The power of Social Media in a Pandemic: The Case of Smoke-Free Beijing’s Catering Industry

Purpose: This study examined how the catering business quickly responded and recovered from the threats caused by COVID-19 with the use of social media in Beijing, China. It evidences how various catering businesses in Beijing continued to pursue their businesses after restrictive social distancing measures were imposed. Methodology: Unstructured face-to-face interviews were conducted with nine restaurant managers in Beijing, who worked during both waves of the pandemic in the spring and fall of 2020. Findings: COVID-19 further strengthened the smoke-free law enforcement in Beijing for the catering business. The Chinese consumers were found to replace restaurant consumption with stay-at-home delivery. Caterers consider social media platforms as essential tools for digital-led customer interaction in a pandemic, but also show concerns about the market power of these platforms. The Chinese government successfully implemented its health tracking app into popular local social media platforms in the battle against COVID-19, and enabled businesses to continue functioning. Value: COVID-19 not only disrupts our daily lives, but it has significantly impacted and improved a smoke-free environment, and it has accelerated the catering business to actively embrace technology which led to remarkable innovations. Integrating health tracking apps into popular and highly penetrated social media platforms is considered as one significant success factor for the containment of the coronavirus and a great help in restoring consumer confidence, leading to purchasing action. This research offers a Chinese inside view of the power of social media to enhance customer interaction and business performance even during a pandemic, profiting both businesses and consumers alike. Implications are raised for similar integration of health apps elsewhere.

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Concerns Expressed by Chinese Social Media Users During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Content Analysis of Sina Weibo Microblogging Data (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.22152 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Junze Wang ◽

Ying Zhou ◽

Wei Zhang ◽

Richard Evans ◽

Chengyan Zhu

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Latent Dirichlet Allocation ◽

Vaccine Development ◽

User Behavior ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Web Crawler ◽

Health Crisis ◽

User Behavior Analysis ◽

Sina Weibo ◽

Social Media Platforms

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health crisis that is affecting economies and societies worldwide. During times of uncertainty and unexpected change, people have turned to social media platforms as communication tools and primary information sources. Platforms such as Twitter and Sina Weibo have allowed communities to share discussion and emotional support; they also play important roles for individuals, governments, and organizations in exchanging information and expressing opinions. However, research that studies the main concerns expressed by social media users during the pandemic is limited. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the main concerns raised and discussed by citizens on Sina Weibo, the largest social media platform in China, during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We used a web crawler tool and a set of predefined search terms (New Coronavirus Pneumonia, New Coronavirus, and COVID-19) to investigate concerns raised by Sina Weibo users. Textual information and metadata (number of likes, comments, retweets, publishing time, and publishing location) of microblog posts published between December 1, 2019, and July 32, 2020, were collected. After segmenting the words of the collected text, we used a topic modeling technique, latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), to identify the most common topics posted by users. We analyzed the emotional tendencies of the topics, calculated the proportional distribution of the topics, performed user behavior analysis on the topics using data collected from the number of likes, comments, and retweets, and studied the changes in user concerns and differences in participation between citizens living in different regions of mainland China. RESULTS Based on the 203,191 eligible microblog posts collected, we identified 17 topics and grouped them into 8 themes. These topics were pandemic statistics, domestic epidemic, epidemics in other countries worldwide, COVID-19 treatments, medical resources, economic shock, quarantine and investigation, patients’ outcry for help, work and production resumption, psychological influence, joint prevention and control, material donation, epidemics in neighboring countries, vaccine development, fueling and saluting antiepidemic action, detection, and study resumption. The mean sentiment was positive for 11 topics and negative for 6 topics. The topic with the highest mean of retweets was domestic epidemic, while the topic with the highest mean of likes was quarantine and investigation. CONCLUSIONS Concerns expressed by social media users are highly correlated with the evolution of the global pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media has provided a platform for Chinese government departments and organizations to better understand public concerns and demands. Similarly, social media has provided channels to disseminate information about epidemic prevention and has influenced public attitudes and behaviors. Government departments, especially those related to health, can create appropriate policies in a timely manner through monitoring social media platforms to guide public opinion and behavior during epidemics.

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A Comparative View of Censored and Uncensored Political Discussion

Handbook of Research on Citizen Engagement and Public Participation in the Era of New Media - Advances in Public Policy and Administration ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-1081-9.ch015 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 269-282

Author(s):

Qihao Ji

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Future Research ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Political Discussion ◽

Time Period ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Internet Censorship ◽

Media Discourses ◽

The Impact

Through a content analysis on Chinese online dissidents' social media discourses, this study examines the impact of Internet censorship on Chinese dissidents' political discourse in two social media platforms: Weibo and Twitter. Data was collected during a time period when China's Internet censorship was tightened. Results revealed that Chinese online dissidents are more likely to post critical opinions and direct criticism towards the Chinese government on Twitter. In addition, dissidents on Twitter are more likely to engage in discussing with others, while Weibo dissidents tend to adopt linguistic skills more often to bypass censorship. No difference was found in terms of dissidents' civility and rationality across the two platforms. Implications and future research are discussed in detail.

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Dynamics of customer interaction on social media platforms

Electronic Markets ◽

10.1007/s12525-016-0227-0 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 199-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Ulrike Baumöl ◽

Linda Hollebeek ◽

Reinhard Jung

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Customer Interaction ◽

Social Media Platforms

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Understanding user satisfaction with Chinese government social media platforms

Information Research: an international electronic journal ◽

10.47989/irpaper865 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Feng Yang ◽

◽

Shan Zhao ◽

Wenyong Li ◽

Richard Evans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

User Satisfaction ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Survey Study ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Study Results ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

The Government

Introduction. The purpose of this paper is to understand government social media from the perspective of user satisfaction and to evaluate it in the context of presentation, content and utility of the government affairs' microblogs in China. Method. Based on the comprehensive information theory, this study will generalise descriptions about the factors affecting the user satisfaction in the existing research. Analysis. Taking Chinese government affairs microblogs as examples, the paper utilises structural equation modelling to analyse an online survey study. Results. Its result indicates that presentation, content and utility have a positive influence on user satisfaction with Chinese government social media platforms. Conclusions. This study gets rid of the oversimplified description of the application of government social media, and could provide policy reference for subsequent adoption strategies of government social media.

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Use of Social Media Platforms for Purchasing Fashion Items: A Comparison of US and Chinese Consumers

Journal of Comparative International Management ◽

10.7202/1071506ar ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Li Shen

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Technology Acceptance ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Cultural Dimensions ◽

Future Research ◽

Fashion Industry ◽

Chinese Consumers ◽

Intention To Purchase ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Use Of Social Media

This paper develops a conceptual connection between the Revised Technology Acceptance Model and Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions in explicating the adoption by customers of a social media platform in the fashion industry in the context of the US and China. This study shows that the trustworthiness of Facebook is positively related to US customers’ intention to purchase fashion items and the trustworthiness of WeChat is positively related to Chinese customers’ intention to purchase fashion items. Also, US customers’ perceived usefulness is not positively related to the intention of using Facebook to buy fashion items. However, their Chinese counterparts had the opposite result. The findings enhance our understanding of the factors that influence customers’ adoption of social media platforms for purchasing fashion items and provides suggestions for marketing managers as to how they can utilize social media platforms to market fashion items. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible future research in this field.

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A Comparative View of Censored and Uncensored Political Discussion

Censorship, Surveillance, and Privacy ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-7113-1.ch070 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1439-1453

Author(s):

Qihao Ji

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Future Research ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Political Discussion ◽

Time Period ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Internet Censorship ◽

Media Discourses ◽

The Impact

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The Use of Social Media as a Tool to Capture Customer Value and Interaction

Contemporary Management Approaches to the Global Hospitality and Tourism Industry - Advances in Hospitality, Tourism, and the Services Industry ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-2204-2.ch002 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 35-44

Author(s):

Husam H. Alharahsheh ◽

Abraham Pius ◽

Imad Guenane ◽

Chad Manian

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Customer Value ◽

Communication Process ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages ◽

Customer Interaction ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Conceptual Explanation ◽

Use Of Social Media ◽

Media Channels

The chapter provides in depth theoretical and conceptual explanation of social media as well as firm-customer interaction through social media, highlighting several advantages and disadvantages of their uses. Furthermore, the chapter is supported using a framework relating to the development of social media channels and their uses for firms followed by inclusion of a service-based case study to further support the analysis on the communication process through social media platforms managed by the firm. Finally, the chapter highlights several challenges relevant to firm social media activities followed by key considerations based on the analysis provided in the different sections of the chapter.

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Blogging With a Mission, Blogging Within a System: Chinese Government-organized NGOs, Corporate-organized NGOs, Grassroots, and Student Organizations on Weibo

Sociological Research Online ◽

10.1177/1360780417724076 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 95-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Huiquan Zhou ◽

Quanxiao Pan

Keyword(s):

Information Technology ◽

Social Media ◽

Rural Education ◽

Nongovernmental Organizations ◽

Student Organizations ◽

Chinese Government ◽

Sina Weibo ◽

Organizational Information ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Update Frequency

By analyzing 155 rural education nongovernmental organizations’ posting behavior on one of China’s largest social media platforms, Sina Weibo, we show that organizations with different backgrounds (government, corporate, grassroots, and student) behave differently. While organizational information technology capacity influences update frequency, organizational background influences the preference for informational, dialogic, or promotional posts.

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EXPRESS: Social-Media, Influencers, and Adoption of an Eco-Friendly Product: Field Experiment Evidence from Rural China

Journal of Marketing ◽

10.1177/0022242920985784 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002224292098578

Author(s):

Wanqing Zhang ◽

Pradeep K. Chintagunta ◽

Manohar U. Kalwani

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Business Performance ◽

Low Cost ◽

Rural China ◽

Theoretical Perspective ◽

New Product ◽

Product Usage ◽

Online Social Media ◽

Product Authenticity ◽

Social Media Platforms

Can low-cost marketing tools that are used to enhance business performance also contribute to creating a better world? The authors investigate the role of online social media tools in alleviating customer (farmer) uncertainty and promoting the adoption of a new eco-friendly pesticide in rural China. The key finding is that even for a new product such as a pesticide, a low-cost social media support platform effectively promotes its adoption. The combination of information from peers and the firm on the platform facilitates learning about product features and alleviates uncertainty associated with product quality and appropriate product usage. Nevertheless, at the trial stage of the funnel the platform underperforms the firm’s customized one-on-one support because available information does not resolve uncertainty in supplier credibility and product authenticity. Having an influencer on the platform, albeit not an expert on this product, vouching for its credibility helps resolve this funnel-holdup problem. From a theoretical perspective this paper provides suggestive evidence for referent influence and credibility signaling on social media platforms and their consequences for new product trial. The authors also provide direct empirical evidence on how information facilitates learning; a phenomenon typically assumed as being present in marketing studies estimating learning models.

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FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI ADOPSI MEDIA SOSIAL INSTAGRAM DAN DAMPAKNYA TERHADAP KINERJA UMKM

Jurnal Muara Ilmu Ekonomi dan Bisnis ◽

10.24912/jmieb.v5i1.11104 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 124

Author(s):

Lydiawati Soelaiman ◽

Anastasia Ria Utami

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Cost Effectiveness ◽

Business Performance ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

New Normal ◽

Digital Platforms ◽

Purposive Sampling ◽

The Social ◽

Social Media Platforms

UMKM terus berupaya untuk beradaptasi di masa new normal salah satunya dengan menggunakan platform digital untuk memasarkan dan menjual produknya. Media sosial instagram merupakan salah satu platform media sosial yang umumnya diadopsi oleh UMKM sebagai media yang diharapkan dapat meningkatkan kinerja usahanya. Dalam pemilihan sosial media tentunya terdapat beberapa alasan yang menjadi dasar pertimbangan UMKM seperti compatibility, cost effectiveness dan interactivity. Tujuan dilakukan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui melakukan pengujian empiris apakah compatibility, cost effectiveness dan interactivity mampu menjadi prediktor positif terhadap adopsi media sosial Instagram. Selain itu, penelitian ini juga bertujuan untuk menganalisis apakah adopsi media sosial Instagram mampu menjadi prediktor positif terhadap kinerja UMKM. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan secara purposive sampling dengan sampel UMKM di Jakarta yang mengadopsi media sosial Instagram dalam aktivitas usahanya. Data terkumpul sebanyak 100 responden. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa Compatibility, Cost Effectiveness dan Interactivity merupakan prediktor yang signifikan dan positif terhadap adopsi media sosial Instagram. Selain itu juga diperoleh hasil bahwa pengadopsian media sosial Instagram merupakan prediktor yang signifikan dan positif terhadap kinerja dari UMKM. SMEs continue striving to adapt to the New Normal. One of the ways for SMEs to adapt is by utilizing digital platforms to promote and sell their products. Instagram is one of the social media platforms that are commonly adopted by SMEs to improve their business performance. There are several considerations for SMEs in choosing social media, such as compatibility, cost effectiveness, and interactivity. This study aims to determine whether compatibility, cost effectiveness and interactivity can predict Instagram social media adoption, as well as whether Instagram social media adoption can be a predictor of SMEs’ performance. This study used purposive sampling technique with a sample of SMEs in Jakarta which have adopted social media Instagram for their business activities. The data was collected from 100 participants who responded to the survey. The results of this study indicate that Compatibility, Cost Effectiveness, and Interactivity are significant and positive predictors of Instagram social media adoption. Additionally, the results also conclude that the adoption of Instagram social media is a significant and positive predictor of SMEs’ performance.

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