What is the mission, key objectives, and strategies of the organisation, especially in relation to public sphere and public opinion?
Who are the organisation’s stakeholders?
How does your chosen organisation use online spaces and digital technology to engage with the public?
Through what kind of digital platforms does the chosen organisation present its public image? What is behind these choices?
Who does the organisation target in dissemination of its messages and information?
What is the content and form of the organisation’s online communication?
What kind of timing/frequency does the organisation use to disseminate specific messages and information?
How is the organisation engaging with publics through digital technologies?
Does the use of such digital technologies alter, extend, or refine the organisation’s engagement with public sphere and public opinion?
What recommendations can be made to improve the organisation's online engagement?
The Organisation’s Stakeholders
MSF’s stakeholders are diverse and their interests are often intertwined:
Beneficiaries: The patients and communities receiving medical aid. Their interest is in receiving compassionate, high-quality care.
Donors: Individuals and institutions who fund MSF's operations. Their interest is in ensuring their contributions are used effectively and ethically.
Staff and Volunteers: The doctors, nurses, and logistics personnel working in the field and in offices. Their interest is in a safe working environment and effective operations.
Governments and Policymakers: The authorities in countries where MSF operates and in donor nations. Their interest may be in maintaining political stability or in supporting humanitarian efforts, but can also be in controlling information.
The Public: A broad audience that MSF aims to educate and motivate to support its work and advocate for humanitarian causes.
Use of Online Spaces and Digital Technology
MSF uses online spaces and digital technology to achieve its public engagement goals by creating a direct channel of communication with its audience, bypassing traditional media gatekeepers. It leverages its digital platforms to:
Storytelling and Education: Share real-time updates and compelling stories from the field.
Fundraising: Provide accessible and secure ways for individuals to donate.
Advocacy: Launch digital campaigns to mobilize public support for policy changes.
Digital Platforms and Public Image
MSF uses a multi-platform approach to present its public image:
Official Website: This is the central hub for MSF. It serves as the primary source of organizational information, financial reports, and a portal for donations. Its professional, clean design is meant to project legitimacy, transparency, and trust.
Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter): These platforms are used for dynamic, real-time engagement. Facebook and Instagram are excellent for visual storytelling through photos and videos, while X is used for rapid, concise updates and policy commentary. The choice of these platforms is driven by their massive user base and capacity for viral sharing, which is critical for raising awareness quickly during a crisis.
YouTube: MSF's YouTube channel is where it shares powerful, in-depth documentaries and first-person accounts from its field workers. This platform allows for a deeper, more emotional connection with the audience, presenting a raw and authentic view of their work.
Sample Answer
Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières - MSF) is a humanitarian organization that exemplifies effective public engagement. Its mission, strategies, and use of digital technology are intricately linked to its success in the public sphere.
Mission, Key Objectives, and Strategies
MSF’s core mission is to provide medical aid to populations in distress, to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural or man-made disasters, regardless of gender, race, religion, creed, or political affiliation. In the public sphere, its key objectives are to:
Raise funds to finance its medical operations.
Raise awareness about the humanitarian crises it addresses.
Influence public opinion and policy to protect medical facilities, grant access to aid, and hold governments accountable.
Its main strategy is a principle of témoignage, or bearing witness. MSF uses its position on the front lines of crises to speak out and inform the public about what it sees. This strategy turns its direct experience into a powerful tool for advocacy and public education.