Strategiskt lyssnande på sociala medier. En studie av hur en kommun praktiserar lyssnande på Facebook.

Sammanfattning: The importance of listening as a part of organizations' strategic communication has been stated in previous research, as well as the possibilities of listening on social media. But the question that remains is: how can strategic listening be put into practice on social media? There is an identified lack of research that highlights how strategic listening can be applied to social media in the practice of organizations, which this study therefore aims to contribute to. The purpose of this study is to investigate how strategic listening can be practiced on social media. Furthermore, develop understanding and increase knowledge regarding how organizations choose to listen to their stakeholders and in which way this can be expressed and visualized on social media. In order to investigate this phenomenon, a content analysis of selected Facebook posts from the municipality of Malmö has been conducted, regarding the period of October 4 2022 to April 4 2023. The content analysis is supplemented by interviews with employees within the municipality of Malmö, which in various ways have insight into how social media is being used. The results showed that the municipality of Malmö practices strategic listening on Facebook based on our chosen theoretical framework. Moreover, the result indicates that an understanding of the concept exists, where the ambition to practice strategic listening is reflected in the analyzed posts. The study also highlights challenges with practicing strategic listening on social media, although with the conclusion that the opportunities and positive outcomes outweigh the challenges. However, the interviews illustrate divided opinions regarding if listening is being practiced in a systematic and conscious way within the organization. The results thus highlight the importance of a clear implementation, in order to reach consensus of the concept, its application and aim throughout the organization.