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Keynote Presentation
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"Online Social Networks. A New Paradigm in
Understanding the New Consumer Behaviour"
by
Professor Carlos Flavian, University of Zaragoza,
Spain
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Abstract
The Internet has revealed to be a new distribution channel
which is continuously increasing its relative importance.
The initial problems of lack of trust are being solved as
the user becomes more experienced and
familiarized with the usage of new technologies. However,
nowadays the Internet could not be only considered as a
new distribution channel. In fact, it is also an
interesting medium to promote knowledge exchange. In this
line, consumers are continuously turning to
computer-mediated communication in order to ask for advice
and suggestions from fellow consumers, and get information
on which to base their decisions.
These online relationships have motivated the creation and
development of social groups in the Internet, the
so-called virtual communities or online social networks.
As a first step, these communities have had the aim of
establishing relationships with people with similar
interest, resulting in the development of generalist
virtual communities (e.g Facebook, MySpace, etc.).
However, these online networks have evolved and today
there are several communities focused on: (1) specific
business areas such as the travel sector (e.g.
Tripadvisor, LonelyPlanet, etc.) or the software industry
(Open Source Software communities); (2) specific brands or
organizations (e.g. Apple, Canonist, etc.); and (3)
product and services reviews (e.g. Ciao, etc.). These
networks have an increasing importance for marketers since
they can influence their members? behaviour and help to
identify the needs and desires of particular individuals
or groups of people.
However, although the importance of virtual communities is
frequently accepted by both marketers and academicians,
more research is needed in order to understand the effects
of virtual communities on consumer
behaviour. In addition, it is quite difficult to
understand why consumers spend their time and effort on
the community and help other members whereas there seems
to be no immediate benefit to their contribution.
Bio
Carlos Flavián is Professor of Marketing in the Faculty of
Economics and Business Studies at the University of
Zaragoza (Spain). He has published more than one hundred
research papers in academic journals, specialized in
marketing (European Journal of Marketing, Journal of
Consumer Marketing, Journal of Strategic Marketing,
International Journal of Market Research, etc.) and new
technologies (Information & Management, Industrial
Management and Data Systems, Internet Research, Online
Information Review, etc.). He is a member of the Editorial
Board of the Industrial Marketing Management, the Journal
of Retailing and Consumer Services, the International
Journal of Services and Standards and the Journal of
Marketing Communications. He has received several prices
to his doctoral Thesis and different papers presented in
different conferences.
He has given conferences in Universities of different
countries such as the UK (Westminster, Glasgow Caledonian,
Manchester, etc.); Italy (Modena, Turin, etc.); France (La
Rochelle, Po, etc.); Portugal (Lisbon Nova, Porto,
Technical of Lisbon, etc.) or Spain (Carlos III, Valencia,
Oviedo, La Rioja, etc.).
He has collaborated in more than fifty conferences and has
chaired the II International Conference on Public and Non
Profit Marketing and the Workshop on Computer Users’
Behaviour (CUB08) in Turin (Italy).
Contact
mail:
cflavian@unizar.es
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