AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
DEVELOPMENT WITHIN OREGON’S FIRE
SERVICE COMMUNITY
PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
HATFIELD SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT
EMPA Capstone Presentation
By Will Bauscher
DRIVING FORCES BEHIND PROJECT
1. In recent years, a growing number of fire
service agencies, journals, and associations,
have created a presence on the diverse and
ever expansive social networks of Face book,
MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, and etc.
2. Increasing use of social media tools among
those entering fire service
– 85% new candidates
3. Public at large increasing use of social media
tools for information
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
1. The core objective and purpose of the
proposed research effort centers on
identifying essential elements and/or
attributes influencing social media policy for
Oregon’s Fire Service community:
• “What is the influence of structural, social, economic
and political attributes upon existing policy and
perceptions around social media in Oregon’s Fire
Service?”
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
EXISTING LITERATURE
• Emphasize three areas:
– General social media topics (expansive)
• Utilization; Privacy; Security; Cost/Benefit;
Management of. . .
– Policy ‘how to’ documents
• Dilemmas; Essential elements; Guidelines and ‘Best
Practices’ already established.
– Policy Analysis
• Analytical methodology; Decision making; Application
of policy theory.
METHODS – CONTENT ANALYSIS
(BIRKLAND’S – THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLICY MAKING)
METHODS – CONTENT ANALYSIS
• Focus on Oregon Fire
Departments
• Selection based upon list
maintained by State Fire Marshal
– Randomly sorted and utilized email for survey distribution.
• Of 317 departments contact
information was obtained for 82.
• Survey data collected and
analyzed & coded into four
categories of influence
– structural, social, political, and
economic.
• Social media policies were also
collected and analyzed into the
four categories of influence.
METHODS – CONTENT ANALYSIS
(OREGON’S FIRE SERVICE – THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLICY MAKING)
1. Education and understanding of
social media principals among
elected and administrative leaders
2. Level of commitment and/or
apprehension to social media use
3. Internal and external perceptions of
social media benefits/risks
4. Historical and sentinel events with
positive and negative connotations.
5. Political barriers to social media
utilization
1. Presence or absence of existing
policies related to social media
2. Electronic infrastructure
3. Organizational mission & core
operational requirements
4. Organizational & Operational
structure relating to policy
development and administration.
5. Structural barriers to social media
policy implementation
1. Perceived costs verses benefits of
social media utilization – including
non economic related elements.
2. Current and future budgetary
constraints
3. Resources associated with
effectiveness and efficiency sustainability
4. Staffing and support
5. Economic barriers to social media
utilization
1. Workforce demographics and
generational influences
2. Organizational interactions
internally and externally
3. Community demographics and
expectations.
4. Current and potential utilization of
social media tools
5. Social or cultural barriers to social
media utilization
ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
(AGENCIES CONSIDERING USING SOCIAL MEDIA)
ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
• “Structural Policy Environment” greatly impacts
social media policy in Oregon’s Fire Service
– EMS Mission
• Patient privacy, security
• “Social Policy Environment” is increasingly
impacting social media policy
– Workforce and community expectations
– Transparency in government
– Ever increasingly ‘connected’ society
CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
• “Political Policy Environment” influence is
much more difficult to determine.
– All politics is local
– Driven by organizational Mission, Vision, Values
– Conscious choice to adopt social media
• “Economic Policy Environment” is
predominantly a matter of choice.
– Benefits outweigh costs
SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY DEVELOPMENT
FOR OREGON’S FIRE SERVICE
• Emphasis must be placed upon alignment with
organization’s mission, vision, values
– Be clear about expectations, desires, and means of
accountability.
• Considering legal mandates
– HIPAA, BOLI, FLSA, Constitution, Labor agreements,
etc.
• Developed with focus on benefits verses
potential pitfalls.
• Go for it – “Semper Gumby”
– Policies on social media are living documents.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• Faculty & Staff
– Advisor Dr. Matt Jones
– EMPA faculty
• Dr. Ingle, Dr. Nishishiba, Dr. Morgan, Dr. Shin, Dr.
Cooper, Dr. Kass, Dr. Larsen, Dr. Lazenby.
– EMPA Staff
• Yachi Iisako
– EMPA Mentor
• Davis Moriuchi
• Colleagues – fellow students
MY WIFE & CHILDREN