Blogging as a New Form of Academic Scholarship

New technology does change the platforms by which modern college professors research and communicate new information. As technology changes so does the medium by which academic research and scholarship is formed. According to an article in the Journal of Innovative Higher Education blogging is a new way of publishing academic research and offers a number of benefits that traditional journals do not (Powell, Jacob & Chapman, 2012).

It is important to understand that peer reviewed journals are still top of the line as they offer expert reviews of the information and are selective in their publications. The problem is that there selection process may or may not have anything to do with the quality of the scholarship and can limit new ideas based upon subjective quality measures such as writing style, university type, and kind of research.

Likewise, peer reviewed journals are a slower process of disseminating information. After 6-12 months from submission date to publication date the information could be old. After that it could take years for industry to review and pick up the information for public consumption. In many cases, these journals don't have wide readership and are limited in exposures.

Blogs are a faster process of information dissemination but do lack quality controls making them a mixed bag that will grow in strength. However, if the writer is has scientific training and continues to use appropriate references and citations their work can be considered credible. Public consumption is fast and the innovative process is heightened.

Like peer reviewed journals blogging fits within the Boyer Model of scholarship. According to Boyer Scholarship should include (1990):

-Discovery: Investigating new knowledge.
-Integration: Making connections across various industries.
-Application: Making information available for testing in real industry settings.
-Teaching: Using learned knowledge to teach others.

Boyer's model is a standard for scholarship in the academic world. Blogging offers opportunities to discover ideas in current events, explore those ideas, link and connect to a wider world, make knowledge available to industry stakeholders and then offer the learned principles to the classroom. The faster faculty members can tackle real world problems through research and writing the greater the benefit to society. Blogging may not be a traditional way of creating knowledge but does fit within traditional academic models.

Boyer, E. L. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities for the professoriate. Princeton, NJ: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=ED326149     

Powell, D., Jacob, C. & Chapman, B. (2012). Using blogs and new media in academic practice: potential roles in research, teaching, learning and extension. Innovative Higher Education, 37 (4).

 

How Bloggers Foster Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) is a method of transferring knowledge about products and services through social networks. Companies are moving toward using social media marketing methods to encourage their messages to spread into difficult to reach groups. A study of bloggers by Kozinets, et. al. (2010) shows how social media communication works within groups cultural norms. The character of the blogger takes on a new form of endorsement or criticism of products. 

In 2008, companies spend $1.54 billion on WOMM initiatives and the amount is expected to increase to $3 billion in 2013 (PQ Media, 2009). The market has a positive impression of independent bloggers and social media users who promote or reject products based upon their unique perspectives. 

The types of blogs vary depending on their personality. Some blogs focus on one concept in a niche market while others focus on multiple concepts. The different being the topics of interest to bloggers and what they find interesting enough to write about.  The process of writing on a blog has become known as “Identity Projects”.

Bloggers fit within a social network based upon their interests and vantage points. People interested in similar ideas, concepts, and products read blogs in order to understand and obtain additional information. 

The collection of likeminded individuals in a social network helps companies sell products and ideas. The same process that exists in face-to-face communication is similar in the online world. Bloggers become opinion generators that foster or squash products in their social network. 

Word of Mouth (WOMM) in online media is a secondary but significant source of developing opinions about products and services that can have an influence on public opinion and purchasing behavior. The researchers found in their study of 80 bloggers that they are not only social networks that use communal vs. commercial norms but they also become opinion generators based on trust, friendship, and alliances.  Bloggers as opinion generations can 1.) communicate the message; 2) stake reputation on the marketing message; and 3) convert the message into language, substance and tone that their readers understand.

Kozinets, R. et. al. (2010). Networked narratives: understanding word-of-mouth marketing in online communities. Journal of marketing, 74 (2). 

PQ Media (2009). Exclusive PQ Media Research: Despite Worst Recession in Decades, Brands Increased Spending on Word-of-Mouth Marketing 14.2% to $1.54 Billion in 2008 retrieved from http://www.pqmedia.com/about-press-20090729-wommf.html.