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Purpose: This study aims to investigate how a sample of US municipalities use social media for strategic communication, focusing on efforts to effectively measure and evaluate that communication. Research questions focus on measurement and evaluation practices, as well as the motivations and impacts associated with these practices. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a qualitative approach. Interviews were conducted with 12 municipal government personnel responsible for social media communication. The self-selected participants represent 10 states and all US Census regions. Data was content analyzed and categorized according to four research questions, with emergent themes described. Findings: The results show a diverse set of approaches and motivations, with surface-level measurement and evaluation methods. Initial efforts at more ad hoc use of social media are moving toward more deliberate strategies, but limited resources inhibit progress for some municipalities. Originality/value: Few studies exist which explore how US municipalities formally measure and evaluate their social media activities as part of their overall strategic communication efforts. This study adds to the existing literature by providing insight into the measurement and evaluation practices that municipalities use to assess their social media communication. The study also provides a basis for larger and deeper investigations of municipal strategic communication practices related to measurement and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability and involves difficulty in reading, writing, and spelling in your native language despite at least average intelligence. A disproportionate share of incarcerated individuals have both dyslexia and are African American. Behavior manifestations associated with dyslexia often lead to life choices resulting in incarceration. Dyslexia is rarely considered as playing a role in unemployment, drug misuse, and incarceration. Dyslexia screening upon prison admission permits identification of individuals with dyslexia and allows for specialized reading classes to boost self-esteem and develop a skill set that is desirable in the workforce upon release. Dyslexia should be recognized as a social determinant of health whose early recognition and intervention may engender self-confidence in those affected and encourage them to be positively engaged in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hostess Brands, Inc. served as the largest manufacturer and distributor of baked goods products in the United States for decades. Throughout numerous mergers and acquisitions, the company's growth resulted in a series of problems leading to bankruptcy. The three key problems included high legacy costs, shrinking profits, and significant, long-term debt. This research is a case study utilizing Gilbert's Behavioral Engineering Model to evaluate the issues that led to the bankruptcy of Hostess Brands, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]