WHEN OPINION LEADERS TWEET: FRAMING ANALYSIS OF KUWAITI PARLIAMENT MEMBERS’ TWEETS
Abstract
This research investigated Kuwaiti parliament members’ leadership behavior on Twitter by applying Bolman and Deal’s (1984) leadership theory of framing. The study classified parliament
members according to their political party affiliation-Islamists, independents, liberals, and populists party- and investigated the prevalence of four leadership frames through a content analysis of eight parliament members’ messages on Twitter over a period of six months from June 15, 2011 to November 15, 2011. Results showed that, overall, the structural frame was the most commonly used frame among parliament members, followed by the political, symbolic, and human resource frame respectively. The use of frames depended on both the political group and
the topic of issues. The Islamist group, liberal and populist party more often used the structural frame in their Twitter messages whereas the independent group more often used the political frame.
Keywords
Kaynakça
- Twitter and the differences in leadership framing among political groups that this study prevailed can have important implications for public understanding and evaluation of political actors, political parties, and social media literacy. For further research, it is important to identify further characteristics that may be qualified for testing each frame on a political context as Bolman & Deal’s leadership frames focuses on organizational leaders. Alfadhly, S. (2011, February 18). Social Networks effects on national security. Alaan online.
- Retrieved September 7, 2011 from http://www.alaan.cc/
- Alfuzai, M. (June 23, 2007). Are Political Parties a Must Now? Kuwait Times. Retrieved on
- October 23, 2011 from http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=OTAzMjk0MjIy
- AlQassemi, S. (2011, May 31). Gulf Governments Take to Social Media. Middle East Online.
- Retrieved September 10, 2011 from http://middle-east-online.com/english/?id=46414
- Al-Mazeedi, L. & Ibrahim, I. (1998). The educational and social effects of the Internet on
- Kuwait University students. Paper Presented at the Conference on Information Superhighway, Safat, Kuwait. AlMutairi, J. (September 22, 2011). Twitter Attracts Kuwaiti Parliament Members. AlWatan
- Newspaper. Retrieved on October 20, 2011 from http://alwatan.kuwait.tt/pdfhome.aspx?type=Cal&id=20/09/2011&year=2011
- Arab Social Media Report (2011). Dubai School of Government, 2. Retrieved September 5, from http://www.dsg.ae/portals/0/ASMR2.pdf
