Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Social Media Use in Startups: A Qualitative Study of Online Stakeholder Relationship Management

Cizinauskaite, Ruta LU (2016) SKPM08 20161
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract
Social media plays an increasingly important role in organizational communication
and stakeholder relationship management. The last few years has seen a growing
number of studies examining how big organizations utilize social media channels
for stakeholder relationship cultivation. However, research so far has overlooked
startup companies, which are new players in the market and have the most to gain
from this new age communication tool. This thesis attempts to contribute to the
research gap in the field by examining startups’ use of social media in their daily business. In detail it looks at the different types of social media through which startups cultivate relationships with stakeholders and discovers barriers and opportunities... (More)
Social media plays an increasingly important role in organizational communication
and stakeholder relationship management. The last few years has seen a growing
number of studies examining how big organizations utilize social media channels
for stakeholder relationship cultivation. However, research so far has overlooked
startup companies, which are new players in the market and have the most to gain
from this new age communication tool. This thesis attempts to contribute to the
research gap in the field by examining startups’ use of social media in their daily business. In detail it looks at the different types of social media through which startups cultivate relationships with stakeholders and discovers barriers and opportunities that lie therein. In order to explore the subject fifteen qualitative in depth interviews with founders and employees of various European startups were conducted. Results reveal that social media is an efficient tool for startup companies to build and manage relationships with stakeholders. Startups’ affinity to new media allow them to take the full advantage of the opportunities that lie within the new digital sphere. By combining their creative and young nature with stakeholder cultivation strategies of positivity, assurances, openness, networking and sharing of tasks, they are able to build up social capital that ultimately helps startups to achieve legitimacy in society and establish their place in the market. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Cizinauskaite, Ruta LU
supervisor
organization
course
SKPM08 20161
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
social media, stakeholder relationship management, startup, public relations, communication
language
English
id
8893561
date added to LUP
2018-01-10 09:09:57
date last changed
2018-01-10 09:09:57
@misc{8893561,
  abstract     = {{Social media plays an increasingly important role in organizational communication
and stakeholder relationship management. The last few years has seen a growing
number of studies examining how big organizations utilize social media channels
for stakeholder relationship cultivation. However, research so far has overlooked
startup companies, which are new players in the market and have the most to gain
from this new age communication tool. This thesis attempts to contribute to the
research gap in the field by examining startups’ use of social media in their daily business. In detail it looks at the different types of social media through which startups cultivate relationships with stakeholders and discovers barriers and opportunities that lie therein. In order to explore the subject fifteen qualitative in depth interviews with founders and employees of various European startups were conducted. Results reveal that social media is an efficient tool for startup companies to build and manage relationships with stakeholders. Startups’ affinity to new media allow them to take the full advantage of the opportunities that lie within the new digital sphere. By combining their creative and young nature with stakeholder cultivation strategies of positivity, assurances, openness, networking and sharing of tasks, they are able to build up social capital that ultimately helps startups to achieve legitimacy in society and establish their place in the market.}},
  author       = {{Cizinauskaite, Ruta}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Social Media Use in Startups: A Qualitative Study of Online Stakeholder Relationship Management}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}