Dissertation Research Proposal on E-Business and Internet
Table of Context
I.Working Title 3
II.Business Problem 3
III.Academic Context 4
IV.Useful Peer Reviewed Articles 5
V.Primary research: Methods and Access 7
VI. Conclusions
References9
Working Title
Emergence of the Internet, the growth in digital media usage and increasing popularity of social networks has significantly changed the way consumers shop, behave and communicate. A growing population of middle class and white-collar professionals is using social networks for a wide range of purposes. The changing demographics of users demonstrate the growing applicability of social networks for business purposes. Measuring the influence of social networks on business goals and performance has become one of issues for companies to discuss and consider. There is a limited research on the influence of social network use on financial and operational performance of service providers. Therefore, estimating the effectiveness of social networks in improving financial performance of service companies has attracted considerable interest in both academia and industry.
The working title for dissertation is the following: “The effectiveness of social networks in service industry”.
Business Problem
Nowadays, being active in social media has become the imperative for the service providers. Participation in social networks may be used for a wide range of business needs, for example, enhancing their relationships with customers, improving brand awareness, driving innovations, boosting sales, or recruitment. According to IBM estimations, the number of companies adopting the social network strategies will triple during 2015-2018 (Schniederjans, 2013).
Among social networks, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are the most popular. As of 2010, the approximate number of registered users in Facebook reached 500 million, while Twitter users reached 75 million users (Owyang., 2010). According to estimations performed by Nelsonwire (2010), users spends roughly 5.5 hours each day in social networks.
Recommendations, reposts, or blogs become a powerful marketing tool that significantly influences customers’ decisions and choices. For example, leading maker of PC, Dell, reported that promotions on Twitter have generated nearly $6.5 million in orders for PCs, accessories and software (Guglielmo, 2009). Despite the obvious advantages of social networks, many companies still struggle with understanding how to use social media effectively. In addition, the companies lack evidence of positive relationships between using social networks and increased sales or profitability.
According to surveys conducted by KPMG, audit company, there is a significant gap between companies’ expectations of social networks and reality. KPMG identified that the adoption of social media is widespread mainly in emerging markets, such as China, India and Brazil (KPMG, 2011). In contrast, use of social networks is low in the UK, Australia, Germany and Canada (KPMG, 2011). The reasons behind differences is declining cost of internet access and devices in the emerging markets and adherence of European and Northern American companies to the long-established channel strategies.
The question, which remains open for many companies, is whether using social media has positive impact on the financial performance and obtaining financial benefits. The dissertation will provide valuable insights to marketing managers, PR managers, …
