Results of implementing private social media within non-profit organizations to generate and leverage social capital

Social capital studies may offer insights and lead to reduced costs for Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) using emerging media to support their social networks and accomplish organizational outcomes. The structure of many NPOs provides fruitful social networks for the formation and leveraging of social capital in various ways. Social capital is a non-financial form of capital that is created and used within the context of relationships and social networks, and theories and models of social capital continue to be shaped by researchers from multiple disciplines, in particular using emerging media platforms. The study that is the subject of this dissertation examines the implementation of an internal social media platform (Ning) within a specific NPO (Home and Home). A quasi-experimental design includes pre- and post- tests of a subset of the client population of the NPO capturing social media and non-social media usage behavior and interaction by the client community. Variables representing the relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital were tracked with surveys, and several outcome variables are examined related to goals/missions of the NPO. Correlational analysis is conducted to determine the relationships between high usage of the social media platform and social capital outcomes for the networks represented as well as effects on organizational goals. Results indicated partial support for positive relationships between increased usage of social media platforms and relational and cognitive social capital. Results did not fully support the positive relationships between increased relational and cognitive social capital and knowledge quality/quantity as well as an outcome variable of value to the NPO. Lessons learned, best practices recommendations for NPOs, and discussion of implications of this research and recommendations for future research in this area conclude the dissertation.