5/18/2015

‘An analysis of twitter as a social media

platform in regards to online media

reputation and its effect on the interest of

future employment’

By Henny Maruapula, (s215140516) LMC 401 (RESEARCH METHODOLOGY)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY PROPOSAL (LMC 401) BY HENNY MARUAPULA

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Henny Maruapula (Mr.)

215140516

LMC 401(Research Methodology)

Dr. A. Mbinjama Gamatham (Lecturer)

Ms B. Mangolothi (Supervisor)

18 May 2015

‘An analysis of twitter as a social media platform in regards to online media

reputation and its effect on the interest of future employment’

I understand that plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s ideas as my own.

These ideas or words can come from a class mate, an ex-student, and an

encyclopedia, book, journal, magazine, newspaper, the Internet or even a pamphlet.

When I have consulted such sources, they have been carefully and fully

acknowledged, both in my assignments, and on my Reference Page. I have not

plagiarized in this assignment.

I understand that if I am found to have committed plagiarism, I will have to face

disciplinary action.

Signed:

Full Name: Henny Maruapula

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Table of Contents

1. BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH PROBLEM/QUESTION ............................. 3

2. RESEARCH QUESTION ............................................................................................... 4

3. RESEARCH STATEMENT ............................................................................................ 5

4. HYPOTHESIS ................................................................................................................. 5

5. RESEARCH AIMS/GOALS ........................................................................................... 6

6. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................... 6

7. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................ 7

8. LIMITATIONS .................................................................................................................. 9

9. ASSUMPTIONS .............................................................................................................. 9

10. NATURE OF STUDY (METHODOLOGY) ................................................................ 10

11. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (THEORY) .............................................................. 11

12. KEY DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................................... 13

13. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION ............................................................................... 13

14. ACADEMIC SOURCES ............................................................................................... 14

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1. BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH PROBLEM/QUESTION

Social Media, loosely translated to websites and applications that allow users to

create, share and exchange content in a digital and electronic format to engage in

social networking is all around us. Now add ‘online’ to it, for it to become Online

Social Media, and now it is readily available on any and every electronic platform and

is easily accessible to anyone with internet access.

Over the past few years, we have seen and heard many things said and assumed in

the social media sphere, twitter to be specific. One may ask why twitter? Well, the

reasoning behind choosing twitter as an online media platform was done because

i. It is real time and instantaneous

ii. Information can be retrieved at any time

iii. Interactions can be seen between people at any time

iv. Twitter is accessible to many across the globe

In adding weight as to the choice of twitter, this is further explained and emphasized

when the significance of the study is talked about in section number 7.

The statements made on twitter can be either positive or negative. Individuals as

brands are vital, and social media platforms forms a particular brand perspective,

which in line forms a reputation and then perceptions are involved.

In this research, which is an analysis of twitter as a social media platform tool, and

the effects it has on the interest of future employment, this can be looked at in two

ways, therefore from the Employers perspective and the Employees perspective. By

interest, here we are looking at where the company (Employer) will be interested in

employing some one based on what they have said on twitter, as well as if a potential

employer will be interested in wanting to work for a company after going through their

twitter page.

Interests, feelings and reputations in the social media sphere are often formed after

seeing what is being said, and it from this context that twitter as an online social

media platform, is being analyzed to look into the feelings of the Employers and

Employers from an Employment Perspective.

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A relevant extract from Jacquelyn Smith’s(Forbes Staff) titled How Social Media Can

Help(Or Hurt) You in Your Job Search reads: ‘’Sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,

and Google+ allow employers to get a glimpse of who you are outside the confines of

a résumé, cover letter, or interview—while they offer job seekers the opportunity to

learn about companies they’re interested in; connect with current and former

employees; and hear about job openings instantaneously, among other things.”

After reading the above piece of information, it is quite evident that Employers and

Employers have perceptions and conclusions based on online status before they

actually employ or seek employment from a particular company. Prominence is very

much vital in the world we live in and a positive image can leverage business

success and boost acumen.

Social Media and in this instance, twitter, can take a variety of forms, presenting

different ways to engage audiences, including current one’s and prospective

employees. Many companies worldwide these days are very worried about their

online social media presence so much that they even hire social media experts to

monitor and regularly update their online media pages. This entails branding, image,

and in essence trying to maintain a positive brand aesthetic and this is online media

reputation.

2. RESEARCH QUESTION

Does twitter as an online social media platform have an effect on the interests of

future employment?

This research question is basically the same as the research problem as stated in

the background to research problem and in turn is linked to the title of this research

being ‘An analysis of twitter as a social media platform in regards to online media

reputation and the effects it has on future employment’.

Employment being a two way relationship, involving an Employer and Employee,

naturally involves feelings. It is intended that this research will enable the reader to

be answered fully as to the effects twitter has on the interests and or feelings on

future employment from an Employee and an Employers perspective.

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3. RESEARCH STATEMENT

The research statement is an educated guess as to the answer of the research

question. Based on preliminary research and after reviewing of slides as obtained

from Postgraduate Capacitation Workshop on Research by Dr. Layla Cassim, and

consultation with peers, In this research titled: ‘An analysis of twitter as a social

media platform in regards to online media reputation and its effect on the interest of

future employment’ the two variables are

i. twitter as a social media platform

ii. effects on interests

The above two variables are very much related as can be seen in the background to

the research problem, where I did state that Employers and Employees will formulate

perceptions after seeing what is posted on twitter by the Employer or Employee

before contacting a potential Employee or applying to a job listing, respectively.

It is also therefore sufficient to say that yes indeed what is being said on twitter by an

Employer or Employee can have an effect on the interest of

i. the Employer contacting the prospective Employee to be part of their

organization after having seen what the Employee has been saying on twitter

ii. the Employee being interested in joining a particular organization based on

what the Employer/Organization has been saying on twitter

4. HYPOTHESIS

Though the hypothesis may not come into effect at this proposal stage, it is just worth

mentioning that when the actual research is done, this will be a test of ideas. It is

advisable that anyone who is the field on research should formulate a hypothesis as

this will guide and focus research.

The Null hypothesis for this research could therefore be that there is no relationship

between what is being said on twitter and the effects in has on feelings in regard to

future employment.

The Alternative hypothesis would be that yes indeed there is a relationship between

what is being said on twitter and the effects in has on feelings in regard to future

employment.

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5. RESEARCH AIMS/GOALS

The sole purpose of the research is to try and understand what it is exactly that

makes potential employers perceive what is being said on twitter as a way of

selecting and/or employing future candidates as well as to how the Employer

chooses their future company of employment either based on the interests and

feelings that they developed by just going through an organizations twitter page.

The main aims of this research are three fold and they are

i. To describe what is meant by twitter as an online social media platform

ii. To explain how twitter has an effect on the interests of future employment

iii. To predict what can be said to maintain a creditable online reputation

management status and what employers are looking for in future Employees

as well as what Employees are looking for in future organizations.

6. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

After having come up with research goals, objectives are to be formulated and these

are usually practical, specific, and narrow in scope and generally show how the

aims/goals of the research are to be achieved. These objectives have to be Smart,

Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART). SMART criteria are

commonly attributed to Peter Drucker's management by objectives concept.

1. In describing what is meant by twitter as an online social media platform, the

objectives will be as follows

i. To analyze twitter and give the definition of it

ii. To identify the meaning of online social media

iii. To briefly explain how twitter is used as an online social media platform

2. In explaining how twitter has an effect on the interest of future employment, the

objectives will be as follows

i. To determine the feelings and interests Employers have after seeing at a

prospective Employees twitter page

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ii. To identify certain themes that Employees are looking for before approaching

a particular organization for employment opportunities

iii. To investigate how powerful twitter is an online social media platform in the

job seeking market

3. In predicting what can be said to maintain a credible online reputation

management status, the objectives will be as follows

i. To look at how reputable companies use their twitter pages in order to

maintain an positive image

ii. To analyze how international brands/companies which have large followings

and high employees portray themselves on social media, more especially

twitter

iii. To determine what is generally the acceptable norm in today’s modern and

technological age and to identify if there are any rules in place as to how

companies should perceive themselves online

7. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In today’s technology and living in a social media era, almost everyone, individual or

company have a social media networking account and this may include one of the

following: Facebook; Twitter; LinkedIn and my space. For this particular research the

emphasis is on Twitter as it is the second most widely used social media networking

site as of May 2015 at an estimated 310, 000, 000 (three hundred and ten million)

estimated visit per month (http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-

websites).

Social media is a communication tool. It is a medium used willingly to convey a

message. We cannot live in a world without communication hence this study is

imperative in the sense that it connects with every day normal life.

Social media is a life changer and affects how we interact with each other and the

universe around us. It is where we get our news from. Each and every morning most

people from around the world log onto social media sites, such as twitter and first

read what people or friends they follow are saying before actually grabbing hard

copies of the papers or looking at the television screens. Friends on social media are

actually becoming trusted sources than search engines, because they can readily

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report breaking news, post pictures and videos as and when activities take place.

With twitter in particular, there are certain ‘verified’ users whom are known to be

trustworthy, news worthy people.

This research with its title being ‘An analysis of twitter as a social media platform in

regards to online media reputation and its effect on the interest of future employment’

also falls in line with the fact that social media is how we start and do business.

Social media gives those with limited resources a free platform to advertise and

market their business or themselves and this is in line with my research and very

much relevant.

Another point worth highlighting is that social media and often tweeter helps create

greater personnel transparency. What is meant by this is that, more often than not

people will tweet or mention their feelings through a status and one can very much

can the mood of the person from just reading their statements. Similarly the way in

which companies express themselves online can deduce feelings which can turn into

interests and form a positive or negative perception to a future employee.

On twitter for example, some people have over one million followers and these

networks and groups of people following them rely on the particular person for

information. These people with many followers are usually called influencers and

now imagine if what they say about a particular company in seen by their followers,

this can surely influence their interests in wanting to join that particularly organization

as a future employee in relation to employment opportunities. Another way of looking

at is that employers can use that influencer as a brand ambassador to portray their

company in good light and give a positive online reputation status.

The above points that I have alluded to give weight and relevance and form the basis

of the significance or rationale of this research aptly titled ‘An analysis of twitter as a

social media platform in regards to online media reputation and its effect on the

interest of future employment’. Surely this means that some future employers are

looking at what is being tweeted and being discussed on social media platforms. It

has also been a trend for future employers to also advertise jobs through twitter and

ask potential employees to follow them on twitter and to inquire further.

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8. LIMITATIONS

Time could be a limitation as it may not be enough time to ask various twitter users

about their tweets and what they think about their online reputation in regards to

interests in future employment.

The scope of my research may also be a limitation in the sense that focus is only

being made on twitter, and perhaps not all companies which are affected by feelings

in regard to future employment may be on twitter. Another limitation in regard to the

scope is that this research is focused only on online media, therefore print media is

not being covered and this may be a limitation when doing analysis due to lack of

sufficient information to analyze.

Too much material and opinions from so called experts on social media is a limitation

on its own. What is meant by this is that, there may be too much information and

comments from various people on the issue of feelings from an online media

reputation in regard to future employment. Some of the information may be irrelevant

and filtering it to find only relevant information may be a limitation.

Cooperation could also be another factor. Some people who use twitter and some

future employers may not want to be asked as to what they think what is being said

on their twitter pages may or may not have an effect on the interests in regard to

future employment.

Resource constraints may be a limitation as well, in the sense that they could be

similar or limited information in regards to the relationship of feelings and interests of

Employers and Employees in regard to online media reputation.

9. ASSUMPTIONS

It is assumed that the research will give a clear and precise analysis as to what

future employers want to see being tweeted. By using the two-symmetrical approach

as a Public Relations Practitioner I should be able to get both the users of twitters

and potential employers’ point of view and analyze the data to get a particular theme.

Another assumption could be that I think all future employees are looking at your

tweets and care about what online reputation is, meanwhile they do not really care.

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A foresight or another assumption is that feeling will actually be found to have a

relation with how Employers are choosing their prospective Employees.

10. NATURE OF STUDY (METHODOLOGY)

A qualitative research methodology will be used to conduct this research. It is not just

about saying x number of employers look at what y number of what is being said on

twitter in regards to and individual becoming a potential employee. Companies which

are already online and have a social media presence will be engaged and observed

as to how they recruit individuals and if they do have policies and procedures in

place regarding online media. Information will be sourced from Annual Reports,

Companies websites. This is the scope that will be undertaken deliberately as they

are already involved and aware of the social media sphere.

Future employers who are highly active and on social media that will be used in the

analysis and collection of data will be

i. Branding Agencies (Crackerjack, Kreative and Design @ Bay)

ii. Recruitment Agencies

Case studies will be also be used as a way of analyzing how the above agencies

perceive online media as a barometer to future employment. This will be done to see

what how a particular recruitment agency hires potential people based on what they

say online or not. These case studies will be done by sending questionnaires,

conducting interviews, and doing focus group discussions with the recruitment

agencies (Employers) and the potential people who are to be hired (Employees and

job seekers).

Content analysis shall also be used and that entails reading about social media and

online reputation management on the newspapers, journals, blogs, looking at twitter

pages of recruitment agencies. This analysis will be done to look at particular themes

or trends that can develop in regard to the various feelings that may be associated. It

will be looked at both angles, thus from an Employer and an Employees point of view.

It will be more of examining the data collected to find particular themes and trends

that are common. In the qualitative method of research, data is put into language and

to make sense in order to give a clearer and informative analysis of the situation and

this is the approach that will be undertaken in this research.

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11. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (THEORY)

Theories help Public Relations Practitioners explain and predict human behaviour

and communication and guide organizational decision making.

Theories are important as they lay a foundation and help us understand conceptually

how to tackle a particular research. Once a research topic has been selected it is

very vital to identify a theory that fits and tries to explain the research in a more in-

depth manner.

Systems Theory

This theory can be defined as the attitudes and actions of an organization to a cause

effect chain reaction within their environment. Here their environment we can refer to

as an online environment, thus twitter. Parts of the organization (Employer) and the

public (Employees) exist in relation to each other and therefore the actions of one

part affect the other.

The Systems Theory is very important in this research whereby feelings are dealt

with in regard to future employment because

i. It is especially useful to public relations since it helps the practitioner manage

the organization’s relationships

ii. This theory emphasizes interdependence between an organization and its

internal and external environments.

There are generally two systems under the systems theory.

i. Closed System: Focuses on the history of the organization and makes

decisions based on past experiences.

ii. Open System: Focuses on input from external publics and the organization’s

external environment.

“Online Reputation Management or ORM, as the name suggests, is the process of

managing the perceptions prevalent about a corporate entity or even an individual on

the Internet, on web based networking sites and social media, and on Search Engine

Result Pages (SERPs). Another term used for it is Corporate Reputation

Management.’

(http://exioms.com/internet-marketing/online-reputation management.php)

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“Theory of online presence management

Due to the evolving nature of Internet use, a web site alone is not sufficient to

promote most brands. To maintain a web presence and brand recognition,

individuals and companies need to use a combination of social tools such as Google

Maps, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and Pinterest, as well as cultivating a

brand presence on mobile apps and other online databases”

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_presence_management#Theory_of_online_prese

nce_management)

The above two extracts speak to me and applies to this particular research topic in

the sense that it is about dealing with

i. Perceptions of the future employers based on what they see on your social

media site

ii. How you present yourself on social media and networking sites and

iii. The other term of Corporate Reputation Management actually involves

looking at online reputation from a corporate perspective and is in line with

BA Honors Corporate Communications studies.

The above on online reputation and online presence are very important as they give

a guide line as to why organizations may use online media as a source to promote

themselves, market themselves, and to interact and these ways involve feelings

which is very much in line with the research topic.

The last theory that bodes very well with this research pertinently named ‘An analysis

of twitter as a social media platform in regards to online media reputation and its

effect on the interest of future employment’ is based of James E. Grunic and is fully

explained below.

James E. Grunic’s Excellence Theory in Public Relations

Under the four models of Public Relations; the Two Way Asymmetrical which uses

persuasion and manipulation to influence audiences to behave as the organization

desires through the use of research to find out how best to persuade

stakeholders(employees in this topic) and the Two Way Symmetrical which uses

communication as a tool to negotiate with the public, resolve conflict and promote

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mutual understanding and respect between the organization and its stakeholders

theories give the back bone of this research.

One on the main highlights of the excellence study showed that a symmetrical

system of internal communication increased employee’s satisfaction with their jobs

and with the organization and this theory fits like a hand in glove for online media

reputation effects and its influence in the feelings for future employment. A two-way

symmetrical approach (although normative) between an organization and its

stakeholders is also encouraged in King James Report III.

In regards to the Kings James Report III, on the Excellence Study, it is clear that

there are strong expectations from top management for the stakeholder relationship

and corporate communication function to be managed strategically. The challenge is

now for corporate communication managers and practitioners to deliver on these

expectations.

It is in this light that it was discovered that companies mainly use and can be

applicable to the above four (4) theories or frameworks when it comes to dealing with

twitter as an online social media platform and the effects it has on the feelings on

future employment.

12. KEY DEFINITIONS

i. Employee: an individual who is part of an organization

ii. Employer(s): companies or individuals that can hire someone

iii. Online: anything that is visible on the internet

iv. Reputation: how you are perceived or looked at; judged before you are known

v. Social Media: online platforms used for interaction such as Facebook, twitter,

linked in, Myspace

vi. Twitter: an online social media interaction platform

vii. Tweets: anything that is being said on twitter

13. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

In a nutshell this research topic should be able to give the reader an adequate;

informative analysis into the world of a twitter user and the impact their tweets may or

may not have in regards to their perceived version of the future employer and the

feelings.

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It is imperative that feelings are kept on the good side, and maintained in a positive

manner by the way in which what is said on social media platforms such as twitter is

portrayed. Feelings play a major role in Employers selection criteria’s, Employee

wanting to be apply to particular jobs and wanting to be affiliated with a particular

organization.

It can therefore be deduced that if this study was to be undertaken, there would be

effects found in relation to the feelings and future employment based on what is

being said on twitter by Employers and Employees. These feelings would also have

an impact on the brand, perceptions, marketing, assumption and overall feel of a

particular organization.

14. ACADEMIC SOURCES

i. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/04/16/how-social-media-

can-help-or-hurt-your-job-search/

ii. 1Business Horizons; Volume 52, issue 4, July - August 2009; pages 357-365;

Social Media & the new hybrid elements of promotion mix; M. Glynn Mangold

iii. Business Horizons; Volume 53, issue 1, January - February 2010; pages 59-

68; Users of the world unite! the challenges and opportunities of Social Media;

Andres M. Keplan

iv. Business Horizon; Volume 54, issue 3, May - June 2011; pages 241-251;

Social Media, Get serious. Understanding the functional building blocks of

Social Media

v. Search Engine Journal; March 3 2014; 10 mistakes we've all made on Social

Media; Albert Costill

vi. Sum all; July 24 2014; The right and wrong way to use Social Media;

Christine Amorose

vii. The Entrepreneur; March 4 2014; 10 signs you are using Social Media the

wrong way; Eric Sim

viii. The Entrepreneur; Feb 28 2014; 14 tools ever Entrepreneur needs for Social

Media; Stephen Castillo

ix. Kansas City Journal; April 13 2012; How to handle wrong media reviews the

right way; Kate McKinney and Miran Ross

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x. NorthWestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property; Fall 2013 Vol

11 issue Article 7; The collision of Social Media and Social unrest: why

shutting down Social Media is the wrong response; Mirae Yang

xi. Mitch Mitchell online BLOG; November 28 2010; When the definitions are

wrong; Mitch Mitchell

xii. Chris Brogan.com; Jan 27 2009; You are doing it wrong; Chris Brogan

xiii. Wall Street Journal; 22 October 2014; Should companies monitor their

employees Social Media?; John Webber

xiv. Search Engine Journal; March 27, 2014; 35 Examples of #Social Media Fails;

Albert Costill

xv. The Journal of Social Media in Society; Vol 3 No.2 2014; The usage and

online behaviour of Social Networking sites amongst International Students in

New Zealand; Naseem Rahman

xvi. Journal of Social Media Organizations; Vol 11 Number 1 October 2013;

Evaluating the Uses and benefits of an enterprise Social Media Platform; Jill L,

Donna

xvii. http://www.seo-theory.com/2008/12/10/what-is-reputation-management-

theory/

xviii. http://exioms.com/internet-marketing/online-reputation-management.php

xix. http://www.crackerjack.co.za/services/digital