The Utilization of Chinese Social Media in Internationalization into China: Perspective of a Western Company

The purpose of this qualitative research is to analyze western-based companies’ social media usage in internationalization into China and to identify social media presence’ impact on the internationalization process. Additionally, the benefits and challenges a western company may face while using social media in China will be illustrated. Competitive advantages, knowledge, networks and relations, and costs and risks could be identified as the key antecedents for successful internationalization. A great social media presence could create a competitive advantage for a western company while competitive advantages may be communicated in social media marketing, knowledge and networks can be enhanced and utilized in internationalization via social media two-way communication. The biggest benefit for internationalization resulted from decreased marketing costs due to cost-effectiveness of social media. The results revealed that cost effective brand awareness was the main benefit from the social media usage in internationalization into China. However, companies struggled with the limited resources and despite of understanding the importance of Chinese social media, lacked sufficient resources for the social media operations. Companies should determine clear strategy and goals that they are willing to achieve via social media in internationalization process, and allocate required resources according to the social media strategy. Localization of the social media operations is important in China, and business-to-consumer companies tend to benefit more from the social media presence. Business-to-business companies may increase the brand’s credibility by successful Chinese social media operations.

Copy of poster advertising “Grand Buffalo Hunt at Niagara Falls” with Bill Hickok, August, 1872

James Butler Hickok (1837-1876), also known as “Wild Bill” Hickok, was an American gun-fighter, scout and spy. He was involved in altercations with others while working for the famous express company Russell, Majors and Waddell (in 1861), and later while working as a wagon master, scout, and spy for the Union forces during the Civil War. These altercations resulted in the deaths of 4 people, but Hickok was acquitted in all cases. An embellished article written about him in Harper’s magazine helped contribute to his reputation as a western hero. He served as a deputy U.S. marshal and sheriff in Kansas in the late 1860’s, helping to bring law and order to a previously lawless area. He gambled considerably, and during a card game on August 2, 1876, was shot and killed. The cards he was holding (two aces, two eights, and a jack) became known as the "dead man's hand."

Referee's memorandum and award in the matter of: Whether further wage increases are justified ... in relation to employees represented by 15 cooperating railway labor organizations, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, Order of Railway Conductors, and railroads as represented by Eastern, Western and Southeastern carriers; Conference committees, before Paul N. Guthrie.

Mode of access: Internet.

The charter of the Albany and Greenbush Bridge Company : and a statement of its claims on the public interest in connection with the Boston, Hoosac Tunnel and Albany Railroad.

"J.W. Gascoigne, secretary."

Report to the President by the Emergency Board appointed February 8, 1945 under the provisions of the Railway Labor Act : to investigate and report in respect to the dispute between the Central of Georgia Railway Company and certain of its employees represented by the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. February 24, 1945.

Signed: H. Nathan Swaim, chairman, Ridgley P. Melvin, Russell Wolfe.

Argument of Chauncey M. Depew, general councel New York Central & Hudson Company, before Assembly Committee on Railroads, Legislature state of New York : in opposition to the bills providing for the creation of a board of railroad commissioners : March 16, 1881.

Cover title.

The remarkable history of the Hudson's Bay Company : including that of the French traders of North-western Canada and of the North-west, XY, and Astor Fur Companies /

"The Cree syllabic characters": p. 497.

Far West and gateway literature, rare California broadsides, western laws and history, rare books on Mormonism, California acquisition, overland railroad and travel, western bandits, pioneers and adventures, etc. etc. to be sold by auction Monday, Tuesday afternoons, February fifth, sixth at two-thirty.

Sale number 1706; 741 items.

Collision of Union Pacific Railroad train MHOTU-23 with BNSF Railway Company train MEAP-TUL-126-D with subsequent derailment and hazardous materials release, Macdona, Texas, June 28, 2004.

"PB2006-916303," "Notation 7675D."

Report to the President by the Emergency Board created August 26, 1948 by Executive order 9991 pursuant to section 10 of the Railway labor act, to investigate a dispute between the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway Company and certain of its employees represented by the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Pittsburgh, Pa. Sept. 13, 1948. No. 64.

Signed: John W. Yeager, chairman, John T. McCann, Thomas J. Reynolds.

Federal Trade Commission vs. United States Steel Corporation, American Bridge Company, American Sheet & Tin Plate Company, Carnegie Steel Company, American Steel & Wire Company, Illinois Steel Company, Minnesota Steel Company, Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Compay [sic], et al., respondents. State of Illinois, state of Iowa, state of Minnesota and state of Wisconsin, amici curiæ. Statement of case, [vol. I-II]. H.G. Pickering, attorney for amici curiæ. ... K.E. Steinhauer, attorney for Commission. Cordenio A. Severance and William W. Corlett, attorneys for the respondents.

Paged continuously.

THE WESTERN OHIO RAILWAY COMPANY, FIRST MORTGAGE FIVE PER CENT. GOLD BONDS

Mode of access: Internet.

Military history (Michigan boys) Company "D", 66th Illinois : Birge's Western Sharpshooters in the Civil War, 1861-1865 /

"Ren" Barker, historian, served in Company "D".

Annual report of the President of the Western Union Telegraph Company to the stockholders.

Description based on: 1869.