A message-focused measurement of the communication dimension of social capital: Revealing shared meaning in a network of relationships

ABSTRACT

This study integrates two theoretically driven methods—network analysis and fantasy theme analysis—to present a message-focused operationalization for the communication dimension of social capital. The results find empirical support for scholars’ theorizing that public relations-facilitated messages cultivate shared meaning and foster social capital. The relationship between shared meaning and social capital was especially evident in network subgroups (cliques). This article contributes to social capital theory building by focusing on the meaning making process that strengthens social capital in networks. Public relations practitioners’ communicative roles in social capital cultivation are made evident with a message-focused measurement.

本研究整合两种理论驱动的方法 - 网络风险和梦幻主题分析 – 以展示一个社会资本沟通维度的消息导向的操作。研究结果为促进公共关系的消息会培养共享的意义并培育社会资本这一学者推论找出了经验支持。共享意义和社会资本之间的关系在网络亚组（派系）中尤为明显。通过聚焦强化网络中的社会资本的过程的意义，本文为社会资本理论的建设做出了贡献。使用一种以消息为导向的测量办法，公共关系实践者在社会资本培育中的的沟通角色得以明确展示。

Este estudio integra dos métodos impulsado teóricamente - análisis de redes y análisis de temas fantasias - para presentar una operacionalización centrado en el mensaje para la dimensión comunicativa del capital social. Los resultados proporcionan apoyo empírico para investigadores que ofrecen teorías referentes a que mensajes ofrecidos por relaciones públicas promueven el significado compartido y fomentan el capital social. La relación entre el significado compartido y el capital social fue especialmente evidente en subgrupos de red (camarillas). Este artículo contribuye a la construcción de la teoría del capital social, centrándose en el proceso de construcción de significados que fortalece el capital social en redes. Las funciones comunicativas de los profesionales en relaciones públicas respecto a la promoción del capital social se hacen evidentes con una medición centrada en el mensaje.

KEYWORDS:

• Fantasy theme analysis
• network analysis
• networks
• shared meaning
• social capital

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Maureen Taylor for her mentorship and feedback on this manuscript. The author would like to also extend a thanks to the anonymous reviewers that made this a better a manuscript. Finally, the author would like to thank Michael Kent, Julie Jones, Glenn Hansen and Norman Wong for their contributions. A version of this paper was presented at the 2015 National Communication Association Conference in Las Vegas.

Notes

¹ Indeed, the terminology associated with symbolic convergence theory is jargonistic and ambiguous, which strains the face value of theory (Olufowote, 2006). However, the foundational scholars, Bormann, Craan, and Shields (1994), argued that the “concepts grew out of the research and the discovery of features of the discourse that were important enough to be discriminated and given technical meanings” (p. 278).

² It must be noted that the data from the fantasy theme analysis is only a portion of the full fantasy theme analysis performed for the study. A complete fantasy theme analysis would articulate SuSanA partners’ rhetorical visions. However, the primary purpose of this article is to integrate theory, therefore only the pertinent data points are used.

³ An EFA identified three factors but the loadings did not align with the rhetorical visions. The rhetorical visions were based on fantasy themes found in texts produced by an array of partners over several years. The fantasy theme analysis procedures have no way of connecting the producers of the texts to those who responded to the survey. Not all SuSanA partners who contributed to the rhetorical visions responded to the survey. Instead of using rhetorical visions as factors, the fantasy theme statements were used as evidence of shared meaning. Indeed, a rhetorical vision would provide a stronger indication of shared meaning. Future researchers may be able to use such techniques with a smaller, denser and more geographically concentrated group where rhetorical visions could more easily take hold.

⁴ Indeed, a tension exists here between the meso-level focus of this study and asking individuals (micro-level) to complete the survey. The interorganizational scales were designed specifically for individuals to respond as though they are representing their organizations. Individuals were the curators of the fantasy themes, types and rhetorical visions, and were acting as representatives of their organizations when those texts were created.

⁵ The 10-point scale follows previous researchers’ use (Taylor & Doerfel, 2003). Analyses with the scale were run in isolation from other scales to avoid measurement conflict. Future researchers may consider using a 7-point scale.

⁶ Respondents, their organizations’ liaisons to SuSanA, were asked to invite others who would be familiar with their organizations’ external relations and partnerships to complete the survey. Having multiple respondents from each organization would be ideal; however, many partners are resource-constrained and have limited staff.

⁷ Previous researchers have not used EFA (cf. Bormann et al., 2001; Broom & Avanzino, 2010; Palenchar & Heath, 2002); however, this study used rigorous statistical tests to assess the reliability and validity of the findings.

⁸ The United Nation’s post-2015 development goals are a new set of goals that build on the Millennium Development Goals.