Public Relations in a Digital Era: Localising the Global Corporations’ Activities and Social Media Uses in Tanzania

Abstract

Public Relations concepts and practice in different democracies vary according to the nature of their political, cultural, social, and the level of technological orientation or advancement. With the digital age and the increasing trend in globalization, Global or Multinational Corporations have both challenges and opportunities towards meeting their business goals as to win hearts and minds of customers/publics in a diverse environment. Public Relations in Digital Age: Localising Global Corporations Activities and Social Media Uses in Tanzania, using Standard Chartered Bank, Coca Cola Company, and Barrick (Acacia) Mines, as case, has investigated the activities done by the Corporations, social media engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility activities and comparing local and global activities of the Corporations. The three Corporations’ profiles were surveyed to grasp their natures - activities and new media uses while a three- year content analysis was done through Corporations’ social networking sites (SNS) – Facebook, Twitter and You Tube to understand their uses of SNS in enhancing their roles through Public Relations. The findings show that despite their differences in nature, they all use their global business experiences in dealing with local activities. They have been responding to silent calls for glocalisation by identifying the basic needs of their customers/publics, for example, localizing the brand (Coca Cola to Coca Cola Kwanza), changing the brand name altogether (Barrick to Acacia), as well as stretching their Corporate Social Responsibility activities in health, education, environment and sports and entertainment while strengthening their ties with the government by not only responding to legal obligations like paying taxes but also supporting communication and health sectors. However, more glocalisation process is still in need as compared to what has been done in other countries in responding to cultural-centric and polycentric PR approaches. Moreover, the MNCs use both asymmetric and symmetric communication through Facebook, Twitter and You Tube. Twitter has been the mostly used SN especially in a symmetrical communication followed by Facebook. It has been also observed that the sensitivity of Corporation’s activities increases the engagement in CSR activities. Since, the area has not been extensively researched, the researcher calls for more studies on glocalisation of MNCs and new media uses in developing countries and Tanzania in particular in attempt to exploit the potentials of Public Relations.