Netnographic Approach Research Articles

Investigating the Community of Practice of World Language Educators on Twitter

This study investigated how an online community of teachers engaged in professional development using collaborative Web (Web 2.0) technologies. This community of practice (CoP) consisted of world language (WL) teachers using the microblogging platform, Twitter. The study approached teacher learning from a sociocultural perspective. Its central questions were as follows: What are the characteristics of this CoP of WL educators on Twitter? How do those characteristics relate to or reflect teacher learning? With a qualitative, netnographic approach, data sources included over a year of participant observation, nine interviews with community members, and numerous online documents from blogs, wikis, and other sources. Findings demonstrated how the domain, community, and practice characteristics of this online CoP could also be linked to sustained and significant teacher learning. The study concludes with considerations for the future of similar online communities.

Playing with Sims as a Space of One's Own

Studies of women's use of popular media have highlighted how these contested genres may be used by women to create a space of their own. Is this also the case when the media text in question is a digital game and the community around it moves online? Investigated via a netnographic approach, this article analyses the articulated experiences of playing The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 in relation to how the players perceive the activity's function in their everyday lives. Seven emic categories are identified and discussed in the inductive analysis, namely “relaxation and dealing with stress,” “playing according to mood,” “managing and taking control,” “experimentation,” “get what one does not have,” “making something one's own,” and “creative outlet.” A central denominator of these seven categories is the notion of a space of one's own in the widest sense of the phrase. In the discussed accounts playing becomes a way not only to escape other obligations for a while but also in various ways to work with the self and its place in everyday life.

THE CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITIES OF CROWDSOURCING WEB COMMUNITIES: AN ITALIAN CASE STUDY

The present study explored the impact of a crowdsourcing strategy on the firm’s inventive activities. To investigate this area, we drew on an exploratory qualitative case study using a Netnography approach to analyze the open innovation experience and crowdsourcing strategy of a large Italian company in the bakery sector, the Mulino Bianco. This paper has implications for future research on crowdsourcing, particularly regarding the effective use of collective intelligence in the innovation process. To cite this document: Maria Chiara Di Guardo and Manuel Castriotta, "The challenge and opportunities of crowdsourcing web communities: An Italian case study", International Journal of Electronic Commerce Studies, Vol.4, No.1, pp.79-92, 2013. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.7903/ijecs.1112

A prática pedagógica no ensino de biblioteconomia: interação e colaboração no contexto da web 2.0

Apresenta breves considerações sobre a inserção das tecnologias de informação e comunicação no trabalho docente do ensino de Biblioteconomia no Brasil e aborda a prática pedagógica na área a partir dos suportes tecnológicos com ênfase no uso de recursos da web 2.0 no apoio ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Com o intuito de contribuir com a discussão descreve um experimento, baseado em uma prática pedagógica interativa, desenvolvido durante a realização da disciplina “Informática aplicada à Biblioteconomia II” do curso de graduação em Biblioteconomia da Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UFAL) no primeiro semestre do ano de 2011. Por meio de uma abordagem netnográfica, as discussões em torno da disciplina postadas no microblog Twitter foram monitoradas, com o propósito de averiguar a possibilidade do uso de recursos da web 2.0 como aportes metodológicos ao ensino da disciplina. Ao todo foram identificados 514 tweets e pelo perfil de compartilhamento (distribuição das mensagens por mês, dia da semana e horário do dia) e das conversações estabelecidas (mentions, replies, e retweets) considera que a ferramenta utilizada confirma a lógica de um recurso baseado no contexto da web 2.0, que por sua premissa de interação e colaboração, facilita a participação e engajamento dos alunos na disciplina. A aprendizagem distributiva e contínua na qual o assunto discutido ultrapassou as limitações espaço-temporal da sala de aula foi identificada, bem como o envolvimento ativo e exercício da autonomia por parte dos alunos. Conclui-se que, pensar a educação no contexto de uma constante evolução tecnológica altera de forma significativa as práticas pedagógicas e exige uma postura de contínua reformulação do trabalho docente

Web-based forums and metaphysical branding

This paper introduces metaphysical branding as an original, overarching concept binding together discrete data themes when analysing online evaluation of the best-selling album in jazz history – Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. There are five constituent elements of metaphysical branding arising from the data (rite of passage, believers, non-believers, self-improvement, and ritual). The paper uses a netnographic approach involving analysis of online textual discourse posted on a music-rating website. Postings indicate that consumers are not just passively responding to marketing communications, but are actively co-creating transcendent meaning. Dissemination of quasi-religious motifs invests Kind of Blue with self-perpetuating, life-cycle extending meanings. Metaphysical branding has potential applications in the marketing of goods and services requiring prolonged cognitive effort in striving for aspirational self-improvement (e.g. through pursuit of the arts or university education) or prolonged dedication and devotion (e.g. to a sports team).

Organic and amplified eWOM in consumer fashion blogs

PurposeIn the past few years fashion blogs have become a popular form of user‐generated content, and consequently, the fashion industry has shown great interest in fashion blog marketing. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze consumer‐to‐consumer (C2C) electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM) in fashion blogs, and especially to compare naturally‐occurring, i.e. organic eWOM with marketer‐influenced, i.e. amplified eWOM.Design/methodology/approachThe study takes a netnographic approach to the phenomenon of fashion blogs. The empirical material consists of observational data including blog texts and audience comments of six popular fashion blogs in Finland.FindingsFindings indicate that although not as varied as organic, amplified eWOM content in consumer fashion blogs resembles organic content. The main topics discussed in organic eWOM include personal style, brands, designers and retailers, tips and advice as well as purchases. Amplified topics concerned products received by the blogger, brands, designers and retailers, tips given to the audience, and competitions.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that for blog marketing to be effective and credible, the marketed fashion items, designers, or retailers need to fit the blogger's personal style.Originality/valueSocial media, especially blogs, play an important role in contemporary fashion marketing. This study addresses the emerging, yet scarce area of research into how marketer influence on fashion bloggers can be seen in user‐generated content.

Leisure in Coping With Depression

This article explores how people with depression perceive and use leisure in coping with their illness. The study applied a netnography approach and was based on data from 25 online depression communities. The findings suggest that people with depression perceive leisure as a useful coping resource. Yet, they seem to be trapped in vicious circles. The more depressed they feel, the less they are able to participate in leisure activities and benefit from such involvement, and the less involved they are, the more depressed they become. Feeling more depressed puts them at risk of resorting to maladaptive forms of coping, which, in turn, exacerbate the depression. The strategies members discuss suggest a variety of alternatives for ameliorating these frustrating dynamics.

Let's talk about wine: does Twitter have value?

PurposeThe purpose of this exploratory research paper is twofold. First, to identify how wine is being talked about within the Twitter environment and second to examine whether the constructs of soft and hard value can be demonstrated within the social media, Twitter content. The overall aim is to establish whether Twitter can create value for wine stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachA netnographic approach has been adopted through the collection of 1,500 English language tweets on the subject of wine which were analysed using Nvivo qualitative data analysis software against the constructs of value found in the literature.FindingsThe early findings suggest that Twitter can create soft value for wine focused businesses but that hard value is not yet strongly evident. Wine marketers need to be more aware of both the content of wine tweets and the profiles of those who tweet.Practical implicationsThe use of social media within wine businesses is in its infancy. Wine focused businesses are currently not optimising value creation through Twitter. Whilst Twitter does exhibit value, wine marketers, wine brands and wine retailers are not engaging with consumers who are talking about wine via Twitter.Originality/valueThis paper has provided evidence that there is value within social media, specifically Twitter. The contribution of this paper lies in identifying not only the types of value that wine businesses could develop by embracing Twitter but also how the different profiles use Twitter differently.

Brand communities embedded in social networks

Brand communities represent highly valuable marketing, innovation management, and customer relationship management tools. However, applying successful marketing strategies today, and in the future, also means exploring and seizing the unprecedented opportunities of social network environments. This study combines these two social phenomena which have largely been researched separately, and aims to investigate the existence, functionality and different types of brand communities within social networks. The netnographic approach yields strong evidence of this existence; leading to a better understanding of such embedded brand communities, their peculiarities, and motivational drivers for participation; therefore the findings contribute to theory by combining two separate research streams. Due to the advantages of social networks, brand management is now able to implement brand communities with less time and financial effort; however, choosing the appropriate brand community type, cultivating consumers’ interaction, and staying tuned to this social engagement are critical factors to gain anticipated brand outcomes.

Knowledge sharing among green fashion communities online

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge content on green fashion and the expectations regarding the sustainable supply chain held by consumers and shared within online communities. In sustainable and eco‐sectors, the supply chain is of outmost concern for consumers, as most benefits derived from the eco‐purchase are linked to the green and ethical credentials of the supply chain.Design/methodology/approachA netnographic approach is used. Discussions on green fashion were collected in two green fashion forums over two periods (2007‐2008 and 2010‐2011) and were content analyzed.FindingsResults show a switch in knowledge content between the two periods, from a focus on sustainability to a focus on fashion. Also, there is an evolution in the nature of knowledge content, being initially subjective and becoming more objective and showing expertise during the last period studied. As the communities gain maturity, members are interested in sharing precise knowledge on a variety of aspects linked to the sustainable supply chain, including fabric, materials, manufacturing processes, transportation, distribution, and recycling or re‐use of fashion items. In addition, the role of the members evolves toward educating newcomers and sustaining the development of the green fashion sector.Originality valueThis research contributes to the field by offering an original perspective on the green fashion supply chain and consumer vision of the industry, through the point of view of major actors and online communities. It advocates for a consumer orientation in the building of sustainable fashion supply chains.

A netnographic examination of travelers' online discussions of risks

This research explores online discussions of risk by applying a netnographic approach, which in previous tourism studies has been used to probe travelers' online narratives in general, rather than examining a particular dimension. In the present study, blogs about risk and safety issues were analyzed with the intention of scrutinizing risk categories discussed online and exploring the contingency of risk dimension for cities of different risk levels. Helsinki (Finland), Madrid (Spain), and Cape Town (South Africa) were chosen to represent low-, medium-, and high-risk cities, respectively. Findings from our analysis of the TripAdvisor's forum for risk prove the applicability of the taxonomy of risk categories previously identified in offline contexts and that perceived risk dimensions are destination specific. Insight into risk dimensions that tourists discuss online enable destination marketers to take action, eliminate factors that cause risk perception, refine destination marketing communication, and build strong brands.

Paddling, property and piracy: the politics of canoeing in England and Wales

This paper situates the politics of canoeing on inland rivers in England and Wales in the context of property rights and protest repertoires. We argue that the dominance of property rights has created an asymmetrical position that has underpinned riparian rights holders' claims to exclusive use of rivers while simultaneously delegitimizing the apparently equally valid claims of paddlers and others seeking access along rivers. Utilizing a netnographic approach we interrogate the adopted cultural positions of canoeists as ‘roving bandit’ and ‘social pirate’ through a study of online discussion. By adopting identities as ‘bandit’ and ‘pirate’, paddlers seek to unsettle the hegemony over property relations exercised by anglers to win concessions for use and enjoyment of rivers. Informed by Mancur Olson's theory of property settlement by outlaws, we argue that these identities do more to substantiate the claims of anglers to possession than further the cause of paddlers to securing greater access. In order to substantiate their claims, paddlers need to shift the point of their attack from that characterized by the roving and ephemeral bandit to that of the settled ruler, in the process establishing a claim over inland waters that is as strong as that already imposed by the anglers.

Relationships in online communities: the potential for marketers

PurposeThe potential influence of consumer generated communication in the form of online discussion fora has been overlooked by marketers. The purpose of this paper to explore the content of discussion and the relationships between posters on social networks using the wine sector as the research basis.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the current usage of discussion fora by wine enthusiasts through a netnographic approach. A non‐probability purposive sample of wine discussion fora in three countries is employed to determine the content and style of the contributions posted.FindingsThe paper indicates that individuals within fora develop relationships with each other, the network itself and brands. Such relationships are predicated on trust between members, shared interests and experiences and relationships with the brands that they discuss. These relationships can develop into strong bonds and even evolve into offline activities.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is an exploratory study with a sample limited to one product type and thus generalisation is difficult.Practical implicationsThe paper outlines the strength and types of relationships between social network members. It demonstrates how netnography can provide insights into consumer behaviour and relationships between consumers and products. Marketers should consider the content of discussion fora as a valuable resource for learning about contemporary consumer communication and appreciate the power of peer‐to‐peer online relationships.Originality/valueThe paper uses a novel, but accepted, research method to discover useful insights into consumer perceptions and behaviour.

How to use the innovative potential of online communities? Netnography – an unobtrusive research method to absorb the knowledge and creativity of online communities

This article investigates how the enormous knowledge-pool of online communities can be used for new product development. Except for a few examples provided in the literature, little is known about how to best absorb the knowledge of online communities and incorporate it systematically into a company's innovation process. In this article, we introduce a modified form of the netnography method, an unobtrusive, qualitative research method, to access consumers' experiences, thoughts, unsatisfied needs and ideas for new product development. The netnographic approach we propose in this paper is adapted to new product development. Two introduced cases prove its practical applicability for innovation. The quantity and quality of consumer contributions impressively demonstrate the potential of online communities for new product development. Although netnography is very valuable for new product development, it is quite time consuming. Until now, no adequate software tools exist which satisfactorily enable automated data collection and analysis.

A study of neutralisation theory's application to global consumer ethics: P2P file-trading of musical intellectual property on the internet

This study applied neutralisation techniques from neutralisation theory (Sykes and Matza, 1957) to consumer perceptions to justify unethical distribution and acquisition of unauthorised free digital music on the internet. A two-stage multimethod and qualitative study was performed. One qualitative data set was developed with written protocols in 2000 at the start of the Napster phenomenon with a sample of consumers from nine nations. The second research phase was done in 2004 with a netnographic approach to studying weblogs. Results supported the Marks and Mayo (1991) extension of Hunt and Vitell's (1986) General Theory of Marketing Ethics model and Fukukawa's (2002) Framework for Ethically Questionable Behaviour in Consumption. The first stage of cross-cultural analysis revealed nations' differences in neutralisation techniques used by subjects to justify unethical file-trading behaviour. Results from both research phases indicated global similarities among consumer values.

GOOGLE TRENDS DAN ANALISIS PENGELOLAAN KONFLIK SOSIAL DI RUANG PUBLIK VIRTUAL

One of the facilities provided by Google that can be used as a data analysis tool is Google Trends. This study aims to analyze the data recorded by Google Trends in 2016 and 2017 regarding social conflicts of Aksi Bela Islam that occur in virtual public spaces. This research uses a qualitative method with a netnographic approach. The results showed the keyword features provided by Google Trends became a media hegemony tool to direct news seekers to uniform information, resulting in mass polarisation in responding to the phenomenon of Aksi Bela Islam. Moreover, policies issued by the government strengthen polarization.