Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activity

Local Action Groups (LAGs) play an important role in the development of rural territories, by engaging communities in the creation of local identity. The LAGs have the great advantage of being in direct contact with the population, of understanding the needs of the local communities through direct i...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexandra-Catalina SZILAGYI, Alexandru OLAR
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Bucharest Publishing House 2023-07-01
Series:Styles of Communication
Subjects:
Online Access:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OXFibJRUwDU8jD7RfLzhuVqvlI8hlLSq/view
_version_ 1797771171698049024
author Alexandra-Catalina SZILAGYI
Alexandru OLAR
author_facet Alexandra-Catalina SZILAGYI
Alexandru OLAR
author_sort Alexandra-Catalina SZILAGYI
collection DOAJ
description Local Action Groups (LAGs) play an important role in the development of rural territories, by engaging communities in the creation of local identity. The LAGs have the great advantage of being in direct contact with the population, of understanding the needs of the local communities through direct interaction and involvement. They have the freedom to collaborate with public institutions, private partners, and local actors, to identify ideas and solutions that lead to the development of the final beneficiary, the rural area. By their nature, the LAGs aim at building a tight community, by being open to efficient communication. Their strategies must consider the characteristics of the target audience and their needs. The development of various online communication tools allows efficient and fruitful interaction if the communicators have the know-how, resources, and motivation. This paper aims at analyzing how the LAGs organize their public communication, both through websites and social media. A content analysis was applied to 65 LAGs, covering the Center and North-West Romanian Development Regions, and to 27 Facebook pages, covering the 2017-2022 timeframe. The results show that LAGs need a significant enhancement in the way they communicate, in order to unite the community around them.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T21:32:38Z
format Article
id doaj.art-83190917cd464d4895b72113891c33bc
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2065-7943
2067-564X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T21:32:38Z
publishDate 2023-07-01
publisher University of Bucharest Publishing House
record_format Article
series Styles of Communication
spelling doaj.art-83190917cd464d4895b72113891c33bc2023-07-27T15:41:12ZengUniversity of Bucharest Publishing HouseStyles of Communication2065-79432067-564X2023-07-01151119142https://doi.org/10.31178/SC.15.1.06Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activityAlexandra-Catalina SZILAGYI0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7454-2385Alexandru OLAR1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5313-6604Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-NapocaUniversity of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-NapocaLocal Action Groups (LAGs) play an important role in the development of rural territories, by engaging communities in the creation of local identity. The LAGs have the great advantage of being in direct contact with the population, of understanding the needs of the local communities through direct interaction and involvement. They have the freedom to collaborate with public institutions, private partners, and local actors, to identify ideas and solutions that lead to the development of the final beneficiary, the rural area. By their nature, the LAGs aim at building a tight community, by being open to efficient communication. Their strategies must consider the characteristics of the target audience and their needs. The development of various online communication tools allows efficient and fruitful interaction if the communicators have the know-how, resources, and motivation. This paper aims at analyzing how the LAGs organize their public communication, both through websites and social media. A content analysis was applied to 65 LAGs, covering the Center and North-West Romanian Development Regions, and to 27 Facebook pages, covering the 2017-2022 timeframe. The results show that LAGs need a significant enhancement in the way they communicate, in order to unite the community around them.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OXFibJRUwDU8jD7RfLzhuVqvlI8hlLSq/viewlagonline communicationleaderrural developmentcommunity-led local developmenteu.
spellingShingle Alexandra-Catalina SZILAGYI
Alexandru OLAR
Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activity
Styles of Communication
lag
online communication
leader
rural development
community-led local development
eu.
title Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activity
title_full Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activity
title_fullStr Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activity
title_full_unstemmed Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activity
title_short Engaging rural communities: The uses of online communication tools in Local Action Groups’ activity
title_sort engaging rural communities the uses of online communication tools in local action groups activity
topic lag
online communication
leader
rural development
community-led local development
eu.
url https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OXFibJRUwDU8jD7RfLzhuVqvlI8hlLSq/view
work_keys_str_mv AT alexandracatalinaszilagyi engagingruralcommunitiestheusesofonlinecommunicationtoolsinlocalactiongroupsactivity
AT alexandruolar engagingruralcommunitiestheusesofonlinecommunicationtoolsinlocalactiongroupsactivity