Institutionalization in service providing companies: analysis in recruitment and selection consultancies (R&S)

Research supported by institutional theory contributes to organizational studies because they insert variables such as shared values, search for legitimacy, and isomorphism in the analysis of relationships between organizations and between organizations and the environment. In this context, this article aims to analyze the stages of institutionalization in consulting companies providing services in the recruitment and selection of people (R&S). A qualitative-descriptive study was performed with six recruitment and selection consultancies located in Sergipe. The results demonstrated the administrative functioning of organizations about the stages of institutionalization, revealing an institutional scenario for these service providers, besides highlighting the main obstacles to the sedimentation of the companies analyzed

“Sex Sells”, but who’s buying? The effect of sexual appeals on purchase intention in influencer marketing

Over the last decade, Influencer Marketing has become an integral part of firms’ marketing plans. According to extant literature, brands-influencers collaborations may be more persuasive than traditional advertising. However, little is known about the factors that drive its effectiveness. The aphorism that “sex sells” pervades traditional advertising and seems to be perpetuated in social media platforms like Instagram, though little academic evidence supports it. The present study addresses this research gap by examining the effect of different modes of exhibition of the female body (inconspicuous vs. conspicuous) on consumers’ purchase intention. The analysis of the data collected through an online questionnaire administered to Portuguese Instagram users revealed that conspicuous exhibition of the female body negatively affects purchase intention. The effect is serially mediated by source credibility, endorsement attitude and brand attitude. By providing empirical evidence for the effect of different modes of self-presentation on attitudinal and behavioral change, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on Influencer Marketing and provides managers with important guidelines to select and design brand-influencers collaboration strategies.Na última década, o Marketing de Influência tornou-se parte integrante dos planos de marketing das empresas. De acordo com a literatura académica existente, as colaborações entre marcas e influenciadores digitais são mais persuasivas do que a publicidade tradicional. Contudo, pouco se conhece relativamente aos fatores que determinam a sua eficácia. O aforismo de que “sexo vende” domina a publicidade tradicional e parece perpetuar-se em redes sociais como o Instagram, apesar da falta de fundamentação académica. Este estudo pretende colmatar esta lacuna na literatura ao analisar o efeito de diferentes modos de apresentação do corpo feminino (inconspícua vs. conspícua) na intenção de compra dos consumidores. A análise dos dados recolhidos através de um questionário online administrado a utilizadores portugueses do Instagram sugere a existência de um efeito negativo da exibição conspícua do corpo feminino nas intenções de compra, mediado pela perceção de credibilidade da fonte, atitude em relação à colaboração e à marca. Ao demonstrar empiricamente a existência deste efeito, o presente estudo contribui para o crescente acervo de literatura dedicada ao Marketing de Influência e apresenta diretrizes estratégicas para a seleção e elaboração de parcerias com influenciadores digitais

Social representations of social media at romanian teenagers. European integration through the internet

Social media and European Union are two realities of the present that have undoubtedly brought major changes in society in terms of communication, intergroup relations and identity negotiation. The power relations between social media and European Union have become so great that a change from one side is immediately felt on the other side, and more important is that the two together define the present and build the future. It is a complex process, especially since European integration is resisting nationalist politics, and the Internet is drastically regulated even by the European Union, as it has never been before. Thus, inevitably, new aspects of social life arise, with which people need to get familiarized in order to shape a common sense. Therefore, we investigated the social representation of social media at Romanian teenagers, demonstrating through this research that it has mostly positive elements, but which are under the threat of new Internet regulations. If we also consider the process of European integration, social media can represent a strong link between the European Union and Romania, helping create a good European identity, despite the national sovereignty that has been promoted. The research was based on a structured questionnaire, Associative Network Technique with four stimuli (“Me”, “Social Media”, “European Union”, “Romania”), YouTube video analysis, and text mining on Facebook

Experienced inequality in the social media structures – a feminist perspective : Uncovering the gender inequality of social media platforms

In marketing research, social media has been a topic of interest since its early days of existence. The social networking sites are nowadays formed as platforms that facilitate critical activities for businesses, organizations and societies. Furthermore, the platforms have penetrated into people’s lives, providing or limiting the possibilities to function in our society. The social media companies have tremendous power in users’ lives, but yet it is unclear who’s goals are prioritized in these platforms and whose are not. Surprisingly, only little of the social media studies have focused on how the platforms are structured and thus, this study addressed the issue. This research aimed to answer this research gap by gaining an understanding of the experienced inequality in social media structures through taking a feminist perspective. Feminist perspective in this study referred to the idea that social medias made by humans cannot be value-free nor objective. Thus, the analysis for inequality must regard the biases of our society. The empirical study in this thesis was conducted as qualitative research and in two parts: first conducting a content analysis to further define the social media structures and then studying the experienced inequality by individual interviews. The study followed an abductive study as it combined earlier theories from platform structures, feminist theories regarding online spaces and user experiences on social media, and finally combing it with the knowledge gathered from the empirical study. The study results indicated that the experience of inequality in the social media structures was common across different genders and races, but the experiences of inequality are more intense and personal on gender minority users and people of colour. The social media structures defined in this study were affordances, algorithms and content moderation. The central findings were that on gender minority participants the experience of alienation was highlighted but the feeling of unsafety on the platforms was universal . The study produced valuable gender and race sensitive data for the purpose of developing social media platforms more equal.Sosiaalisen median alustat ovat olleet markkinoinnin tutkimuksen kohteena aivan niiden syntyhetkistä lähtien. Nykypäivänä sosiaalisten medioiden rooli on merkittävä niin yritystoiminnan, yhteiskunnallisen keskustelun kuin ihmisten välisen yhteydenpidon kannalta. Alustoilla on siis kasvava valta yhteiskuntamme rakenteissa. Viime vuosina on kuitenkin herännyt kysymys tämän vallan käytöstä ja sen jakautumisesta – kenen etuja sosiaaliset mediat ajavat ja kenen eivät. Aikaisemmassa tutkimuksessa epätasa-arvon kokemukset sekä ei-binäärinen tieto ovat jääneet vähemmälle huomiolle liittyen sosiaalisten medioiden käyttökokemuksiin. Tämä tutkielma vastasi tutkimusaukkoon pyrkimällä ymmärtämään epätasa-arvon kokemuksia sosiaalisen median rakenteissa feministisen perspektiivin kautta. Feministinen perspektiivi tässä tutkielmassa tarkoitti periaatetta, että sosiaalisen median alustat heijastelevat yhteiskunnassamme vallitsevia vinoumia, mikä tulee tutkimuksessa ottaa huomioon. Empiirinen tutkimus suoritettiin kahdessa vaiheessa: ensin tutkimalla sosiaalisen median rakenteita sisältöanalyysin kautta ja seuraavaksi keräämällä aineistoa yksilöhaastatteluista. Tutkielma seurasi abduktiivisen tutkimuksen periaatteita verraten aikaisempaa teoriaa uuteen kerättyyn aineistoon. Tutkimuksen tulokset valottivat, että monet sukupuolet sekä etnisyydet kokivat epätasa-arvoa sosiaalisen medioiden rakenteissa, mutta epätasa-arvon kokemukset olivat intensiivisempiä sekä henkilökohtaisempia sukupuolivähemmistöillä sekä ei-valkoisilla sosiaalisen median käyttäjillä. Rakenteet, joita tämä tutkielma analysoi olivat käyttömahdollisuudet, algoritmit sekä sisällön moderointi. Yksi keskeisimmistä löydöksistä oli, että sukupuolivähemmistöillä nämä rakenteet aiheuttivat vieraantumisen sekä ulkopuolisuuden tunnetta, mutta turvattomuuden tunne oli yhteinen eri sukupuolille sekä etnisyyksille. Tämä tutkielma tuotti arvokasta sukupuolieriteltyä tietoa kokemuksista sosiaalisen median alustojen rakenteissa sekä nosti esiin alustojen kehityskohteita

Smartphone Use in Financial Management among Women’s Informal Saving Groups in Dodoma, Tanzania

Diffusion of smartphone technology has created multiple opportunities for economic development. This research investigated the use of smartphones in financial management among women’s informal saving groups in Dodoma, Tanzania. Qualitative data were collected from 10 groups, derived from 15 interviews and 3 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 22 participants and thematic analysis was done. The findings revealed that research participants were using smartphones to access WhatsApp, the camera, mobile money applications and the calculator for coordination, recording, calculation, and payment. It was also found that untrustworthy communications, high charges and mobile fraud were challenges experienced by the groups. Familiarity, ease of use and nature of the group were identified as important reasons for the smartphone use in financial management. The research contributes knowledge regarding digitizing informal saving groups although smartphone use was not strongly linked to financial management success. This suggests a need for improved skills and technological empowerment to achieve sustainable growth

A study of sexual violence in the digital age: Working with technology-facilitated sexual violence against women within sexual violence support services

The progressively interactive capabilities of new technologies are combining to change the landscape of personal, social and professional lives. Research is growing on the use of technologies to sexually exploit, harass and abuse individuals, with the majority of studies focusing on the experiences of young people. Less is known about the experiences of adult women and the subsequent impact of these events. Addressing this gap in the research is therefore important in responding to and supporting women’s experiences of sexual violence facilitated by the use of technology. The study is from a social constructionist perspective and utilised a qualitative methodological approach in the form of narrative inquiry and thematic analysis to analyse the data and is based upon interviews with five participants who work within sexual violence support services. It explored how participants construct meaning in relation to technology-facilitated sexual violence against women, how they respond to it and how it subsequently impacts victims. The data was then examined using thematic analysis, which identified four primary themes. The findings demonstrate that understanding technology-facilitated sexual violence is a complex process encompassing the context, frequency and type of sexual violence experienced; it involves the sexualisation of women online and understanding online predatory behaviour. Participants report a negative personal and professional impact on victims, ranging from feelings of shame and fear of exposure to being prevented from pursuing professional goals. Service provision is viewed as inconsistent and problematic. This study considers the findings in the context of theories of shame, the embodiment of harm online and the construction of identity in relation to technology. It also considers the changing landscape of sexual violence against women in relation to technology within the wider context of violence against women