Drivers of Social Media Adoption in Swiss Municipalities: The Impact of Structural Factors and Council Members’ Engagement

Dario Wellinger; Ursin Fetz; Jean-Patrick Villeneuve

doi:10.5334/ssas.229

Abstract

As in other countries, digitalization is changing local government communication in Switzerland. Social media is increasingly complementing traditional tools such as informational flyers and press releases.

This paper examines the impact of structural factors, such as population age structure and municipal financial situation, on municipalities’ adoption of social media. To address this question, we analyze a comprehensive survey of 414 municipalities, representative of all Swiss regions. This study further investigates how individual municipal council members’ personal social media use influence municipalities’ adoption of social media communication.

Results indicate that municipalities’ size and municipal council members’ personal social media use are significant predictors of adoption. Thus, in Switzerland’s political militia system, politicians bridge the public and private spheres, making their personal social media use particularly relevant. Contrary to expectations, neither municipal debt nor population age structure significantly affects adoption.

Abstrakt

Die Schweizer Gemeindekommunikation unterliegt durch die Digitalisierung bedingten Veränderungen. Die Gemeinden balancieren traditionelle Instrumente und soziale Medien für ihre Kommunikationsbedürfnisse aus. Diese Studie untersucht die Adoptionsfaktoren sozialer Medien bei 414 Schweizer Gemeinden mittels logistischer Regression. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Gemeindegrösse und die Nutzung sozialer Medien durch Ratsmitglieder signifikante Prädiktoren für die kommunale Adoption sozialer Medien sind.

Abstraite

La communication communale suisse subit des changements importants en raison de la numérisation. Les communes équilibrent les outils traditionnels et les médias sociaux pour répondre à leurs différents besoins communicationnels. Cette étude examine les facteurs d’adoption des médias sociaux dans 414 communes suisses. Les résultats montrent que la taille de la commune et l’utilisation des médias sociaux par les conseillers communaux sont des prédicteurs significatifs de l’adoption communale des médias sociaux.

Schlüsselwörter: Kommunikation des öffentlichen Sektors; Social Media; Öffentliche Kommunikation; Digitale Kommunikation; Lokalregierungen

Mots-clés: Communication du secteur public; Médias sociaux; Communication publique; Communication numérique; Gouvernements locaux

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Drivers of Social Media Adoption in Swiss Municipalities: The Impact of Structural Factors and Council Members’ Engagement

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