Expectations of Facebook users towards a virtual dialogue with their public utility

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin ◽  
Dorothea Greiling ◽  
Daniela Wetzelhütter
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Communication Channel ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
Public Utilities ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
User Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Utility Companies

PurposeA growing amount of German and Austrian utilities create own Facebook accounts to communicate with their stakeholders. Whereas existing studies describe how utility companies are currently using Facebook, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there exists no study which focuses on the actual expectations of Facebook users. Nevertheless, as the occurrence of social media redefined stakeholders’ expectations, research on the expectations of Facebook users become crucial. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the existing social media literature by investigating the expectations of Facebook users towards a virtual stakeholder dialogue with their public utility companies on Facebook.Design/methodology/approachEight German and six Austrian public utilities supported the empirical study by posting a link to an online survey on their Facebook account. In total, 258 Facebook users followed that link and completed the survey.FindingsThe broad majority of participants expect public utility companies to use Facebook as a communication channel. They request to regularly receive a variety of information on different topics. In addition, participants want to have the opportunity to post general queries, complaints or criticism, suggestions for improvement, positive feedback or queries in a crisis situation. Moreover, the empirical data reveal that user-specific characteristics such as gender, age, country of residence, length of Facebook membership or number of Facebook friends impact the expectations towards a Facebook conversation.Originality/valueThe findings enable scholars and practitioners to gain in-depth insights into Facebook conversations from the actual user perspective.

Stakeholder dialogue on Facebook

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Public Ownership ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
Dialogic Communication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Results ◽  
Utility Companies

Purpose German, Austrian and Swiss utilities are confronted with radical changes in the European energy sector. A dialogue between the utility companies and their various groups of stakeholders is gaining importance. Increasingly, utilities create their own Facebook presence enabling such a dialogue. Still, to the best of the author’s knowledge there exists no research which explicitly focuses the stakeholder dialogue of German, Austrian or Swiss utilities on Facebook. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyse Facebook as an instrument for dialogic communication in the energy sector. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was distributed to 1,280 German, Austrian and Swiss utilities, and 14 per cent of the utilities completed the survey, including 130 German, 19 Austrian and 25 Swiss companies. The participating utilities are primarily in public ownership. Findings The Facebook conversation of utility companies and their stakeholders meets the basic requirements of a virtual stakeholder dialogue. Nevertheless, less than half of the companies perceive their current stakeholder conversation on Facebook as truly interactive. Therefore, even if the basic requirements of a dialogue are met, most companies still do not seem to fully use the dialogue potential of Facebook. Originality/value This study provides first insights into virtual stakeholder dialogues in the energy sector. A suggestion to operationalise such a virtual dialogue is provided. Both operationalisation as well as the empirical results help researchers and practitioners to better understand virtual stakeholder dialogues.

scholarly journals Do you like me when the sun is shining? The influence of weather and point-in-time on the stakeholder-Dialogue in Facebook

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin ◽  
Daniela Wetzelhütter ◽  
Birgit Grüb
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Public Utility ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Weather Forecasts ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of external factors on the Facebook dialogue. As both weather and point in time substantially. As both weather and point in time substantially influence people’s lives, it can be assumed that both factors may also affect communication on Facebook. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study focusing on the impact of the external factors “weather” and “point in time” on a public utility’s Facebook communication. Design/methodology/approach The potential influence is explored through the case study of an Austrian public utility. The study focuses on 321 postings, published via the company’s official Facebook account between August 2016 and February 2018. Findings The empirical results confirm the influence of “weather” and “point in time” indicators on the stakeholder dialogue. The findings highlight how the relevant items affect the posting behavior of a utility, as well as stakeholders’ reactions, comments and shares. Originality/value By introducing both external factors to the social media literature, this paper broadens the understanding of Facebook communications beyond the sender and receiver of digital information. In this way, the research contributes to a more holistic view of Facebook dialogue. It provides practical advice on how social media managers of public utilities may use weather forecasts and “point in time” considerations to more strategically foster stakeholder dialogue in social media.

Consumers’ decisions in social commerce: the role ofguanxielements

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 759-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Yang
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Least Squares ◽  
Partial Least Squares ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Social Commerce ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Shopping

PurposeRecently, the popularity and growth of social media have boosted the development of social commerce (s-commerce). The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers’ decisions in s-commerce, for which this study conducted empirical research on WeChat, a very popular social media in China, to validate howguanxielements (e.g.ganqing,renqingandxinren) affect consumers’ decisions in s-commerce.Design/methodology/approachTo examine the research model, an online survey instrument was developed to gather data. The hypotheses were tested using partial least squares modeling.FindingsThe results confirm thatguanxielements are positively related to eWOM sharing intention and social shopping intention. Moreover, these effects are mediated by a sense of belonging.Originality/valueThis study enhances the existing literature by introducing the concept ofguanxielements to the context of s-commerce, and linking the concept ofguanxielements and consumers’ decisions. Moreover, this study improves the theoretical and empirical understanding ofguanxielements by investigating its impact on eWOM sharing intention and social shopping intention. Third, the results confirm thatguanxielements not only influence a sense of belonging but also conjointly impacts eWOM sharing intention and social shopping intention in s-commerce.

Towards a process of agenda setting driven by social media

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Martin ◽  
Birgit Grüb
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Agenda Setting ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Stakeholder Dialogue ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an in-depth evaluation of how German and Austrian utilities use Facebook to engage stakeholders, including a look at the objectives pursued with the use of Facebook, addressed stakeholders as well as the provided information. German and Austrian utility companies are confronted with serious changes in the European energy sector. In this context, stakeholder theory emphasises the importance for utility companies to actively manage the relationships with the relevant stakeholders. Nowadays, a considerable number of these stakeholders might be addressed by using Facebook. Design/methodology/approach – The quantitative study includes 88 German and Austrian utility companies. Findings – Research findings indicate that Facebook is a common instrument in the German and Austrian energy sectors. It seems that so far, no real stakeholder dialogue has been achieved. Moreover, issues which deeply affect a wide variety of citizens are not emphasised on most Facebook accounts. Therefore, so far, the majority of utilities is not using the full potential of Facebook. Originality/value – By developing a process of agenda-setting driven by social media, the paper contributes to the existing literature and gives practical implications for public and private entities in the energy sector.

Green meets social media: young travelers’ perceptions of hotel environmental sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Clark ◽  
Bomi Kang ◽  
Jennifer R. Calhoun
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Intention To Stay ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeA competitive hospitality environment requires attracting new target markets. The purpose of this research is to investigate how young travelers’ intention to stay and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) are impacted by a hotel’s environmental sustainability communications on social media.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 306 participants via online survey and analyzed in SPSS and AMOS. Structural equation modeling was utilized for hypotheses testing.FindingsThe results support the use of social media marketing (SMM) by hotels to communicate sustainability efforts, increasing intentions to stay and expanding eWOM. Hospitality marketers can use these findings to better understand young travelers’ priorities and their information-gathering process when planning travel.Practical implicationsThe study revealed the positive relationship between travelers’ perceptions of hotel environmental sustainability and greater intention to stay and positive eWOM. This could lead to increased business and recommendations for hospitality companies from young consumers.Originality/valueThis study advances the understanding of how young customers respond to hotels’ efforts to promote environmental sustainability on social media. The findings add value to practitioners and academics in their understanding of how hospitality marketers can increase intention to stay and eWOM by marketing to young travelers about environmental sustainability on social media.

Is the equalization/normalization lens dead? Social media campaigning in US congressional elections

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 718-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Gainous ◽  
Andrew Segal ◽  
Kevin Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Power Structure ◽  
Congressional Elections ◽  
Campaign Spending ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Electoral Success ◽  
The Masses ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Early information technology scholarship centered on the internet’s potential to be a democratizing force was often framed using an equalization/normalization lens arguing that either the internet was going to be an equalizing force bringing power to the masses, or it was going to be normalized into the existing power structure. The purpose of this paper is to argue that considered over time the equalization/normalization lens still sheds light on our understanding of how social media (SM) strategy can shape electoral success asking if SM are an equalizing force balancing the resource gap between candidates or are being normalized into the modern campaign. Design/methodology/approach SM metrics and electoral data were collected for US congressional candidates in 2012 and 2016. A series of additive and interactive models are employed to test whether the effects of SM reach on electoral success are conditional on levels of campaign spending. Findings The results suggest that those candidates who spend more actually get more utility for their SM campaign than those who spend less in 2012. However, by 2016, spending inversely correlates with SM campaign utility. Research limitations/implications The findings indicate that SM appeared to be normalizing into the modern congressional campaign in 2012. However, with higher rates of penetration and greater levels of usage in 2016, the SM campaign utility was not a result of higher spending. SM may be a greater equalizing force now. Practical implications Campaigns that initially integrate digital and traditional strategies increase the effectiveness of the SM campaign because the non-digital strategy both complements and draws attention to the SM campaign. However, by 2016 the SM campaign was not driven by its relation to traditional campaign spending. Originality/value This is the first large N study to examine the interactive effects of SM reach and campaign spending on electoral success.

When social media met commerce: a model of perceived customer value in group-buying

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Ki Lee ◽  
Sally Y. Kim ◽  
Namho Chung ◽  
Kwanghoon Ahn ◽  
Jong-Won Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Least Squares ◽  
Significant Influence ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Commerce ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Buying ◽  
Perceived Customer Value

Purpose Social commerce using social media has been on the rapid increase. Among various social commerce models, group-buying has become the mainstream. There is a paucity of research related to how customers perceive value in group-buying situations. This paper aims to examine and analyze various factors that influence perceived customer value in group-buying. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a survey on customers who had purchased a restaurant service deal on a group-buying site. A partial least squares technique was used to estimate the model. Findings Results show that perceived customer value affects customers’ group buying intentions and that all four antecedents of perceived value (low price, valence of experience, trust in social media and reputation of the group-buying site) have a significant influence. Implications and further research directions are discussed at the end of the paper. Originality/value This study provides valuable strategic implications for social commerce firms.

Stairways to heaven: implementing social media in organizations

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 741-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moria Levy
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Empirical Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Service Marketing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
Functional Components ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper is aimed at both researchers and organizations. For researchers, it seeks to provide a means for better analyzing the phenomenon of social media implementation in organizations as a knowledge management (KM) enabler. For organizations, it seeks to suggest a step-by-step architecture for practically implementing social media and benefiting from it in terms of KM. Design/methodology/approach – The research is an empirical study. A hypothesis was set; empirical evidence was collected (from 34 organizations). The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively, thereby forming the basis for the proposed architecture. Findings – Implementing social media in organizations is more than a yes/no question; findings show various levels of implementation in organizations: some implementing at all levels, while others implement only tools, functional components, or even only visibility. Research limitations/implications – Two main themes should be further tested: whether the suggested architecture actually yields faster/eased KM implementation compared to other techniques; and whether it can serve needs beyond the original scope (KM, Israel) as tested in this study (i.e. also for other regions and other needs – service, marketing and sales, etc.). Practical implications – Organizations can use the suggested four levels architecture as a guideline for implementing social media as part of their KM efforts. Originality/value – This paper is original and innovative. Previous studies describe the implementation of social media in terms of yes/no; this research explores the issue as a graded one, where organizations can and do implement social media step-by-step. The paper's value is twofold: it can serve as a foundational study for future researches, which can base their analysis on the suggested architecture of four levels of implementation. It also serves as applied research that will help organizations searching for social media implementation KM enablers.

Consumers’ identification with corporate brands: Brand prestige, anthropomorphism and engagement in social media

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urška Tuškej ◽  
Klement Podnar
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Identity Management ◽  
Brand Management ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
Brand Identification ◽  
Corporate Brand ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Brands ◽  
Brand Prestige

Purpose This paper aims to examine relationships between consumer-brand identification (CBI), brand prestige (BP), brand anthropomorphism (BA) and consumers’ active engagement in brand activities on social media in corporate brand settings. Design/methodology/approach Data collected with an online survey on a sample randomly drawn from an online panel of consumers were used to test the proposed theoretical model. Findings Anthropomorphism and prestige of corporate brands were found to positively influence consumer-brand identification. Also, CBI positively affects consumers’ active engagement and fully mediates the effect of BP and BA on consumers-brand engagement (CBE) with corporate brands. Research limitations/implications Further research in other markets and on a broader set of corporate brands would additionally validate results and enable comparisons of impacts among different brand categories. The data were gathered in one country, so further research in other markets would additionally validate results of this study. Practical implications Chief executives responsible for corporate brand management are provided with some insights on how appropriate corporate brand identity management can strengthen CBI and stimulate CBE on social media. Originality/value This paper provides some novel insights into the research on consumer-brand identification. It is the first study (to the authors’ knowledge) that empirically supports the positive influence of brand anthropomorphism on CBI in corporate brand settings. It also contributes to the clarification of previously inconsistent results of the influence of BP on CBI. By showing that consumers’ identification with a corporate brand plays a vital role in increasing consumers’ active engagement on social media, the study contributes to the relatively sparse body of research on CBE.

Infodemic surrounding COVID-19: Can LIS students recognize and categorize “problematic information” types on social media?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamima Yesmin ◽  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Wrong Answer ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Correct Definition ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
And Task

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate Library and Information Science (LIS) students’ understanding of infodemic and related terminologies and their ability to categorize COVID-19-related problematic information types using examples from social media platforms. Design/methodology/approach The participants of this study were LIS students from a public-funded university located at the south coast of Bangladesh. An online survey was conducted which, in addition to demographic and study information, asked students to identify the correct definition of infodemic and related terminologies and to categorize the COVID-related problematic social media posts based on their inherent problem characteristics. The correct answer for each definition and task question was assigned a score of “1”, whereas the wrong answer was coded as “0”. The percentages of correctness score for total and each category of definition and task-specific questions were computed. The independent sample t-test and ANOVA were run to examine the differences in total and category-specific scores between student groups. Findings The findings revealed that students’ knowledge concerning the definition of infodemic and related terminologies and the categorization of COVID-19-related problematic social media posts was poor. There was no significant difference in correctness scores between student groups in terms of gender, age and study levels. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time an effort was made to understand LIS students’ recognition and classification of problematic information. The findings can assist LIS departments in revising and improving the existing information literacy curriculum for students.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document