Abstract:
The study examines the kinds of posts CEOs share on social media and further
investigates how the concepts of self-branding and corporate branding are enacted
through the posts. This research, through the lens of Goffman’s Presentation of Self
and the theory of identity construction, and anchored on a case study design
interrogates Facebook and Twitter posts of two purposively selected CEOs. This
study indicates that the selected CEOs share posts on governance, their personalities,
global issues, social and organisational subjects. Also, the study reveals that the CEOs
present themselves positively to appeal to their social media followers. This assertion
is supported by the CEOs branding of themselves as organisational leaders, corporate
spokespersons, social commentators, influencers, globetrotters, religious people and
gender advocates. Further, the study showed that the images of the organisations the
selected CEOs head are shaped positively through their social media use. In effect,
CEOs portray their organisations as competent, innovative and impactful. The study
concludes that the CEOs construct, modify, maintain and promote their identities and
that of their organisations on social media.
Description:
A DISSERTATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND
MEDIA STUDIES, FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION
AND COMMUNICATION, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE
STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA, IN PARTIAL
FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF THE MASTER
OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES
(BUSINESS COMMUNICATION).
JULY, 2017