aus der Einleitung: "Innerhalb des letzten Jahres hat sich der Anteil der Internet-Teilnehmer unter den sächsischen klein- und mittelständischen Unternehmen (KMU) annähernd verdoppelt, wofür es eine Vielzahl von Beweggründen gibt. Sicher spielt dabei die Kostendegression bei Installation und Betrieb eines eigenen Anschlusses eine wichtige Rolle. Gleichwohl wird eine solche Investitionsentscheidung auch bei niedrigerem Preisniveau der Priorität des erzielbaren Nutzens folgen - im konkreten Fall also der Überzeugung, dass die Realisierung von geschäftlichen Operationen via Internet ein Gebot der Stunde ist. Internet steht für Kreativität, Schnelligkeit, Modernität und Kosteneffizienz - wenn es richtig und gekonnt eingesetzt wird. Gelingt letzteres nicht, kann Internet schnell zu Zweifeln, Langeweile und Übersättigung führen."

Nos últimos anos, as redes sociais na Web 2.0 vêm ganhando cada vez mais importância para trabalhar e compartilhar ideias. As redes sociais armazenam informações do usuário, como preferências, experiência profissional, dados pessoais e com quem o usuário interage. Essas informações são úteis para diversos fins, como oferecer produtos e serviços personalizados. Com a aparição de cada vez mais redes sociais, surgem problemas como a duplicação de perfis de usuários. Atualmente há algumas técnicas para interoperar as redes sociais, como serviços de autenticação única ou representação padrão para compartilhamento de dados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um estudo dessas técnicas e tecnologias disponíveis, implementá-las por meio de componentes do Groupware Workbench, e implantar e avaliar os componentes desenvolvidos na rede social Arquigrafia. A avaliação dos componentes foi realizada por meio dos aspectos e questões propostos pelo projeto DataPortability. A avaliação mostrou que as questões diretamente relacionadas com a interoperabilidade técnica e semântica foram respondidas. / In recent years, the importance of social networks for working and sharing ideas increased. Social networks store information such as user preferences, professional experience, personal data, and information about with whom the user interacts. This kind of information is useful for many purposes, such as offering personalized products and services. With the appearance of more social networks, problems as duplication of user profiles arise. Currently, there are some techniques for interoperating social networks, such as single authentication services and standard representation for data sharing. The objective of this work was to study techniques and technologies available, implement them as Groupware Workbench components, and deploy and evaluate the components in the social network Arquigrafia. The evaluation of the components was based on the DataPortability project. Issues related to technical and semantic interoperability have been successfully addressed.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:32:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudia Coelho Hardagh.pdf: 10542944 bytes, checksum: 085008afa8b4ad4770db1c22ca109925 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis presents the research and study on Social Networks and Web 2.0, assesses its features and potential as a learning space that will be called Escola Expandida (Expanded School). The research and analysis are theoretically anchored on the thoughts of Lev Semionovitch Vygotsky, Mikhail Bakhtin and Lucia Santaella, who have in common valuing the dialogic relationship as a knowledge building space and the importance of language in man s social, cultural and historical building-up. I have searched for inspiration art and artists as creative professionals who cause cultural changes along our history. Using art as an inspiration served as support to encourage educators to dare and create strategies to change the school practice that involves the school s program, space and time. In order to make the study, which is of qualitative nature, it was used data gathered from May 2007 to March 2008, spontaneous testimonies from focal groups formed by Fashion Design, Multimedia Production Technicians and Visual Communications students from the SENAC College Center. From these groups emerged the following categories: language, ethics and aesthetics and the theoretical category expanded cognition, which was assessed a priori. To analyze the latter a questionnaire was also applied to the Fashion Design students. The Escola Expandida to the social networks was proposed based on the analysis of the current historical context - cyberculture and the 21st. century youngsters cyberyoungsters inserted in such context. The study was developed combining the data gathered in the students testimonies and the theories presented by the aforementioned thinkers and relevant authors in the Education and Technology and Art area. The students assigned senses to the social networks and Web 2.0 as important spaces for sociability, sharing information and cooperation also oriented towards producing knowledge, but at the same time they valued the school, books and being physically together. When shaping and developing the testimonies, I observed that most of the cyberyoungsters value the traditional education methods and understand the need to aggregate the technological potential to the educational practices. This shows the possibility of aggregating resources and new spaces, ratifies the Escola Expandida proposal that is part of the traditional schools to the virtual social networks and introduces the open cybergeneration thinking to circulate in all information and communication spaces, but indicates that changes have to be made and are related to the program, the updating of information that books don t follow, to valuing new kinds of aesthetics and ethics based on exchanging and in cooperation environments with characters that are not part of the school institution / Esta tese apresenta a pesquisa e o estudo sobre Redes Sociais e Web 2.0, levanta suas características e seu potencial como espaço de aprendizagem que será denominado como Escola Expandida. A pesquisa e a análise estão ancoradas teoricamente no pensamento de Lev Semionovitch Vygotsky, Mikhail Bakhtin e Lucia Santaella que têm em comum a valorização da relação dialógica como espaço de construção de conhecimento e a importância da linguagem na construção social, cultural e histórica do homem. Procurei como inspiração a arte e os artistas como profissionais criativos e propulsores de mudanças culturais no decorrer da história. A inspiração na arte serviu de apoio para propor aos educadores ousarem e criarem estratégias para a mudança da prática escolar que envolve o currículo, o espaço e tempo da escola. Para realizar a pesquisa, que possui caráter qualitativo, foram utilizados dados coletados de maio de 2007 a março de 2008, nos depoimentos espontâneos dos grupos focais formados por alunos do Centro Universitário SENAC dos cursos de Design de Moda, Tecnólogo de Produção de Multimídia e Bacharel de Comunicação Visual. Desses grupos emergiram as categorias: linguagem, ética e estética e a categoria teórica cognição expandida foi levantada a priori e, para analisá-la, foi aplicado também um questionário para os alunos do curso Design de Moda. A Escola Expandida para as redes sociais foi proposta a partir da análise do contexto histórico atual cibercultura e dos jovens do século XXI ciberjovens inseridos nesse contexto. A tessitura da pesquisa foi feita com o entrelaçamento dos dados levantados nos depoimentos dos alunos e as teorias dos pensadores citados e de autores relevantes na área de Educação e Tecnologia e Arte. Os alunos atribuíram sentidos às redes sociais e Web 2.0 como espaços importantes para a sociabilidade, compartilhamento de informações e colaboração, voltados também para a produção de conhecimento. Ao mesmo tempo valorizaram a escola, os livros e o estar junto presencial. Ao modelar e tecer os depoimentos, constatei que a maioria dos ciberjovens valoriza as formas tradicionais de educação e entende a necessidade de somar o potencial da tecnologia às práticas educacionais. Isso mostra a possibilidade de agregar recursos e novos espaços, ratifica a proposta de Escola Expandida que integra a tradicional com as redes sociais virtuais e apresenta o pensamento da cibergeração aberto para transitar em todos os espaços de informação e comunicação, mas indica que mudanças devem ser feitas e estão relacionadas ao currículo, à atualização das informações que os livros não acompanham, à valorização de novas formas de estética e ética pautadas na troca e em ambientes de colaboração com personagens que não fazem parte da instituição escolar

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T14:53:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joao Paulo Fagundes Ledo.pdf: 2296565 bytes, checksum: 90bbb53818c7b880a585f19f8bcd8b1b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-22 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The objective of this dissertation is to present a reception research carried out by relating the sound track of the soap opera Passione(RedeGlobo), the digital platform youtube.com, and the creation of musical narrative, through the appropriation of the internet by holdings through the cracks, gave us verify how some relations ships are mediated by the media in cyberspace, and the reports and discussions of internet source of primary analytical work, where the cultural matrix of a cultural product, especially melodrama, are evidenced by possibility of emerging digital. The research is based on theoretical British Cultural Studies, especially in the figure of Raymond Williams, in addition to studies concerning Latin American School, where work and the theory of mediation of Jesus Martin-Barbero were used as main reference forthe topic discussed here, references as well as Michel de Certeau on appropriations. Alson in this context, the work of Pierre Lévy and Henry Jenkins about cyberspace, cyber culture and convergence culture, were used by the prospect of understanding how the new digital presents on the internet with the creation of digital narratives / O objetivo desta dissertação é apresentar uma pesquisa de recepção realizada através da relação entre a trilha sonora da telenovela Passione (Rede Globo) e sua mediações e, consequentemente, apropriações na plataforma digital youtube.com. A constituição de uma narrativa musical, através das apropriações dos internautas por meio de participações pelas brechas, proporcionou-nos verificar como se constituem algumas relações mediadas pelo audiovisual no ciberespaço. Foram os relatos e as discussões desses internautas a fonte analítica principal deste trabalho, no qualas matrizes culturais de um produto cultural, principalmente o melodrama, são evidenciados através da possibilidade do emergente digital. A pesquisa toma por base teórica os Estudos Culturais ingleses, principalmente os de Raymond Williams; os estudos da chamada Escola Latino-americana, representada pelos trabalhos e teoria das mediações de Jésus Martín-Barbero, que foram utilizados como referência principal para o tema aqui abordado; etambém as referências de Michel de Certeau sobre as apropriações. Ainda como fundamentação teórica, os trabalhos de Pierre Lévy e Henry Jenkins sobre ciberespaço, cibercultura e cultura da convergência foram utilizados com a perspectiva de entendermos como o novo digital se apresenta na internet com a constituição de narrativas digitais

Although Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technology toolsets present enterprises with a significant amount of business benefits, such as improved enterprise communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation; nevertheless, enterprises are still facing tremendous challenges in promoting and sustaining end-user adoption. The challenges associated with the adoption and promotion of Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technologies can often be linked to a resistance to change, a closed culture environment, and concerns pertaining to information security, technology complexity, as well as an unclear enterprise collaboration technology strategic roadmap. The primary objective of this study was to determine how generic guiding principles could facilitate the adoption and promotion of Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technologies within an enterprise environment. In support of the primary objective, our sub-objectives were to identify the challenges that enterprises, as well as enterprise end-users experience when adopting and promoting Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technologies, as well as to explore and describe the critical success factors for adopting and promoting Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technologies. A case study technique was used to gather the data from a large South African information and communications technology (ICT) enterprise operating within the retail sector based in Johannesburg. Enterprise end-users that formed part of the case study were selected by using purposive sampling. The end-users were selected, based on their experience, project sponsorship, as well as the project-participation roles performed in the adoption of their Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technology toolset. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on three (3) end-users, comprising a business analyst, a technology specialists and a senior executive. Furthermore, administered questionnaires were completed by five (5) end-users, who actively use their Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technology toolset on a daily basis, performing operational, as well as business administrative tasks. This study used a qualitative research approach. Since validity forms a vital role in any qualitative study, this research study incorporated three validity approaches, including: the theoretical, internal and external approaches. The theoretical and external validity approaches were used to validate the identified guiding principles through a systematic review of the existing literature, as well as reviews and comments obtained from two subject-matter experts representing independent enterprises. Furthermore, internal validity was employed to complement and substantiate the research findings, consisting of project documents and reports made available by the enterprise. The main contribution in this research study is a set of ten (10) guiding principles that could be applied by enterprises either planning to, or in the process of adopting an Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technology toolset. Furthermore, the guiding principles could assist enterprises in formulating a Enterprise 2.0 collaboration technology adoption strategy, incorporating key adoption elements, including commitment, promotion and sustainability. / Computing

L’évolution du Web et de ses applications subit depuis quelques années une mutation vers les technologies qui incluent la dimension sociale comme entité de première classe. Nous témoignons dans le passage du Web 1.0 au Web 2.0 puis au Web 3.0, 4.0 etc.. que les utilisateurs et les réseaux sociaux qui se forment sont au centre de cette évolution. Le web exhibe aussi toutes les caractéristiques d’un système complexe. Ces propriétés systèmes complexes et cette dimension sociale doivent être prises en considération lors de la conception et le développement des applications web. Considérons le cas des systèmes de tagging ou d’étiquetage collaboratifs. Ces systèmes sont un exemple de systèmes complexes, auto-organisés et socialement conscients. Le paradigme des systèmes multi-agents coordonné par les mécanismes d’auto-organisations a été utilisé d’une façon effective pour la conception et modélisation des systèmes complexes. Les systèmes de tagging collaboratifs actuels ne prennent pas l’avantage complet de leurs caractéristiques systèmes complexes, surtout dans l’adaptation à leur environnement et l’émergence de nouvelles fonctionnalités. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous proposons un modèle pour la conception et développement d’un nouveau système d’étiquetage collaboratif MySURF (My Similar Users, Resources, Folksonomies), utilisant une approche multi-agents gouvernée par la coévolution des organisations sociales et spatiales des agents. Nous montrons comment ce système proposé offre plusieurs nouvelles fonctionnalités qui peuvent améliorer les systèmes d’étiquetage collaboratifs actuels. / The evolution of the Web and its applications has undergone in the last few years a mutation towards technologies that include the social dimension as a first class entity. We are witnessing in the evolution of the web from the web 1.0 to web 2.0 to web 3.0 and eventually web 4.0 that the users, their interactions and the emerging social networks are in the center of this evolution. The web also exhibits all the characteristics of a complex system. These complex systems properties and this social dimension must be taken into consideration in the design and the development of new web applications. Let us consider the case of collaborative tagging systems. These systems are an example of complex, self-organized and socially aware systems. The multi-agent systems paradigm coordinated by self-organizations mechanisms was used in an effective way for the design and modeling of the complex systems. Current collaborative tagging systems do not take full advantage of the characteristics of complex systems, especially in adapting to their environment and the emergence of new features. In this thesis, we propose a model for the design and development of a new collaborative tagging system MySURF (My Similar Users, Resources, Folksonomies), using a multi-agent system approach governed by the coevolution of the social and spatial organization of the agents. We show how the proposed system offers several new features that can improve current collaborative tagging systems.

<p><strong>Syfte:</strong> Syftet med denna uppsats ligger i att undersöka hur svenska fastighetsmäklarföretag använder sig av sociala medier i sitt vardagliga arbete. Vi har undersökt hur komponenter så som <em>kundfokus, marknadsföring </em>samt <em>försäljning </em>återspeglas mot företagen i och med deras inträde i de sociala medierna.</p><p><strong>Metod: </strong>Vi har använt oss av en kvalitativ metod i arbetet och det grundar sig på en empirisk studie där vi bearbetat inhämtat material ifrån intervjuer. Vi har även haft en kumulativ inriktning i vårt arbete för att på så sätt få en mer unik aspekt på arbetet.</p><p><strong>Resultat & slutsats: </strong>Resultatet visar på att det finns en stor möjlighet för svenska fastighetsmäklarföretag att använda sig av sociala medier i ett syfte som ligger i att öka försäljningen. I dagsläget anser vi inte att medvetenheten hos svenska fastighetsmäklarföretag gällande sociala mediers betydelse är tillräckligt stor. Dessutom finns inte en insikt om att den förmodade framtida expansionen av sociala medier. Riskerna som finns i och med expansion av företaget via sociala medier är något vi tittat väldigt noga på och kommit fram till att företagen står inför en avvägning gällande taktiskt tillvägagångssätt. Riskerna som uppstår i och med att agera som marknadsledande är stora, men den fördelen det ger om man lyckas menar vi helt klart vara värt det.</p><p><strong>Förslag till fortsatt forskning:</strong> Vårt förslag till vidare forskning handlar då om ett utförligt förslag till hur företag ska framställa sin framtida expansion på marknaden. Vi har i vår uppsats tagit reda på möjligheterna och riskerna med sociala medier. Därför skulle vi se att en grundlig forskning i ett sätt att hantera problemet som detta innebär som högst relevant för fastighetsmäklarbranschen.</p><p><strong>Uppsatsens bidrag: </strong>Vi har i vår uppsats behandlat dagens situation gällande Sociala Medier inom fastighetsmäklarbranschen. Vi har utarbetat problemen i dagens läge och diskuterat huruvida dessa kan lösas för framtiden. Således menar vi att denna uppsats mycket väl kan ligga som grund för en framtida utveckling för Sociala Medier inom fastighetsmäklarbranschen.</p> / <p><strong>Aim:</strong> The purpose of this paper is to investigate how Swedish real estate brokerage firm makes use of social media in their everyday work. We have investigated how components such as customer focus, marketing and sales are reflected in the companies and their entry into social media.</p><p><strong>Method:</strong> We have used a qualitative approach in the work and it is based on an empirical study where we worked material obtained from interviews. We also have a cumulative approach in our work so as to get a more unique aspect of the work.</p><p><strong>Result & Conclusions: </strong>The results show that there is a great opportunity for Swedish real estate broker to make use of social media with a purpose to increase sales. In the current situation we do not believe that the awareness of Swedish real estate brokerage firm concerning social media is important enough. In addition, there is a realization that the probable future expansion of social media. Risks that exist in the expansion of the company through social media are something we have looked very carefully and have concluded that they face a balancing force tactical approach. The risks that arise in that acting as if you were the market leading company are very crucial. Although the advantage it gives if you succeed we have realized are very well be worth it.</p><p><strong>Suggestions for future research: </strong>Our proposal forfurther research is a more detaled research for how companies will be able to use social media in its future expansions in the market. We have in our thesis examined the possibilities and risks of social media. Therefore, we see that a thorough research in a way to deal with the problem that this presents as highly relevant for the real estate business.</p><p><strong>Contribution of the thesis: </strong>We have in our thesis examined the current situation concerning Social Media in the real estate business. We have developed todays problems and discuss whether these can be resolved for the future. Thus, we believe that this thesis may well serve as a basis for future development of Social Media in the real estate business.</p>

Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats ligger i att undersöka hur svenska fastighetsmäklarföretag använder sig av sociala medier i sitt vardagliga arbete. Vi har undersökt hur komponenter så som kundfokus, marknadsföring samt försäljning återspeglas mot företagen i och med deras inträde i de sociala medierna. Metod: Vi har använt oss av en kvalitativ metod i arbetet och det grundar sig på en empirisk studie där vi bearbetat inhämtat material ifrån intervjuer. Vi har även haft en kumulativ inriktning i vårt arbete för att på så sätt få en mer unik aspekt på arbetet. Resultat &amp; slutsats: Resultatet visar på att det finns en stor möjlighet för svenska fastighetsmäklarföretag att använda sig av sociala medier i ett syfte som ligger i att öka försäljningen. I dagsläget anser vi inte att medvetenheten hos svenska fastighetsmäklarföretag gällande sociala mediers betydelse är tillräckligt stor. Dessutom finns inte en insikt om att den förmodade framtida expansionen av sociala medier. Riskerna som finns i och med expansion av företaget via sociala medier är något vi tittat väldigt noga på och kommit fram till att företagen står inför en avvägning gällande taktiskt tillvägagångssätt. Riskerna som uppstår i och med att agera som marknadsledande är stora, men den fördelen det ger om man lyckas menar vi helt klart vara värt det. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Vårt förslag till vidare forskning handlar då om ett utförligt förslag till hur företag ska framställa sin framtida expansion på marknaden. Vi har i vår uppsats tagit reda på möjligheterna och riskerna med sociala medier. Därför skulle vi se att en grundlig forskning i ett sätt att hantera problemet som detta innebär som högst relevant för fastighetsmäklarbranschen. Uppsatsens bidrag: Vi har i vår uppsats behandlat dagens situation gällande Sociala Medier inom fastighetsmäklarbranschen. Vi har utarbetat problemen i dagens läge och diskuterat huruvida dessa kan lösas för framtiden. Således menar vi att denna uppsats mycket väl kan ligga som grund för en framtida utveckling för Sociala Medier inom fastighetsmäklarbranschen. / Aim: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how Swedish real estate brokerage firm makes use of social media in their everyday work. We have investigated how components such as customer focus, marketing and sales are reflected in the companies and their entry into social media. Method: We have used a qualitative approach in the work and it is based on an empirical study where we worked material obtained from interviews. We also have a cumulative approach in our work so as to get a more unique aspect of the work. Result &amp; Conclusions: The results show that there is a great opportunity for Swedish real estate broker to make use of social media with a purpose to increase sales. In the current situation we do not believe that the awareness of Swedish real estate brokerage firm concerning social media is important enough. In addition, there is a realization that the probable future expansion of social media. Risks that exist in the expansion of the company through social media are something we have looked very carefully and have concluded that they face a balancing force tactical approach. The risks that arise in that acting as if you were the market leading company are very crucial. Although the advantage it gives if you succeed we have realized are very well be worth it. Suggestions for future research: Our proposal forfurther research is a more detaled research for how companies will be able to use social media in its future expansions in the market. We have in our thesis examined the possibilities and risks of social media. Therefore, we see that a thorough research in a way to deal with the problem that this presents as highly relevant for the real estate business. Contribution of the thesis: We have in our thesis examined the current situation concerning Social Media in the real estate business. We have developed todays problems and discuss whether these can be resolved for the future. Thus, we believe that this thesis may well serve as a basis for future development of Social Media in the real estate business.

資訊科技的日新月異，讓政府與民眾之間的關係有了改變，在Web 2.0的網路應用模式興起之下，不但讓社會互動的內涵拓展到網路世界當中，也改變了日常生活、媒體環境，甚至進入了民主政治運作的機制當中，扮演重要的角色。順應這股潮流，各國政府無不積極推動相關的機制，期望讓民眾有更親切，多元的參與途徑，以達成更好的治理。 然而，不論國內外對於政府結合Web 2.0的研究上，主要都聚焦於公共服務的提供，並沒有更進一步探討「政府」與「民眾」關係的內涵，事實上，這種雙向關係的建立是社群網站之所以能進入民眾生活的重要的核心概念，也是政府結合社群網站提供服務應該關注的焦點。因此，本研究從深化治理關係的角度出發，比較立法委員在選舉期間和會期間運用Facebook與民眾溝通、互動的行為，一方面希望探索政治人物所應用的網路科技是否含有治理的功用，突破以往網路選戰的囹圄；另一方面，也希望了解在政府各單位提供的電子參與機制之外，能不能透過更接近民眾日常生活的Facebook建立治理關係，讓電子參與的理念可以藉由不同的途徑所達成。 研究結果發現，立法委員在Facebook在選舉期間和會期間主要應用的策略都是「政治資訊」和「生活分享」兩項，不同於過去競選期間以攻擊對手最為主要應用的策略，立法委員在Facebook上有明顯的策略轉向，可能與Facebook社交的特性有關。另一方面，立法委員所應用的Facebook不論在選舉期間或會期，在電子參與上都達到不錯的比率，但是大部分溝通能以單向的資訊傳播為主，與民眾的雙向互動較為稀少。從分析結果來看，立法委員應用Facebook除了地區之外，並沒有明顯的差異。整體而言，立法委員的Facebook有成為電子參與新途徑的潛力，但是要達成雙向、穩定、長期的治理關係，落實電子參與的理念仍需要繼續努力。 / Facebook, the most popular social media in the world, has changed ways of citizen involvement in governance. Politicians and (elected) public administrators worldwide have adopted Facebook as an important approach to connect with citizens. Following the trend, most legislators in Taiwan also create personal Facebook accounts and Facebook pages as an additional way to reach their potential voters and citizens in general. Ideally, legislators can efficiently operate their constituents and directly communicate with their “friends.” Facebook pages of legislators seem to offer the promise of electronic participation (e-participation), reaching citizens on a common platform and allowing for citizen comments. On the other hand, citizens can establish a link to legislators via information-sharing, dialogue, and consensus-building on Facebook. If the two-way communication works properly and successfully, Facebook will certainly help to create more citizen participation and more public values. This study investigates differences in communication strategies and patterns of legislators’ Facebook in Taiwan during the 2011 election periods and during the 2012 regular legislative sessions, with the aim of exploring whether the Facebook phenomenon can improve the process of online political communication and citizen participation. The finding reveals that percentage of e-participation achieves fine rate, but most communication on legislators’ Facebook is one way. The result indicates that legislators’ Facebook is another platform to distribute public information to citizens, and may have potential to create more public values. To improve democracy, legislators need to get more feedback from citizens, i.e., improving the two-way communication on Facebook.The lessons from this study will help pave the way for future research on political campaign and electronic participation.

Title: Social Media – And customer interaction in smaller firms Seminar date: 2011-06-10 Course: Information Logistics, D-level. Authors: Marie Stenhammar and Ulrika Carlsson Advisor: Jaime Campos Key words: Social Media, Web 2.0, Co-creation, Viral marketing, Word of Mouth, smaller firms Purpose: This paper aims to describe the relevance of social media to smaller firms, the challenges and opportunities they face and what strategies they use, in the interaction with their customers. Methodology: The study is qualitative in nature and has an abductive approach. The empirical material consists of in-depth interviews with chosen companies and Internet observations. Theoretical perspectives: Social Media, Web 2.0, Co-creation, Viral marketing, Word of Mouth Empirical foundation: The study takes its empirical base from in-depth interviews with representatives from the small companies and internet observations connected to these. Conclusions: Smaller companies have great interest in social media. They preferably use Facebook, blogs, YouTube and Twitter. Their strategy is mainly to be very active and update their social media regularly. The opinion of the companies is that social media offer several possibilities such as stronger relationships with customers and the ability to collect information about the market.