Strategic management of external organizational communication in the era of social media. Challenges of the BUCOC network member libraries.

Abstract

This work analyzes the management of external digital organizational communication in the social media of university libraries belonging to the Network of Catholic and Catholic-oriented Universities of the Argentine Republic (BUCOC), and its possible relationship with the professional training of those responsible and collaborators in charge of this task. The study was carried out between July 1, 2020 and January 31, 2022, using a descriptive approach and a non-experimental design of transectional or cross-sectional type. Direct observation techniques were used for the analysis, using criteria guides to analyze websites and social media profiles, and surveys of library managers and their collaborators involved in communication management. The results reveal that most libraries use social media to promote their services, but hardly use them to establish public relations with users. Weaknesses in communication practices were identified, possibly related to the lack of training in the strategic management of digital communication. The work concludes by pointing out possible areas for future research related to the topic addressed in the study.