Social and task-oriented communication on instant messaging platforms: a netnographic study of farmers’ whatsapp groups in Kenya

Abstract

Instant messaging platforms have become one of the most popular channels of communication globally. Communication of social and task messages on these platforms has attracted the interest of scholars but recent literature provides conflicting and inconclusive results about the interaction of those messages on online groups. This study aims at understanding the communication of task and social messages in farmers’ WhatsApp groups in Kenya, with a view to providing recommendations for policy and practice on messaging practices that can enhance effective communication in task-oriented instant messaging groups. It specifically aims at finding answers to three research questions: How do members of farmers’ WhatsApp groups in Kenya communicate social and task messages in their forums? What are the farmers’ responses to the communication of social and task-oriented messages on their WhatsApp groups? What are the farmers’ perceptions of communication of social and task-oriented messages posted on their WhatsApp groups? Informed by an interpretivist philosophical worldview, the study employed a qualitative approach to seek answers to the research questions. A netnographic research method was adopted and purposive sampling procedure used to pick study participants. Participant observation of five farmers’ WhatsApp groups was the main data generation technique of the study. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with twenty-five individual group members. Thematic analysis was used to make sense of the data. The results of the study show that communication of task and social messages takes place under a set of communication rules, stipulating that group conversation should be centred on task-oriented messages only. However, in spite of the clearly stated rules and regulations in favour of task-oriented messages, group members still posted social messages arguing that the social messages gave them a sense of belonging, unity of purpose and companionship, thereby motivating them to remain engaged in their tasks. Another finding shows that group members stated that some social messages played a key role in motivating them to remain engaged in their communication on task accomplishment. The conclusion is that there is an inextricable connection between task and social messages. While it is important for communicators in work environment to focus on task-oriented communication, it is equally important to give space for social communication as the bonhomie created by such communication acts as a cog in the wheel towards accomplishment of task. The study contributes to literature on social media communication in organisational settings, specifically with regard to WhatsApp group platforms, which have become ubiquitous in both formal and informal settings. It also contributes methodologically to the advancement of netnography in the study of communication on WhatsApp groups. There is need for communication managers of WhatsApp groups to abandon the single-minded, task-oriented rule they root for, since there are other competing relational needs to be met through the communication of social messages.