The Use of Social Media to Promote Societal Values in an Age of Corporate Competition: One Publishing Company's Paradigm--Sage.

This is a paper on social media postings by a publishing company focusing on issues of humane qualities of a diverse society, Sage Publishing (Sage). Part of a global academic community, Sage developed uniquely positive messaging for social media and is a model for other organizations. Starting with a background of Sage, this study includes a brief history of publishing in the United States and world, and continuing with the history of social media, with a focus on LinkedIn. Sage's communication approach is not to sell products and services via social media, but to educate its followers and stakeholders on the important issues of the day. The research methods used are Historical and Descriptive Research, Content Analysis, and Elite and Specialized Interviewing. The result is a model for communication via social media for organizations wanting to communicate effectively to its publics. A Content Analysis looks at four broad categories, 14 specific categories, and 90 topics. The study covers the people behind the Sage LinkedIn postings; purpose of the postings; Sage corporate morals, ethics, social responsibilities, values, and philosophy; Sage today and prospects for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Seybold Report: Analyzing Publishing Technologies is the property of Joss Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)