How social media impacts innovation and revenues for organizations in todays market

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Business Administration

Walden University Fall 2012AbstractThe rationale of the investigative study is to explore how social media impacts innovation and revenues for organizations in today’s market. Data will be obtained through 20 interviews with business executives and social media authorities. Initially the researcher will find 60 references to assist in the research. The scope of the study will be focused in Alberta.

Table of Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc313281536 h 2Introduction PAGEREF _Toc313281537 h 3Background of the Problem PAGEREF _Toc313281538 h 4Problem Statement PAGEREF _Toc313281539 h 5Purpose Statement PAGEREF _Toc313281540 h 6Research methods PAGEREF _Toc313281541 h 6Definition and Terms PAGEREF _Toc313281542 h 6Theoretical or Conceptual Framework PAGEREF _Toc313281543 h 7Implications for Social Change PAGEREF _Toc313281544 h 7Research methodology PAGEREF _Toc313281545 h 9Introduction PAGEREF _Toc313281546 h 9Secondary research PAGEREF _Toc313281547 h 9Quantitative and qualitative data PAGEREF _Toc313281548 h 9Questionnaires PAGEREF _Toc313281549 h 10Interviews PAGEREF _Toc313281550 h 10Research Validity and Reliability PAGEREF _Toc313281551 h 11Ethical consideration PAGEREF _Toc313281552 h 11Limitations of the research PAGEREF _Toc313281553 h 12Data collection methods PAGEREF _Toc313281554 h 12Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc313281555 h 13

IntroductionThe rationale of the degree of Doctor of Business Administration at Walden University is to introduce scholars to Walden University and to the necessities for effective participation in online curricular. Ethical issues associated to management and businesses are taught in this course. It offers a foundation for academic as well as professional success from the approach of a practitioner as well as an agent of social change. Course assignments center on handy application of critical-thinking and writing skills. The course assignments also uphold academic excellence and professional practice. Major assignments consist of the designing of a Professional Development Plan and curriculum of study (Walden University, 2011).

Background of the ProblemThis dissertation proposal posits to provide a platform for further exploration on how social media impacts innovation and revenues for organizations in contemporary market. Data will be obtained through 20 interviews with business executives and social media experts. Initially I will find 60 references to assist in my research. The coverage of the study will be focused in Alberta. The paper shall execute an applied research in regard to the problem. Applied research is a type of systematic inquiry that entails the practical appliance of science. It employs and accesses some sections of the research communities’ accrued theories, knowledge, approaches, and techniques, for specific, business, state, or clientele driven purpose (Francis, 1996). Applied research entails finding solutions to practical problems and usually utilizes empirical methodologies. Since applied research involves the real world, austere research protocols would require being relaxed (Conroy, 2010). For instance, it may be impracticable to employ a random sample. Accordingly, precision in the methodology is critical (Best, 2008). Implications for interpretation of the results caused by relaxing an otherwise austere canon of methodology ought to be considered (Bayraktar, 2005).

In the precedent times, Information technology development and infrastructures have facilitated and enabled growth as well as globalization of numerous organizations (Lusoli & Gibson, 2008). In the contemporary market we are at the juncture of innovative developments in information technology and business in the nature of social media and social software applications (Fisher & Barak, 2006). A lot of organizations as well as and researchers have started experimentation with the internal utilization of social software in workplaces (Brzozowski, 2010). The employment of these technologies is rapidly maturing and shifting to enterprise-level platforms and projects (Arthur, 2006). Consequently, the social software market is now beginning to attract big vendors in the likes of IBM, Microsoft, and Google (Gartner, 2009). In the perspective of these developments in the contemporary market, the intent of the study would be to provide a platform for further exploration on how social media impacts innovation and revenues for organizations in contemporary market (Wattenberg, 2007). The alignment of business and information technology strategies in organizations assists in the realization of more successful investments (Henderson, 2005).

However, the consequences of the new developments in social media on the business policy of organizations, and the manner in which an organization may manage the alignment are not fully known (Macbeth & Purchase, 2007). This stresses the necessity for strategic hypothesis for organizations to manage as well as coordinate these new systems and social technologies within the organization and with their pertinent environment (Frost, 2009). Since social media is currently shifting into the enterprise environment, business and information technology frameworks as well as theories ought to be developed to ease management decisions (Massey, 2009).

Problem StatementOrganizations trying to utilize and adopt social media applications in the business, introduces the problem of how organizations may employ these applications in extend to their business policies (Schneider & Valacich, 2009).

How should social media be approached and how would organizations align these new social media developments with the organization strategy?

In answering this question the subsequent sub questions require to be answered:

What is social media and what is the appropriate definition?

How should social media be approached and employed by organizations?

How would social media align with organizations’ business strategy?

The focus will be to investigate how social media impacts innovation and revenues for organizations in today’s market.

Purpose StatementThe research intends to explore how social media impacts innovation and revenues for organizations in today’s market. Data will be obtained through 20 interviews with business executives and social media experts. Initially the researcher will obtain 60 references to assist in the research. The scope of the study will be focused in Alberta.

Research methodsThe research methods that will be applied in the research will qualitative as well as quantitative methods.

Definition and TermsSocial media may be defined as collective commodities created through computer-interceded collective action. According to Haenlein and Kaplan (2009), social media refers to Internet-based applications that facilitate consumers share views, experiences, insights and perspectives. The Social media platforms provide important high quality content that is implanted in socially constructed repositories (Smith, 2009). Social media utilizes the potential of the web 2.0 structures to facilitate the social aspects of communication, collaboration, as well as media sharing (Bolter & Grusin, 2006).

Theoretical or Conceptual FrameworkThere are two theories that would emerge in exploring the impact of social media on innovation and revenues for organizations in contemporary market (Handfield, 2009). There is the social capital theory and dramaturgical theories. According to Bourdieu’s social capital theory, social networks generate a source of prosperity (Portes, 2006). While, Goffman’s dramaturgical theory posits that the interactions of social actors results in a demonstration of diverse roles. The theory illustrates that, social media forces individuals to play a multiplicity of roles simultaneously (Sandefur, 2008).

Implications for Social ChangeThere is a superfluity of stylish business press but incomplete academic research in the subject of social media. There is necessity for further research in this subject in order to grant marketing managers with a focus as to how best to incorporate this media into the organization’s Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) (Papacharissi, 2007).Research in the subject of digital and online communications is comparatively well established (Luxton, 2007). However, only a few of the insights may be superimposed onto the relatively new, raw concept of social media. This concept is in its formative years in regard to conceptual development (Shakeel, 2009). While numerous conflicting ideas have come up with regard to distinctions and similarities between Web 2.0, social media and user generated content (Calder, 2009). The research will adopt Haenlein and Kaplan (2010), definition of social media. The authors propose that social media refers to internet-based applications that facilitate consumers share views, perspectives, experiences, and insights. These applications may comprise collaborative projects, content communities, blogs, social networking sites, virtual social worlds, and virtual game worlds (Forrester Research, 2009).

The research on electronic strategies and business varieties indicate that organizations may have an external or internal focus. Rust (2007) argues that the conventional path of e-commerce has basically failed following the dot-com crash. He also posits that organizations must embrace e-service paradigm that would provide innovative types of competitive advantage.

The conventional path focuses on automation and effectiveness to decrease costs (Crane & Matten, 2006). While the e-service path is focuses on improving service and building beneficial customer relationships to enhance revenues (Inglehart, 2006). There is a move form focus on systems and technology towards focus on understanding the clientele. The social media environment facilitates outward and inward-looking perspective of e-commerce (Nezu, 2006). The e-service paradigm exploits the nature the social media environment with its flow of information relating to clientele, communication and engagement in long-term interaction to create customer equity (Sudweeks, 2006).

Research methodologyIntroductionThis section illustrates the methods and procedures that the researcher will utilize in accomplishing the objectives of the project as highlighted in the abstract section of this paper. Primary Research

Primary research refers to assemblage of data that are non existent (Barney & Hesterly, 2005). This will be achieved through the application of a several approaches such as the use of questionnaires, surveys, and interviews. As is appropriate to this project, the primary sources will likely to be found in organizations in Alberta. The foremost advantage with carrying out primary research is that it will be precise. However, the demerit of primary research is that it is lengthy and time consuming (Russell & Taylor, 2006).

Secondary researchSecondary research is the assemblage of accessible data. For instance, research on specific subjects or experiments. Its merit is that it is not time consuming. However, a demerit would be that the information retrieved may be extraneous (Keller, 2008).

Quantitative and qualitative dataThere are two major ways investigated in the execution of the activities of any research, Qualitative research’ and ‘Quantitative research’. Qualitative data refers to data based on verbal implications or individual expressions from research respondents. Qualitative study of data is a major method for data collection and this may involve administration of interpersonal interviews (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Borodzicz, (2007), explains qualitative research as a positioned activity that places the researcher in the world. Barbour (2009) recognizes that qualitative method of research provides answers to dissimilar questions from those tackled by quantitative research method. However, Albrecht, (2006) supposes that qualitative research method is useful in bringing up hypotheses, which can be tested more thoroughly by quantitative research method. Quantitative analysis of data is a method that is based on the quantity of data composed from the recognized materials or sources such as business (Liedtka, 2006).

QuestionnairesThis research will be undertaken by the use of a questionnaire. The questionnaire will facilitate the data collection from various respondents in organizations located in Alberta. Utilizing a questionnaire is a quantitative method for gathering information from the sources is the most suitable method of gathering mass responses and as such, offering an excellent method of comparative analysis (Lowe, 2007). The questionnaires that will be utilized will cover a number of information sources to find out views and opinions regarding how social media impacts innovation and revenues for organizations in today’s market. Designing excellent questionnaires requires considerable experience and skills (Grunig & Hunt, 2006). The researcher will embark on the study by drawing survey questionnaires that tackles issues pertinent to the interviews carried out. It will be imperative to pilot the questionnaire as fully as feasible prior to distributing them to the participants.

InterviewsInterviews will also be employed in this study to harmonize the questionnaires. In order to realize the rationale of the investigation, the central focus will lie on deciding which methods ought to be applied. Interviews will be the most suitable method for comprehending this research. The three types of interviews namely; structured interviews, semi-structured interviews, and unstructured interviews (Infante & Womack, 2007). Structured interviews comprise of closed-ended questions, whereby the structure of the questions, responses and the interview itself was predetermined prior to the interview (Chess, 2008). The interviewer holds more control over the responses and directs the interview in the predetermined direction. However, the responses obtained are limited (Holladay, 2010). Semi-structured interviews comprise of open-ended as well as closed questions, permitting the interviewer to hold some level of control in regard to the responses and the interview in general (Pearson, 2007). However, the open-ended questions permit the interviewee to express themselves fully and encourage them to give their views and opinions.

On the other hand, unstructured interviews comprise of open-ended questions that do not confine the interviewee’s reactions, consequently gathering a wide variety of information (Brown, 2008). This type of interview is more elastic in relation to the questions asked and their ordering, all reliant on the interviewees’ responses (Swann, 2006).

Research Validity and ReliabilityThis research process requires being accurate in collecting, analyzing and sampling data; hence the validity of result should be satisfactory. There are several diverse aspects of validity, which persuade the validity of research in general (Armstrong, 2006).

Ethical considerationThe research participants will be supplied with dissimilar questionnaires based on definite areas of interest. The approval or disapproval of participation will be based on its advantages and disadvantages as determined after carrying out the research. All the participants should be offered their respectively informed consent on the intention of participation in any research (Taylor, 2009). They will be informed before the research, the rationale and the probable benefits as well any risks that might be linked with their participation.

Limitations of the researchEvery research has its limitations and these limitations tarnish the outcomes of the research (DeCarlo, 2009). Certain limitations are also linked with research (Daniel, 2009). One of the major limitations of this research is a small budget and lack of adequate time. In addition, there are other limitations like the noncommittal attitudes of some of the respondents which might interfere with the entire outcomes research (Scholes & Johnson, 2006). The interviews that will be conducted and the questionnaire cannot be fully utilized in this scenario because the most of the research respondents are usually not committed in their attitude when they were filling out the questionnaires or even when they are giving their responses to the researcher. The limited time given by the respondents is also another limitation in this research.

Data collection methodsObservation will be the foremost method employed in the research. This will involve visiting organizations that employ social media platforms in their business. Through the data gathering process, interviews will be conducted in different organizations. For a successful interviewing process in this project, relevant people will be contacted to guarantee that questions pertaining to the main area of the study are understood in order to make certain that relevant data is collected throughout the research process (Atkinson, 1991).

Dissemination of the research findings

Despite of the nature of the study, all research findings should evidently point out to what the actual research study has identified, dealing with the central message and its significance and also make proposal for actions (Lincoln, & Guba, 1985).

ConclusionThe applied use of the social media for business applications offers innovative opportunities. One of the innovative opportunities is customer service that may be an objective of businesses in social media. Fast development in social media means that the domain characterizes a key arena for new corporate practices.References

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