Organizational Image Construction in a Fragmented Online Media Environment

This article examines the role of different online and social media channels in constructing organizational image. Bimodal network analysis was used to examine 6 months of self-presentation by natural supermarket chain Whole Foods through its online press room, blog, and microblogging account. The channels converged on a core set of terms, and overlapped in others, but each channel also addressed divergent aspects of the organization's projected image. This study suggests that the structural and social characteristics of these channels give them varying roles in the image construction process, creating new challenges for the public relations function in coordinating image management among various new media.