Initial objectives behind US and Swedish political parties' web presence: communication professionals' perspectives. (16th November 2010)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Opoku, Robert Ankomah; Williams, Edem Bart
• Is Part Of: International journal of electronic governance. Volume 3:Number 3(2010)
• Page Start: 296
• Page End: 318
• Publication Date: 2010-11-16
• Subjects: political parties -- Sweden -- USA -- United States -- websites -- world wide web -- internet -- web presence -- communication professionals -- cross-national perspectives -- information provision -- party support -- awareness creation -- online politics -- cyber politics -- cyberpolitics -- Democratic Party -- Republican Party -- Moderate Party -- Swedish Social Democratic Party -- Social Democrats -- Modaraterna -- electronic governance -- e-governance; Internet in public administration -- Periodicals; Electronic government information -- Periodicals; Political participation -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; 352.3802854678
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-7509

Abstract

This study presents empirical evidence to help better comprehend how political parties are using their websites to achieve different objectives. A qualitative approach was used to investigate this phenomenon in a comparative cross-national perspective. Findings from the study indicate that there are many objectives for political party websites, which go beyond communication and information as suggested in the literature and also encompass support and awareness creation. This study represents an attempt to strengthen the theoretical underpinnings of why political parties go online and to ground more thoroughly our understanding of cyber politics through an empirical study.