This study employs a comparative quantitative content analysis to investigate the public relation... more This study employs a comparative quantitative content analysis to investigate the public relations strategies used by five leading Kenyan corporations in the telecommunications, banking, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco sectors on Twitter during January 2023. The research examines these corporations' public relations approaches, content types, and relationship-building strategies using Grunig and Hunt's (1984) four models of public relations, Dann's (2010) content categorization framework, and Childers and Grunig's (1999) relationship indicators. The findings reveal that the most predominant public relations style is the public information model, which emphasizes one-way communication of accurate information. With the exception of the alcoholic beverage company, which predominantly employs the status content style to communicate ongoing organizational activities, the other corporations rely on the news content style, focusing on the dissemination of timely information updates. The telecommunications company and the two banks prioritize the communal relationship style, emphasizing community, shared values, and trust. In contrast, the alcoholic beverage company and the tobacco company concentrate on trust-building, highlighting integrity and competence. This study addresses a gap in Kenyan research regarding the use of social media by organizations and provides practical insights into the effective use of Twitter for public relations purposes. By examining relevant theoretical models and indicators, this research enhances our understanding of public relations in the digital era.
This study employs a comparative quantitative content analysis to investigate the public relation... more This study employs a comparative quantitative content analysis to investigate the public relations strategies used by five leading Kenyan corporations in the telecommunications, banking, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco sectors on Twitter during January 2023. The research examines these corporations' public relations approaches, content types, and relationship-building strategies using Grunig and Hunt's (1984) four models of public relations, Dann's (2010) content categorization framework, and Childers and Grunig's (1999) relationship indicators. The findings reveal that the most predominant public relations style is the public information model, which emphasizes one-way communication of accurate information. With the exception of the alcoholic beverage company, which predominantly employs the status content style to communicate ongoing organizational activities, the other corporations rely on the news content style, focusing on the dissemination of timely information updates. The telecommunications company and the two banks prioritize the communal relationship style, emphasizing community, shared values, and trust. In contrast, the alcoholic beverage company and the tobacco company concentrate on trust-building, highlighting integrity and competence. This study addresses a gap in Kenyan research regarding the use of social media by organizations and provides practical insights into the effective use of Twitter for public relations purposes. By examining relevant theoretical models and indicators, this research enhances our understanding of public relations in the digital era.
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Papers by Lucy Muricho