Engendering Relationship Outcomes Through Stakeholder Involvement: A Case Study of a Nonprofit Organization

Authors

  • Julie O'Neil Texas Christian University
  • Nick Olivier Texas Christian University
  • Jacque Lambiase Texas Christian University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58997/smc.v28i2.59

Abstract

This study examined the recent efforts of a nonprofit to engage its stakeholders in its planning and programming and empirically tested whether the sharing of tasks cultivation strategy positively related to the relationship outcomes of commitment, control mutuality, trust, donations, and volunteering. Two hundred and fifteen stakeholders affiliated with the nonprofit Streams and Valleys completed an online questionnaire. Results indicate that nonprofits can facilitate greater involvement from stakeholders via collaborative volunteer projects and open forums. As predicted by relationship theory, the sharing of tasks relationship cultivation strategy is positively related to the relationship outcomes of commitment, control mutuality, and satisfaction and to the behaviors of donations and volunteering.

References

Bortree, D. (2007, May). Relationship management in an online environment: Non-profit websites’ use of relational maintenance strategies with child and adolescent publics. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, San Francisco, CA.

Bortree, D., & Seltzer, T. (2009). Dialogic strategies and outcomes: An analysis of environmental advocacy groups’ Facebook profiles. Public Relations Review, 35(3), 317319.

Bortree, D. & Waters, R. (2010). The impact of involvement in the organisation-public relationship: Measuring the mediating role of involvement between organisation behavior and perceived relationship quality. PRism 7(2). Retrieved from http://www.prismjournal.org/fileadmin/Praxis/Files/Journal_Files/Bortree_Waters.pdf

Bruning, S. D., DeMiglio, P. A., & Embry, K. (2006). Mutual benefit as outcome indicator: Factors influencing perceptions of benefit in organization-public relationships. Public Relations Review, 32, 33-40.

Cone Communications Prove Your Purpose (2013, Jan 14). Four predictions for social impact in 2013. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://www.conecomm.com/2013-social-impact-predictions

Duncan, T. (2002), IMC: Using Advertising and Promotion to Build Brands, McGraw-Hill Irwin, Boston, MA.

Eisner, D., Grimm, R, Maynard, S. & Washburn, S. (2009). The New Volunteer Workplace. Retrieved September 7, 2012 from http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_new_volunteer_workforce

Garbarino, E. and Johnson, M.S. (1999), “The different roles of satisfaction, trust and commitment in customer relationships”, Journal of Marketing, 63(2), 70-87.

Hallahan, K. (2008).Organizational–public relationships in cyberspace. In T.L. Hansen-Horn, & B.D. Neff (Eds.), Public relations: From theory to practice (pp. 46–73). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Hon. L. & Grunig, J.E. (1999). Guidelines for measuring relationships in public relations. Institute for Public Relations, Gainsville, FL.

Kelleher, T., & Miller, B. M. (2006). Organizational blogs and the human voice: Relational strategies and relational outcomes. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11, 395–414.

Kanter, B. (August 30, 2012). Becoming a Networked Nonprofit. Retrieved September 7, 2012 from http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/becoming_a_networked_nonprofit

Ki, E.-J. & Hon, L.C. (2006). Relationship maintenance strategies on Fortune 500 company web sites. Journal of Communication Management, 10(1), 27-43.

Ki, E. J. and Hon, L.C. (2007), “Reliability and validity of organization-public relationship measurement and linkages among relationship indicators in a membership organization”, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Vol. 84 No. 3, pp. 419438.

Ledingham, J.A., Bruning, S.D., & Wilson, L.J. (2000). Time as an indicator of the perceptions and behavior of members of a key public: Monitoring and predicting organization-public relationships. Journal of Public Relations Research, 11(2), 167-183.

Moorman, C., Zaltman, G. and Deshpande, R. (1992), “Relationships between providers and users of marketing research relationships”, Journal of Marketing Research, 29(3), 314-328.

Morgan, R.M., and Hunt, S.D. (1994), “The commitment-trust theory of relationship building,” Journal of Marketing Research, 58(3), 20-38.

O’Neil, J. (2007). The link between strong public relationships and donor support. Public Relations Review, 33, 99-102.

O’Neil, J. (2012). An Examination of How Fortune 500 Companies and Philanthropy 200 Nonprofits Cultivate Relationships Using Facebook. Proceedings of the 15 th Annual Public Relationship Conference.

Park, H. & Rhee, Y. (2010). Associations among relationship maintenance strategies, organization-public relationships, and support for organizations: An exploratory study of the non-profit sector. PRism 7(2). Retrieved from http://www.prismjournal.org/fileadmin/Praxis/Files/Journal_Files/Park_Rhee.pdf

Rybalko, S., & Seltzer, T. (2010). Dialogic communication in 140 characters or less: How Fortune 500 companies engage stakeholders using Twitter. Public Relations Review, 36(4), 336-341.

Sargeant, A. and Lee, S. (2004), “Trust and relationship commitment in the United Kingdom voluntary sector: determinant of donor behavior,” Psychology and Marketing, 21(8), 613-635.

Sisco, F. H., Collins, F.L., Zoch, L.M. (2010). Through the looking glass: A decade of Red Cross crisis response and situational crisis communication theory. Public Relations Review, 36(1), 21-27.

Spillan, J. E. (2003). An Exploratory Model for Evaluating Crisis Events and Managers' Concerns in Non-Profit Organisations. Journal of Contingencies & Crisis Management, 11(4), 160-169.

Stafford, L., & Canary, D. J. (1991). Maintenance strategies and romantic relationship type, gender and relational characteristics. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 8, 217–242.

Waters, R.D. (2008). Applying relationship management theory to the fundraising process for individual donors. Journal of Communication Management, 12, 73-87.

Waters, R. (2009a). Comparing the two sides of the nonprofit organization–donor relationship: Applying coorientation methodology to relationship management. Public Relations Review, 35(2), 144-146.

Waters, R. (2009b). Measuring stewardship in public relations: A test exploring impact on the fundraising relationship. Public Relations Review, 35(2), 113-119.

Williams, K.D. & Brunner, B.R. (2010). Using cultivation strategies to manage public relationships: A content analysis of non-profit organizations’ websites. PRism 7(2). Retrieved from http://www.prismjournal.org/fileadmin/Praxis/Files/Journal_Files/Williams_Brunner.pdf

Yang, S.U. (2007). An integrated model for organizational-public relational outcomes, organizational reputation, and their antecedents. Journal of Public Relations, 19(2), 91121.

Downloads

Published

2019-06-18

Issue

Section

Articles