Digital Commons Network^™

Maui Wildfires: A Case Study In Local Government Crisis Communication Response, Joshua A. Voda

Student Theses and Dissertations

When wildfires swept through the island of Maui in Hawai‘i in August 2023, the communities of Olinda, Kula and especially Lahaina were devastated. Thousands of people were displaced, and nearly 100 people were lost. Just like the speed at which the fiery winds consumed these towns, accusations of emergency mismanagement and a host of misinformation spread by word of mouth and online. The primary local government authority for these communities is the County of Maui, currently led by Mayor Richard Bissen. This case study examines the first month of communication from the County of Maui to the affected communities via …

Serving Behind The Screen: Practical Recommendations For Best Practices On Social Media For Government Practitioners, Livianette Cabrera

Student Theses and Dissertations

The usage and importance of social media continues to grow in our everyday life, however, governments lag on using the platforms to the fullest extent. This study aimed at learning what best practices should government practitioners exercise to meet constituents needs and provide services and information online. Through oral histories conducted with a small pool of participants, four themes emerged which helped to answer the research question. Findings illustrated four main traits/themes were essential if social media managers wanted to excel at their job: Competent Strategic Senior Management, Effective Community Management, Mission and Value Alignment, and Customized Curation. Through an …

Financial Influencers And Social Media: The Role Of Valuable And Trusted Content In Creating A New Form Of Authenticity, Imene Chikhi

Student Theses and Dissertations

Prior research shows that social media influencers often use their social networks for constant exposure and self-promotion, similar to the way celebrities do. However, little is known about the potential social media offers for the search of educational content and thought leaders in specific social eds. This research aims at exploring the opportunities social media or as a medium for financial literacy. We examine the content of personal finance influencers who use social as a way to create, share, and promote valuable content of financial knowledge and provide advice to their audiences.

We found that helping individuals to increase their …