Library Resources: Procurement, Innovation and Exploitation in a Digital World

The possibilities of the digital future require new models for procurement, innovation and exploitation. Emma Crowley and Chris Spencer describe the skills staff need to deliver resources in hybrid and digital environments. The chapter demonstrates the innovative ways that librarians use to procure and exploit the wealth of resources available in a digital world. They also describe the technological developments that can be adopted to improve workflow processes and they highlight the challenges faced on this fascinating journey

Native Advertising: An International Perspective

Native advertising is a different approach to advertising that welcomes content-based marketing. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), native advertising is defined as “paid for content that is relevant to the consumer experience, and is integrated into the surrounding content and is not interruptive”. Native advertising is advertising disguised as regular news content. Specific examples of native advertising include: sponsored posts, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), print stories that appear in newspapers or magazines but are promoted by a brand, and promoted posts on social media. The point of native advertising is to straddle the line between advertising and editorial content and engage the consumers with category-relevant information (Ling, 2014). Native advertising is offering marketers a more effective way to engage with consumers, which is proven through higher clickVthrough rates than traditional banner ads, particularly through mobile devices (Hoelzel, 2015). However, the concept of native advertising is still controversial. In the United States, publishers and advertisers are highly encouraged to make sure native ads are labeled as “sponsored content,” as to not deceive or confuse consumers. The purpose of this study was to look at native advertising from an international perspective, focusing and comparing the United State’s use of native advertising to Ireland’s use of native advertising

The Art of Blogging in Public Relations: A Reflection

In the field of public relations, effective writing is paramount. It is an important part of every step of the campaign process, from research to planning, communicating to evaluating. But writing for PR encompasses more than just research reports and news releases. With today’s increasing reliance on the Internet and social media for information, knowing how to quickly and effectively compose nontraditional written works - including social media posts and blogs - is a skill that all practitioners need. Therefore, I took up the task of researching blogging best practices in the public relations industry and putting them into practice through 12 professional posts on a WordPress site. This paper seeks to reflect on the work I have done, sharing my process, insight, and the best practices I have discovered for other aspiring public relations bloggers to build off of

The Irish Research electronic Library initiative – levelling the playing field?

Purpose - The Irish Research electronic Library (IReL) is a nationally funded electronic research library providing online access to full text articles from thousands of peer-reviewed publications in a range of disciplines. This paper examines the opportunities that have arisen for academic libraries at a local level in terms of how they expose resources and promote the initiative. It discusses the challenges that have arisen as libraries enhance, or indeed introduce, value added services to their research community. It examines the results of an in-depth national survey which yielded invaluable insights into how Irish researchers were using library services. Finally, it reflects on the challenges libraries face in facilitating and nurturing research behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – In the first quarter of 2007, seven university libraries asked their researchers for feedback on how they use IReL resources and their awareness of the initiative in the form of a national survey. These results and in particular the feedback from DCU researchers are further analysed. Focus groups and visits to research centres also provided more in-depth analysis. Findings- This paper finds that a collaborative approach to the negotiation of a single national licence for seven academic libraries, with associated training and a discount for consortium contracts has been highly successful. However, it has also posed significant challenges for all libraries in terms of ensuring that the resources are fully exploited and that the necessary support structures are in place to facilitate the provision of appropriate services to the growing research community. Originality/Value –This paper will be useful to libraries planning services for fourth level researchers and in particular, services that promote access to online resources

Mechanisms Driving Digital New Venture Creation & Performance: An Insider Action Research Study of Pure Digital Entrepreneurship in EdTech

Digitisation has ushered in a new era of value creation where cross border data flows generate more economic value than traditional flows of goods. The powerful new combination of digital and traditional forms of innovation has seen several new industries branded with a ‘tech’ suffix. In the education technology sector (EdTech), which is the industry context of this research, digitisation is driving double-digit growth into a projected $240 billion industry by 2021. Yet, despite its contemporary significance, the field of entrepreneurship has paid little attention to the phenomenon of digital entrepreneurship. As several scholars observe, digitisation challenges core organising axioms of entrepreneurship, with significant implications for the new venture creation process in new sectors such as EdTech. New venture creation no longer appears to follow discrete and linear models of innovation, as spatial and temporal boundaries get compressed. Given the paradigmatic shift, this study investigates three interrelated themes. Firstly, it seeks to determine how a Pure Digital Entrepreneurship (PDE) process develops over time; and more importantly, how the journey challenges extant assumptions of the entrepreneurial process. Secondly, it strives to identify and theorise the deep structures which underlie the PDE process through mechanism-based explanations. Consequently, the study also seeks to determine the causal pathways and enablers which overtly or covertly interrelate to power new venture emergence and performance. Thirdly, it aims to offer practical guidelines for nurturing the growth of PDE ventures, and for the development of supportive ecosystems. To meet the stated objectives, this study utilises an Insider Action Research (IAR) approach to inquiry, which incorporates reflective practice, collaborative inquiry and design research for third-person knowledge production. This three-pronged approach to inquiry allows for the enactment of a PDE journey in real-time, while acquiring a holistic narrative in the ‘swampy lowlands’ of new venture creation. The findings indicate that the PDE process is differentiated by the centrality of digital artifacts in new venture ideas, which in turn result in less-bounded processes that deliver temporal efficiencies – hence, the shorter new venture creation processes than in traditional forms of entrepreneurship. Further, PDE action is defined by two interrelated events – digital product development and digital growth marketing. These events are characterised by the constant forking, merging and termination of diverse activities. Secondly, concurrent enactment and piecemeal co-creation were found to be consequential mechanisms driving temporal efficiencies in digital product development. Meanwhile, data-driven operation and flexibility combine in digital growth marketing, to form higher order mechanisms which considerably reduce the levels of task-specific and outcome uncertainties. Finally, the study finds that digital growth marketing is differentiated from traditional marketing by the critical role of algorithmic agencies in their capacity as gatekeepers. Thus, unlike traditional marketing, which emphasises customer sovereignty, digital growth marketing involves a dual focus on the needs of human and algorithmic stakeholders. Based on the findings, this research develops a pragmatic model of pure digital new venture creation and suggests critical policy guidelines for nurturing the growth of PDE ventures and ecosystems

Between food ethics, solidarity and the social construction of alternative markets. Exploring the dimensions of grassroots food movements in Spain

In recent years there has been growing attention for the emergence of alternative food networks, first as a possible strategy for farm households to counter deteriorating market conditions and respond to changing societal demands, and more recently as expression of a growing consumer involvement in the shaping of food systems. In debates on AFNs contributions from Spain have been relatively scarce, not because these tendencies do not occur but rather because applied analytical frameworks somehow did not seem to capture the specific nature of experiences in the peninsula. Against this background, this paper aims to analyze emerging grassroots food movements in Spain, explore to what extent different initiatives constitute a coherent alternative paradigm for sustainable local food systems, and identify relevant dimensions that shape their development and potential contribution to the sustainable development of rural areas and society at large. The paper is mainly based on case studies from Andalucia and the Basque country, and stresses that food initiatives have been largely driven by social movements, incl. peasant‐based farmers and consumer groups but also agroecology movements. As a result, Spanish food movements often have a wider focus and combine ethical values like fairness, solidarity and participative democracy with economic and environmental concerns

Learning from e-family history: online research behaviour and strategies of family historians and implications for local studies collections.

The massive expansion of electronic resources has been identified as one of the major drivers behind the explosion in the popularity of family history, which bring ease, convenience and accessibility to some parts of the research process. Amongst this expanse of easily-accessible raw materials, online local studies materials (recording both historical and contemporary aspects of a community) can add real context and value to researchers findings and experience; turning a genealogy into a family history. However, the vast majority of these do not appear visible to online family history researchers. Through three central foci (users, e-family history resources, and Local Studies Collections), this research investigates these resources and collections from the perspective of users, to establish how to make the added value of the local studies collections more visible and encourage increased engagement for those who cannot visit collections in person. Specific evaluative criteria for e-family history resources are presented, contributing to practitioners awareness and understanding of their nature; in turn helping maintain their service quality to researchers. Using a hybrid (primarily ethnographic) research approach, the study also examines the online research behaviour of family historians, identifying a taxonomy of actions (seeking of genealogical facts, local or social history; communicating with other researchers or resources; locating resources or instructive information; managing own information), strategies (search modifications and incorporation of background knowledge) and outcomes (outcome; direction (projected and actual)). From these categories, a model of Family Historians online information seeking has been developed. Researchers have both informational and affective needs, and are highly emotionally attached to the research process. Users universally used Ancestry, FamilySearch, ScotlandsPeople, and Genes Reunited far more than other sites, seeking out quality informational content and unique records, which must be successful for researchers. Google was a major method of access to these. Very few participants were pre-aware of e-local studies websites, and were surprised by the variations in quality, inconsistencies in terminology and navigation, and invisibility of quality content. Despite a lack of ease of use, the content present on e-local studies sites and their usefulness and value had been demonstrated to researchers. This suggests significant demand for local information of this kind online where it is available and made known

Bira Beach Tourism Governance Through Digital Marketing Communication Strategies

This research delves into the role and implications of digital marketing communication strategies in the tourism governance of Bira Beach. Bira Beach, renowned for its pristine coastal beauty, has witnessed fluctuating tourism trends over the years. Ensuring sustainable tourism development, which balances economic benefits, environmental protection, and socio-cultural integration, necessitates effective governance mechanisms. Digital marketing communication strategies have emerged as instrumental in shaping this governance. Through a qualitative approach encompassing interviews, surveys, and digital data analytics, this study explores (1) the existing digital communication practices in promoting Bira Beach, (2) stakeholders' perceptions about the effectiveness of these practices, and (3) the influence of these strategies on tourism governance frameworks and decisions. Preliminary findings suggest that well-structured digital communication campaigns can enhance stakeholder participation, foster transparent decision-making, and drive sustainable tourism policies. However, certain challenges like digital literacy, infrastructural constraints, and authenticity concerns have been identified. The research emphasizes the need for a cohesive strategy that integrates technology, local community insights, and environmental considerations for robust tourism governance at Bira Beach. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the intertwining realms of digital marketing and tourism governance, offering insights for policy-makers, tourism planners, and marketers

Internationally targeted digital marketing in business-to-business context : Case of a Finnish event venue company

Digital marketing is a buzzword that is on everyone’s lips. Everyone should know what it is, every company should do it and know how to do it right. However, the huge number of digital marketing channels has gotten many companies confused. The channels are not being used effectively and the knowledge on all the potential of online marketing is minimal. This is especially the case with companies operating in B2B marketing, in amongst whom notably social media has been neglected as a marketing tool of affordable reach and brand building. The research is done from the point of view of event management and B2B service marketing, and the research method was qualitative. The research was conducted with utilizing a semi-structured interview and secondary-data analysis, and it was done as an assignment to a Finnish company, operating in the field of event management and venue services. The aim of the research was to find best practices utilized in B2B digital marketing, that the assignment company could utilize to enhance their own digital marketing operations. Overall 12 Nordic companies were researched to offer a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence practices in the field of event management regarding digital marketing. In the study was revealed, that many companies still lack a cohesive online strategy and that the value of utilizing different channels has not been understood. Social medias are acquired just for the sake of having them, but they are not updated regularly and the content is not necessary relevant to its’ context. The decision makers in B2B are becoming younger and are the ones that have not lived without the Internet, hence the proficient utilization if it is becoming crucial to B2B marketers as well