To be or not to be
: firm decision making regarding social media presence

  • Catarina da Costa Roleta (Student)

Student thesis: Master's Thesis

Abstract

While Social Media (SM) is becoming even more relevant for consumers, managers are seeking to understand how they can improve brand’s SM performance while dealing with different external and internal constraints. This dissertation describes the Decision-Making Processes (DMP) of Portuguese firms when managing their brand’s presence in different SM platforms, resulting in developing a normative, theory-driven framework that supports SM management. To this end, primary data resulting from eight interviews with key informants from seven different firms and two natural observations of DMP from two different companies were analysed. Then, data was interpreted under the light of existing theories about DMP in marketing management. Subsequently, secondary data depicting the cases of four firms deciding about their SM presence was analysed in line with the final framework, resulting on different possible firms’ behaviours characterization when developing their SM strategy. It was concluded that although SM platforms business model suit current firms and marketing needs, managers have difficulties to integrated SM on marketing strategies. Plus, managers should be aware about firm’s external and internal constraints that are influencing firm’s SM performance. Moreover, it was found that firms still rely a lot in organic SM possibilities and their Investment capacity definition is strategically poor, which leads to a weak SM performance. In brief, SM positive contribution to firm’s performance requires strong analytical skills, development of Marketing, Branding and Communication strategies, a solid SM budget definition and SM platforms’ business model, audiences and advertising offers appropriate to firm’s goals.
Date of Award14 Feb 2017
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • Universidade Católica Portuguesa
SupervisorAna Isabel de Almeida Costa (Supervisor)

Keywords

  • Social media
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Strategic marketing
  • Firm decision making Management constraints
  • Management constraints

Designation

  • Mestrado em Gestão e Administração de Empresas

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