The influence of social media on organisational communication : a case study of the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa

Abstract

The internet and the rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has changed the way society interacts today. Social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, have brought a new era of communication to the world, thereby leading organisations to rethink their communication strategies. Social media are reshaping communication in organisations and incorporating social media into an organisations’ communication strategy in today’s fast-paced technological aeon has become essential for sustainability, success and survival. It offers organisations opportunities to communicate their messages to key stakeholders. It further enables public relations and communications practitioners to connect, share ideas and experiences, collaborate, engage in dialogue and build mutually beneficial relationships. This study analysed the influence of social media on organisational communication using an interpretative, exploratory, qualitative research approach. The Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) was used as the case study to understand the phenomenon. The study examined PRISA’s social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) and explored affiliated practitioners’ and employees’ perceptions on the use of social media. Data was gathered through thematic content analysis (observation of Facebook and Twitter); semi-structured interviews for focus group discussions with PRISA employees and in-depth interviews with PRISA affiliated members. Participants were selected through non-probability purposive and convenience sampling. Findings reveal that there is a poor level of engagement by PRISA on social media platforms. Participants maintained that PRISA needed to be more constant in their approach to social media and more engagement and connectedness is required to meet the needs of key publics. The data also showed that PRISA should invest time and resources in meeting the online needs of the new generation of practitioners. Participants expressed that PRISA has the capacity to be a ‘conversation starter’ and needed to promote discussion forums and digital communities. Findings also emphasised the significance of a social media policy and regular review and monitoring The study brings new perspectives on how social media can be incorporated into organisational communication strategies. Practical recommendations for public relations and communications organisations are provided based on the findings. Recommendations include building an online presence to enhance visibility; employing sustained and constant social media approaches; enabling social media discussion forums to facilitate dialogical communication; researching target audience to meet the needs of all stakeholders; enabling younger generation public relations practitioners to spearhead social media activity; appointing staff dedicated to social media management to improve efficiency; implementation of a social media policy; social media monitoring and review; and training and development of staff. This study serves as a knowledge base for public relations and communications organisations to understand the influence of social media on organisational communication. It offers a foundation for future research in the field of social media in organisations as well as offering practitioners, managers and organisations the capacity to make more informed decisions when developing and implementing their communications strategies