G5 Doctoral dissertation (article)
Towards maturity in alignment : balancing organizational listening and speaking on social media (2024)
Sosiaalisen median kuuntelun ja puhumisen tasapaino organisaation strategisten linjausten tukena
Erkkilä, T. (2024). Towards maturity in alignment : balancing organizational listening and speaking on social media [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Jyväskylä. JYU Dissertations, 793. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-86-0177-7
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Erkkilä, Taina
eISBN: 978-952-86-0177-7
Journal or series: JYU Dissertations
eISSN: 2489-9003
Publication year: 2024
Number in series: 793
Number of pages in the book: 1 verkkoaineisto (57 sivua, 71 sivua useina numerointijaksoina, 4 numeroimatonta sivua)
Publisher: University of Jyväskylä
Place of Publication: Jyväskylä
Publication country: Finland
Publication language: English
Persistent website address: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-86-0177-7
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Open Access channel
Abstract
This thesis explores factors that either facilitate or impede effective listening and speaking processes on social media within organizations. It enhances our understanding of how organizations can leverage social listening also in management to align strategies or services to better meet the needs of stakeholders. The dissertation consists of four articles along with this overarching summary. Sub-studies 1 and 2 delve into the maturity and triggers for organizational presence and listening in social media. Sub-study 3 is an empirical, qualitative examination of how communication departments in public organizations, responsible for COVID-19-related communication to citizens, managed the considerable number of comments and questions on their social media channels. Sub-study 4 is a case study on the strategic management of social media communication in two large financial organizations, proposing a new voicing architecture.
The findings suggest that organizations undergo distinct phases of maturity in their adoption of social media. Triggers for active speaking and listening are often related to crisis or issue management. A challenge lies in maintaining a balance between speaking and listening. To support the management of this dynamic system, employees serving as spokespersons for an organization can also act as listening agents. This dissertation elucidates the process of developing and strategically managing the organizational voicing and listening function to optimally support strategic alignment with an emergent approach. A professionally managed social listening approach supports an organization’s resilience and external alignment in the rapidly changing operating environment, fostering trust and engagement among stakeholders.
Keywords: social media; organisational communication and public relations; strategic leadership; communication strategies; stakeholder groups; listening; doctoral dissertations
Free keywords: organizational listening; listening agents; social media; strategic communication management; voicing and listening architecture
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes