ONLINE MILIEU STUDIES

AN APPROACH FOR REVIEWING SOCIAL NETWORKS WITH THE MILEU APPROACH FROM PIERRE BOURDIEU

by Knut Linke, University of Latvia, at the International Conference:

CURRENT ISSUES IN ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCE10-12 NOVEMBER, 2011, RIGA, LATVIA

Index Approach Questionnaire Re:Publica10 & Twitter Learnings Conclusion

The Approach - 1

• Market segmentation: defining and subdividing a large homogenous market into clearly identifiable segments, where each segment has similar needs, wants or detailed demand characteristics.

• Milieu approach: Combination of the different approaches (geographical, personal, behavior, history)• First used by Durkheim in 1895 to distinguish groups

on behavior and to define sub systems [1].• Includes the habitus definition from Norbert Elias [1].

The Approach - 2

• Existing approach from Pierre Bourdieu [2]: 26 sections of questions to cover the personal and family history as also preferences in purchasing and behavior. • Based on capital and behavior• Milieus != social classes• Milieu can be moving for younger people, based

on their personal development• Active used in Germany from marketing

companies like Sigma [3] and Sinus [4].

Re:Publica10 & Twitter

• Re:Publica10: Internet conference in Germany [5], randomly selected participants, request for the Internet and Twitter usage behavior

• Twitter: started 2006 [6], >200m users, micro blogging network [7], ~ 16.7m German Tweets per month, mainly younger/male users [8].

Questionnaire• Survey: motivation for the online usage, personal

background, and place of living, preferences for transportation, family situation, personal professional background, and professional background from their parents was researched.

• Proceeded with 10 participants as interviews• Direct extension of additional questions• No direct information about the target of the

interviews were provided• Support during the process of question was

necessary to explain that no answer is wrong

Learnings - 1

• Differentiation between business and private communication• Prefered communication tool for different usages

• Motivation for interaction• Self-positioning within the network• Understanding of the term privacy• Communication into the network or only to

friends• Mobile usage/GPS

Learnings - 2

• Additional space for personal feedback and additional information• Area of living• Why does a person actively use a product or

service• Preferences in social networks• Focus on features or friends?

• Definition of drivers for milieus

Learnings - 3

• Pre-test of the enhanced questionnaire will be necessary• group of 30 people to determine issues in the

understanding of questions• additional information for the answering of

questions

• Usage behavior seems to be similar for dedicated user groups

• Focus on heavy users will influence the results (wide spreading will be necessary)

• Evaluation of the participants from online surveys will be necessary

• Workshops for the extension of the questionaire will be necessary

Conclusion

References-1• [1] Emile Durkheim: Die Regeln der soziologischen Methode, Suhrkamp, Frankfurt on the Main, 1984 [P. 254].

• [2] Pierre Bourdieu: Die feinen Unterschiede - Kritik der gesellschaftlichen Urteilskraft, Suhrkamp Verlag, 1982 [P. 912].

• [3] Sigma: Sigma Milieus in Deutschland, Sigma - Gesellschaft für internationale Marktforschung und Beratung, http://www.sigma-online.com/de/SIGMA_Milieus/SIGMA_Milieus_in_Germany/, 08/13/2011.

• [4] Sinus Milieus: SINUS Market- und Sozialforschungs mbH, <http://www.sinus-institut.de/loesungen/sinus-milieus.html>, 08/14/2011.

• [5] Jan Trißler. Re:Publica XI: Vorschau auf Highlights der Internetkonferenz, t3n, Hannover, 04/08/2011, <http://t3n.de/news/republica-xi-vorschau-highlights-internetkonferenz-305002/>, 08/302011.

• [6] Patel 2011 Raj Patel: Odeo Releases Twttr, Techcrunch, San Francisco, 15.07.2006, <http://techcrunch.com/2006/07/15/is-twttr-interesting/>, 09/072011.

• [7] Shiels 2011 Maggie Shiels: Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey rejoins company, BBC, London, 03/28/2011, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12889048>, 09/07/2011.

• [8] Thomas Pfeiffer: 480.000 Twitternutzende im März 2011, Webevangelisten.de, Haar, 04/04/2011, <http://webevangelisten.de/480-000-twitternutzende-im-maerz-2011/>, 04/18/2011.

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