Analysis of the U.S. Navy Office of Women’s Policy Facebook use

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Authors
Allert, Emily C.
Subjects
enterprise social media
computer-mediated social support
Facebook
Department of Defense
U.S. Navy
Advisors
Thomas, Gail Fann
Date of Issue
2015-06
Date
Jun-15
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The use of social media within the workplace as a tool for communication among employees is increasing at an astounding rate. The implications for such use, however, are widely unknown. This case study aims to increase the understanding of enterprise social media (ESM) and computer-mediated social support (CMSS) use within the Department of Defense (DOD) by examining three Facebook (FB) groups developed by the Navy’s Office of Women’s Policy (OWP). The research utilizes interviews and data collected from the FB groups to identify the purpose, content trends, and availability of social support. The analyses of the interviews and FB data are subsequently used to assess the groups’ effectiveness as platforms for ESM and CMSS. Results show that the FB groups are an effective resource for CMSS with complementary managerial benefits. The study implies that FB groups could be used to provide social support for other military members, especially those who are considered minority groups. Additionally, a richer understanding of the groups’ strengths and weaknesses will allow the OWP to develop a more succinct purpose and strategy for administering these FB groups.
Type
Thesis
Description
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10945/45804
Series/Report No
Department
Graduate School of Business and Public Policy (GSBPP)
Graduate School of Business and Public Policy (GSBPP)
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Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
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This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
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