Using social media to boost Indo-European research & innovation

Abstract

Social media is an important technological trend that has significant implications on the world economies. Its transformational impact is changing the ways of communication, and making communities more interconnected than ever. This thesis explored the implications of social media for research and innovation, with a focus on Indo-European collaboration. Secondary research looked at the status of online social networking in India, and how individual members of the science community could use these tools to become the brand ambassadors of their respective institutions, while advancing the collaborative efforts. This study aims to help stakeholder organizations, including funding agencies evaluate the value of a successful social media strategy. The survey conducted as a part of the research was targeted mainly to India-based small and medium sized enterprises to better understand how this important group of stakeholders can be reached on digital platforms to drive the agenda of Indo-European science collaboration. The findings show that the targeted stakeholders are actively using multiple social media channels, and wish to access information on research & innovation activities through them. The results also indicate that these opportunities in the Indo-European context are still unknown to many. The global interconnectedness of the digital communities entails new opportunities for all the stakeholders. Finding information, networking and nurturing connections are all happening online. This needs to be addressed when planning an effective digital communication strategy.