Lisa Harris

Social networks: the future of marketing for small business

Purpose – The authors review recent developments in online marketing strategy that demonstrate the growing power of online communities in building brand reputations and customer relationships.Design/methodologies/approach – This work draws upon the results of an ongoing research project that is investigating the use of new technologies by entrepreneurial growing businesses in the London area. A range of examples from our 30 case study businesses are drawn upon to illustrate some of the opportunities and threats associated with these new marketing priorities.Findings – The authors conclude that social networks will play a key role in the future of marketing; externally they can replace customer annoyance with engagement, and internally they help to transform the traditional focus on control with an open and collaborative approach that is more conducive to success in the modern business environment.Research limitations/implications – Further research should aim to track this activity as it integrates with m...

E-business and organisational change: reconciling traditional values with business transformation

While much attention has recently been focused on the problems facing Internet start‐ups, the challenge of e‐business affects a much broader constituency of organisations. For established companies, the key challenge is one of change. Such companies must rethink fundamental aspects of company strategy, which may lead to a radical overhaul of existing ways of doing business, with company structure and culture becoming much more customer‐focused. Resistance at all company levels may need to be overcome, with a need to build commitment and consensus around e‐business strategies. However, companies must also deal with a paradox in e‐business change. As the “dot.com” crash showed, there are many strengths in “bricks and mortar” companies. Evolving a new business model based around “e‐enablement” must therefore avoid the “baby and bathwater syndrome”. Only by recognising and rising to these challenges and dilemmas, and devoting sufficient time, resources and expertise to them, will companies make a success of their e‐business ventures.

Testing goodwill: conflict and cooperation in new product development networks

Networks are often seen as models of organisational flexibility, promoting the building of trust and exchange of information between different business functions while offering both cost savings and reductions in the uncertainties usually associated with innovation. Both internal and external networks have been identified as key elements in the collaborative development of new products. The actual process of network building and ongoing network management is not well researched, although the existing literature highlights difficulties for organisations attempting to maintain active product development networks. This article examines the development and management of such a network in the defence industry and focuses on network building processes in terms of the interactions between the individuals involved. This network has endured and evolved over many years despite a series of conflicts. One of the key findings is that the effective functioning of the overall network is closely allied to established processes within the two participating firms.

Building Innovation Networks: Issues of Strategy and Expertise

This article investigates the role of networks in new product development by reporting on a contemporary case study of a firm in the defence electronics sector. A specific focus is the development and ongoing management of a network that comprises a number of formal inter-firm strategic alliances. The paper begins by reviewing earlier literature on technology strategies for innovation that has identified a key role for inter-firm networking in the organization and management of new product development. We then consider the related issue of the relevant management expertise, which enables firms to adopt a network approach to their strategy for innovation by developing a competence in the process of network building. In this particular case study the critical issue centred upon the extent of the internal resources in terms of time and personal effort that was devoted to building trust and actively managing various inter-firm relationships over time. The article concludes that while inter-firm networking can facilitate new product development across firm boundaries, it is not a panacea for success. Whilst financially successful in terms of product and market development, the networking strategy has also set up problems within the particular case study firm in terms of resourcing and managing the very growth that has been generated.

Building a personal brand through social networking

Purpose – The “digital divide” between the “haves” and the “have nots” in the developed world is now less about access to the web than it is about understanding how to actively participate in the networked society. The paper shows how people with the skills, time and confidence to navigate and manage the online chaos will gain access to new career opportunities, find audiences for their work and enrich the lives of others. Those without such initiative risk being marginalized or left behind.Design – This work draws upon the results of an ongoing research project which is investigating the use of new technologies by entrepreneurs and small businesses in the South East of England.Findings – The paper demonstrates how various online services such as blogging and social networking can be harnessed to develop and enhance a personal brand.Practical implications – Finding a job and managing career progression increasingly involves understanding how todays networks work and how to deploy them effectively to buil...

Web 2.0 and micro‐businesses: an exploratory investigation

Purpose – The paper aims to report on an exploratory study into how small businesses use Web 2.0 information and communication technologies (ICT) to work collaboratively with other small businesses. The study had two aims: to investigate the benefits available from the use of Web 2.0 in small business collaborations, and to characterize the different types of such online collaborations.Design/methodology/approach – The research uses a qualitative case study methodology based on semi‐structured interviews with the owner‐managers of 12 UK‐based small companies in the business services sector who are early adopters of Web 2.0 technologies.Findings – Benefits from the use of Web 2.0 are categorized as lifestyle benefits, internal operational efficiency, enhanced capability, external communications and enhanced service offerings. A 2×2 framework is developed to categorize small business collaborations using the dimensions of the basis for inter‐organizational collaboration (control vs cooperation) and the leve...

Marketing the e-Business

Since the much-hyped dot.com crash, treading the e-business path can be daunting. In these increasingly uncertain and cynical times, this useful text unpicks the challenges of e-Marketing for many types of business. It uses topical case studies and accompanying web material to provide an up-to-date study of effective marketing strategies. Topics include: *Multi-channel marketing strategies *Change Management *Lessons learned from the dot.com crash *Branding, e-Retail and relationship building *Digital divides, privacy and data security. Providing a new approach to the subject matter, this book analyses the benefits of e-Marketing as a tool for improving efficiency and effectiveness rather than business revolution. Considering the practicalities of marketing in an e-Business context, it is the first book of its kind to voice such a rigorous argument for the importance of e-Marketing, and a crucial text for anyone studying or practicing e-Business.

EFFECTIVE USE OF MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS IN E-GOVERNMENT: How do we reach the tipping point?

This paper investigates what is needed to make the mobile phone a more effective tool for the interaction between government and governed. Recent studies have shown that a significant proportion of the UK population have no intention of accessing the Internet; however, it is reported that there are more web-enabled mobile phones than there are PCs in the UK. Mobile phones may thus offer the most viable electronic channel through which to encourage large-scale take-up of online public services. Although people have integrated mobile phones into their everyday lives, we argue that unless there is a substantial change in social practices the much heralded ‘m-government’ will take a significant amount of time to become a reality. Despite these ongoing challenges, mobile technologies offer huge potential to represent mainstream government/citizen interaction. The paper will draw upon case studies of best practice from around the world to investigate the emerging ways in which large-scale usage of this type of government/citizen interaction can be achieved.

The online connection: transforming marketing strategy for small businesses

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review recent developments in online marketing strategy which demonstrate the growing power of online communities in building brand reputations and customer relationships.Design/methodology/approach – The work draws upon the results of an ongoing research project which is investigating the use of new technologies by entrepreneurial businesses in the London area. A range of examples from our 30 case study businesses are drawn upon to illustrate some of the opportunities and threats associated with these new marketing priorities.Findings – We conclude that social networks will play a key role in the future of marketing; externally they can replace customer annoyance with engagement, and internally they help to transform the traditional focus on control with an open and collaborative approach that is more conducive to success in the modern business environment.Research limitations/implications – Further research should aim to track this activity as it integrates with...

Marketing in the Internet age: what can we learn from the past?

Examines whether business really is undergoing a revolution or just the latest in a series of incremental changes with the universal and seemingly exponential spread of Internet technology. While it is tempting to regard the Internet as a unique challenge through its dual role as a driver of change and provider of tools for change, the article begins by drawing on a number of historical precedents in order to question some of the “hype” surrounding current Internet developments. By analysing relevant literature and primary data from a number of case studies in the UK and the USA, the particular challenges facing marketing are then examined to establish whether there are any parallels in marketing history from which lessons for the future may be learned. From our examples it is concluded that many “new” developments have in fact been practised for centuries and traditional processes are an important constituent of “evolutionary” rather than “revolutionary” innovation.