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Uncovering stakeholders in public–private relations on social media: a case study of the 2015 Volkswagen scandal

Author

Listed:
  • Kyujin Jung

    (Korea University)

  • Kenneth Chilton

    (Tennessee State University)

  • Jesus N. Valero

    (University of Utah)

Abstract

While researchers have focused on the nature of interpersonal communication on social media, few have investigated the patterns and structures of interactions among stakeholders engaged in an unexpected event. On September 18, 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of violation of the U.S. Clean Air Act to Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., citing Volkswagen’s inappropriate software that circumvented the United States’ emission standards. This research is systemically designed to examine the evolutionary structures of interpersonal issue networks on social media by focusing on the 2015 Volkswagen scandal on social media. The interpersonal network emerged and evolved to build a discourse on issues by stakeholders after the event. By using longitudinal data collected from the Volkswagen USA’s Facebook page between September 17 and 20, 2015, this research tests four hypothesized network structures, which are reciprocity, transitivity, popularity, and activity, which assess the evolution of interpersonal issue networks. The results of exponential random graph models, analyzing 4131 stakeholders, show that interpersonal issue networks on social media have evolved overtime into a set of reciprocal relations and stakeholders transmitting critical information to bystanders. The findings imply that stakeholders who have Volkswagen’s cars and stocks play a critical role in placating the scandal by mutually interacting with diverse bystanders on social media.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyujin Jung & Kenneth Chilton & Jesus N. Valero, 2017. "Uncovering stakeholders in public–private relations on social media: a case study of the 2015 Volkswagen scandal," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 1113-1131, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:51:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s11135-016-0462-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-016-0462-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Paul Almeida & Bruce Kogut, 1999. "Localization of Knowledge and the Mobility of Engineers in Regional Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(7), pages 905-917, July.
    2. John M Bryson, 2004. "What to do when Stakeholders matter," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 21-53, March.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Olivier Boiral & Marie‐Christine Brotherton & Léo Rivaud & David Talbot, 2022. "Comparing the uncomparable? An investigation of car manufacturers' climate performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2213-2229, July.
    3. Geissinger, Andrea & Laurell, Christofer & Sandström, Christian & Eriksson, Klas & Nykvist, Rasmus, 2019. "Digital entrepreneurship and field conditions for institutional change– Investigating the enabling role of cities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 877-886.
    4. Eun Sun Lee & Kyujin Jung, 2018. "Dynamics of social economy self-organized on social media: following social entrepreneur forum and social economy network on Facebook," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 635-651, March.
    5. Laurell, Christofer & Sandström, Christian, 2018. "Comparing coverage of disruptive change in social and traditional media: Evidence from the sharing economy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 339-344.
    6. Jungwon Yeo & Claire Connolly Knox & Kyujin Jung, 2018. "Unveiling cultures in emergency response communication networks on social media: following the 2016 Louisiana floods," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 519-535, March.
    7. Geissinger, Andrea & Laurell, Christofer & Sandström, Christian, 2020. "Digital Disruption beyond Uber and Airbnb—Tracking the long tail of the sharing economy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    8. Marco Opazo-Basáez & Ferran Vendrell-Herrero & Oscar F. Bustinza, 2018. "Uncovering Productivity Gains of Digital and Green Servitization: Implications from the Automotive Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-17, May.
    9. Odhiambo Norbert Omuga & Robert Moracha Ogeto & Xiongying Niu, 2021. "Effect of Determinants of Entrepreneurial Innovation on Businesses Innovation Capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 5(5), pages 8-21.
    10. Brian D. Williams & Jesus N. Valero & Kyungwoo Kim, 2018. "Social media, trust, and disaster: Does trust in public and nonprofit organizations explain social media use during a disaster?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 537-550, March.
    11. Brian W. Jacobs & Vinod R. Singhal, 2020. "Shareholder Value Effects of the Volkswagen Emissions Scandal on the Automotive Ecosystem," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 29(10), pages 2230-2251, October.

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