Social Media Marketing and Performance of Public Private Partnership Projects: a Case Study of Konza Technopolis
Abstract
The primary objective of this research was to analyze the influence of social media
marketing on the performance of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) projects, utilizing
the specific case of the Konza Technopolis project in Kenya. The research encompassed
three main objectives: an evaluation of social media tools' utilization in project
management, the determination of the significance of social media tools in project
management, and the identification of effective social media strategies for marketing
the Konza Technopolis initiative. Konza Technopolis constitutes a smart city project
aligned with the Kenya Vision 2030 development roadmap, aiming to elevate the nation
into a middle-income status through industrialization. The project boasts an estimated
budget of $14.5 billion, wherein the Kenyan Government contributes 10 percent
towards horizontal infrastructure and the private sector funds vertical infrastructure.
The endeavor has encountered obstacles including limited public awareness,
unfavorable perceptions, political interference, and funding delays triggered by
sluggish economic growth. In the realm of project management, effective
communication is pivotal, particularly in the face of challenges posed by dispersed
stakeholders and project teams. The diverse communication options offered by social
media platforms can significantly enhance project efficiency, thereby rendering them
indispensable tools for project managers. Nevertheless, the adoption of social media
strategies in project management has been gradual and inconsistent, with limited
comprehensive research on their holistic application. Ethical and privacy concerns
further hinder the integration of social media into project management. The exact
impact of social media strategies on project management remains ambiguous, with
limited insights into their external project management applications. This study,
drawing on the framework of the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), endeavored to
explore the potential integration of social media into project management to amplify
the visibility of PPP projects such as the Konza Technopolis initiative. Employing a
mixed-method approach, data were gathered from project managers across various
sectors within Konza Technopolis to identify optimal social media strategies for
managing project partners, project monitoring and evaluation, and enhancement of
public relations. The study also assessed the intrinsic importance of social media tools
in project management and their contribution to the uptake of PPP projects. Data
collection involved questionnaires and analysis of social media reports, facilitated by a
descriptive research design aimed at deciphering the factors influencing the effective
assimilation of social media strategies in project management. The findings bear
significant implications for knowledge management, underscoring the role of social
media tools in instantaneous information exchange, knowledge retention, and
revitalization. Additionally, the study offers a systematic assessment of social media
tools and strategies in project management, thereby laying the groundwork for future
research initiatives. Notably, the descriptive findings revealed extensive employment
of social media tools in project management at Konza Technopolis. Platforms such as
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn were utilized for stakeholder engagement,
project updates, and promotional endeavors. The study acknowledged the notable
influence of these tools on collaboration, communication, and leadership within project
teams, ultimately precipitating cultural shifts. The tools facilitated seamless work
operations irrespective of geographical location, fostering information dissemination,
optimization of initiatives, and identification of areas necessitating improvement within
projects. Moreover, the research identified several effective social media strategies for
marketing Konza Technopolis, including the utilization of social media influencers,
advertising, contests, and promotions. Social media influencers were found to be
efficacious by 65 percent of the respondents, with 55 percent affirming the effectiveness
of social media advertising. The study underscores the advantages of social media tools
over traditional project management methods, encompassing heightened productivity,
enriched collaboration and communication, and financial gains. The study proposes the
adoption of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram for
project communication and marketing, advocating diverse social media strategies for
promoting smart cities. The application of linear regression unveiled that social
networks, blogging, events, and microblogging significantly contributed to variations
in visibility, emphasizing their pivotal role in shaping the prominence of Konza
Technopolis. The outcomes of this research hold the potential to influence
governmental policies related to projects and to chart novel directions for expediting
the adoption of smart city marketing strategies in Africa. Moreover, the study enhances
the knowledge pool within project management, providing valuable recommendations
for project managers seeking to harness the potential of social media for bolstering
project success.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
The following license files are associated with this item: