SUSTAINABLE DIGITAL CONTENT MODEL DEVELOPMENT FOR A SMALL ORGANIZATION USING NETWORK ANALYSISByJeremy Alan HarderThere is already an established, growing body of work dedicated to the study of digital writing practices within organizations; however, it is less common to find examples of this work focused on small, resource-lean organizations that are not "writing centered." Such organizations pose unique problems. Due to pre-existing conditions, these organizations may be unable to keep their digital content current and relevant to their audiences, resulting in missed opportunities for growth. The examples used throughout the thesis result from qualitative research conducted at the Michigan State University Student Organic Farm (MSUSOF) coinciding with a website redesign project. Interviews and a collaborative design process were conducted to gather certain types of information. Stories and practices from the MSUSOF provide a backdrop as this thesis explains an emerging sustainable content model in three steps: First, the pre-existing conditions that lead to an untenable website are explained by means of actor-network theory. Second, specific examples are explored in detail through an activity theory based approach that reveals how circumstances intertwine to make increasingly complex obstacles. Finally, some ideas are offered for moving an organization towards a sustainable content model.
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