Review of Related Literatures for Social Networking

Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

In this chapter, the researchers discussed the different foreign and local literature that was gathered from books, magazines and related articles from internet.

Related Literature
Foreign Literature

Age certainly seems to be an important factor for some SNSs, supporting the life phase concept. Although NaszaKlasa and Cyworld seem to have attracted multigenerational audiences and NaszaKlasa seems to encourage different age connections within families and between teachers and pupils MySpace has historically been a youth site, helped by its musical orientation and profile customization opportunities. For a while, MySpace seemed to have been adopted by the majority of US teens, creating peer pressure for the remainder to join, in addition to a likely pool of online friends and acquaintances to connect to. An additional appeal for youth, in common to some extent with other forms of computer-mediated communication, was the ability to socialize online after school in a relatively safe environment, replacing the often forbidden shopping mall visits of earlier generations. Gender is also important and MySpace seems to support cross-gender friendship particularly well compared to the offline world. Boyd and Ellison, define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. While the researchers use the term "social network site" to describe this phenomenon, the term "social networking sites" also appears in public discourse, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. User chose not to employ the term "networking" for two reasons: emphasis and scope. "Networking" emphasizes relationship initiation, often between strangers. While networking is possible on these sites, it is not the primary practice on many of them, nor is it what differentiates them from other forms of computer-mediated communication (CMC) (Boyd, Ellison, 2007)

When Friendster was launched, users utilized the site to get in touch with old friends. It was innovative and for many young people. Although MySpace was also launched with the idea of connecting people, it rapidly evolved into more of a music platform. Its early success lay mainly with teenagers, who used the site to share photos, communicate with friends and design their own profiles. MySpace, however, made the strategic decision to follow the needs and demands of users and developed the site accordingly. This enabled MySpace to maintain its already heavy user-base, and also attract new users. The provision of an application which allowed users to upload four MP3s was a major milestone for MySpace. It also supported freedom of expression, posting anything unless it was directly destructive, at a time when Friendster was censoring user-generated content. The popularity of SNS photo sharing prompted the launch of various photo sharing sites. One of the pioneers in 2004 was Flickr, which became known for its dynamic platform for sharing photos, comments, tags and photo repositories for blogs. In addition, the self-organization and collaborative element of the site allowed users to also create assembled galleries and communities of interest. The latter in particular created a niche market of people connecting between themselves through pictures (Haddon, 2006)

Online Social Networking is the art of meeting and building contacts on the Web, it is an increasingly popular way to increase the personal and professional contacts, make new friends, develop professional relationships, and even find a new job. They can also use social networking sites to promote the personal or business web site (Wartman et al., 2009).

Today’s communication technologies-ranging from email and instant messaging to paging and teleconferencing. It is easy to imagine a time when the researchers won’t have to meet “in person” to conduct business. Yet face to face communication has taken on more importance than ever. In the age of global business many companies work forces and partnering organizations are increasingly diverse with diversity come more opportunities for misunderstanding between managers. Again face-to-face communication encounters can help conversation participants better understand one another perspective(Harvard Business Press, 2004).

Social network analysis is used widely in the social and behavioral sciences, as well as in economics, marketing, and industrial engineering. The social network perspective focuses on relationships among social entities and is an important addition to standard social and behavioral research, which is primarily concerned with attributes of the social units (Wasserman, 1994).

Local Literature

In the article entitled “Playing Games teaches us about life” by Dilimon, 2008 with the help of virtual games people can have a good chance to foresee any collide with at any time and any place. Games teach people how to prepare for unforeseen able events and how to react when they get into awkward situation. In this situation games criterion will come to pass nevertheless with a good aspect(Andes et al. 2009).

Manual information system can result to different problems and short comings. A manual information system is the basis of modern information system and still not absolute. It may still be used by small beginning companies mainly because they still do not have tons of paper but the time will come and the problems of manual information system could become a very big liability. Information system is an important factor in business operation because it is considered as the major corporate resource and must be manage using the same principle used to manage other assets (Hoffer, 2005).

A social networking site is a site on which you post information about yourself, create a network of friends, read about other people, share content as photos and videos, and communicate with other people. “People” is a general term within social networking site that includes actual people, music, bands, organizations, and so on. The most popular social networking site is Myspace with almost 200 million users. Others include Facebook (create networks of people base on organization, region, school, etc.), Facebox (mainly for European young people), orkut (owned and operated by Google), and Cyworld (originally started in South Korea) (Haag, Cummings, 2009).

The internet is often referred to us the information superhighway. In a sense it is like a highway that connects you to millions of other people and organizations. Unlike typical highways that move people and things from one location to another, the internet moves your ideas and information. The web provides easy – to – use, intuitive, multimedia interfaceto resources available on the internet it has become an everyday tool for all of us to use (O’leary, 2008).
Information technology is a term that encompasses all form of technology used to create, store exchange and use information in its various form(text, voice, conversation, multimedia presentations, still images, motion, pictures and other forms). It is a technology created by the convergence of the computer technology and the telecommunications technology (Andal et. al., 2011).

Foreign Studies

In the study entitled “The Use of Online Social Networking by Rural Youth and Its Effects on Community Attachment” by Steinfield et al. 2009 they stated that in recent years, an increasing amount of attention has been placed on improving access to Information and Communication Technology in the United States. With the rapidity at which broadband construction projects are dotting America, it is important to understand the social impacts of these infrastructural projects. One particularly salient issue is whether access to the Internet would decrease the involvement of youth in their home communities since youth and issues of talent retention are crucial to the long-term viability of rural communities. However, findings on this topic have been a mixed bag with some studies suggesting that the use of online social networking decreases community involvement while others have found that it may maintain or even increase community involvement. This study set out to clarify the conflicting findings and in the process, it has found support for both the displacement effect as well as an augmentation effect. The dual processes suggest that merely examining time spent on social networking sites does not provide a complete picture of the effects of Internet use on community involvement. The nature of the interactions and the participants in the online social networking also play an important role. For rural community leaders working towards the long-term viability of their communities, the findings suggest that efforts should be directed towards mitigating the displacement effects of Internet use while harnessing popular Internet applications such as social networking sites to augment the involvement that youth have in their home communities (Steinfield et al. 2009)

In the study by Steinfield et al. Within an organizational setting, social capital facilitates knowledge management processes in that it enables individuals to locate useful information, draw on resources and make contributions to the network. This paper explores the relationship between various dimensions of organizational social capital and the use of an internal social network site (SNS). The researchers hypothesize that the use of a SNS contributes to social capital within the organization in that SNS users are able to maintain larger networks of heterogeneous contacts. Additionally, the affordances of the site support social interaction between users, thus helping individuals maintain existing relationships and deepen developing ones. The researchers find that bonding relationships, sense of corporate citizenship, interest in connecting globally, and access to new people and expertise are all associated with greater intensity of use of the social network site”(Steinfield et al., 2009)

According to Pew Internet Project reports from February by tufekci, blogging had halved among US teens and young adults (12-29 years old) from 28% to 14-15% between 2006 and 2009, SNS use rose to about 82% among online 14-17 year olds. Nevertheless, SNSs have probably not become ubiquitous in any country, or any segment of society, despite the likely peer pressure when one platform becomes common. This is not only due to differentials in internet access but is also due to personality differences: people who do not enjoy gossip seem less likely to join. Other factors influencing the tendency to join SNSs include gender and privacy concerns as well as age (Tufekci, 2008).

In the thesis entitledUE-CCSS ON-LINE STORAGE FOR STUDENTS (Uploading / Downloading Process) by of Esteller et al.,
• “File Transfer offers highly secure remote access solution to the small-to-medium sized and branch office market.
• Download and Upload refer to the transfer of information between computers. The person/computer sending the information refers to the transfer as an upload, while computer receiving the information refers to it as a download.
• File Transfer Protocol a method for downloading public files using the file transfer protocol. Anonymous because they do not meet to identify yourself before accessing files.
• Internet access internet activism uses internet communication technologies to enable faster communications and coordination by citizen movements”(Esteller et al.,2005).

In the study entitled “A Face(book) In The Crowd: Social Searching VS. Social Browsing” by Cliff it is about the use of Facebook by first-year students at Michigan State University reports that most users utilize the site to keep in touch with old friends or people they knew from the past. Usersalso use the site to 'check out the Facebook profile of someone they met socially' and to 'getinformation about people that live in the dorm, fraternity or sorority'. In the same study, finding casualsex partners, people to date, or people to meet offline were all lower on the expectation scales. Theconclusions drawn show that Facebook members use the site mostly to maintain previousrelationships and to 'social search' people they have met offline (Cliff, L. 2006).

In the study entitledby “Educational Benefits Of Social Networking Sites Uncovered” byScience Daily, in a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered the educational benefits of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. The same study found that low-income students are in many ways just as technologically proficient as their counterparts, going against what results from previous studies have suggested.

The study found that, of the students observed, 94 percent used the Internet, 82 percent go online at home and 77 percent had a profile on a social networking site. When asked what they learn from using social networking sites, the students listed technology skills as the top lesson, followed by creativity, being open to new or diverse views and communication skills.

Data were collected over six months this year from students, ages 16 to 18, in thirteen urban high schools in the Midwest. Beyond the surveyed students, a follow-up, randomly selected subset were asked questions about their Internet activity as they navigated MySpace, an online forum that provides users with e-mail, web communities and audio and video capabilities.

"What we found was that students using social networking sites are actually practicing the kinds of 21st century skills we want them to develop to be successful today," said Christine Greenhow, a learning technologies researcher in the university's College of Education and Human Development and principal investigator of the study. "Students are developing a positive attitude towards using technology systems, editing and customizing content and thinking about online design and layout. They're also sharing creative original work like poetry and film and practicing safe and responsible use of information and technology. The Web sites offer tremendous educational potential" (Science Daily, 2008).

Local Studies

In the thesisentitled Social Networking for PamantasanngCabuyao (PnC) by Balmores et al. the researchers develop the site to bring each student, professors and administrator closer to each other. Because every student finds it hard to communicate with other students outside their classrooms. In fact even those who are in the same department still have a hard time to recognize each name and faces. Aside from the student relationship, it is also important to build a relationship between the university itself and the people involve it (Balmores et al. 2010).

The research paper entitled Social Network Analysis of Research Collaboration among Filipino agricultural scientist was presented in 9th“International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences” (ISSAAS-Philippines) national convention and annual meeting which held in trace suitcase, Los Baños, Laguna on 05-06 November 2009. The paper describes the structure of collaboration network of Filipino agricultural scientist that was created from data mining the electronics archives of scientific papers published from 2006-2009 comprising 235 papers by 645 authors. The collaboration network was found to be similar to other social networks that were characterized to be small-world and scale-free (Webmaster, 2008) In the thesis entitled Web Design for ColegioMonterie Del Pila by Obligado et al.at Pila. Sta. Cruz Laguna the researchersfocused on designing and developing of website for the institution to offer online necessary information for the students and prospect students of the school. The web page also contains the mission, vision, and announcement (Obligado, 2007)

In the thesis entitled A Proposed Online Alumni Website for PnCby Santos et al. the system was devised to update the students, provide information, connect them to other alumni and share data about the university. Using this website, students who have already graduated from PnC can still feel and enjoy being a student even they are already out of the school (Santos et al. 2009).

In the study entitled “Automated Bell and Public Announcement (ABPA)” by Amrad et al. it is used to solve the common daily problem of ringing the bell on time. It will help the admin faculty and the students to get the information in time. ABPA will assists the university to disperse room-to-room announcements like suspension of classes due to bad weather condition, special activity or announcement of special visitations of a certain person. The researchers are responsible for the automation of the bell ringer and dissemination of information and will designed and develop a prototype of the system (Amrad et al. 2010).

Synthesis

Nowadays, computer was the life of the society and internet is the means of communication. Everything is possible through the use of internet. The researcher conducted a research and cited different related literature and studies both from foreign and local published and unpublished materials. It added ideas for the researchers to come up with better design and concepts in making a website. By means of researching, the researcher can easily notice all the common mistakes of an existing SNS that will surely be a great help in developing a website.

The cited literature and studies will surely be a big help to the researchers to be able to make a website that can provide an appropriate design and accurate data for the user. The social networking site would be focusing more in showing the common traits of PnC like the color scheme and will provide a user-friendly interface that will captured attention of all the users. The site’s purpose is to establish a good communication between the students, professors, alumni and the administrator of the university.

One school that captured the mind of the researchers in developing a SNS is the Far Eastern University (FEU). The school had their own SNS named “FEU TAMBayan”, an online FEU student and alumni portal since September 25, 2006. The FEU TAMBayan aims to unite all FEU students, professors and alumni online to discuss various ideas, grievances, and any other topics they wish to talk about, not limited within the walls of the university. The advantages of having filesharing in FEU TAMBayan was the user can easily upload files and other related school documents. Having their own file sharing it cause prevention to any malware and viruses, because they do not have to use other file sharing site like mediafire, rapidshare etc. The disadvantage of having file sharing, users encounters internet traffic because of uploading large files and the continuous access of users to the FEUTAMbayan.

The researchers develop and design PnCTambayan, it will focus more on how the user would interact easily and conveniently. It will provide a user friendly interface and a concept that could easily understand. One of the concepts of the PnCTambayan is to allow the PnC students, professors and alumni share their experiences not only in the university but also their political, social views, as well as a venue for literary and other forms of artistic endeavors through articles or active participation and discussion of desired topics.