Utilizing the Metaverse for Enhanced Public Communication: An Exploratory Study of UAE Government Institutions’ Spaces

Authors

Communication Program, Faculty of Leadership and Management, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia

Abstract

The research explored the utilization of metaverse spaces by public relations departments in Emirati government institutions in the context of communication and dialogue with audiences. By analyzing these spaces, the study aimed to identify the interactive elements and mechanisms they offer in alignment with the principles of dialogue theory. The research adopted the survey method to answer its questions, and employed a form to analyze the metaverse spaces of UAE government institutions on the Spatial application.
Key findings revealed a discrepancy in how metaverse spaces were used by public relations departments in Emirati government institutions for dialogue and communication. The spaces sampled in the research gave more attention to “Ease of Interface”, “Conservation of Visitors” principles and the information they provided was only relatively useful. While the mechanisms for achieving “Dialogic loop” were not fully leveraged, and “Generation of Return Visits” was not accomplished effectively. The suboptimal use was attributed to various factors: cognitive and technological issues, social and cultural norms, and existing organizational and administrative practices.
The research emphasized the need to educate public relations professionals in government institutions on the significance of metaverse in communication. It also highlighted the importance of integrating metaverse into the strategic plans of public relations departments to enhance opportunities for interactive dialogue with users.

Keywords

References

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