Websites for stakeholder relations by corporations and non-profits A time-lag study in Singapore

Websites for stakeholder

relations by corporations

and non-profits

A time-lag study in Singapore

Krishnamurthy Sriramesh

Brian Lamb School of Communication, Purdue University, West Lafayette,

Indiana, USA, and

Milagros Rivera-Sa´nchez and Cheryll Soriano

Communication and New Media Program, National University of Singapore,

Singapore

Abstract

Purpose – This longitudinal study aims to analyze the use of websites by a sample of 78 corporations

and non-profits five years apart. In particular, it studies organizational use of interactive and social

media features and use of web sites for building relationships with six stakeholder publics.

Design/methodology/approach – The authors studied the websites of 78 for-profit and

not-for-profit organization seeking to learn how they used this new medium as a communication tool

to build and maintain relationships with six key stakeholders: the mass media, consumers, investor/

donors, employees, the government, and the community in 2004 and in 2009. They also explored for

differences in the way for-profit corporations and non-profits used their web sites for relationship

building given their different missions and cultures.

Findings – First, there was a marked difference in how corporations and non-profit organizations

used their websites. Second, a significant number of organizations used social media applications such

as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube through their websites in 2009. Third, aside from increased

use of social media, in 2009 more organizations used feedback mechanisms such as e-surveys and

e-polls embedded in their websites, enhancing interactions with a variety of stakeholders. Both

corporations and non-profit organizations generally utilized their websites as information￾dissemination tools, where the information flow is one-way, although the percentage of both

corporations and non profits that used interactive features offered by new media has increased slightly

between 2004 and 2009.

Originality/value – This study is among the few that compare web page use by corporations vs

non-profits. A second unique feature of this study is that it is longitudinal in nature, studying web site

use five years apart by the same organizations.

Keywords Online public relations, Social media and public relations, Public relations and web sites,

Longitudinal study of websites, Web sites for public relations in Singapore

Paper type Research paper

The internet is a powerful medium of communication whose full potential has yet to be

harnessed by public relations practitioners. In particular, the interactive applications of

this medium provide immense opportunities for the development of ethical, strategic,

and symbiotic communication between organisations and their relevant publics. In this

era of globalisation, information and communication technologies (ICTs often also

referred to as “new media” or “social media”) provide organisations with the ability

to communicate with a global audience around the clock. In turn, stakeholders can

also use new media to gather information and challenge organisational actions.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/1363-254X.htm

Received 15 August 2011

Revised 5 May 2012

4 August 2012

Accepted 6 August 2012

Journal of Communication

Management

Vol. 17 No. 2, 2013

pp. 122-139

r Emerald Group Publishing Limited

1363-254X

DOI 10.1108/13632541311318738

122

JCOM

17,2