Helena Nobre

From Social to Marketing Interactions: The Role of Social Networks

The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of social interactions on marketing interactions within social networks (SN). We propose and test a structural model of relationships embracing the following constructs: Social Relationships, Trust, Information Disclosure, Word of Mouth (WOM) and Attitude toward Advertising. Data were gathered through the application of a structured questionnaire to a sample of 150 university students. The results validate the proposed model and support five out of seven hypotheses. The findings evidence that Social Relationships are significant predictors of Information Disclosure, WOM and Attitude toward Advertising. Similarly, Trust acts as a predictor of Information Disclosure and WOM. Overall, social interactions have a positive and significant impact on marketing interactions.

Impact of culture on online management education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of national culture on the acceptance, and online interaction, of management education and training online using Halls cultural classifications and Hofstedes cultural framework. Potential differences in perceptions of personal innovativeness and levels of online management education acceptance were examined.Design/methodology/approach – Factor analysis, structural modeling techniques and independent sample t‐statistics were used to analyze samples collected from online management classes in the USA and Korea.Findings – Results suggest that high‐context and collectivism cultures are more conservative to the adoption of online management education and training and participation in online interaction. A second interesting finding is evidence of the significant difference of adoption likelihood of learning innovation and changes. It was clear that a nations culture directly affects the manner in which participants engage, relate and benefit ...

Social Network Marketing Strategy and SME Strategy Benefits

The study explored what benefits to small or medium-sized firms (SMEs) could be derived from the development of a social media marketing strategy. Results indicated that Facebook can facilitate communications between SME companies and customers, and can also be an important tool in creating brand recognition and broadening awareness. The importance of developing a thoughtfully designed strategy was cited, as SMEs often lack sophisticated marketing or business plans. The positive study results suggest that SMEs can derive benefits from a SN (social network) strategy and, in particular, Facebook was shown to be an important channel that enabled small and medium-sized companies to advertise their brands without requiring large budgets. Facebook presents itself as a unique environment that can enable businesses to increase prospective clients and also offer current consumers a closer relationship to the company. As such, the study indicated that presence on social networks can have an important role in both relationship development and increased sales/membership.

Monitoring and protecting company and brand reputation on social networks: when sites are not enough

Companies are increasingly recognising that social networks are a force to contend with in reputation management. There are numerous examples of how single voices using viral systems have, in a matter of days, reached out to millions about poor service or flawed products. Managing social networks is, however, not without cost and thus one could reasonably assume that larger companies would have better defined strategies for social network reputation management than smaller ones. The paper explores this assumption and offers an integrity management model. The social network activities of 99 different size companies (33 small, 33 medium and 33 Large) were examined and results supported that larger companies are slightly more responsive but smaller firms seem to respond more quickly. Of interest was the number of firms (of all sizes) without social media sites. There appears to be a general lack of a strategic framework for thinking about communities as most firms in the study were not monitoring, integrating and leveraging social media adequately.

Social Network Reputation Management: An International Study

Managing social networks is not without cost and thus it is reasonable to assume that larger companies would have better defined strategies than smaller ones. The research explores this assumption and offers an integrity management model, based on 189 different size companies taken from the three major world stock markets representing North America and Asia. Results supported that larger companies are slightly more responsive but smaller firms seem to respond more quickly. Given the potential negative impacts to brand image there appears to be a pervasive lack strategic framework as most firms were not monitoring, integrating or leveraging social media adequately.

Should Consumers Be in Love With Brands?: An Investigation Into the Influence That Specific Consumer-Brand Relationships Have on the Quality of the Bonds That Consumers Develop With Brands

This research investigates the influence that specific consumer-brand relationships have on the quality of the bonds that consumers develop with brands. This is important since disasters in the brand-consumer relationship will cause different consumer responses dependent on whether the relationship is built on a passion or intimacy-loyalty bond. Consumer-brand relationships were studied according to the interpersonal relationship theory. A SEM analysis, involving a sample of eight known brands of different product categories gave support to the theory. Results suggested that brand relationships of Intimacy-Loyalty influenced relationship strength in an indirect way through partner quality inferences and that these relationships might hold up better under brand disruption situations. Passion relationships were related to relationship strength but at a lesser extent and they did not appear to involve issues of partner quality. It would seem that due to a weaker bond these relationships are more susceptible to tendencies of non-repurchase after brand disruptions occur.

The impact of Facebook presence on brand image

Although the study does not indicate a significant relationship between the brand use of Facebook pages and consumer purchase intention, it seems there is an impact of Facebook presence on brand image which is an important factor relating to increased sales and brand survival in a competitive international environment. The study investigated the impact that social networks have on developing and maintaining company brands. Two similar questionnaires were developed, one for consumers (269 respondents) and another administered to companies (42 respondents) to study a firm’s social network site from their and the consumer’s perspective. It was interesting to note that both consumers and companies responded that the content of the Facebook brand page is the most valuable feature indicating that companies recognise the importance of content and are responding to consumer’s needs in the network.

Brand personality as a predictor in the product/firm relationship as it relates to brand loyalty during periods of brand stress, catastrophic events or recalls

Social networks are increasingly becoming a dynamic force in firm or brand reputation management. Managing social networks is, however, not without cost and thus it is reasonable to assume that larger companies would have better defined strategies for social network reputation management than smaller ones. The research explores this assumption by presenting the results of the social network activities of 144 companies taken from the two major world stock markets representing North America (NYSE) and the London Exchange (FTSE). Results support that larger companies are slightly more responsive but smaller firms seem to respond more quickly. It was interesting that few firms had social network sites that could be responded to directly and that few firms seemed to monitor their sites in spite of having one. It was suggested that Intimacy–Loyalty influenced and these relationships could hold up better under periods of brand disruptions. While a brand relationship, such as passion, can stimulate sales Intimacy–Loyalty may directly contribute to consumer devotion during difficult times.

The new e-commerce freeloaders: effects on consumer behaviour and decision-making

Differences exist among nations (Portugal, Korea, Turkey and the USA) in the amount of time spent on computers, the manner in which consumers seek information and product purchase locations. While Portuguese and USA consumers rate stores highly for items costing less than

Archaeological Knowledge Production and Global Communities : Boundaries and Structure of the Field

500, search engines were second. In Korea and Turkey search engines were primary, with stores and friends second. For products over