An Examination of Twitter\u27s Role in the Formation of Collegiate Sport Fans\u27 Allegiance Using the Revised Psychological Continuum Model (PCM)

Allegiance has long been considered one of the most notable research topics in sport studies (Funk & Pastore, 2000; Wann & Branscombe 1990). Allegiant fans are those who have formed strong connections to their favorite team, and these attitudes strengthen their psychological involvement. Twitter has grown dramatically since its inception in 2006, totaling more than 500 million users as of early 2013 (Gupta, Goel, Lin, Sharma, Wang, & Zadeh, 2013). Twitter is one of the most popular communication technologies used by both fans and sport organizations (Clavio, 2011), and allows individuals, organizations, and other social groups to connect with one another (Hambrick, Simmons, Greenhalgh, & Greenwell, 2010). The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of Twitter on the formation of fan allegiance using the revised Psychological Continuum Model (PCM), which reflects fans\u27 psychological development to allegiance with a particular sport team. Subjects (N = 412) were collected from fans attending four men\u27s baseball games at Clemson university during the spring 2013 season. Of the 412 collected surveys, only 212 were Twitter users who followed the Clemson Men\u27s Baseball team\u27s Twitter account. The results demonstrated a significant relationship between Twitter usage and team allegiance reflected through a high level of psychological connection to a specific team. Based on the results of this study, practitioners can identify a unique market segment from surveyed participants, which could help them attract and reach team allegiance through Twitter. Specifically, more Twitter usage regarding a specific team influences fans with weak attachments, to strengthen their attachment toward a team and increase their Twitter usage. Since this study shows the positive relationship between the frequency of Twitter usage and fan allegiance, it could target participants with lesser Twitter usage to increase their frequency, thus, increasing new marketing and communication strategy related to Twitter. Finally, the empirical evidence of this study can provide a better understanding of the growing phenomena of social media and the trends of Twitter usage in sport study context. This study could extend to include other kinds of social media and their effectiveness during interactions between sport organizations and sport fans

Expanding the ROKN\u27s Capabilities to Deal with the SLBM Threat from North Korea

The navies of both Koreas are capable of conducting effective underwater operations. The North Korean navy possesses more than seventy submarines that, while aging and relatively obsolete, remain difficult to detect. They are tasked mainly with disrupting South Korean sea lines of communication

Examining Sport Tourists’ Information-Processing Strategies for Smartphone Apps Acceptance

The evolution of the smartphone continues. The rapid rise in the number of applications (apps) means that sport consumers can now truly enjoy a 24/7 experience during which they are able to communicate, socialize, entertain, and make purchases. Smartphone apps are also commonly used in marketing strategies in the sport and tourism industry, but there has been very little academic research on sport consumers’ technology acceptance processes. Specifically, several questions must be answered, such as how sport consumers use information processing and decision making in order to accept new and existing technology, and how an individual’s involvement level influences the process. The purpose of this study was to: (1) gain an understanding of sport tourists’ information processing as it relates to the use of smartphone apps; (2) examine the effects of different types of advertising messages on sport tourists’ smartphone apps acceptance; and (3) investigate the potential moderating role of sport tourists’ levels of involvement with sporting events on the relationship between persuasive messaging and perceptions of the use of smartphone apps. This research proposes a new conceptual model, integrating three theoretical frameworks: the elaboration likelihood model, technology acceptance model, and involvement theory. To test the proposed hypotheses, a 2 (argument quality: strong vs. weak) x 2 (source credibility: high vs. low) analysis of variance and partial least squares structural equation modelling were employed through an online experiment. Two roleplaying scenarios were used to measure respondents’ degrees of involvement. Additionally, four advertising messages with different manipulation conditions and manipulation checks were successfully conducted. A total of 333 participants were recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). The results show that both argument quality (i.e., the central route) and source credibility (i.e., the peripheral route) effectively persuaded sport consumers to accept information presented in a smartphone app. Other results indicate that persuasive messages in the smartphone app were able to extensively affect sport consumers’ perceptions of that app and their behavioral intention to use the app to consume sports. The findings provide both theoretical and practical implications for sport teams and event managers in terms of creating effective mobile advertising strategies

Destination Website Advertising Effectiveness: A Comparison Between Paid and Organic Search

This study employs a conversion technique to examine the effects of destination website advertising on tourists’ actual visit, revisit intentions, and financial returns between two groups (paid vs. organic). Based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) of persuasion, findings indicate that paid search consumers who were with a high level of involvement in website advertising had higher conversion rates than organic search consumers. Although prior research has shown the importance of involvement as a determinant of advertising effectiveness, the current study concludes that website advertising involvement is not only a critical variable for evaluating advertising effectiveness, but also an essential element affecting the tourists’ decision making related to the destination

Collegiate Fan Allegiance and Twitter\u27s Role Using the Revised Psychological Continuum Model (PCM): A Case Study of Clemson Men\u27s Basketball Fan

The purpose of this study is to investigate the Twitter\u27s role in the formation of team allegiance through the revised Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) by creating James and Funk (2006). Although collegiate sports programs are using social media to communicate with their fans, little research about how social media impacts the formation of team allegiance has been done. The primary focus will be to analyze how individuals interact with a sports team via Twitter and how those interactions form allegiance. Twitter, a new communication technology platform, is, at present, one of the most popular sites and communication technologies among both individuals and organizations (Clavio, 2011). Twitter also offers a beneficial platform as a strategic marketing tool, enabling fans to elevate team allegiance within the sports realm. This study will also specifically determine whether observing people’s interactions on Twitter is an effective way to study the developing relationship between individuals’ awareness and emotions related to watching sports games and their allegiance toward specific sports team. This research will also help sports marketers learn about sports consumers’ behaviors, needs, and motivations online, which will help shape internet marketing communication

The execution of Jang Sung-taek : power struggle in North Korea?

The recent execution of Jang Sung-taek, hitherto the second most powerful man in North Korea and uncle of its leader Kim Jon-Un raises questions about a power struggle in the leadership and the rise of the military’s influence in the state apparatus. Is Kim now in full control

ROK-US alliance at sixty : vigorous, but vigilance required

For more about the East-West Center, see http://www.eastwestcenter.org/Sukjoon Yoon, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy, explains that “The ROK-US security and defense alliance has been an exemplary model of cooperation, but the world is changing.

A new China policy for South Korea : options for president-elect park

President-elect Park Geun Hye will need a new approach towards North Korea and China that differs from her predecessor's hard-line policy. The new administration must reengage with Pyongyang as part of a broader strategic detente with China, whilst remaining close to the US