Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websites
Abstract This study investigates the news articles about the global crisis published by university official websites, aiming to identify opinion leaders from world-class universities. Based on the characteristics of opinion leaders, content analysis is used to analyze the case of COVID-19. The profe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Nature
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04285-7 |
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| author | Xin Guo Zhuolin Feng |
| author_facet | Xin Guo Zhuolin Feng |
| author_sort | Xin Guo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study investigates the news articles about the global crisis published by university official websites, aiming to identify opinion leaders from world-class universities. Based on the characteristics of opinion leaders, content analysis is used to analyze the case of COVID-19. The professionalism of all information is assessed through qualitative analysis, and activity and centrality are quantified by descriptive statistics and social network analysis, respectively. The findings of this study indicate that these three criteria can be used to assess universities. University opinion leaders show the characteristics of high professionalism, high activity and high centrality. Influenced by the institutional traits of world-class universities, university opinion leaders are divided into different types. Playing a comprehensive and multidimensional role may enable the public to quickly recognize their contributions through multiple channels, thereby gaining wide recognition. Moreover, extensive information sharing facilitates effective coordination of crisis management activities with global institutions. Some iconic brand achievements enhance their overall influence, producing a halo effect. This study is one of the first exploratory attempts to identify university opinion leaders, integrating communication theory with practical application in higher education. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4c29ef7e932947a2a570fa64420fe5ac |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-4c29ef7e932947a2a570fa64420fe5ac2025-08-20T01:59:42ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922024-12-0111111110.1057/s41599-024-04285-7Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websitesXin Guo0Zhuolin Feng1School of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversitySchool of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAbstract This study investigates the news articles about the global crisis published by university official websites, aiming to identify opinion leaders from world-class universities. Based on the characteristics of opinion leaders, content analysis is used to analyze the case of COVID-19. The professionalism of all information is assessed through qualitative analysis, and activity and centrality are quantified by descriptive statistics and social network analysis, respectively. The findings of this study indicate that these three criteria can be used to assess universities. University opinion leaders show the characteristics of high professionalism, high activity and high centrality. Influenced by the institutional traits of world-class universities, university opinion leaders are divided into different types. Playing a comprehensive and multidimensional role may enable the public to quickly recognize their contributions through multiple channels, thereby gaining wide recognition. Moreover, extensive information sharing facilitates effective coordination of crisis management activities with global institutions. Some iconic brand achievements enhance their overall influence, producing a halo effect. This study is one of the first exploratory attempts to identify university opinion leaders, integrating communication theory with practical application in higher education.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04285-7 |
| spellingShingle | Xin Guo Zhuolin Feng Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websites Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websites |
| title_full | Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websites |
| title_fullStr | Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websites |
| title_short | Identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis: information communication on official websites |
| title_sort | identifying university opinion leaders during the global crisis information communication on official websites |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04285-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xinguo identifyinguniversityopinionleadersduringtheglobalcrisisinformationcommunicationonofficialwebsites AT zhuolinfeng identifyinguniversityopinionleadersduringtheglobalcrisisinformationcommunicationonofficialwebsites |