Fulbright Research Proposal Essay

Claudia Ukonu, Netherlands, Interdisciplinary Studies The Effects of User Generated Content on Cross Channel Communication Strategies Summary As a pass catcher of the 2013-2014 Fulbright Grant I plan to enroll in the Masters in Methodology and Statistics for behavioural, Biomedical and Social Sciences at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. While end this degree I impart also conduct a seek remove where I get out seek to answer 2 questions 1) How Dutch companies use wrap up crinkle dialogue strategies to market new products and 2) How exploiter generated content (i. . Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. ) effects the implementation of those cross channel communication strategies.The theater allow for use surveys, interviews and statistical methods to examine purchasing sort and the relevant results go away be analyzed with the establishment of an internship at a Dutch market enquiry firm. My goal in completing this study is to apply the k at a timeledge gai ned from my Masters courses to the relevant topic of consumer purchasing behavior, which testament build a solid foundation for entering a PhD course in Statistics.Introduction Here in the United States Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram have make the way of projecting a glamorized image of oneself online. The idea of being retiring and not bragging about ones newly obtaind Lamborghini or vacation to Tahiti is long gone. Consumers be now becoming the trendsetters as they now dictate the trends that companies tailor their products around. Examining how user generated content fulfills the Esteem and Love/ be parts of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs send packing be utilize as a model for predicting consumer habits.With the creation of social media networks, traditional ways of marketing seem to have little to no relevance. In dedicate for companies to be effective when introducing new products and maintaining breathing ones, it is vital that they are up to date with accepted trends in marketing new products through quadruplicate communication channels. While each of these channels may have distinguishable demographics (i. e. the age difference between Facebook users and people who read newspapers) the goal of cross channel communication strategy is to ensure that the product being marketed conveys the selfsame(prenominal) message on all channels.This can be a daunting task tending(p) the number of communication channels available to companies. reparation In 2011, ComScore named the Netherlands as the number one country with the highest LinkedIn and Twitter penetration. This provides the fault slight backdrop to see how Dutch companies are not only using cross channel communication strategies but, more specifically, how they are incorporating social media into those strategies. During the assignment period I testament be under the supervision of Dr.Irene Klugkist, separate Professor of Methodology and Statistics in the G raduate School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Utrecht University.Methodology Upon arriving in Utrecht I will begin my manuscript in Methodology and Statistics for Behavioural, Biomedical and Social Sciences at Utrecht University. I will enroll in the following courses for the fall semester Advanced Survey end and Missing Data Analysis, Multivariate Statistics, Foundations of Statistics, and Computational Inference with R. During the early two months in Utrecht I will authorise my time focusing on becoming familiar with the foundations of statistics.In order to obtain accurate results when try to determine the objectives of the study, it is vital that a selection of study participants is made. The participants will tolerate the same throughout the course of the study. This will be accomplished with the help of a study participant letter that will outline who I am, my purpose of study, what information I will collect from participants and how that information will be used in the study. I propose that no less than 100 participants be selected for the study. Having more participants will allow for a great range of differentiation as well as entropy collection.The first two months of the mete out period is also when I will spend time locating the participants of the study. I plan to include participants who are current students and working professionals. The demographics of my study will focus on men and women who are between the ages of 18-35. I am open to the possibility of changing these demographics given that after some time of living in Utrecht, I constitute a niche market, to which this studys objectives would be more relevant.The siemens objectiveHow user generated content (i. e.Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest etc. ) affects the implementation of cross channel communication strategies will be partially addressed in months 3-7 of the grant period. It is during this time that I will track the social behavior of the study participant s. Relevant factors to the collection of this data will include the time the commit was made on the social network, the content of the post and responses to the original post. Surveys will also be given to participants asking about their desire to purchase items marketed on various communication channels.The first objective of the study will be applied in the form of an internship at a Dutch marketing firm where I will first observe the current cross communication strategies. After doing this, I will analyze the data collected in the first portion of the grant period. This analysis will help to determine whether 1) Consumer purchasing behavior can be predicted on the basis of user generated content and 2) If this behavior can be predicted, how can companies utilize this to their advantage. Dr.Klugkist has expressed willingness to help me secure an internship for months 8-9 at a Dutch market research firm.During the internship I will examine the past and existing cross communication strategies of the company while looking at what factors went into the think of this strategy. Part of the MSc program requires students to participate in a traineeship in their desired field (Behavioural, Biomedical or Social Sciences) in their last-place year of study. Dr. Klugkist sent my research proposal to Dr.Van Hattum, a power Utrecht student who now works at a market research firm and he expressed interest in having me as a trainee during my final year at Utrecht University.Goal Throughout the study I hope to uncover cross communication opportunities that utilize social media and and so use those opportunities as a foundation upon which I will convey new and existing product entry strategies. I will be able to apply this research and the resulting Masters degree to the completion of a PhD in Statistics.