Task 1 - New Interactive Environments

For work I use Web publishing tools such as Blogger, for analyzing the results Google Analytics, Facebook pages and Youtube. I have also tried out Google AdWords, but I can't say that I am familiar with the tool. For my personal interests I use Webfeeds for blogs I am interested in. Feeds are directed to my email. As for online social networks I use Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Before Facebook I used Orkut and before that Rate.ee.

For my schoolwork I have used different sources for searching academic materials for research, like Google Scholar and Ebscohost. For translation I have used different online dictionaries, also Google translator. Thanks to IMKE studies I am now familiar with Dropbox, Wikiversity, Cmap tool for building Concept maps, Flashmeeting tool, and getting to know even more.

For instant communication I use MSN messenger and Skype.

Looking forward to an interesting course! :)

Master seminar - Literature review 1

Estonian Business School Master's Thesis
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IMPLEMENTATION IN THE ESTONIAN COMPANIES
Marko Saue (2010)

The thesis is in Estonian. Everyone interested in reading the whole paper should contact the author Marko Saue markosaue@gmail.com

Marko Saue's Master thesis concentrates on giving advice to the companies who are using social media for marketing and also for those companies who are planning to do that. He studied the current situation of social media implementation in Estonian companies. In addition he interviewed the local internet marketing experts and learned about their opinion about the current situation of social media usage among Estonian companies. Altogether his research involved 82 companies and 11 experts. All the surveys were carried through online.

His main hypotheses were:
Hypothesis H1 – Estonian companies have just started to use SMM, mainly experimenting in that field and doesn’t include or hire internet marketing specialists to help them.
Hypothesis H2 – Estonian companies are investing time and money to SMM, but they are not measuring results.
Hypothesis H3 – In Estonia, Facebook has a biggest potential as a SMM channel.

All of his hypotheses were confirmed. Most of the companies who took part of the research had been using social media for marketing for only a few months. They had not used the help of experts, because either they were just looking into the field and thought that they will firstly find out the benefits of using social media, or they thought they had the competency to do it themselves. The main so called misdoing for the companies was the lack of measuring results. Everyone was using social media, doing campaigns and getting new fans and potential customers, but they did not have the knowledge to measure the exact profit. As it could be seen from both the companies survey and expert interviews, the social media marketing channel with the most potential in Estonia is Facebook. Facebook's possibilities and applications for marketing have the best potential to reach the wanted audience.

According to Saue, the following guidelines could be given to the companies regarding the implementation of social media marketing (SMM):
- SMM is appropriate for all companies and it is the time to start
- It is recommended to include experts right from the start
- Companies should establish specific goals for SMM
- SMM strategy should be long-term
- It is essential to measure the results and act on the go
- It is important to foremost create value for the fans and followers
- While communicating in social media, one has to be honest, direct and patient

Saue suggests to repeat the same kind of research after 6 months or a year, as he believes that a few months in social media can make a remarkable difference in companies marketing results. The new results would show, whether the situation has changed and whether the assumptions have become reality. He also suggests to do a qualitative research about how marketing theories and strategies are used in social media or study specific success stories of SMM.

My remarks:
The research is an interesting material to read for every company and marketing agency in Estonia. But apart from that it is really a useful tool for a company who is just starting using SMM. The conclusions made from the research could be taken as a tool for going further with the implementation of social media. Although the thesis gives a great overview of the situation today, the situation changes rapidly and soon new studies are needed to keep up with the development of new SMM channels and companies' creativity in using them.

Note to self: The author claims that SMM channels like Twitter and Youtube are loosing their audience to Facebook, because the same possibilities of short messaging and video uploading exist there as well and the information could be more easily integrated. Therefore should keep an eye on the changes in that field.

Social media and estonian companies 2010

View more presentations from kerstinsonts.

Master's thesis idea...

Well, it has been pretty hard for me to come up with a feasible Master's thesis idea. For now, I can only say, in what kind of field of activities I'm interested in.

As I graduated my Bachelor studies in Media and PR, I would like to add this knowledge to my Master's thesis as well. Therefore I would like to concentrate my further studies on Internet marketing. I am specifically interested in collecting theory and the most effective practices of online marketing for starting companies.

In general the results should be able to answer the questions: "What is the to do list in internet marketing for a starting company" and "which further possibilities could lead to greater success in that field".

Ethics and Law in New Media - Week 2

Write a short opinion in your blog about the real applicability of nonmarket production and related strategies in your main field of activities (e.g. design, education etc)

One of my main field of activities is currently education and studying. I'm going to talk about nonmarket production and its applicability in the field of studies.

Today, it is basically possible to write the whole thesis without ever leaving from the computer. There are free online materials, articles and books, which can be used for the literature review and studying research methods. There are online survey making software, which could be downloaded and used for carrying out a research. While collecting the materials the student can have regular skype meetings with the thesis supervisor. After the survey he can download software for data analysis and finish the research.

All of this information has been uploaded in the Internet for free. It has been done just for the sake of sharing and with nonmarket intentions.

Introduction and Theoretical Foundations of New Media homework - Week 1

• What characterizes new media?

New media uses digital devices, Internet and software to create content. Its components can constantly be mixed and remediated to create media which is even newer. New media has practically no limitations when it comes to generating new devices and software for extending the so called “human body parts”. There are no laws or certain ways things should be done, it allows one to be very creative.


• New media – a technology or culture?

Technology is an extension of Man. It is a tool for making Mans life easier. But it is the culture, which demands how and for which purposes the tool is used. Therefore it can not be said whether new media is technology or culture, because it involves both of the aspects and much more.


• Examine critically new media definitions – can YOU define what new media is?

By collaborating different definitions of new media and filtering out the most intriguing parts for me, I came up with a definition like this.

New media are constantly remediated and improved media, which use the latest technologies, networks and software to create new ways of (cultural, personal, physical, emotional) expression.

A little rough and broad but does not simplify new media as being just the Internet and a computer as it is often done.

Ethics and Law in New Media homework - Week 1

Study Theobald's question of 'mind-quake', find a real-life example and describe it

According to Theobald the term "mindquake" is formed as a parallel to "earthquake". He used the term describing a large and catastrophic shift in thinking. Theobald figured that it is better to learn all the time be open to new things and make small shifts in thinking instead of one large life changing shift.

While thinking about a real-life cases about mindquake, the first thing that comes to mind is the mindquake soon to happen in Estonia in 2011. From January 1st Estonia is going to change its currency from Estonian kroon to Euro. This will probably cause a lot of confusion and misunderstandings. Everyone will have to start calculating their salaries and everyday costs in Euros. The mind has to settle with the transition and create new associations in order to understand the value of the new currency.
It can be said that Theobald is correct by saying that it is better to make little shifts in thinking over time. For example if people consciously already in advance calculated their costs to Euros, it would be a lot easier to make the transition. Some people probably have taken it into consideration and are dealing with Euros already, but for most of the people, it will still definitely be a mindquake.


Pick one of Handy's paradoxes, find a good real-life illustrative case and describe it

Paradox of Justice
Paradox of justice is one of the most intriguing and at the same time most delicate subjects in Estonia recently. The contradictions between the laws and the punishments are being questioned daily in Estonia. Stories about people, who have committed crimes, but are walking free, can be read from the papers every day. The justice system, which is supposed to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, cannot work as black and white as the public expects it. There are other laws, which demand strict bureaucracy and definite order of steps to be taken before the person who committed the crime will be claimed guilty. Even if the fact that he did it is obvious to everyone. Every aspect of the crime has to be correctly investigated and documented in order to be accepted as a proof against the suspect in court.

Recently there was a case where a man, under the influence of the drug GHB killed two people by running them over with his car. He was drug tested afterwards, but as the clinic that tested him did not have a correct qualification to do the drug tests, the fact that he had used drugs could not be taken into consideration while he was trialed. Therefore he had a milder punishment. In one hand, the system is correct by stating that everyone should be treated the same. The rules must exist and everyone ought to stick by them. In the other hand, everyone knew about the fact that he had taken drugs, it had been medically proven, but there was nothing anyone could do about it.


Pick one of Castells' features of network society and write a short analysis

Changes in Work and Employment
Castell describes the features of Network Society. One of the relevant features in his opinion is the change in work an employment. As most of the work could be done online, there is no need for staying in the office from nine to five. The working time, place and regulations are flexible and allow the worker to manage his time himself.

This kind of work organization is becoming more and more popular. The emergence of wireless Internet and technology give a good possibility for the flexi-workers not to own an office at all. Basically one could manage a whole company from his living room or a cafeteria around the corner.

For an employer it is cheaper to buy in a service from a person who does not have to use the facilities, therefore does not need to have a desk, chair and a parking place. He does not have to be paid monthly or receive a huge compensation when being laid off.

This kind of work organization is comfortable for people who for example are not able to leave home for the whole day. Like mothers or fathers who have to take care of their babies at home or people who live too far away from their place of work, so it is more comfortable not to commute to work daily. This also gives an opportunity for physically disabled people to find work more easily, as the transportation issue is not a problem in this case.

In the other hand, working at home needs great time management skills. A flexi-worker has to establish a strict line between work and leisure time so that one would not interfere with the other. While working at home, it is at the same time possible to do too much work and get too little rest or the opposite, do not bother to do work in such a comfortable environment. As the computer is always open and notices of new e-mails pop up all day long, it is tempting to see who is writing and what is happening. It may lead to the fact that the family and leisure time could be forgotten. It just seems that there is so much work to do. But working from home could also be distracted by children running around, the dog wanting to go for a walk or a good show from TV. Therefore it is relevant to keep the working and leisure time apart to avoid burning out.

Homework for Next Week

Project Management:
read materials
kodutöö Projektijuhtimises:
1. PMBOK struktuuri, sisu - tutvu!
2. leia projekti taseme hindamise skaalad.
3. leia portfoolite haldamise meetodite kirjeldusi.
4. materjalide linkidega tutvu
Due: Sun, Sep 19

Intro to New Media:
Questions to answer:
What characterizes new media?
New media – a technology or culture?
Examine critically new media definitions – can YOU define what is new media?
Try to draw a concept map of new media definition!
Due: Tue, Sep 21

Ethics and Law in New Media:
Write the short pieces listed in the weekly tasks and post in blog
Topic 1: /Ethics in Turbulent Times
Topic 2: /Towards the Information Society
Participate in the weekly discussions in the FORUM
Due: Mon, Sep 20
Next chat: Wed, Sep 22, 7 pm
Group for Wiki paper: Kerstin, Kristo, Mehrnoosh, Valeria, Kairi


Master Seminar:
Find literature for thesis.
Due: Thu, Sep 23

Intro to IMKE

Today was the beginning of my journey towards the Masters degree. I am now studying in Tallinn University 2-year Masters program Interactive Media and Knowledge Environments.

The first assignment for every IMKE student is to create or use an existing personal blog, where to post the course assignments, create and discuss IMKE related topics and link useful materials. So this is my version of an IMKE student's blog.

The very first course I attended at IMKE was called Introduction and Theoretical Foundations of New Media. This course will involve making concept maps for each lecture, writing an essay and analyzing peer essays. According to the introductory lecture, the assignments seem interesting and I am looking forward to start working already.

The second course I attended today took place in Skype. It was called Ethics and Law in New Media. It is an online course but with relatively large amount of homework. It also seems to be interesting for now at least.

After the first lecture IMKE10 students got to know each other a little better. We had a great time in Lost Continent and afterwards in the computer lab during the Skype meeting.

After the first day I can say I'm looking forward to the next lectures and meetings.