This research assesses the strategic adoption of social media by large global organizations. To contribute to a better understanding of the topic, this exploratory study analyzed social networking sites used by 72 large global companies, and conducted a survey and follow-up interviews with high-level managers from these companies. Our analysis of social networking sites identifies and characterizes the types of social media used, as well as the various organizational purposes for the use of social media. Our exploratory survey and interviews yielded a deeper level of understanding of the adoption of social networking sites by organizations. We employed management fashion theory and adaptive structuration theory to characterize the ways in which advanced information technology can bring about organizational change. Our findings indicate that there is an increased use of social media and social networking sites by organizations that results in the form of passive or active, proactive or reactive, and tactical or strategic uses.

This research investigates trust-building strategies that may influence transactions between individuals and unknown Internet firms, focusing on three influential components that mediate the relationship between online shoppers and online vendors. Results indicate significant direct effects for trust in the Internet infrastructure, susceptibility to the social influence of media, and the presence of influential site characteristics on user willingness to provide personal information to unknown Internet firms. This study extends the research on trust in electronic commerce by providing a prediction model that is demonstrated to calculate the probability of user willingness to provide information. The utility of the model for identifying the relative importance of factors and predicting outcomes lends insight into important issues in online trust formation. Knowledge of effective trust-building strategies guide organizations that use the Internet for selling, marketing, or servicing customers to gain maximum benefits from investments in e-commerce applications.

This paper adds to the literature regarding the effect of attendance on student grades by including a focus on non-lecture-based classes. Student attendance and grade records were compared in two types of information technology courses: (1) concepts classes using a lecture format predominantly, and (2) skills classes using a lab environment with mostly individual instruction. Comparisons of attendance versus grade were made between the two types of courses as well as individually for each type of course. Results indicated a significant difference in most comparisons of level of attendance versus grade.

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The opportunities for students to take courses, and entire degree programs, online continue to increase, as many traditional colleges and universities have developed programs to compete with for-profit online schools that have proliferated in recent years. In 2003, The Wall Street Journal reported “an estimated 350,000 students are enrolled in fully online degree programs” (Dunham, 2003). In 2005, it was estimated that “more than 1 million students are seeking degrees entirely via the Web” (Tosto, 2005). According to Eduventures, “growth rates for online higher education greatly exceed those projected for U.S. postsecondary education overall (approximately 2%), positioning online higher education as a major growth engine” (Eduventures, 2007).