In search of Utopia: An analysis of non-profit web pages

Abstract

This research explores the practical application of a widely held, utopian belief that the Internet remains a strong democratizing tool because of its inherent interactive capabilities. Through an analysis of 70 non-profit Web pages, this study examines how these organizations utilize the Internet as a deliberative public sphere; an opportunity for activism; an avenue for advertising and fundraising revenue; a space for marginalized voices; an interconnected, instantaneous portal for information; and as a medium to bolster organizational accountability. This represents fundamental baseline research that is needed if the field is to build theories of Internet efficacy – particularly as it pertains to the non-profit sector.

Keywords:

• Non-profit organization
• democracy
• Web pages
• Internet functionality

Notes

1. Values of kappa greater than 0.75 indicate excellent agreement beyond chance alone and suggest a strong standard measure of reliability (Riffe et al. 1998). Scott's Pi was computed at 0.79, representing the inter-coder agreement after chance has been removed. The Scott's Pi test depends on basic probability theory and calculates the ‘chance agreement’ based on the proportion of times any particular value of a category is used (Riffe et al. 1998). This test is extremely important in gauging the veracity of results between coders. The results here suggest that a reliable coding scheme was utilized.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Linda Jean Kenix

Linda Jean Kenix is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Political Science and Communication, University of Canterbury. Her research has traditionally focused on the representation of politically marginalized groups in the media. Her recent work has broadened to examine how marginalized groups are utilizing various media as a potential tool for social change.