Exploring the linkage between offline collaboration networks and online representational network diversity on social media

ABSTRACT

Building on the symbiotic sustainability model, this study investigated how offline collaboration networks are related to organizations’ representational networks on social media. We analyzed survey data from disaster risk reduction organizations in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions, along with these organizations’ representational networks on Facebook (N = 108) and Twitter (N = 96). Results showed that diverse offline collaboration networks are positively related to diverse representational tie building on Facebook via organizations’ sense of mutuality. By contrast, homogeneous offline collaboration networks are positively related to diverse representational tie building on Twitter via mutuality and openness to collaboration. This study contributes to research on interorganizational networks and social media, particularly concerning the offline–online connection in the field of interorganizational communication.

KEYWORDS:

• Interorganizational communication
• social media
• social networks
• representational network
• cross-sector collaboration
• nongovernmental organizational (NGO)

Acknowledgements

This project was partially supported through the first author’s 5K Grant from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. National Chiao Tung University’s Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences and Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 105-2410-H-009 -064 -SS3) also sponsored the data collection and analysis for this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Chih-Hui Lai (PhD, Rutgers University, 2012) is an Associate Research Fellow in the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan. Her research focuses on how individuals, groups and organizations use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to communicate and how relationships evolve or emerge through the process.

J. Sophia Fu (PhD, Northwestern University) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Rutgers University, USA. Her research interests include interorganizational networks, innovation creation and diffusion, and information communication technologies (ICTs).

Notes

1 The number of respondents in each organization was not related to type diversity of offline collaboration networks (r = .130, p > .10), but was related to geographic diversity of networks (r = .228, p < .50).

2 The number of respondents in each organization was not related to the level of OTC (r = .094, p > .10).

3 The number of respondents in each organization was not related to the level of mutuality (r = –.054, p > .10).

4 The complete list of 14 types of organizations included: citizen-based group, faith-based organization, NGO, emergency management agency, health care/medical service organization, academic institution, business, government agency, intergovernmental organization, media, coalition, association, foundation, and individual.

5 The number of respondents in each organization was not related to diversity of Facebook and Twitter ties (r = .031, p > .10; r = –.083, p > .10).

6 For Facebook data, the top three popular contact types were NGOs, companies, and individuals whereas for the Twitter data, the top three contact types were individuals, companies, and media.

7 We have tested the alternative mediation model where representational tie diversity on Facebook and Twitter predicted offline network diversity through OTC and mutuality. All of the indirect effects were insignificant, rejecting the possibility that online networks lead to offline networks in the present research. These results thus showed that our proposed model explained the data better. See full results of the indirect effect tests in Online Appendix.

Additional information

Funding

This project was partially supported through the first author’s 5K Grant from Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. National Chiao Tung University’s Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences and Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology [MOST 105-2410-H-009-064-SS3] also sponsored the data collection and analysis for this project.