Question

Topic: Student Questions

Marketing Dissertation Topic On Facebook, Plz Help

Posted by Anonymous on 8/5/2009 at 8:11 AM ET 50 Points
im doing my honors degree in new zealand, and i am currently struggling to sort out my dissertation topic...
sometimes im just quite unsure about what exactly does a dissertation want, like what elements should it contain. in here, we dont' do any primary research for a dissertation, its all based on secondary data
i did tell my supervisior that i want to look at why do ppl use facebook groups to discuss about their brand related topics instead of using other online forums, and also the impact of it, i also thought of looking at consumption activity in profiling...but i am so lost at looking for a topic, my superivisor keeps on asking me about the relevance of the topic, i did tell her about the relevance to managers and marketers, but seems like im not really on the right track...thesefore, i am so confused with wat a dissertation actually wants...
could someone please help me to find a topic around facebook, and please tell me how i could start? like whether i should look at articles, and find some kind of theory as my base or something? i dont exactly know what we should really do for a dissertation
thanks a bunch in advance!!
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  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 8/7/2009 at 4:13 PM Accepted
    Dear patlorick,

    You might want to ask more questions about your college's thesis rules and expectations. Style guides and so on.

    No one on this forum is going to tell you what to write. Least of all me. You've got to think for yourself and I sense that it's this simple thing that's suddenly turned into a huge monster for you.

    Think about the literal meaning of the word "thesis". It's root refers to your position, your thoughts on an issue. Similarly, the term "dissertation" literally means discourse.

    So, what is your position on your issue, your topic? And what is your discourse? What's your argument? Where's your evidence? How do you substantiate your claims, your ideas, your thinking?
    Why do these things matter? how will or could they impact other people?

    Again, I cannot and will not tell you what to write about. But what
    I will do is urge you to pull your finger out, make a decision, TELL your tutor your subject (stop asking for permission), take some responsibility, and get some bloody work done.

    Screw everyone else! Write about the thing that interests YOU.

    But make sure it's a subject you can be passionate about, otherwise your thesis will sound hollow and insincere, as, I recall mine did!

    I hope this helps. Good luck to you.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA

  • Posted on 8/8/2009 at 12:48 AM Author
    Hi,

    Thanks for your reply.
    I am really trying to ask someone to tell me what to write, although this would be great! But at least give me some insights or examples of what my dissertation should look like? Like, my supervisior said what you said too "do something that interests you" " what interests you?" my response to that would be, facebook or social network sites!~ but then that's not enough to considered as a topic, then i would start thinking why can't this be considered as a topic? You know what I mean? Its like, I dont even really understand what they actually mean by a topic? What kind of elements should a topic or dissertation include?

    Like I said before, I did want to look at, Why do people use facebook to express their influential messages to others instead of using other online forums, and also the impact of such action. But then my supervisior wont' say this is a topic? I mean, i dont' get what a topic is really.

    Please advice
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 8/8/2009 at 6:49 PM Member
    Dear Patlorick,

    Hmm. You're in a bit of a pickle here, aren't you?

    To my ear, it sounds as if your supervisor's being a bit, how shall I put this?

    Dense.

    Yes, that'll do.

    What mystifies me here is what it is about social network sites that's NOT not enough to considered as a worthy enough topic in the eyes of your supervisor?

    Social networks ARE the in thing at the moment and it MIGHT be that your supervisor's just sick to death of them because everyone's doing something on them. Academic social virus and
    all that; infecting every student with a heartbeat!

    Perhaps it's that you need to ask a tightly focused question about some aspect of social networks, a question onto which you can hang all kinds of opinions, suppositions, associations, and connections.

    Almost like decorating a Christmas tree.

    Or here's another notion: could you request a different supervisor?

    Might be highly unusual or even frowned upon, but if your supervisor's being a bit of a pill on what the heck they DO find acceptable, you might argue that by their recommendation that you choose a subject that interests you, to which your response is social networks, to which THEY respond, that's not a topic, you COULD argue that by choosing your option which is then declined, that you're being set up to fail.

    The only other thing you could do is get really REALLY specific.
    As an academic, if your supervisor shoots down a tightly focused subject, then they're REALLY being an asshole about what's worthy.

    Questions or topics to consider could be linked to the follow supposition:

    Social networks: their (specific quality) in (tightly detailed situation) and its (net result).

    OR

    Social networks: their (detailed affectation) on (sharply focused group) and its (hypothetical outcome).

    An example (not THE example) might be "Social networks: their relevance in group marketing thinking for stay at home dads"

    With me?

    I hope this helps.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA




  • Posted on 8/9/2009 at 12:18 AM Accepted
    Hi Patrick,

    Interesting topic I would say! Social media and its influence in the marketplace is one thing that catches up in any website that discusses marketing etc.
    To my understanding, your confusions as of now is about finding "few words description" for your dissertation.
    I would say, that any topic is as good so long it has worthy content.

    Now, since your primary focus is on social media, how about:
    - Aspects of CRM through social media.
    - Effectiveness index of e-marketing campaign. [ This would be about how do you go about measuring the effectiveness of an e-marketing campaign that many businesses these days employ? Maybe, you can think along the lines of CLV(customer lifetime value), which can infact suggest another topic for your dissertation such as, Impact on CLV through Social media?

    Now, if you are just focusing on the impact of Facebook,
    you could change the social media part in the above suggested topics.

    Or maybe for more thought provoking topics,
    - you can try analyzing when would these social networking sites would see its end.
    - Your assumptions and insights on evolutionary aspects of social networking.

    Hope this helps to start with!

    Regards
    Rome
  • Posted on 8/19/2009 at 3:21 AM Author
    hi there, nononononono =(
    please don't close this just yet, i still have questions that i would like to ask, but i need a bit of time to digest the informaiton! thanks thanks!!
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