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.