Chapter 2

Lyceum of the Philippines University – Cavite Campus

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents a review of related literature both foreign and local.
This also presents the different variables relative to the study.

2.1 Related Literature

2.1.1 Foreign Literature

Barnes (1954) indicates that Social Network Theory views social
relationships in terms of nodes and ties. Social Network is a social structure made
up of individuals (or organizations) called “nodes”, which are tied (connected) by
one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship,
common interest, financial exchange, likes/dislikes, or relationships of beliefs,
knowledge or prestige.

Moreover Abhyankar (2011) pointed out that from the very beginning;
human beings always associated themselves to some form of social structure as
they evolved across generations. All human beings crave social life, but not all
can have time and resources to enjoy social circle where they can communicate,
collaborate and freely express themselves with like-minded peers for satisfying
their different needs like security, assets, skills, relationships, science and
technology, events, politics, history, literature, art, etc. There is no end to the list
of fundamental principles that can drive people to create platforms for
communication and interaction, mutually beneficial for the whole community.

According to Abhyankar (2011), “Social Network” is an online
community where people across the globe (irrespective of demographic and
geographical differences) can develop network with different organizations or
individuals for a specific purpose. It creates a chain of linked/connected entities
(individuals/organizations, communities, forums, groups etc.) like a tree with
multiple branches and nodes. These branches are the various groups,
communities, forums etc. that an individual intends to join. Hence, a social
network represents relationships between nodes (people) and flows between the
branches (groups, communities, forums, organizations etc.)

College of Arts and Science
Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service


DiMicco and Millen (2007) adds that Social network sites have been
widely studied from a consumer perspective despite huge investment by many
organizations in social technology, and a number of high profile failures and
embarrassments stemming from their use. Of the few existing studies of social
network site use in organisations, there are a couple looking at the uses of public
social network sites (such as Facebook and LinkedIn) in an organizational
context. Skeels and Grudin 2009), and a handful more looking at uses of private,
internal sites (Brzozowski, 2009)

A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that
focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among
people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network
service consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social
links, and a variety of additional services. Most social network services are web-
based and provide means for users to interact over the Internet, such as e-
mail and instant messaging. Online community services are sometimes considered
as a social network service, though in a broader sense, social network service
usually means an individual-centered service whereas online community services
are group-centered. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities,
events, and interests within their individual networks.

Social media are becoming increasingly popular among politicians and
their organizations as a means to disseminate political messages, learn about the
interests and needs of constituents and the broader public, raise funds, and build
networks of support. These activities often take place on privately run social
networking sites that allow political figures and institutions to communicate with
the public in unmediated, high-profile fora. In Canada, many parliamentarians
have created accounts on popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and
Flickr. The content posted on these sites may relate to policy issues and the
official work of politicians or to aspects of their personal lives (Clark, 2010).

Some people argue that social media remove barriers to collective action
and empower citizens to influence and monitor the work of policy-makers by
offering a low-cost and, in some cases, more personal and compelling means of
raising funds, spreading information and recruiting supporters from a broad range
of backgrounds. In addition, some note that, by enabling people to connect across
long distances, new information and communication technologies, including



social media, have been instrumental in the growth of transnational political
movements.

However, results of a recent Nanos poll suggests that social media–based
political activism remains at the fringes in Canada (Clark, 2010). According to
these findings, approximately 50% of Canadians believe that Facebook groups
should have minimal to no impact on government, and approximately 30% have a
negative to somewhat negative view of the use of Facebook groups to share ideas
and mobilize activity. At the same time, others argue that these numbers are
promising, given that the culture of social media activism is still at an early stage
in its development; they emphasize that, according to the same poll,
approximately 30% of Canadians held a positive or somewhat positive view of
Facebook-based campaigns.

Young people in Canada demonstrate low levels of trust and interest in
political institutions and representatives, and are less likely to vote and join
political parties than previous cohorts of young Canadians. Because young people
are avid users of social media, these technologies are often discussed as one
possible means by which young people may become more engaged in the
democratic process. Proponents of this argument also note that young people
expect immediacy and interactivity when communicating, an assumption that
might be better accommodated by social media tools than by the complex,
bureaucratic communication channels of many governing institutions.

The use of social networking as a public relations tool is certainly a hot
things among organizations. The velocity and accessibility brought by these sites
when it comes to information is truly impeccable. A lot of things may still come
up in the future, but as for now, if you want your business to get noticed, you may
want to use social media.

The dawn of the Internet as an innovation in itself has probably propelled
a lot of changes and advancements in a lot of sectors. Through the websites that
they put up, they are able to inform people about their products and services in a
more efficient way. The use of electronic mail has also helped them gauge their
audience’s needs and wants as well as addressing to them in a quick way. The
most recent innovation in online business would be the usage of social media as a
marketing tool. Social networking sites, in particular have helped organizations



in terms of their public relations with their target audiences. The invasion of
various businesses in these sites have been rampant, mainly because of its
advantages that has proven to be very effective in increasing visibility, revenue,
and influence. Read on to learn more about the power of social media marketing.

2.1.2 Local Literature

In this Digital Age, everyone seems to make his or her presence felt in the
virtual world to validate his or her existence. Getting connected through social
networks and blog sites seems to be the norm, not just among individuals, but also
among companies and businesses. With this, the Honor Award Program (HAP) of
the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has ventured into social media to strengthen
its promotional strategies of the Program.

Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT)
Chairman Ivan John E. Uy said that social networking sites can be a useful tool in
public service delivery. “The use of Facebook and Twitter in government offices
provides better access to the public,” he said in an interview aired over DZRB.

There are 24 million Internet users in the Philippines, 51% of which use social
networking sites. Social media is an effective platform for information
dissemination and engagement.“It’s about time to engage with our stakeholders.
There are 1.4 million government workers all over the country. Filipinos should
hear of the inspiring stories of our outstanding public servants. Being on
Facebook is one way to reach out to the public that we serve,” said CSC
Chairman Francisco T. Duque III.

The Pangasinan provincial government is vigorously pushing people
empowerment, including generating greater public awareness on various
government programs through the use of social networking sites. Pursuing this
thrust, the provincial government led by Gov. Amado Espino Jr. conducted a
multi-sector bloggers’ orientation seminar last June 1 at the Pangasinan
Development and Training Center here. The participants included provincial
department heads, chiefs of hospitals, administrative officers and staff, and IT
personnel of different departments of the provincial government.

Vangie Padilla, a social media specialist and resource speaker, said Espino
wanted to raise the level of quality of public service given to the 2.6 million



Pangasinenses. Since there are now some 300,000 Pangasinenses who are on
Facebook, Padilla said Espino thought of coping with the times by “switching
from the traditional to cyberspace.”

“Since Pangasinan is now dubbed as No. 1 province in many aspects, Gov.
Espino opts to explore greater heights of bringing government service closer to
the people, having seen the intense impact of social media like Facebook, Twitter
and YouTube among Pangasinenses,” Padilla said. Coinciding with the half-day
orientation was the launching of Espino’s social networking sites –
www.twitter.com/governorespino, www.youtube.com/governorespino and
www.facebook.com/governorespino

The public is invited to get in touch with the governor, learn more about
the province and the various programs and projects of the provincial government
using these social networking sites in just few clicks. Provincial employees lauded
the project, expressing their full support to the cause by putting their own group
page so they can post their regular activities and enable the public to keep track of
the efforts of the provincial government.

A series of orientation seminars is underway for all provincial employees,
high school and college students, Sangguniang Kabataan officials, and various
sectors in the province. Tutorial for government employees on social networking
is also set to fully realize the project.

The Philippines has been on the World Wide Web since the early 90s.
MozCom was the first commercially available Internet provider in the
Philippines, starting in 1994.

In early 2000, via the Electronic Commerce Act or Republic Act 8792, the
Philippine government mandated that every department should have a presence on
the web. This was to allow the public access to information as well as a means to
communicate with their duly elected politicians.

There are different levels of web presence required of the government. The
hierarchy, from the most basic to the highest, is:

Emerging Web Presence level could be just a simple static website
with details of the respective agency and contact information.



Enhanced Web Presence includes regularly updated data, a portal to
other departments or government agencies, and a section where users
can download documents.
Interactive Web Presence means more dynamic websites.
Information must be updated on a daily or weekly basis. Documents
and forms can be downloaded before submitting them to the agency.
Search features should also be available.
Transactional Web Presence means the user can perform secure
transactions completely on the site, without the need for filling out
paper forms and documents.
The fifth and most important level is Fully Integrated Web Presence.
Here the government agency should be able to provide all
requirements through two-way communication such email or instant
messaging. There should be social networking information, and
documents and forms should be available from a single website. This
gives the public a direct means of sending feedback, and increases
opportunities for almost instantaneous responses from the agency in
question.

At this point, many departments just barely qualify for the third level, while a few
are already exploring the fourth level. Very few governments around the world
have the equivalent of the fifth level of web presence.

All government websites operate under guidelines set by the Office of the
President to standardize the quality of government web presence. This is
implemented and monitored by the Department of Trade and Industry
(http://dti.gov.ph). These are followed according to the different types of service
provided by the department, which include the agency working with the public,
another government agency or a business. Some departments already allow
applications online, filing or permits and payment. E-commerce services are also
in place for the convenience of businesses and corporations. The standardization
allows the agencies to scale their deployment on the web in phases, which ensures
that they are able to bring the best service without unnecessary expense or
inconvenience to the public.

In recent months, certain government agencies have proven to be valuable
in providing information to the public. Such services are useful particularly in



times of crisis, both natural and man-made, such as war in countries where there
are many Filipinos, or random natural calamities. Part of the government’s job is
to make information available to the public. In the past, this was done through
TV, radio or printed newspapers. However this means that the information is at
least a few hours old. The Internet makes all information available almost in real
time, making it the ideal tool in reporting news as it happens, not as it happened
hours ago.

Any Filipino citizen should know where to look for information regarding
our government. You need look no further than The Official Website of the
Republic of the Philippines (http://www.gov.ph). This site is a portal to other
government websites and is managed at the Office of the President of the
Philippines. It includes news reports, official press releases and a directory of
other government websites. The government website directory includes the Office
of the President (http://president.gov.ph) and the Office of the Vice President
(http://ovp.gov.ph).

But due to the recent earthquake in Japan, many citizens are questioning
the capability of our government to react to a natural calamity of that magnitude.
The official website of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or
PHIVOLCS (http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph) provides information on disasters
arising from volcanic eruptions, earthquake and tsunami. PHIVOLCS,
meanwhile, operates under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
(http://dost.gov.ph).

Since the civil war in Libya started in February, thousands of Overseas
Filipino Workers have been clamoring to return to the Philippines. The unstable
political climate in the Middle East highlights the need for a single source of
information for OFWs and their families. There are a number of government
agencies working together to help these displaced workers evacuate quickly and
safely. The first is the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) (http://dfa.gov.ph),
which has been in negotiations with the governments on nations in turmoil and
the neighboring countries where our countrymen can seek refuge. Another
invaluable resource is the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
(http://www.owwa.gov.ph).



As we move into the 21st century, more and more government agencies
are working to improve their web presence to include social networking, which is
now more than just a new buzzword thrown around in meetings. The information
that was disseminated across various demographics at Edsa II shows that it’s not
just the youth you can reach with technology. Older generations will not be left
behind. The sites are becoming increasingly easy to use and the convenience is
starting to outweigh the alternatives. Waiting in line at the Land Transportation
Office (LTO) (http://www.lto.gov.ph) for your driver’s license will soon be part
of the past.

The Internet is information, it is convenience, it is here. You had best embrace it,
or you’ll be the only one who’ll be waiting in line.

2.2 Related Studies

2.2.1 Foreign Studies

Online social networking presents both opportunities and risks to young
people. According to Davies and Cranston (2008), Online social networking
presents many opportunities to young people by making it easier for them to,
amongst other things: publish creative works to local and global audiences; stay in
touch and communicate with peers; find and interact with people with shared
interests; organize and co-ordinate political engagement and action; for virtual
volunteering; and to engage in self expression. However, online social networking
can also expose young people to new risks. Risks from: inappropriate content;
commercialism and unsuitable advertising; inappropriate or offensive conduct on
SNS; criminal activities such as identity theft; and inappropriate contact (online
and offline) from strangers – which may include grooming and in the most serious
cases, sexual abuse.

For many young people, online social networking is not a distinct activity,
but is part of day-to-day life, communication and interaction with peers. This can
lead to some 'risks' crossing over into, and potentially being amplified by, SNS.
Both young people and youth workers identify bullying on SNS as one of the
most significant negative issues linked to online social networking (Davies and
Cranston,2008).



Moreover, Davies and Cranston (2008) said that group and
communication tools on social networking sites can provide ways to keep young
people in touch with services and with each other, to build bridges between
different groups, and to promote ongoing collaboration on projects between face-
to-face sessions. Social network sites can provide a platform for sharing young
people’s creative efforts, or for enabling young people to have a public voice on
issues that affect them. Online social networking also offers the potential for new
forms of online outreach work or for working with groups with shared interests
from across a wide geographical area (e.g. online work with socially excluded
young people, young people from rural areas)

Young people can be seen as valued stakeholders within the greater
society. Youth participation opens the door, not only for the meaningful inclusion
of young people in decision-making processes that affect their lives, but also in
the planning, design and delivery of related goods and services.

There is a strong argument in favor of youth participation from a human
rights perspective. The internationally recognized UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child outlines the rights of children and young people to participate in
decision-making processes that affect their lives. The mere presence of a youth
delegate at a high level

meeting or conference may challenge a greater consciousness of youth issues and
concerns during deliberations. UNESCO has developed the concept of youth
mainstreaming, which goes beyond the dimension of youth specific themes and
looks at the importance of a youth perspective on all aspects of social, political
and economic life.

It “denotes a process for a meaningful engagement and broad integration
of young people into structures and activities of social development on a daily
basis. It requires consistent, committed youth-adult cooperation at every level,
where young people are recognized as equal and valuable partners. A youth
mainstreaming approach aims to support young people to fulfil their roles
effectively and to take their right place in the society”.


Chapter 2

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