Communicating the Italian recovery and resilience plan through social media: challenges, strategies and practices

Piromalli, Leonardo

;Germani, Dario;Lovari, Alessandro

2024-01-01

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Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a significant shift in Italian Public Sector Communication (PSC). Institutions had to rapidly adopt digital communication tools, leading to both acceleration and resistance in technology adoption. This study thoroughly examines the communication strategy surrounding Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) launch in July 2021. Employing a mixed-method approach, it encompasses qualitative interviews with key stakeholders involved in the official NRRP communication project (Italia Domani) and a content analysis of Italia Domani’s Facebook posts. The research addresses two main questions: (1) What are the key features of NRRP’s social media communication? (2) How does hybridization between PSC and political communication (PC) unfold? Findings in-dicate that despite serving as the government’s designated communication channel, Italia Domani exhibited a comparatively modest level of social media engagement and a catch-all messaging approach, with limited public awareness of the NRRP. Moreover, it maintains a clear separation between public sector and political communication, reflecting efforts for transparency and accoun-tability amidst complex challenges (e.g., the Covid-19 pandemic). While acknowledging limitations such as data collection constraints due to government updates, the research underscores the importance of tailored communication strategies and the need for clarity and transparency in governmental digital initiatives.