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Voicing the organization on Instagram: Towards a performative understanding of employee voice

Cassinger, Cecilia LU and Thelander, Åsa LU orcid (2020) In Public Relations Inquiry 9(2). p.195-212
Abstract
Much is currently expected from what PR campaigns involving social media can
accomplish with regard to strengthening employee voice. Previous research on voice
as a specific approach to employee relations has primarily relied on the effects and
mechanisms of voice. There is scant research dealing with the processes and practices
of employee voice. This article outlines a performative approach to conceptualizing
the practice of employee voice. It focuses on how employees perform voice in a PR
campaign involving Instagram takeover. The campaign was launched by a complex
organization in Scandinavia, aimed at countering negative attention in local news media and improving the reputation of the organization. This... (More)
Much is currently expected from what PR campaigns involving social media can
accomplish with regard to strengthening employee voice. Previous research on voice
as a specific approach to employee relations has primarily relied on the effects and
mechanisms of voice. There is scant research dealing with the processes and practices
of employee voice. This article outlines a performative approach to conceptualizing
the practice of employee voice. It focuses on how employees perform voice in a PR
campaign involving Instagram takeover. The campaign was launched by a complex
organization in Scandinavia, aimed at countering negative attention in local news media and improving the reputation of the organization. This article analyses the conditions of voicing concerns in the campaign through the lens of a dramaturgical approach to social life.
First, the findings indicate that voicing is a form of individual and collective
performance through which the meaning of work and the campaign are negotiated in
relation to both other participants and an imagined audience.
Second, visual conventions and organizational culture were found to govern performances of voice on Instagram.
Third, findings underscore the need to understand employee voice as a socially and
culturally embedded practice. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Employee voice, Instagram takeover, organizational image, performance, practice, voicing
in
Public Relations Inquiry
volume
9
issue
2
pages
17 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85086588856
ISSN
2046-147X
DOI
10.1177/2046147X20920820
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
db6aca72-88af-4866-a333-6f148d23b491
date added to LUP
2019-12-20 10:53:50
date last changed
2024-01-16 16:58:17
@article{db6aca72-88af-4866-a333-6f148d23b491,
  abstract     = {{Much is currently expected from what PR campaigns involving social media can<br/>accomplish with regard to strengthening employee voice. Previous research on voice<br/>as a specific approach to employee relations has primarily relied on the effects and<br/>mechanisms of voice. There is scant research dealing with the processes and practices<br/>of employee voice. This article outlines a performative approach to conceptualizing<br/>the practice of employee voice. It focuses on how employees perform voice in a PR<br/>campaign involving Instagram takeover. The campaign was launched by a complex<br/>organization in Scandinavia, aimed at countering negative attention in local news media and improving the reputation of the organization. This article analyses the conditions of voicing concerns in the campaign through the lens of a dramaturgical approach to social life. <br/>First, the findings indicate that voicing is a form of individual and collective<br/>performance through which the meaning of work and the campaign are negotiated in<br/>relation to both other participants and an imagined audience. <br/>Second, visual conventions and organizational culture were found to govern performances of voice on Instagram.<br/>Third, findings underscore the need to understand employee voice as a socially and<br/>culturally embedded practice.}},
  author       = {{Cassinger, Cecilia and Thelander, Åsa}},
  issn         = {{2046-147X}},
  keywords     = {{Employee voice, Instagram takeover, organizational image, performance, practice, voicing}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{195--212}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Public Relations Inquiry}},
  title        = {{Voicing the organization on Instagram: Towards a performative understanding of employee voice}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2046147X20920820}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/2046147X20920820}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}