<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> This paper presents the first findings of research that focused on the use of social media by Slovak regional towns. Social media, namely Facebook, are considered a powerful tool for various public administration activities that do not relate only to informing citizens, but also having them participate in decision-making and municipality governance. Th e paper points out the ways of social media usage by selected municipalities. Th e research was carried out in the months of February and March 2018 using a special tool for analyzing Facebook pages called Quintly and a questionnaire survey among the employees of the municipalities. Th e results indicate that municipalities use Facebook mainly for ex-ante informing and for asking citizens to vote in various competitions that can help the local government to gain funding for some public services. Calling for participation in decision-making is very limited. Th e paper also shows a comparative perspective that can be used by municipalities but also by other local or even national governments to work further with Facebook and adopt a social media use strategy.</p></abstract>

This paper presents the first findings of research that focused on the use of social media by Slovak regional towns. Social media, namely Facebook, are considered a powerful tool for various public administration activities that do not relate only to informing citizens, but also having them participate in decision-making and municipality governance. Th e paper points out the ways of social media usage by selected municipalities. Th e research was carried out in the months of February and March 2018 using a special tool for analyzing Facebook pages called Quintly and a questionnaire survey among the employees of the municipalities. Th e results indicate that municipalities use Facebook mainly for ex-ante informing and for asking citizens to vote in various competitions that can help the local government to gain funding for some public services. Calling for participation in decision-making is very limited. Th e paper also shows a comparative perspective that can be used by municipalities but also by other local or even national governments to work further with Facebook and adopt a social media use strategy.

Can Social Media be a Tool for Participatory Governance in Slovak Municipalities ?

NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This paper presents the first findings of research that focused on the use of social media by Slovak regional towns. Social media, namely Facebook, are...

Can Social Media be a Tool for Participatory Governance in Slovak Municipalities ?

Published Online: Dec 06, 2018

Page range: 81 - 101

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nispa-2018-0014

Keywords
participatory governance, e-participation, social networks, social media

© 2018 Mária Murray Svidroňová, et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Can Social Media be a Tool for Participatory Governance in Slovak Municipalities ?

Published Online: Dec 06, 2018

Page range: 81 - 101

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/nispa-2018-0014

Keywordsparticipatory governance, e-participation, social networks, social media

© 2018 Mária Murray Svidroňová, et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
participatory governance, e-participation, social networks, social media