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  • Rationalising the use of Tw...
    Comrie, E.L.; Burns, C.; Coulson, A.B.; Quigley, J.; Quigley, K.F.

    European journal of operational research, 01/2019, Letnik: 272, Številka: 2
    Journal Article

    •Used soft system dynamics to study risk communication during health risk events.•Explicates health professionals’ mental models of Twitter for risk communication.•Operationalises the Social Amplification of Risk Framework using system dynamics.•Captures non-linear, complex dynamics of trust via a causal loop diagram.•Health organisations face challenges institutionalising the use of Twitter. Communication of health risk events is a complex and challenging task. The advent of information and communication technology along with the following popularisation and widespread uptake of social media are reshaping the field of risk communication. Guided by key tenets of the Social Amplification of Risk Framework, this study developed a causal loop diagram, capturing the perceptions of professionals in health organisations regarding the role of Twitter during risk events. The aim of this paper is to explore the use of the causal loop diagram and its role with rationalising the use of Twitter in risk communication strategies. A key finding of the model is the central role of trust and its interrelationship with other factors during a risk event. A contribution is made to operational research through the novel use of soft system dynamics in risk communication, to risk communication through the investigation of the new medium Twitter and also to research on the Social Amplification of Risk Framework by providing a means through which to operationalise the framework.