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International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2225-8329

A Case Study on Social Media Usage in a Water Company in Malaysia

Fatin Aqilah Maskuri, Othman Mohd Zailani, Idris Osman, Suhailah Kassim, Noraznira Abd Razak, Salmi Mohd Isa

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARAFMS/v14-i1/20442

Open access

Water organisations fall under the service provider sector, which encounters unforeseen crises in the form of disrupted water supply, high water supply demand, and low water quality. Such complexities require the organisations to develop a holistic and effective crisis communication approach. Hence, water companies have begun utilising Facebook, a social media platform, to convey water issues to consumers. This qualitative study employed a case study approach to examine the key factors to consider when using social media and relevant communication strategies from the perspective of water organisations. The empirical data, which were gathered through an in-depth interview with an expert responsible for social media management, were thematically analysed to extract themes that complemented the study objective. In line with Objective 1, transparency, trust, and engagement were considered when using social media. The findings for Objective 2 highlighted response time, knowing the audience, and selecting the appropriate platform as social media communication strategies from the perspective of water organisations.