Comparative Scientometric Analysis in Social Media: What Can We Learn? And What Is Next? - Information and Communication Technologies in Public Administration - page 117

In addition, the application of social media to public services is a new concern
in the last 2 years, mainly in the field of Public Administration, whereas the disclo-
sure of information and transparency issues has been decreasing gradually. It could
indicate that after a first stage of studies on implementing social media as com-
munication channels for governments, public administrations are now analyzing
how to use these new technologies to improve the delivery of public services (RQ2).
Does it mean a next step in the way to the maturity of this field of research? In any
case, it means that future research could be addressed to analyze the implementa-
tion of social media for public sector services in order to capture experiences, to be
useful for public managers to introduce these new technologies into governments.
On the other hand, this new field of research needs grounded theories to sup-
port social media application into public administrations (RQ2). Our review indi-
cates that several different theories have been called to be applied in the application
of social media in public administrations. But which one of these theories prevails?
Many of them are embedded from other areas of study. In this regard, is social media
a field of knowledge that needs a deep analysis of theories or can it embed theories of
other fields of knowledge? Why? All these questions currently do not have appropriate
answers. Therefore, future research could undertake theoretical studies on this issue.
Regarding the methodologies used to analyze the phenomenon of Web 2.0 tech-
nologies (RQ4), results indicate that qualitative methodologies are more frequently
used, mainly in Asia and Europe. In any case, the use of methodologies of research
seems to be different in the different continents analyzed. In this regard, whereas
case study and content analysis are the most widely used qualitative methodologies
in the research about social media implementation in public administrations in the
United States and Europe, the analyses of social media implementations in govern-
ments in Asian countries have usually used the case study and social network analy-
sis techniques. In addition, the research in European countries and in the United
States has been undertaken using regression analysis when the research was built on
quantitative methodologies of research. In contrast, research on social media imple-
mentations in Asian countries does not show a clear tendency in the use of a par-
ticular quantitative methodology. Therefore, these results for RQ4 could indicate
the need to take into account the use of different research methodologies according
to the countries or areas in which the research is going to be undertaken and the
journals to which the research is going to be submitted for possible publication. In
both areas, as noted previously (United States, Europe, and Asia), have some gaps
in research methodologies that could be filled in future research according to the
aim of the topic chapter and to the area in which the social media is being analyzed.
Finally, this tendency in research methodology is also shown in the topics ana-
lyzed in the different countries (RQ5). This way, American and European countries
are focused on implementing social media for disclosing information, for render-
ing public services, and mainly, for electronic participation. In addition, although
social media in Asian countries is also analyzed for electronic participation, these
countries have not analyzed social media implementations for public services or