A great deal of attention and research has been
devoted to evangelizing social media as a new form of customer-centric
relationship building. Build a network or use social media to deepen
customer intimacy has become the mantra of today. However, what is often
overlooked is the impact of social media to
change behaviors, and the potential to leverage social media to impact
professional’s decision-making processes. While everyone is endeavoring to
capture the mindshare of the buyer, few understand what success truly looks
like.
This study will examine the role that social media has on decision-making among enterprise
users. Specifically this study will explore the following questions:
The results of this study will offer a set of best
practice models for effective social media programs to support enterprise
decision-making activities, identify opportunities for social media programs to
deepen their effectiveness and for professionals to leverage social media
efforts to support their practice.
The methodology for this study will be a
two-pronged approach. A survey will be issued to gather quantitative data
about professionals perceptions and experiences with social media in support of
their decision-making. Following the survey, select interviews will be
conducted using a semi-structured interview guide among a set of survey
respondents who are willing to participate in the second phase of the
study. The final study report will blend the survey research findings and
the interview results to offer a well-rounded examination of the social media
for decision-making process and opportunities.