an exploration of organisational knowledge integration and communication strategies

What is it about?

This study advances theoretical understanding of how organisations leverage social media communications to integrate knowledge and address counter-knowledge during global crises. Analysis of 67,108 tweets over 62 days of the UK lockdown reveals how multi-modal organisational communication strategies facilitated resilience throughout the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic. We propose a framework that details mechanisms for constructing shared crisis narratives and strengthening organisational knowledge management capabilities. Specifically, responsiveness, relocation, resilience, and preparedness enabled proactive information sharing and resource mobilisation. Overall, this study highlights the urgency of developing robust systems to integrate fragmented pandemic knowledge for organisational and societal resilience.

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Why is it important?

This study makes an important contribution to our understanding of how organisations leverage social media communications to integrate knowledge and combat misinformation during global crises. Through an in-depth analysis of 67,108 tweets over the first two months of the UK lockdown, we identified four key communication strategies utilised by organisations - responsiveness, relocation, resilience, and preparedness. These strategies demonstrate mechanisms for constructing shared crisis narratives, mobilising resources, and strengthening organisational knowledge management capabilities. Our proposed framework details how real-time transmission of updates, two-way dialogues, recognition of efforts, and futureproofing plans enabled organisations to navigate the turbulence of the COVID-19 infodemic. This reveals the urgency of developing robust systems to integrate fragmented knowledge across sectors for resilience. However, certain limitations provide avenues for further research. Our sole reliance on Twitter data precludes comparisons across platforms. Incorporating Facebook, LinkedIn and other sources could offer more comprehensive insights. Additionally, integrating sentiment analysis and network analysis could help discern emotional reactions and relational dynamics underlying the communication strategies. A key priority for future studies should be developing analytical techniques to reliably detect emerging misinformation threats. Overall, this study makes a theoretical contribution by advancing understanding of strategic communication approaches for knowledge integration amidst digital transformation and infodemics. The proposed framework provides a foundation for organisations to enhance their crisis management capacities as we navigate an increasingly complex and turbulent information landscape. Our findings highlight the critical role of multifaceted, dialogic communication in constituting resilient organisational knowledge ecosystems, especially in times of unprecedented disruption. Specifically, in addressing our research question - How do organisations communicate with their members and the general public to integrate knowledge and manage counter-knowledge through a pandemic crisis? - this study demonstrates the value of responsiveness, relocation, resilience and preparedness strategies. Our analysis of Twitter data provides insights into how organisations leveraged these communication mechanisms to share timely updates, have two-way dialogues, appreciate efforts, and signal future readiness. This enabled more effective knowledge integration and misinformation management throughout the turbulence of the COVID-19 crisis. Our framework elucidates how organisations can navigate infodemics by developing robust systems for participatory communication and sensemaking across fragmented knowledge landscapes.