User-generated content on Facebook: Implications from the perspective of two organisations

Authors

  • Jayan Kurian RMIT University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v21i7.6012

Keywords:

User Generated Content, User benefits, User costs, Social Networking Sites, Implications, Thematic Analysis.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the implications (user benefits and costs) of user-generated content posted by users on Facebook from an organisational perspective. Though motivations to use social networking sites are widely researched and published, studies on implications eventuating from different types of content posted by users on social networking sites is sparse. Hence, this study addresses the gap in literature by an interpretive analysis of user-generated content posted by users on the Facebook of two organisations. The content posted by users is classified using an information classification framework for social networking sites. Implications eventuating from the classified user-generated content to individuals and organisations are established using thematic analysis. The results of analysis demonstrate that the major types of user-generated content posted in the social information category are requests, criticism, greetings, status updates, and announcements. The theoretical implications in terms of user benefits are information seeking, relationship building, coordination and collaboration, identity construction and knowledge dissemination whereas social conflict is a major cost to users. The practical implications are understood in terms of technical assistance, supporting projects that extend open access repository initiatives, collaboration and building capacity among repository users, user community development, marketing and communication as well as accomplishing the core principles of the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. This study also leads to considerable gains for users and designers of social networking sites by identifying the different types of user-generated content so that social networking sites can be used as a beneficial tool maximizing its implications.

Author Biography

Jayan Kurian, RMIT University

Jayan Kurian is a Lecturer at RMIT University, Vietnam. He has a M.Phil. from the University of Nottingham. His research interests are on open source repositories and social networking sites. Jayan has received funding from Google and DSpace Foundation and has successfully mentored Google Summer of Code projects in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, he received the eINDIA2008 award for his contribution to the open source community. In 2010, he was presented with the “Graduate Scholar Award†— Ubiquitous Learning Conference held at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

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Published

2016-06-23

How to Cite

Kurian, J. (2016). User-generated content on Facebook: Implications from the perspective of two organisations. First Monday, 21(7). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v21i7.6012