One Earth, One Humanity Versus the Virus: Examining the Global COVID-19 Social Partnership Communication Networks on Social Media

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed severe challenges that require collaborative efforts from multi-sector organizations. Guided by an institutional theory framework that considers how both organizational fields and national level contexts affect organizations’ social partnership communication, the current study examines the COVID-19-related social partnership communication network on social media. The cross-national study using semantic network analysis and exponential random graph models (ERGMs) first maps the meaning of COVID-19 social partnership network, and then investigates the role of organizational fields and a country’s political system, economic system, educational system, and cultural system on the formation of interorganizational communication ties surrounding the relief efforts of COVID-19. Results reveal the importance of the political system—such as the presence of populist government, economic disparity, and uncertainty avoidance cultural orientation in shaping the social media-based social partnership communication network. In addition, NGOs from multiple issue areas are actively engaged in the network, whereas corporations from manufacturing and financial industries are active players.

Notes From the Editors: 60 Years Young and a Work in Progress

“…Note that the words boundary spanning capture our interdisciplinary inclusiveness, and the intentional selection of the word global since we aspire to adopt a transnational world view—representing all countries and continents. Likewise, the term ethical carries important weight as IJBC endorses research practices and articles that advocate the well-being of all stakeholders, including—but not limited to—crisis communication strategies and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives (Chung & Lee, 2022; Dulek & Campbell, 2015; Liu et al, 2022; Marsen, 2020; Molloy & Heath, 2014; Tang et al, 2015).…”

Notes From the Editors: Spotlight on Social Media

“…In addition, their findings show the complexity of social media use through diverse outcomes for the same processes depending on the setting for social media use. Similarly, Liu et al (2022) examined how organizations used social media platforms to develop social partnerships across various national differences.…”