Purpose: The main purpose of this study/thesis is to, through an interview with researchers in medical field in Jönköping, provide an empirical analysis of the link or relationship between medical researcher and patient through social networking sites specifically for collaboration in order to improve relationships, dissemination of information and knowledge sharing. Background: The importance of social networking websites as a means of interaction between groups of individuals cannot be underestimated. Their impact on daily life activities and activities cannot be underestimated. Because millions of individuals are making use of Social Network Sites (SNSs) to build or reinforce relationships, connect, disseminate and share information as well as sharing of knowledge whether personal or non-personal experiences with people they already know offline or new people online. Therefore, the authors are interested basically in how social networking web sites are being utilized in terms of collaborations, information and knowledge sharing and particularly in what benefits and challenge are connected to improving inter-groups collaboration in research study between researchers and ordinary citizens. Method: A review of literature gives us insight about the subject terms, critical and sensitive issues in regards to collaboration through social networking sites designed for research purpose. We apply in general networking theories such as social capital and two of its components couple with Putman´s theory of bonding and bridging social capital as a theoretical framework to synthesize the concept of ties (strong or weak) . Our analysis based on the empirical data gathered through surveys, interviews and observation provide us with interesting preliminary results and with blueprints to guide the analysis of the thesis. Conclusion: Social networking platforms are valuable and useful in our generation being part of daily life and activity to keep up with people within our networks. However, the authors discovered that the advantages of involving ordinary citizens to participate in improving researcher-patient collaboration through dynamic social networking actually outweigh the disadvantages despite all odds and sensitive issues such as trust, privacy issues and sceptics of some researchers. In others words, some of the researchers were enthusiastic to collaborate in terms of disseminating useful information and sharing valuable knowledge with ordinary citizens. Overall, the study revealed positive result that despite weak ties relationships, the willingness to collaborate is far more than the obstacles perceived in the course of establishing such collaboration.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:hj-19337 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Akindayo, Olayiwola, Dopgima, Cynthia |
| Publisher | Internationella Handelshögskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping, IHH, Informatik, Internationella Handelshögskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping, IHH, Informatik |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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