Estratégias e política de comunicação em universidades federais brasileiras: uma análise do uso do Facebook

Abstract

Communication Policy is an essential instrument of dialogue and relationship. It allows the organization to direct all its work in the area of communication in a participatory manner. This study aimed to understand how Brazilian federal universities have built their communication policies. In this process, the institutions have been taken social media into account, especially Facebook. This study has seven stages: identification of universities with Communication Policy; identification of universities' online performance; participation of universities on Facebook; analysis of Communication Policies; interview with key university people; interpretation of data and confrontation with theory and elaboration of a technical manual. The different angles of analysis collaborated in solving the problem of this research. Despite the relevance of a Strategic Communication Policy, even as a guide in managers' decision-making process, this study found that less than a quarter of federal universities had such a formalized document, reinforcing this research's importance. Regarding the Strategic Communication Policies analyzed in this research, innovation, technology, social networks, and social media are still few addressed. It is worth noting that the universities that more explored social media content are the ones that presented the best results in public communication and public participation indexes on Facebook after implementing the Strategic Communication Policy. This research also provides a manual with guidelines for those institutions willing to implement a strategic instrument. Such practice could strengthen the organization's image and improve visibility, credibility, and confidence before its stakeholders. Also, in institutionalizing a Strategic Communication Policy, it is possible to evaluate the different subjects that relate to the organization and obtain a greater rapprochement with these actors.