Social Media in Crisis Communication - Research Proposal Example

Credibility Assessment for Social Media in Crisis Communication Credibility Assessment of Social Media in Crisis Communication Introduction A sense of tension, uncertainty, and transformational change usually features in crises. Crises are unpredictable and may not be avoidable. They lead to the disruption of routine events and result in anxieties among people and organizations (Farazmand, 2007). The crises usually involve high risk and necessity for either group or individual action to avert possible consequences to the community or organizations. Social relationships play a crucial role in the manner in which the dissemination of information happens. Many researchers have explored the area of social ties without a keen interest on the dissemination of crisis information through social ties (Duggan & Banwell, 2004). The level of bonding in social relationships is contingent upon the amount of shared time, the degree of intimacy in a relationship, the level of emotional attachment, and the extent of reciprocation in the ties. (Granovetter, 1973). There is an increased contribution of social ties in the process of conveyance of information. This increased role of social ties is significant in crises where information requires real-time dissemination (Miritello, Moro, & Lara, 2011). The high anxiety and expectations usually leaves people hungry for information and this may prompt high social activity to gain information. However, social media can offer information that may not pass verification tests (Duggan & Banwell, 2004). The legitimacy of the information sources may be questionable leading to willful or un-willful misrepresentation of information and facts. The information conveyed in crises may have adverse consequences on the reputation of an organization or the government if the information is not comprehensive and true. The media that espouse the flow of communication is crucial in facilitating the reception of and attitude towards the message. For instance, the government or organization’s choice of information source to convey crisis information may have implications on the credibility of the information. Information from the Government Press may have a different level of credibility in comparison to government information conveyed by the use of social media. The management and communication of crisis information is an issue of major concern in China as shown by the nation’s historical events (Zhang, 2013). For example, a nuclear meltdown in Japan at Fukushima nuclear plant produced a significant influence on the concerns about health and safety of the Chinese population. There was a rumor that there was need for adequate consumption of iodized salt to stay safe from radiations and that the China’s future salt supplies will contain impurities from the Japan’s crisis. This rumor encouraged many Chinese people to purchase salt. This incidence is one of the many occurrences that raise the question on how much credibility the Chinese people place on various media platforms. The approach of assessing the credibility of information offers essential perspectives on crisis communication that prompt further research to find out how the sharing of crisis information is achievable with high credibility, both to the information and to the government (Zhang, 2013). The Chinese population has advanced technological connections (Arnold, 2008). Most of the people have social media accounts and exchange information and rumors online (Arnold, 2008). The high population density also contributes to the critical role of the social ties and social media in the process of information dissemination. This research will assess the credibility of information that results from social media at the time of the crisis and how people perceive information from such sources. Before the adoption of the internet and the invention of social media, the Chinese people majorly relied on information from newspapers and televisions for breaking news. The growth of communication technologies has transformed the transmission of information. News outlets have hosted websites, blogs, and provided podcasts for them to remain relevant in the dissemination of information in this era of technological advancement (Ivey Business Journal, 2014). The social media, majorly Twitter and Facebook, have become major sources for the dissemination of information in the recent past (Ivey Business Journal, 2014). However, the Chinese government seems to continue placing heavy reliance on these media even after technological breakthroughs and the invention of social media. These current technological advancements in communication and the use of social media are widely attributed to their speed and convenience in relaying information especially in crises (Lyu, 2012). This study aims to assess the influence that social media sources have on the way individuals gain an understanding of crises and the level of trust they develop from these sources. Information is a valuable resource for effective actions especially in cases of disasters and cases that touch on organizational reputation (Salbbert & Backer, 2011). Effective communication serves as a tool for minimizing negative consequences (Chen, 2008). For example, effective response after the occurrence of Typhoon Hyian suffered a challenge due to the sparse geographical distribution of Philippines especially in small towns (Zhang, 2013). The degree to which the members of a society can effectively judge the trustworthiness of the available information in crises plays a critical role in influencing outcomes (Lyu, 2012). This study examines the social ties and various media sources in their assessment of information during crises (Hookway, 2014). This judgment will be essential in the evaluation of the significance of social ties in the assessment of information in disaster situations. Problem statement Scholars developed algorithms that assess the credibility of account holders of social media platforms (Abbasi and Liu, 2013). These algorithms may be inadequate in application and in the determination of the credibility of social media. This study provides an understanding of the credibility of crisis communication via social media, and the influence that this understanding has on the trustworthiness of the government of China’s efforts of enhancing the management of crises. Metzger (2000) asserts that the credibility of information from online resources is a multidimensional model that includes the attributes of precision, comprehensiveness, and plausibility. Radical changes have happened in China over the last number of decades and the Chinese government faces unprecedented challenges. Prior research into the management of crises focused on communication crises and the management of these crises, which has largely ignored the media’s role, especially social media in crisis management. At the same time, failure to restore the government’s image could lead to an eventuality that is highly risky for the government and the stakeholders, which is the public in this article. There is a necessity for crisis management to vary its attention regarding the credibility of the state and the interplay between the state and the media. The government will then characterize and establish the diverse implications that old-fashioned media and social media can contribute during the implementation of crisis management. It is the obligation of the state to relay information to the casualties during a calamity. There is a significant influence on the dissemination of information in relation to the medium of communication. The use of new and innovative communication channels raises anxiety about the influence of the modification in information spread on the recipient’s opinion of the credibility of the crisis’s evidence (Zhang, 2013). This shift from operating news outlets to the increased approval of social media may provide a crucial influence on the angle of truthfulness of the information. Recent studies highlight the need for establishing the authenticity of information that comes from the social media itself, which considers the accuracy of the information originating from social media as related to intellectual amplification (Westerman et al., 2014). Yet, the credibility of crunch information originating from social media gains little attention. The public can pursue crisis facts from long-established media sources for instance the newspapers, the television, and online sources. The Chinese government heavily relies on the traditional sources of information like newspapers and television to distribute information. The need for speedy communication platforms is increasing with the development of current technological innovations like social media. However, Chinese people experience challenges in enjoying such technological privileges because of media frauds. This research study will seek to analyze the impact of social media on crisis management in China. Project objectives and hypothesis This research projects aims to achieve the following objectives: 1. To measure the credibility of social media as a source of crisis information 2. To measure the variation between the credibility of online sources of crisis information and traditional sources of crisis information 3. To establish a relationship between the credibility of the source of crisis information and the credibility of the government in its role of disseminating crisis information The study will adopt the following hypotheses: H1: The application of social-media as a communication tool for crisis information will manipulate the alleged credibility of the crisis information and the state’s credibility in handling crises. H0: The application of social media as a communication tool for crisis information will not manipulate the alleged credibility of the crisis information and the state’s credibility in handling crises. Research questions The following research queries will lead the researcher in carrying out the study: 1. What is the credibility/integrity of social media in crisis message conveyance? 2. What is the disparity between the credibility of real-time sources of crisis information and traditional sources of crisis information? 3. How does the credibility of the source of crisis information influence the credibility of the government in disseminating crisis information? Methodology The independent variable for this study is the source of crisis information, while the dependent variable is the credibility in relation to the crisis information and the government’s commitment to crisis communication. The determination of credibility bases on the Likert scale for believability, trustworthiness, completeness, accuracy, and biasness. The study will target the residents of Shanghai China above 16 years of age to collect data for this research. The study will involve the selection of respondents using stratified random sampling. The research will have respondents organized in to strata of 10-year age intervals for respondents from the age of 16-76 years old. The respondents will receive a questionnaire in which they will provide information concerning their demographic details, their preferences in terms of crisis source of information. They will also provide their ratings of the confidence they have on the government and their perceptions on the credibility of the government sources of information in crisis. The respondents will then proceed to an interview where they will receive two popular cases of crises that took place a while ago, each case in two forms. These forms will involve the presentation of information through print media and through social media as sources of information. One of the sources will contain highly exaggerated information while the other will contain the real facts for both cases. The exaggeration of the information and any connections with the government will only apply for the purposes of this study. In this study, the facts presented for each crisis will be highly exaggerated to evaluate whether the respondents will consider credible information from either the print media or the social media. For each case of crisis, the participant will provide his/her opinion on which source provides credible information from his/her analysis of the information. They will then explain their reasons in support of their decisions and provide their perceptions on the two forms of a case if the information were from the Chinese government. The participants will rate the credibility of the source of the crisis information for both scenarios. The basis for the measurement of the credibility of the source of information will be by use of the Likert scale variables. The dissemination of the facts to the participants will take place as they respond to the interview questions. The participants will share their opinions on whether this information will provide different credibility result if the information would have come from the government. The participants will then receive debriefings and notifications on the fictional nature of the scenarios. Ethical issues The study assures all participants of their confidentiality with all notes and filled questionnaires being stored in cabinets with locks at the home of the researcher. In addition, interviewees will receive disguised identities/names. There will be a preliminary contact with the interviewees. This preliminary contact is essential for seeking permission from department heads through email and follow-up calls. After getting consent from the department heads of government, the researcher will seek permission to contact individual employees to explain what the research is about and seek out volunteers. The participants will answer questions voluntarily and may skip questions they consider uncomfortable. All participants will be required to give written consent, after which they will receive letters with information regarding the research process. The researcher will avail consent forms to the participants and copies kept for imminent reference. The study will not expose the participants to any form of harm. The exaggeration of information in the study will apply only for the purpose of this study and will not be of reputational implications on any organization. The researcher will provide the facts of the crises to the participants after interviewing them. Data analysis and interpretation An application of the analysis of variance will be essential in analyzing the credibility issues. The data analysis will use descriptive methods of analysis by utilizing measures of central tendencies. The data presentation will be in form of tables and graphs. In this research study, the methodology used will be necessary to fulfill the tasks required, espouse hypotheses testing, and facilitate the right conclusions. This research study will use explanatory, descriptive, and exploratory studies in order to fulfill the tasks of the research. The exploratory study will be effective in the generalization of the hypothesis, while the descriptive study helps to address the research questions. First, as an ongoing process, all available material (such as the government publications and earlier research) will be assembled together and read to acquire a sense of the data and its textual and contextual dimensions. The identification and understanding of the research question is essential in the reading and illumination of what others say, what they took-for-granted, and what they de-emphasized in the local context. Significant statements will help in the generation of interpretations and themes. Furthermore, the comparison of different outcomes for the sources of media tested will provide information on the credibility issues under consideration. An integration of all the results including the perspectives of credibility on the government will provide a strong basis for discussion and the derivation of conclusions. Budget Particulars Cost ($) Stationary 200 Printing costs 300 Transport 400 Pilot study 150 Miscellaneous 400 Total 1450 References Abbasi, M. A., & Liu, H. (2013). Measuring user credibility in social media. InSocial Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling and Prediction (pp. 441-448). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Arnold, W. E. (2008). Crisis communication. Dubuque, Iowa: Gorsuch Scarisbrick. Becker, J. (2011). Coverage of the Tibet Crisis and the Olympic Games in China in the German-language mass media. International Communication Gazette, 73(6), 495-506. Castillo, C., Mendoza, M., & Poblete, B. (2011). Information credibility on twitter. 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