Abstract
The utilization of social media within businesses has significantly increased during the last years. Companies are
embracing social media as a way to enhance communication, information sharing and collaboration, thereby allowing them to implement many innovative business practices.(Zeiller & Schauer, 2011; Sigala, 2012; Burrus, 2010). Many large firms have been the early adopters and beneficiaries of most innovations (Barnes, et al., 2012). According to Kim, Lee and Lee (2011), they widely use social media, commonly in the B2C marketing world, to establish networks with business partners, customers, and employees, to solicit innovative ideas and suggestions, and to promote long-term relationships with customers. Although, Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs) highlight interest in social media with an increase in utilizing social media in innovation processes to better serve customers, improve productivity, extend market scope, and remain competitive (Kim, Lee and Lee, 2011; Barnes, et al., 2012; Levy, et al., 2003), compared with large firms, the adoption of social media in SMEs especially in the B2B environment is still in early stages (Kho, 2008). In spite of SMEs in New Zealand have already widely used Internet as a business tool with 93% connected to the Internet, previous research shows that unique characteristic of SMEs in New Zealand, impedes the speed of embracing social media in SMEs in New Zealand.Al-Qirim, 2007; Ghobakhloo, Aranda & Amado, 2011). In light of Grant Thornton’s international business report, New Zealand businesses not only lag behind the rest of the world in the use of social media, but also trail trading partners. Moreover, a review of literature has recognized that existing studies focus on B2C and intra-organization context; there is lack of academic research and well reported case studies in B2B, particularly in New Zealand context (Michaelidou, et al., 2011; Bengs & Wiklund-Engblom, 2012); the possibility of social media in business innovation is yet not fully understood (Kärkkäinen, et al., 2011; 2010); most recently researchers have called for further study into the potential use of social media within SMEs (Michaelidou, et al., 2011) Besides, as B2B environments differ from B2C environments, factors affecting in B2B may differ from those in B2C (Bengs& Wiklund-Engblom, 2012). Thus, it is important to investigate utilization of social media in SMEs innovation in B2B context.
In order to enable SMEs to better adopt social media, this study will explore how B2B SMEs use social media in business innovation processes. In pursuit of this aim, this study employs qualitative approach. Case study as a research method is suitable for an exploratory research.The six owners/ general managers of SMEs which have already utilized social media in their companies and have less than 20 full time employees are targeted. Data will be collected by semi-structured interview. Both content analysis and cross-case analysis will be conducted to identify the current status of social media in innovation processes of B2B context. They findings of this study may provide insights into the extent of use and the reason why B2B SMEs adopt social media. Also, this study will be useful for SMEs owners and their advisers those seeking a better understanding of the potential of social media.
embracing social media as a way to enhance communication, information sharing and collaboration, thereby allowing them to implement many innovative business practices.(Zeiller & Schauer, 2011; Sigala, 2012; Burrus, 2010). Many large firms have been the early adopters and beneficiaries of most innovations (Barnes, et al., 2012). According to Kim, Lee and Lee (2011), they widely use social media, commonly in the B2C marketing world, to establish networks with business partners, customers, and employees, to solicit innovative ideas and suggestions, and to promote long-term relationships with customers. Although, Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs) highlight interest in social media with an increase in utilizing social media in innovation processes to better serve customers, improve productivity, extend market scope, and remain competitive (Kim, Lee and Lee, 2011; Barnes, et al., 2012; Levy, et al., 2003), compared with large firms, the adoption of social media in SMEs especially in the B2B environment is still in early stages (Kho, 2008). In spite of SMEs in New Zealand have already widely used Internet as a business tool with 93% connected to the Internet, previous research shows that unique characteristic of SMEs in New Zealand, impedes the speed of embracing social media in SMEs in New Zealand.Al-Qirim, 2007; Ghobakhloo, Aranda & Amado, 2011). In light of Grant Thornton’s international business report, New Zealand businesses not only lag behind the rest of the world in the use of social media, but also trail trading partners. Moreover, a review of literature has recognized that existing studies focus on B2C and intra-organization context; there is lack of academic research and well reported case studies in B2B, particularly in New Zealand context (Michaelidou, et al., 2011; Bengs & Wiklund-Engblom, 2012); the possibility of social media in business innovation is yet not fully understood (Kärkkäinen, et al., 2011; 2010); most recently researchers have called for further study into the potential use of social media within SMEs (Michaelidou, et al., 2011) Besides, as B2B environments differ from B2C environments, factors affecting in B2B may differ from those in B2C (Bengs& Wiklund-Engblom, 2012). Thus, it is important to investigate utilization of social media in SMEs innovation in B2B context.
In order to enable SMEs to better adopt social media, this study will explore how B2B SMEs use social media in business innovation processes. In pursuit of this aim, this study employs qualitative approach. Case study as a research method is suitable for an exploratory research.The six owners/ general managers of SMEs which have already utilized social media in their companies and have less than 20 full time employees are targeted. Data will be collected by semi-structured interview. Both content analysis and cross-case analysis will be conducted to identify the current status of social media in innovation processes of B2B context. They findings of this study may provide insights into the extent of use and the reason why B2B SMEs adopt social media. Also, this study will be useful for SMEs owners and their advisers those seeking a better understanding of the potential of social media.
Useful references
A. Books
Useful - must refer to
1. Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2007). Business Research Methods (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Call number: HD30.4 .B79 2011 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level 3
2. Qualman, E. (2009). Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
Call number: HF5415.1265 Q83 2009 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level 3
3. Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). Los Angeles, Calif. : Sage Publications.
Call number: H62 .Y56 2009 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level
4. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994).Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks : Sage
Publications
Call number: H62.M437 1994 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level 3
Useful – worth considering
Safko, L. (2009). The social media bible: Tactics, tools, and strategies for business success. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
Call number: HF5415.1265 .S24 2009 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level
B. Articles
Useful - must refer to
1. Kärkkäinen, H., Jussila, J., & Väisänen, J. (2010). Social media use and potential in Business-to-Business companies’ innovation. In A. Lugmayr, H. Franssila, O. Sotamaa, C. Safran, & T. Aaltonen (Eds), MindTrek '10 Proceedings of the 14th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 228-236). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi: 10.1145/1930488.1930536
Abstract: Social media use, potential and challenges in innovation have received little attention in literature, especially from the standpoint of thebusiness-to-business sector. Therefore, this paper focuses on bridging this gap with a survey of social media use, potential and challenges, combined with social media - focused innovation literature review of state-of-the-art. The study also studies the essential differences between business-to-consumer an business-to-business in the above respects. The paper starts by defining of social media and web 2.0, and then characterizes social media in business,social media in business-to- business sector and social media inbusiness-to-business innovation. Finally we present and analyze the results ofour empirical survey of 122 Finnish companies. This paper suggests that there is a significant gap between perceived potential of social media and socia media use in innovation activity in business-to-business companies, recognize potentially effective ways to reduce the gap, and clarifies the found differences between B2B’s and B2C’s.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=1930536
2. Barnes, D., Clear, F., Dyerson, B., Harindranath, G., Harris. L.,& Rae, A. (2012). Web 2.0 and micro-businesses: An exploratory investigation. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 19(4), 687-711. doi:10.1108/14626001211277479
Abstract: 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 level of Web 2.0 ICT use (simple vs sophisticated).Research limitations/implications – A small number of firms of similar size, sector and location were studied, which limits generalizability. Nonetheless, the results offer a pointer to the likely future use of Web 2.0 tools by other small businesses.Practical implications – The research provides evidence of the attraction and potential of Web 2.0 for collaborations between small businesses. Originality/value – The paper is one of the first to report on use of Web 2.0 ICT in collaborative working between small businesses. It will be of interest to those seeking a better understanding of the potential of Web 2.0 in the small business community.
http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/journals.htm?articleid=17062904&show=abstract
3. Kärkkäinen, H., Jussila, J., & Janhonen, J. (2011). Managing customer information and knowledge with social media in business-to-business companies. In S. Lindstaedt& M. Granitzer (Eds.), I-KNOW '11: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on knowledge management and knowledge technologies (pp. 1-8). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2024288.2024309
Abstract:The recent innovation literature has increasingly emphasized the efficient use of knowledge and information not only inside the company borders, but particularly the knowledge locating outside the company borders, such as the knowledge of customers and users. In addition, the co-creation of new knowledge has gained fast in importance. Various types of collaborative web tools and approaches, such as social media, can enable and significantly increase the collaboration, the collaborative knowledge creation and the use of the distributed knowledge both within and outside the company borders. In this paper, we have studied the role and possibilities of social media in the sharing and creation of customer information and knowledge especially from the perspective of business-to-business companies' innovation with an extensive literature review. Business-to-business context was chosen because it is in many ways a very different environment for social media than business-to-consumer context, and is currently very little academically studied.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2024309
4. Michaelidou, N., Siamagka, N. T., & Christodoulides, G. (2011). Usage, barriers and measurement of social media marketing: An exploratory investigation of small and medium B2B brands. Industrial Marketing Management, 40(7), 1153 – 1159. doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2011.09.009
Abstract: Previous research has established the benefits of branding for business-to-business (B2B) organizations. Various tools can be used to support B2B brands, including the internet and other interactive technologies. Yet research on how organizations use Social Networking Sites (SNS) to achieve brand objectives remains limited. This study addresses the gap by focusing on B2B SMEs and their social networking practices, particularly, usage, perceived barriers, and the measurement of effectiveness of SNS as a marketing tool. Findings from a mail survey show that over a quarter of B2B SMEs in the UK are currently using SNS to achieve brand objectives, the most popular of which is to attract new customers. On the other hand, the most significant barrier is the lack of perceived relevance for particular sectors. Notably, the overwhelming majority of users do not adopt any metrics to assess SNS effectiveness. Almost half of the sample of SMEs that currently use SNS have indicated their intention to increase their marketing spending on this channel, highlighting the growing importance of SNS in a B2B context. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/science/article/pii/S0019850111001374
5 .Zeiller, M., & Schauer, B. (2011). Adoption, motivation and success factors of social media for team collaboration in SMEs. In S. Lindstaedt & M. Granitzer (Eds.), I-KNOW '11: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Knowledge Management and Knowledge Technologies (pp. 1-8). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2024288.2024294
Abstract: In team collaboration we deal with collaboration among team members that may either belong to the same enterprise (intra-enterprise collaboration) or among team members belonging to different companies (e.g., in
research projects). Social media provide an efficient and accessible means of encouraging and supporting team members working together on shared objects, i.e., performing collaborative tasks within these teams. Due to ease of use and access, especially small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may profit a lot from social media in team collaboration. Based on a number of case studies on the application of social media in SMEs, we analyze the adoption and implementation, the motivation of team members and their benefit, and success factors of the utilization of social media for team collaboration. To provide a set of case studies that allow for detailed comparison and in-depth analysis of multiple case studies, a standardized case study structure is introduced.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2024294
6.Jussila, J., Kärkkäinen, H., & Leino, M. (2011). Benefits of social media in business-to-business customer interface in innovation. In Interaction, ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human, MindTrek '11: Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 167-174). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2181037.2181065
Abstract: The aim of this research is to explore social media and its benefits especially from business-to-business innovation and related customer interface perspective, and to create a more comprehensive picture of the
possibilities of social media for the business-to-business sector. Business-to-business context was chosen because it is in many ways a very different environment for social media than business-to-consumer context, and is currently very little academically studied. A systematic literature review on B2B use of social media and achieved benefits in the inn ovation con text was performed to answer the questions above and achieve the research goals. The study clearly demonstrates that not merely B2C's, as commonly believed, but also B2B's can benefit from the use of social media in a variety of ways. Concerning the broader classes of innovation --related benefits, the reported benefits of social media use referred to increased customer focus and understanding, increased level of customer service, and decreased time-to-market. The study contributes to the existing social media --related literature, because there were no found earlier comprehensive academic studies on the use of social media in the innovation process in the context of B2B customer interface.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2181065
7. Clark, D.N. (2010). Innovation management in SMEs: Active innovators in New Zealand. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 23(4), 601-619.
Abstract: Since innovation is a key driver of economic growth and social development, research on innovation activities and processes is vital for policy makers, practitioners and scholars. This paper reports key findings from an
empirical study of innovation processes in 95 New Zealand SMEs which are active innovators. Results include the characteristics of innovative New Zealand SMEs, the types of innovations they are developing, and their perceptions of the context for innovation in New Zealand. The status of their innovation management processes were also evaluated using indices for strategy, market, innovation, and resource factors. These companies are well established demonstrating significant growth, high propensity to innovate and a portfolio of innovations. Further, they are well organised to commercialise their innovations. However, significant inhibitors to growth were identified and these have specific policy implications which are important given th imperative for economic growth and productivity improvements in New Zealand.
http://waikato.summon.serialssolutions.com/search?s.q=%29.+Innovation+management+in+SMEs%3A+Active+innovators+in+New+
Useful – worth considering
8. Succeeding online: Domainz eBiz review 2010. Domainz.
http://www.domainz.net.nz
9. Moore, J. N., Hopkins, C. D., & Raymond, M. A. (2013). Utilization of Relationship-Oriented Social Media in the Selling Process: A Comparison of Consumer (B2C) and Industrial (B2B) Salespeople. Journal of Internet Commerce, 12(1), 48-75. doi:10.1080/15332861.2013.763694
Abstract: The rapid pace of technological advancement and adoption of social media among consumers/organizations has been unprecedented in recent years. This study provides insights into understanding social media utilization among professional salespeople. Specifically, social media applications are separated into 15 categories, with multiple applications falling within each category. From a sample of 395 salespeople in B2B and B2C markets,
utilization of relationship-oriented social media applications are presented and examined. Overall, findings show that B2B practitioners tend to use media targeted at professionals whereas their B2C counterparts tend to utilize more sites targeted to the general public for engaging in one-on-one dialogue with their customers. Moreover, B2B professionals tend to use relationship-oriented social media technologies more than B2C professionals for the purpose of prospecting, handling objections, and after sale follow-up.
http://www.tandfonline.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/abs/10.1080/15332861.2013.763694#.UYEuMtyS1LM
10. Curran, J. M.,& Lennon, R. (2011). Participating in the conversation: Exploring usage of social media networking sites. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 15(1), 21-38. Retrieved from ProQuest database.
Abstract:The use of social networks has risen dramatically over the last few years as users have reached out to friends, new acquaintances and businesses through this new means of communication. If firms are to successfully utilize social networks as a channel through which they reach their customers, they must fully understand the reasons that these customers choose to use social networks. Using the relationship between attitude and behavioral intentions established in the Theory of Reasoned Action and applied to technology use by the Technology Acceptance Model, this research examines constructs that influence consumer attitudes toward social networks and their intentions to
use, continue using, and recommend social networks. The findings indicate that the level of enjoyment derived from using social networks is the strongest positive influence and that the drama associated with behaviors of others on the social network can be the strongest negative influence. These findings also show that the constructs of ease of use and usefulness made popular by the Technology Acceptance Model play no significant role influencing user attitudes or intentions with regard to social networks.
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/69916019/participating-conversation-exploring-usage-social-media-networking-sites
11. Heinrichs, J. H., Lim, J. S., & Lim, K. S. (2011). Influence of social networking site and user access method on
social media evaluation. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 10(6), 347-355. doi: 10.1002/cb.377
Abstract: TheInternet has expanded rapidly and shifted from being solely an information access tool to being
an interaction tool used by individuals to discover and share content, opinions, and information. To develop information connections, individuals are using a variety of technologies to access content and join virtual communities on various social networking sites. Of interest to researchers and organizations is the individuals’ perception of social networking sites using the identified dimensions of ease-of-use, usefulness, information quality, feeling, and usage intention.In this Web-based study, 226 participants from a professional discussion group provided information
regarding their perceptions of social networking sites and access tool usage. The differences in these perceptions
based upon the various access methods and various social networking tools are analyzed and reported. The results from simple main effect tests showed that differences exist in both access methods and social networking tool usage.
The usage patterns based upon the access methods can have an impact on the usage behavior of social network
sites. High-usage groups have the highest mean values for the perception dimension of ease-of-use for both access method and social networking sites. This suggests that organizations should accommodate and energize mobile users and design changes to their social networking sites to facilitate interaction and information sharing.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/10.1002/cb.377/abstract
12. Kim, H. D., Lee, I., & Lee, C. K. (2011). Building Web 2.0 enterprises: A study of small and medium enterprises in
the United States. International Small Business Journal, 31(2), 156-174. doi: 10.1177/0266242611409785
Abstract:Web 2.0 is one of the most rapidly growing web applications; to understand such technologies and
related management practices adopted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the USA, this study reviews major Web 2.0 technologies, presents a conceptual model of Web 2.0 applications, and analyzes SME Web 2.0 usage. In the conceptual model, Web 2.0 applications were organized around three major application categories: social networking, information sharing, and collaboration. User space was classified into three interaction spaces:
business-to-employee-to-employee space, business-to-employee-to-consumer space, and business-to-employee-to-business space. To analyze the Web 2.0 practices of one hundred US SMEs, data were collected from the websites of the 50 ‘best SMEs’ to work for in America in 2009 and from the websites of a further 50 SMEs randomly chosen from manta.com, an online source of SMEs. For statistical analyses, t-tests were conducted. While most of the 50
‘best SMEs’ adopted Web 2.0 to some degree, the analysis shows that the other SMEs need to increase their efforts to improve their performances, to connect with consumers and to remain competitive.
http://isb.sagepub.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/content/31/2/156
13. Lovejoy, K., & Saxton, G. D. (2012). Information, community, and action: How non-profit organizations use social media. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 17 (3), 337–353. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01576.x
Abstract:The rapid diffusion of “microblogging” services such as Twitter is ushering in a new era of possibilities for organizations to communicate with and engage their core stakeholders and the general public. To enhance understanding of the communicative functions microblogging serves for organizations, this study examines the Twitter utilization practices of the 100 largest nonprofit organizations in the United States. The analysis reveals there are three key functions of microblogging updates—“information,”“community,” and “action.” Though the informational use of microblogging is extensive, nonprofit organizations are better at using Twitter to strategically engage their stakeholders via dialogic and community‐building practices than they have been with traditional websites. The adoption of social media appears to have engendered new paradigms of public engagement.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01576.x/abstract
14. Bengs, A., & Wiklund-Engblom, A. (2012, Octorber). How do B2B Companies Motivate Participation in Online Innovation? In A. Lugmayr (Ed.), MindTrek '12: Proceeding of the 16th International Academic MindTrek Conference (pp. 119-124). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2393132.2393157
Abstract:The aim of this paper is to explore what kinds of factors are used by business-to-business (B2B) companies in order to motivate their B2B customers to participate in innovation processes utilizing social media. This qualitative multiple case study is a preliminary step in an attempt to understand how to motivate B2B customers to participate in social media innovations initiated by B2B companies. There has been little research conducted regarding social media use in innovation processes in B2B contexts and good case studies are rare. Therefore the aim of the present paper is to explore the motivational factors used by B2B companies that have successfully implemented social media in innovation processes involving their B2B customers. Existing literature is reviewed and five cases are analyzed in order to highlight how B2B companies can motivate participation.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2393157
Low value – can ignore
15. Heinonen, J. (2011). Social media perceptions on Finnish tourism sector. Interdisciplinary studies journal, 1 (3), 53-66. Retrieved from ProQuest database.
Abstract: The Internet has become an important part of our daily lives. Almost 60 % of Finns use the Internet many times a day and over 40 % of them are registered on some social media platform. Over half of the Finns buy from web shops, most frequently flight tickets, accommodation or other tourism services. Therefore it would be natural that tourism companies would use social media, which are both effective and cheap.This paper has studied customers’ and companies’ attitudes towards social media. Two quantitative researches were made online: one involving companies and the other involving customers. The results reveal the existence of several gaps between companies’ and customers’ views about the use of social media. For instance, companies are not aware of their customers’
buying habits in the Internet or their wishes of social media services. Companies do not have proper follow up or measurement systems to know if their social media strategies have been successful or if their customers are satisfied. Companies implement their old marketing strategies in social media and do not let customers show their opinions or create the content.Based on the results from the quantitative analysis, the author discusses the key underlying causes for such gaps and other suggestions on how these gaps could be closed.
http://www.academia.edu/1043312/Social_media_perceptions_on_Finnish_tourism_sector
16. Sigala, M. (2012). Exploiting Web 2.0 for new service development: Findings and implications from the Greek tourism industry. International Journal of Tourism Research, 14(6), 551-566. DOI: 10.1002/jtr.1914
Abstract: As research into customer involvement and Web 2.0 in new service development (NSD) is limited, this study investigated the exploitation and the implications of Web 2.0 for enhancing customer involvement in NSD in tourism.
Studies analysing the following fields were reviewed: the concept, the benefits and the risks of as well as the empowering role of Web 2.0 for customer participation in NSD. The review is organized around a framework summarizing the following issues that need to be considered for Web 2.0 exploitation: the drivers, the degree, the management issues and risks, and the benefits of customer involvement. A model measuring the use of Web 2.0 was also developed and used for surveying the level of Web 2.0 exploitation for NSD purposes by Greek tourism firms. The survey findings were also complemented with a qualitative study exploring the perceptions of professionals regarding the benefits, the management issues and risks that they face when exploiting Web 2.0. Finally, the practical and the theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/10.1002/jtr.1914/abstract
C. Online resources
Useful – must refer to
http://www.med.govt.nz/
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Useful – worth considering
1. http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/departments/centres-research/new-zealand-centre-for-sme-research/nzsmerc.cfm
The New Zealand Centre for Research into Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
2. http://socialmediab2b.com Social Media B2B
This blog reports on the latest thinking and research in B2B social media world with practical advice to business owners.
3. http://www.guardian.co.uk/ UK edition http://www.guardiannews.com/ US edition
4. http://www.biz-works.net/index.php5?PHPSESSID=423adc74928c472c6ffafca49e870569
Business Works - print & online journal & Twitter
Low value – can ignore
http://www.sitevisibility.co.uk Site Visibility
Their free podcast is a good way to keep up-to-date with what is going on in this area.
A. Books
Useful - must refer to
1. Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2007). Business Research Methods (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Call number: HD30.4 .B79 2011 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level 3
2. Qualman, E. (2009). Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
Call number: HF5415.1265 Q83 2009 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level 3
3. Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). Los Angeles, Calif. : Sage Publications.
Call number: H62 .Y56 2009 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level
4. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994).Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks : Sage
Publications
Call number: H62.M437 1994 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level 3
Useful – worth considering
Safko, L. (2009). The social media bible: Tactics, tools, and strategies for business success. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
Call number: HF5415.1265 .S24 2009 – University of Waikato Library, Central library – Level
B. Articles
Useful - must refer to
1. Kärkkäinen, H., Jussila, J., & Väisänen, J. (2010). Social media use and potential in Business-to-Business companies’ innovation. In A. Lugmayr, H. Franssila, O. Sotamaa, C. Safran, & T. Aaltonen (Eds), MindTrek '10 Proceedings of the 14th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 228-236). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi: 10.1145/1930488.1930536
Abstract: Social media use, potential and challenges in innovation have received little attention in literature, especially from the standpoint of thebusiness-to-business sector. Therefore, this paper focuses on bridging this gap with a survey of social media use, potential and challenges, combined with social media - focused innovation literature review of state-of-the-art. The study also studies the essential differences between business-to-consumer an business-to-business in the above respects. The paper starts by defining of social media and web 2.0, and then characterizes social media in business,social media in business-to- business sector and social media inbusiness-to-business innovation. Finally we present and analyze the results ofour empirical survey of 122 Finnish companies. This paper suggests that there is a significant gap between perceived potential of social media and socia media use in innovation activity in business-to-business companies, recognize potentially effective ways to reduce the gap, and clarifies the found differences between B2B’s and B2C’s.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=1930536
2. Barnes, D., Clear, F., Dyerson, B., Harindranath, G., Harris. L.,& Rae, A. (2012). Web 2.0 and micro-businesses: An exploratory investigation. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 19(4), 687-711. doi:10.1108/14626001211277479
Abstract: 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 level of Web 2.0 ICT use (simple vs sophisticated).Research limitations/implications – A small number of firms of similar size, sector and location were studied, which limits generalizability. Nonetheless, the results offer a pointer to the likely future use of Web 2.0 tools by other small businesses.Practical implications – The research provides evidence of the attraction and potential of Web 2.0 for collaborations between small businesses. Originality/value – The paper is one of the first to report on use of Web 2.0 ICT in collaborative working between small businesses. It will be of interest to those seeking a better understanding of the potential of Web 2.0 in the small business community.
http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/journals.htm?articleid=17062904&show=abstract
3. Kärkkäinen, H., Jussila, J., & Janhonen, J. (2011). Managing customer information and knowledge with social media in business-to-business companies. In S. Lindstaedt& M. Granitzer (Eds.), I-KNOW '11: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on knowledge management and knowledge technologies (pp. 1-8). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2024288.2024309
Abstract:The recent innovation literature has increasingly emphasized the efficient use of knowledge and information not only inside the company borders, but particularly the knowledge locating outside the company borders, such as the knowledge of customers and users. In addition, the co-creation of new knowledge has gained fast in importance. Various types of collaborative web tools and approaches, such as social media, can enable and significantly increase the collaboration, the collaborative knowledge creation and the use of the distributed knowledge both within and outside the company borders. In this paper, we have studied the role and possibilities of social media in the sharing and creation of customer information and knowledge especially from the perspective of business-to-business companies' innovation with an extensive literature review. Business-to-business context was chosen because it is in many ways a very different environment for social media than business-to-consumer context, and is currently very little academically studied.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2024309
4. Michaelidou, N., Siamagka, N. T., & Christodoulides, G. (2011). Usage, barriers and measurement of social media marketing: An exploratory investigation of small and medium B2B brands. Industrial Marketing Management, 40(7), 1153 – 1159. doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2011.09.009
Abstract: Previous research has established the benefits of branding for business-to-business (B2B) organizations. Various tools can be used to support B2B brands, including the internet and other interactive technologies. Yet research on how organizations use Social Networking Sites (SNS) to achieve brand objectives remains limited. This study addresses the gap by focusing on B2B SMEs and their social networking practices, particularly, usage, perceived barriers, and the measurement of effectiveness of SNS as a marketing tool. Findings from a mail survey show that over a quarter of B2B SMEs in the UK are currently using SNS to achieve brand objectives, the most popular of which is to attract new customers. On the other hand, the most significant barrier is the lack of perceived relevance for particular sectors. Notably, the overwhelming majority of users do not adopt any metrics to assess SNS effectiveness. Almost half of the sample of SMEs that currently use SNS have indicated their intention to increase their marketing spending on this channel, highlighting the growing importance of SNS in a B2B context. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/science/article/pii/S0019850111001374
5 .Zeiller, M., & Schauer, B. (2011). Adoption, motivation and success factors of social media for team collaboration in SMEs. In S. Lindstaedt & M. Granitzer (Eds.), I-KNOW '11: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Knowledge Management and Knowledge Technologies (pp. 1-8). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2024288.2024294
Abstract: In team collaboration we deal with collaboration among team members that may either belong to the same enterprise (intra-enterprise collaboration) or among team members belonging to different companies (e.g., in
research projects). Social media provide an efficient and accessible means of encouraging and supporting team members working together on shared objects, i.e., performing collaborative tasks within these teams. Due to ease of use and access, especially small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may profit a lot from social media in team collaboration. Based on a number of case studies on the application of social media in SMEs, we analyze the adoption and implementation, the motivation of team members and their benefit, and success factors of the utilization of social media for team collaboration. To provide a set of case studies that allow for detailed comparison and in-depth analysis of multiple case studies, a standardized case study structure is introduced.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2024294
6.Jussila, J., Kärkkäinen, H., & Leino, M. (2011). Benefits of social media in business-to-business customer interface in innovation. In Interaction, ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human, MindTrek '11: Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 167-174). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2181037.2181065
Abstract: The aim of this research is to explore social media and its benefits especially from business-to-business innovation and related customer interface perspective, and to create a more comprehensive picture of the
possibilities of social media for the business-to-business sector. Business-to-business context was chosen because it is in many ways a very different environment for social media than business-to-consumer context, and is currently very little academically studied. A systematic literature review on B2B use of social media and achieved benefits in the inn ovation con text was performed to answer the questions above and achieve the research goals. The study clearly demonstrates that not merely B2C's, as commonly believed, but also B2B's can benefit from the use of social media in a variety of ways. Concerning the broader classes of innovation --related benefits, the reported benefits of social media use referred to increased customer focus and understanding, increased level of customer service, and decreased time-to-market. The study contributes to the existing social media --related literature, because there were no found earlier comprehensive academic studies on the use of social media in the innovation process in the context of B2B customer interface.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2181065
7. Clark, D.N. (2010). Innovation management in SMEs: Active innovators in New Zealand. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 23(4), 601-619.
Abstract: Since innovation is a key driver of economic growth and social development, research on innovation activities and processes is vital for policy makers, practitioners and scholars. This paper reports key findings from an
empirical study of innovation processes in 95 New Zealand SMEs which are active innovators. Results include the characteristics of innovative New Zealand SMEs, the types of innovations they are developing, and their perceptions of the context for innovation in New Zealand. The status of their innovation management processes were also evaluated using indices for strategy, market, innovation, and resource factors. These companies are well established demonstrating significant growth, high propensity to innovate and a portfolio of innovations. Further, they are well organised to commercialise their innovations. However, significant inhibitors to growth were identified and these have specific policy implications which are important given th imperative for economic growth and productivity improvements in New Zealand.
http://waikato.summon.serialssolutions.com/search?s.q=%29.+Innovation+management+in+SMEs%3A+Active+innovators+in+New+
Useful – worth considering
8. Succeeding online: Domainz eBiz review 2010. Domainz.
http://www.domainz.net.nz
9. Moore, J. N., Hopkins, C. D., & Raymond, M. A. (2013). Utilization of Relationship-Oriented Social Media in the Selling Process: A Comparison of Consumer (B2C) and Industrial (B2B) Salespeople. Journal of Internet Commerce, 12(1), 48-75. doi:10.1080/15332861.2013.763694
Abstract: The rapid pace of technological advancement and adoption of social media among consumers/organizations has been unprecedented in recent years. This study provides insights into understanding social media utilization among professional salespeople. Specifically, social media applications are separated into 15 categories, with multiple applications falling within each category. From a sample of 395 salespeople in B2B and B2C markets,
utilization of relationship-oriented social media applications are presented and examined. Overall, findings show that B2B practitioners tend to use media targeted at professionals whereas their B2C counterparts tend to utilize more sites targeted to the general public for engaging in one-on-one dialogue with their customers. Moreover, B2B professionals tend to use relationship-oriented social media technologies more than B2C professionals for the purpose of prospecting, handling objections, and after sale follow-up.
http://www.tandfonline.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/abs/10.1080/15332861.2013.763694#.UYEuMtyS1LM
10. Curran, J. M.,& Lennon, R. (2011). Participating in the conversation: Exploring usage of social media networking sites. Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 15(1), 21-38. Retrieved from ProQuest database.
Abstract:The use of social networks has risen dramatically over the last few years as users have reached out to friends, new acquaintances and businesses through this new means of communication. If firms are to successfully utilize social networks as a channel through which they reach their customers, they must fully understand the reasons that these customers choose to use social networks. Using the relationship between attitude and behavioral intentions established in the Theory of Reasoned Action and applied to technology use by the Technology Acceptance Model, this research examines constructs that influence consumer attitudes toward social networks and their intentions to
use, continue using, and recommend social networks. The findings indicate that the level of enjoyment derived from using social networks is the strongest positive influence and that the drama associated with behaviors of others on the social network can be the strongest negative influence. These findings also show that the constructs of ease of use and usefulness made popular by the Technology Acceptance Model play no significant role influencing user attitudes or intentions with regard to social networks.
http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/69916019/participating-conversation-exploring-usage-social-media-networking-sites
11. Heinrichs, J. H., Lim, J. S., & Lim, K. S. (2011). Influence of social networking site and user access method on
social media evaluation. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 10(6), 347-355. doi: 10.1002/cb.377
Abstract: TheInternet has expanded rapidly and shifted from being solely an information access tool to being
an interaction tool used by individuals to discover and share content, opinions, and information. To develop information connections, individuals are using a variety of technologies to access content and join virtual communities on various social networking sites. Of interest to researchers and organizations is the individuals’ perception of social networking sites using the identified dimensions of ease-of-use, usefulness, information quality, feeling, and usage intention.In this Web-based study, 226 participants from a professional discussion group provided information
regarding their perceptions of social networking sites and access tool usage. The differences in these perceptions
based upon the various access methods and various social networking tools are analyzed and reported. The results from simple main effect tests showed that differences exist in both access methods and social networking tool usage.
The usage patterns based upon the access methods can have an impact on the usage behavior of social network
sites. High-usage groups have the highest mean values for the perception dimension of ease-of-use for both access method and social networking sites. This suggests that organizations should accommodate and energize mobile users and design changes to their social networking sites to facilitate interaction and information sharing.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/10.1002/cb.377/abstract
12. Kim, H. D., Lee, I., & Lee, C. K. (2011). Building Web 2.0 enterprises: A study of small and medium enterprises in
the United States. International Small Business Journal, 31(2), 156-174. doi: 10.1177/0266242611409785
Abstract:Web 2.0 is one of the most rapidly growing web applications; to understand such technologies and
related management practices adopted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the USA, this study reviews major Web 2.0 technologies, presents a conceptual model of Web 2.0 applications, and analyzes SME Web 2.0 usage. In the conceptual model, Web 2.0 applications were organized around three major application categories: social networking, information sharing, and collaboration. User space was classified into three interaction spaces:
business-to-employee-to-employee space, business-to-employee-to-consumer space, and business-to-employee-to-business space. To analyze the Web 2.0 practices of one hundred US SMEs, data were collected from the websites of the 50 ‘best SMEs’ to work for in America in 2009 and from the websites of a further 50 SMEs randomly chosen from manta.com, an online source of SMEs. For statistical analyses, t-tests were conducted. While most of the 50
‘best SMEs’ adopted Web 2.0 to some degree, the analysis shows that the other SMEs need to increase their efforts to improve their performances, to connect with consumers and to remain competitive.
http://isb.sagepub.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/content/31/2/156
13. Lovejoy, K., & Saxton, G. D. (2012). Information, community, and action: How non-profit organizations use social media. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 17 (3), 337–353. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01576.x
Abstract:The rapid diffusion of “microblogging” services such as Twitter is ushering in a new era of possibilities for organizations to communicate with and engage their core stakeholders and the general public. To enhance understanding of the communicative functions microblogging serves for organizations, this study examines the Twitter utilization practices of the 100 largest nonprofit organizations in the United States. The analysis reveals there are three key functions of microblogging updates—“information,”“community,” and “action.” Though the informational use of microblogging is extensive, nonprofit organizations are better at using Twitter to strategically engage their stakeholders via dialogic and community‐building practices than they have been with traditional websites. The adoption of social media appears to have engendered new paradigms of public engagement.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01576.x/abstract
14. Bengs, A., & Wiklund-Engblom, A. (2012, Octorber). How do B2B Companies Motivate Participation in Online Innovation? In A. Lugmayr (Ed.), MindTrek '12: Proceeding of the 16th International Academic MindTrek Conference (pp. 119-124). New York, N. Y.: ACM. doi:10.1145/2393132.2393157
Abstract:The aim of this paper is to explore what kinds of factors are used by business-to-business (B2B) companies in order to motivate their B2B customers to participate in innovation processes utilizing social media. This qualitative multiple case study is a preliminary step in an attempt to understand how to motivate B2B customers to participate in social media innovations initiated by B2B companies. There has been little research conducted regarding social media use in innovation processes in B2B contexts and good case studies are rare. Therefore the aim of the present paper is to explore the motivational factors used by B2B companies that have successfully implemented social media in innovation processes involving their B2B customers. Existing literature is reviewed and five cases are analyzed in order to highlight how B2B companies can motivate participation.
http://dl.acm.org.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/citation.cfm?id=2393157
Low value – can ignore
15. Heinonen, J. (2011). Social media perceptions on Finnish tourism sector. Interdisciplinary studies journal, 1 (3), 53-66. Retrieved from ProQuest database.
Abstract: The Internet has become an important part of our daily lives. Almost 60 % of Finns use the Internet many times a day and over 40 % of them are registered on some social media platform. Over half of the Finns buy from web shops, most frequently flight tickets, accommodation or other tourism services. Therefore it would be natural that tourism companies would use social media, which are both effective and cheap.This paper has studied customers’ and companies’ attitudes towards social media. Two quantitative researches were made online: one involving companies and the other involving customers. The results reveal the existence of several gaps between companies’ and customers’ views about the use of social media. For instance, companies are not aware of their customers’
buying habits in the Internet or their wishes of social media services. Companies do not have proper follow up or measurement systems to know if their social media strategies have been successful or if their customers are satisfied. Companies implement their old marketing strategies in social media and do not let customers show their opinions or create the content.Based on the results from the quantitative analysis, the author discusses the key underlying causes for such gaps and other suggestions on how these gaps could be closed.
http://www.academia.edu/1043312/Social_media_perceptions_on_Finnish_tourism_sector
16. Sigala, M. (2012). Exploiting Web 2.0 for new service development: Findings and implications from the Greek tourism industry. International Journal of Tourism Research, 14(6), 551-566. DOI: 10.1002/jtr.1914
Abstract: As research into customer involvement and Web 2.0 in new service development (NSD) is limited, this study investigated the exploitation and the implications of Web 2.0 for enhancing customer involvement in NSD in tourism.
Studies analysing the following fields were reviewed: the concept, the benefits and the risks of as well as the empowering role of Web 2.0 for customer participation in NSD. The review is organized around a framework summarizing the following issues that need to be considered for Web 2.0 exploitation: the drivers, the degree, the management issues and risks, and the benefits of customer involvement. A model measuring the use of Web 2.0 was also developed and used for surveying the level of Web 2.0 exploitation for NSD purposes by Greek tourism firms. The survey findings were also complemented with a qualitative study exploring the perceptions of professionals regarding the benefits, the management issues and risks that they face when exploiting Web 2.0. Finally, the practical and the theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.waikato.ac.nz/doi/10.1002/jtr.1914/abstract
C. Online resources
Useful – must refer to
http://www.med.govt.nz/
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
Useful – worth considering
1. http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/departments/centres-research/new-zealand-centre-for-sme-research/nzsmerc.cfm
The New Zealand Centre for Research into Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
2. http://socialmediab2b.com Social Media B2B
This blog reports on the latest thinking and research in B2B social media world with practical advice to business owners.
3. http://www.guardian.co.uk/ UK edition http://www.guardiannews.com/ US edition
4. http://www.biz-works.net/index.php5?PHPSESSID=423adc74928c472c6ffafca49e870569
Business Works - print & online journal & Twitter
Low value – can ignore
http://www.sitevisibility.co.uk Site Visibility
Their free podcast is a good way to keep up-to-date with what is going on in this area.