Ana Isabel Canhoto

Customer service 140 characters at a time: The users' perspective

Abstract Electronic word of mouth (eWoM) has been adopted by Internet users as a way of communicating their consumption preferences and experiences. Consumers are able to reach out to others, unknown to them, and have online conversations that can influence their behaviour. Organisations need to understand how to respond to these brand-related conversations conducted via social media. By looking through the lens of social capital, this paper contributes to social media and social capital research by studying the perceptions that 44 social media users have of companies that interact with them online. The users value social networks and support as part of their online relationships. However, several new value categories are identified when compared to previous research. Further research is required to investigate possible segmentation approaches and alternative methodological choices.

Emerging segmentation practices in the age of the social customer

This paper reports on an exploratory study of segmentation practices of organisations with a social media presence. It investigates whether traditional segmentation approaches are still relevant in this new socio-technical environment and identifies emerging practices. The study found that social media are particularly promising in terms of targeting influencers, enabling the cost-effective delivery of personalised messages and engaging with numerous customer segments in a differentiated way. However, some problems previously identified in the segmentation literature still occur in the social media environment, such as the technical challenge of integrating databases, the preference for pragmatic rather than complex solutions and the lack of relevant analytical skills. Overall, a gap has emerged between marketing theory and practice. While segmentation is far from obsolete in the age of the social customer, it needs to adapt to reflect the characteristics of the new media.

Exploring the factors that support adoption and sustained use of health and fitness wearables

ABSTRACT The Internet of Things (IoT) and, particularly, wearable products have changed the focus of the healthcare industry to prevention programmes that enable people to become active and take responsibility for their own health. These benefits will only materialise, however, if users adopt and continue to use these products, as opposed to abandoning them shortly after purchase. Our study investigates how the characteristics of the device, the context and the user can support the adoption and the sustained use of health and fitness wearables. We find that the factors that support the former differ from those that support the latter. For instance, features that signal the device’s ability to collect activity data are essential for adoption, whereas device portability and resilience are key for sustained use.

Carnivalesque collaborations: reflections on ‘doing’ multi-disciplinary research

Many funding bodies emphasize the advantages of using multi-disciplinary approaches; in response, in this article we consider our reflections on doing such a project. We contribute to the multi-disciplinary literature by considering the standardizing effect of collaboration on multifarious research approaches. We argue that greater attention should be paid to ‘doing’ qualitative multi-disciplinary research. We find that elements of ‘letting go’ and ‘coming together’ are important when new perspectives and knowledge are engaged. Therefore, we call for clarity on the multi-disciplinary approaches and discuss how we came to understand the collaborative processes of researching, thinking, and writing. The paper begins with vignettes about our ontological journeys during the research project. In developing our argument, we consider the retrospective and reflexive qualities expressed in our vignettes and examine how our collaborative theorizing shaped the research project.

Learning From Simulation Design to Develop Better Experiential Learning Initiatives An Integrative Approach

Simulations offer engaging learning experiences, via the provision of feedback or the opportunities for experimentation. However, they lack important attributes valued by marketing educators and employers. This article proposes a “back to basics” look at what constitutes an effective experiential learning initiative. Drawing on the education literature, the article presents a set of propositions for the development of initiatives that deliver deep learning, promote engagement, and develop digital marketing and soft skills. The article notes the attributes of simulations that deliver effective experiential learning, but also where other formats may be superior to simulations, and advocates for an integrative approach. The article illustrates the application of these propositions, and integrative approach, to the development of a highly successful experiential learning initiative, the Google Online Marketing Challenge. The article concludes with the following recommendations for marketing educators engaged in experiential learning: students need to plan, execute, and assess their actions, which requires the provision of feedback mechanisms as part of the experience; the experience should be gamified to increase engagement; developers need to provide guidance and support, to both students and educators, to reduce extraneous cognitive load; the initiative needs to develop digital marketing literacy, as well as soft skills.

Unpacking the interplay between organisational factors and the economic environment in the creation of consumer vulnerability

ABSTRACT Access to credit is a key enabler of modern life. Yet many consumers face factors beyond their control which sometimes render them unable to borrow from mainstream lenders. This paper documents how firm-related factors determine lending thresholds and shape who is, or is not, a creditworthy customer. The impact of the 2008 economic recession on lending decisions is explored, an aspect that has been insufficiently discussed even though recessions are cyclical events. Drawing on semiotics and using multiple case studies, the study captures not only the groups that were excluded but also the reasons for exclusion. Empirical support is offered for the notion of vulnerability as a fluid state and the role of the timing of decisions as a source of vulnerability is described.

‘We (don’t) know how you feel’ – a comparative study of automated vs. manual analysis of social media conversations

Abstract The ever-growing volume of brand-related conversations on social media platforms has captivated the attention of academics and practitioners, as the analysis of those conversations promises to offer unparalleled insight into consumers’ emotions. This article takes a step back from the hype, and investigates the vulnerabilities related to the analysis of social media data concerning consumers’ sentiment. A review of the literature indicates that the form, focus, source and context of the communication may negatively impact on the analyst’s ability to identify sentiment polarity and emotional state. Likewise, the selection of analytical tool, the creation of codes, and the classification of the data, adversely affect the researcher’s ability to accurately assess the sentiment expressed in a social media conversation. Our study of Twitter conversations about coffee shows low levels of agreement between manual and automated analysis, which is of grave concern given the popularity of the latter in consumer research.

Troubled Waters: The Transformation of Marketing in a Digital World

Purpose This paper aims to establish how strategic target-market selection decisions are shaped, challenged and driven in response to the rapidly evolving technological landscape. The authors critically evaluate the implications of these changes for the role of marketers and the organizational function of marketing. Design/methodology/approach The research uses qualitative methods. Key-informant interviews are conducted among senior organizational practitioners within client-side organizations, digital agencies and strategic marketing consultancies, seeking to contrast their views. Findings The findings reveal an erosion of responsibility for the integrated strategic role of marketing decision-making. In particular, the authors reveal that the evolving digital landscape has precipitated a sense of crisis for marketers and the role of marketing within the firm. This extends beyond simply remedying a skills-gap and is triggering a transformation that has repercussions for the future of marketing and its practice, thus diminishing functional accountability. Research limitations/implications The findings have long-term implications for marketing as a strategic organizational function of the firm and for marketing as a practice. Originality/value The study considers an increasingly digitalized marketplace and the associated impact of big data for the function of marketing. It reveals the changing scope of strategic marketing practice and functional accountability.

Fall and redemption: Monitoring and engaging in social media conversations during a crisis

Abstract Social media content can spread quickly, particularly that generated by users themselves. This is a problem for businesses as user-generated content (UGC) often portrays brands negatively and, when mishandled, may turn into a crisis. This paper presents a framework for crisis management that incorporates insights from research on social media users’ behaviour. It looks beyond specific platforms and tools, to develop general principles for communicating with social media users. The framework’s relevance is illustrated via a widely publicised case of detrimental UGC. The paper proposes that, today, businesses need to identify relevant social media platforms, to monitor sentiment variances, and to go beyond simplistic metrics with content analysis. They also need to engage with online communities and the new influencers, and to respond quickly in a manner that is congruent with said social media platforms and their users’ expectations. The paper extends the theoretical understanding of crisis management to consider the role of social media as both a cause and a solution to those crises. Moreover, it bridges information management theory and practice, providing practical managerial guidance on how to monitor and respond to social media content, particularly during fast-evolving crises.

Preparing for the Future -- How Managers Perceive, Interpret, and Assess the Impact of Digital Technologies for Business

This paper investigates how senior managers interpret and react to the strategic threats and opportunities presented by digital technologies. Strategy studies focus on one type of actor or organizational context. Instead, we considered various firms, roles and expertise. We conducted 20 hours of in-depth, elite interviews with 15 senior managers from client firms, digital marketing agencies and strategy consultants and identified several opportunities related to the data and how they are manipulated, the business uses of digital technologies and broad behavioral changes. However, data quality and quantity limit the value of data granularity and currency. Additionally, we found that the three types of interviewees produce strategy assessments that differ in terms of content, salience and valence. This finding advances the conceptual understanding of the impact of different roles and cognitive frameworks on strategy development and, thus, the need to incorporate the views of third parties in environmental scanning exercises.