BMW: The Development of Social Media Policy

Authors
Grodecki, M., Kearney, J., Sikes, C. and O'Rourke, J.S. (Editor)
Region
North America
Topic
Strategy & General Management
Length
8 pages
Keywords
automotive industry
electro-vehicle
CEO
Public Relations
social media policy
Copyright Holder
Notre Dame
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students

Luxury automaker BMW monitors a criticism on a popular electro-vehicle blog, following public comments made by its CEO. The company must decide how best to respond to the situation at hand as well as continuously evaluate the structure and effectiveness of its social media policy. 

Learning Outcomes
  1. To highlight the complexities associated with corporate communication efforts in the social media space;
  2. To examine the dynamic nature of social media - broadly defined - and discuss the variety of ways in which corporations today are forming targeted social media policies;
  3. To provide an example of how one company (BMW) encountered a delicate situation in the social media space and discuss possible responsive action;
  4. To foster creative thinking and active discussion surrounding the unique complexities presented by the many forms of social media;
  5. To encourage new and creative thinking regarding how corporate social media policies could be more robust and structured, while remaining agile enough to address an everchanging set of challenges;
  6. To discuss the manner in which BMW ultimately responded as well as the lessons that the company has taken away from the situation described.