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

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.