Exploring COVID 19's effect on nonprofit organizations' online communication
Author
Kjæhr, Emil Penderup
Term
4. term
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-01-04
Abstract
This thesis examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected nonprofit organizations’ online communication, using the Danish Cancer Society (Kræftens Bekæmpelse) as a case. Guided by the research question of how communication changed during the crisis, the study applies a qualitative design with two data sources: a content classification of Facebook posts from before and during the pandemic, and an interview with the Head of Communication and Organizational Development. The Facebook posts were categorized to compare communication form and content in 2019 with the same period in 2020, and the interview was interpreted through crisis management theory. The analysis shows a clear shift: whereas 2019 messaging emphasized recruiting volunteers for the nationwide fundraiser, in 2020 the focus moved to informing stakeholders after the fundraiser was postponed. Kræftens Bekæmpelse adopted Facebook donations, built a Q&A section on its website, and prioritized immediate responses to stakeholder questions—even at the risk of being incomplete—to meet urgent information needs. They also addressed patients’ concerns about continuing treatment and social distancing, trained staff to “speak with one voice,” and leveraged their social media presence to rapidly inform stakeholders as the crisis unfolded. The study adds insight into how a pandemic reshapes nonprofits’ digital communication and may inform future crisis preparedness.
Denne specialeundersøgelse undersøger, hvordan COVID-19-pandemien har påvirket nonprofit-organisationers online kommunikation med udgangspunkt i Kræftens Bekæmpelse. Ud fra problemstillingen om, hvordan kommunikationen er blevet ændret under krisen, anvendes en kvalitativ tilgang baseret på to datakilder: en indholdsanalyse af Facebook-opslag før og under pandemien samt et interview med organisationens chef for Kommunikation og Organisationsudvikling. Facebook-data blev klassificeret for at kunne sammenligne form og indhold i 2019 med samme periode i 2020, og interviewet blev fortolket ved hjælp af krisehåndteringsteori. Analysen viser et markant skifte i kommunikationen: hvor organisationen i 2019 primært rekrutterede frivillige til den landsdækkende indsamling, var fokus i 2020 flyttet til at informere interessenter, efter at indsamlingen blev udskudt. Kræftens Bekæmpelse tog Facebook-donationer i brug, opbyggede en Q&A-side på deres hjemmeside og prioriterede hurtige svar til spørgsmål fra interessenter, selv med risiko for at være ufuldstændige, for at imødekomme behovet for viden. De adresserede også patienters bekymringer om at fortsætte behandling og om social afstand, trænede medarbejdere til at “tale med én stemme” og udnyttede deres tilstedeværelse på sociale medier til effektivt at informere, da krisen brød ud. Studiet bidrager med viden om, hvordan en pandemi kan omforme nonprofit-organisationers digitale kommunikation, og kan fungere som inspiration for fremtidig kriseforberedelse.
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