Social Media For Government Services

This book highlights state-of-the-art research, development and implementation efforts concerning social media in government services, bringing together researchers and practitioners in a number of case studies. It elucidates a number of significant challenges associated with social media specific to government services, such as: benefits and methods of assessing; usability and suitability of tools, technologies and platforms; governance policies and frameworks; opportunities for new services; integrating social media with organisational business processes; and specific case studies. The book also highlights the range of uses and applications of social media in the government domain, at both local and federal levels. As such, it offers a valuable resource for a broad readership including academic researchers, practitioners in the IT industry, developers, and government policy- and decision-makers.

This book provides practical know-how on understanding, implementing, and managing main stream social media tools (e.g., blogs and micro-blogs, social network sites, and content communities) from a public sector perspective. Through social media, government organizations can inform citizens, promote their services, seek public views and feedback, and monitor satisfaction with the services they offer so as to improve their quality. Given the exponential growth of social media in contemporary society, it has become an essential tool for communication, content sharing, and collaboration. This growth and these tools also present an unparalleled opportunity to implement a transparent, open, and collaborative government. However, many government organization, particularly those in the developing world, are still somewhat reluctant to leverage social media, as it requires significant policy and governance changes, as well as specific know-how, skills and resources to plan, implement and manage social media tools. As a result, governments around the world ignore or mishandle the opportunities and threats presented by social media. To help policy makers and governments implement a social media driven government, this book provides guidance in developing an effective social media policy and strategy. It also addresses issues such as those related to security and privacy.

Social media is playing a growing role within public administration, and with it, there is an increasing need to understand the connection between social media research and what actually takes place in government agencies. Most of the existing books on the topic are scholarly in nature, often leaving out the vital theory-practice connection. This book joins theory with practice within the public sector, and explains how the effectiveness of social media can be maximized. The chapters are written by leading practitioners and span topics like how to manage employee use of social media sites, how emergency managers reach the public during a crisis situation, applying public record management methods to social media efforts, how to create a social media brand, how social media can help meet government objectives such as transparency while juggling privacy laws, and much more. For each topic, a collection of practitioner insights regarding the best practices and tools they have discovered are included. Social Media for Government responds to calls within the overall public administration discipline to enhance the theory-practice connection, giving practitioners space to tell academics what is happening in the field in order to encourage further meaningful research into social media use within government.

Today, social media have attracted the attention of political actors and administrative institutions to inform citizens as a prerequisite of open and transparent administration, deliver public services, contact stakeholders, revitalize democracy, encourage the cross-agency cooperation, and contribute to knowledge management. In this context, the social media tools can contribute to the emergence of citizen-oriented, open, transparent and participatory public administration. Taking advantage of the opportunities offered by social media is not limited to central government. Local governments deploy internet-based innovative technologies that complement traditional methods in implementing different functions. This book focuses on the relationship between the local governments and social media, deals with the change that social media have caused in the organization, understanding of service provision, performance of local governments and in the relationships between local governments and their partners, and aims to advance our theoretical and empirical understanding of the growing use of social media by local governments. This book will be of interest to researchers and students in e-government, public administration, political science, communication, information science, and social media. Government officials and public managers will also find practical use recommendations for social media in several aspects of local governance

The advent of social media has had varying effects across fields, industries, and governments. As more individuals rely on this technology, its uses continue to develop and expand. Social media has forever changed the way in which politics are discussed, social movements are formed, and how governments interact with the public. To fully understand the future of social media, further study is required. The Research Anthology on Social Media's Influence on Government, Politics, and Social Movements investigates how social media is used within governments as well as the history behind the technology. The book also examines best practices, tactics, and challenges associated with utilizing social media platforms for social movements. Covering key topics such as communication, interactive technology, and social change, this major reference work is ideal for government officials, industry professionals, policymakers, administrators, business owners, managers, researchers, academicians, scholars, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Social media applications have emerged in the last 20 years to meet the different needs of individuals, and private sector and public organizations have not been indifferent to these technologies. Social media tools help public institutions and organizations communicate directly with citizens as well as enable two-way communication and enable citizens to participate in all stages from agenda setting to evaluation of policy processes. Central and local governments, which use innovative methods to involve citizens in this process, attach significance to the development of e-participation tools. Ensuring the participation of citizens in policy processes not only determines the wishes and priorities of citizens but also uses scarce resources effectively and efficiently. Global Perspectives on Social Media Usage Within Governments reveals the best practices of various countries regarding the use of social media by central and local governments according to public administration models. The book presents various case studies on the impact of public administration models on social media use in order to contribute to public administration and social media use. Covering topics such as climate action, knowledge behaviors, and citizen participation, this premier reference source is an essential resource for government officials, public administrators, public policy scholars, social media experts, public affairs scholars, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Stocked with real-life examples and case studies, this book explores myriad social media tools and provides step-by-step guidance on how to implement them based on mission, goals, and strategy. Written in a jargon-free and accessible style, the book is a go-to resource for anyone in government who wants to put the power of social media to work for their organization. Praise for Social Media in the Public Sector Field Guide "Twitter and Facebook and Blogs, Oh My! In this bewildering new field of social media, Mergel and Greeves expertly provide practical advice for governments to harness the power of these new online services." Bill Schrier, deputy director, Center for Digital Government, eRepublic.com; former CTO (CIO), City of Seattle "This is simply a must-read book for anyone interested in or involved with social media in the public sector. The authors take a refreshing and original approach supported by excellent examples regarding the evolving role social media is playing and can play in government. I cannot think of two better experienced authors to help guide us through the new realities of social media in government." Dr. Alan R. Shark, executive director, Public Technology Institute; assistant professor, Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration "In the local government sector there seem to be three schools of thought regarding social media: I've got a Facebook page let's jump right in!, Not happening on my watch!, and Who cares? This field guide is perfect for any of the above, as it provides practical applications and rationale for why local government needs to connect with people where they are which is on the Internet. Our association of nearly 500 innovative local governments knows that Mergel and Greeves are the perfect authors for this must-have tutorial." Karen Thoreson, president and chief operating officer, Alliance for Innovation "Every day on GovLoop.com, our network of 60,000 government leaders share best practices and ask questions about using social media in government. I've often been asked by members for a good reference to help them get going on their federal, state, or local government social media programs. I never had an answer now I do: This field guide is the go-to resource to ensure your social media programs deliver real mission results. Mergel and Greeves are experts in the field a blend of research and real-world experience to get you to where you need to go." Steve Ressler, founder and president, GovLoop.com

As technology and social media tools become more integrated into society, they provide important frameworks for online government and community collaboration. Optimizing E-Participation Initiatives Through Social Media provides emerging research on the role of online web technologies in promoting citizen and community involvement in public affairs. While highlighting topics such as online transaction, participatory design, and e-polling, this publication explores the use of Web 2.0 by governments to create more affordable, participatory, and transparent public-sector management models. This book is an important resource for academicians, practitioners, and researchers seeking current research on online public involvement in government policy decision making.