeholder groups within and outside of SINs. Both traditional and emergent (e.g., social media) forms of communication are examined. Survey and interview data on communication within and outside communication networks are analyzed using organizational network analysis techniques. The findings indicate strategic communication in the network differs from strategic communication with stakeholders outside the network. Within the network, organizations place varying emphasis on the use of traditional and emergent forms of communication for management, implying nonprofit managers funded under government grants continue to rely on face‐to‐face and phone communication and have yet to adopt emerging communication strategies to assist in the management of their programs with their partner organizations.Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effective Social Media Engagement for Nonprofits: What Matters?

“…Understanding where different types of posts and the use of differing media platforms (e.g., Facebook, blogging, Wikis, or Twitter) are most beneficial for an organization are both key to improving two-way communication. Peer networking with partner agencies, on the other hand, is a potentially useful benefit of social media if adopted with privacy and management concerns in mind (Maxwell & Carboni, 2014;Mergel & Greeves, 2013).…”

“…Her research focuses on emerging communications, nonprofit organizations and social policy. notes a network of organizations failed to adopt social media usage as a result of organizational policy (Maxwell & Carboni, 2014). A recent survey found that 74% of nonprofits using social media employ it as a megaphone for one-way engagement rather than a platform for strategic two-way communications.…”

“…Engagement involves twoway communication between nonprofit organizations and social media users. While many nonprofit organizations have a social media presence, owning a social media account does not equate to two-way engagement with stakeholder groups (Maxwell & Carboni, 2014). Nonprofits can include social media as part of a larger communications strategy to engage stakeholders.…”

“…Nonprofits can include social media as part of a larger communications strategy to engage stakeholders. Although the public relations literature has long emphasized targeted communications strategies for organizations, scholars have only recently begun to examine the targeted use of social media for stakeholder engagement (Bortree & Selzter, 2009;Maxwell & Carboni, 2014;Waters, 2008;Waters et al, 2009;Westcott, 2007). Social media provides a communication platform for nonprofits to reach large numbers of stakeholders quickly, efficiently, and publicly.…”

Bach, Beethoven, and benefactors: Facebook engagement between symphonies and their stakeholders

“…Nonprofit organizational and public relations theories are coalescing as the use of Web 2.0 – a broad collection of social media applications that includes Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, among others – becomes integrated into organizational communications repertoires (Carboni & Maxwell, ; Maxwell & Carboni, ; Saxton et al ., ; Sharma, ; Waters et al ., ). The broad availability and user‐friendly nature of social media platforms suggest that they may offer organizations enhanced opportunities to develop programs and messages that best support their publics, especially by way of stewardship behaviors.…”