Working Paper Series

Abstract: Recent studies on the use of Internet among youngsters suggest problematic behaviour and adverse impacts on overall health as there are uncharted boundaries of information and media through Internet. Such related problems include Internet addiction, shyness, alienation, psychological distress and academic performance decrement over time. As a consequence, the ability of students in tertiary education to communicate effectively and interact humanly could deteriorate as they become more accustomed to networking via Internet. However, students nowadays do increasingly rely on the Internet to perform research under the knowledge-based economy despite concerns over reliability and truthfulness of information available from Internet. There are a role and values of Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) for an optimal use of Internet. With reference to an interdisciplinary review, we suggest an interventionist approach to orient students in tertiary education to develop a strategic mindset that exploits Internet as a source for developing knowledge about learning outcomes while mitigating the risks associated with over-reliance and inadequate uses.

Abstract: The convergence of IT and marketing leads to the rising demand of digital marketers. Tertiary marketing education plays a crucial role in preparing students to grasp the knowledge and skills and to possess the attitude so necessary to contemporary marketing industry. However, several reports highlight that the shortages are significant in this sector. Both academics and practitioners are the key stakeholders to solve this disconnection. Although there are many studies investigating the relationship between marketing education and marketing practice, there are only a few quantitative studies focusing on digital marketing. Drawing on the literature and the standards of digital marketers' professional certifications, this study aims to develop a conceptual framework identifying the key attributes of an effective digital marketer. The proposed digital marketer model is composed of three key antecedents: (1) marketing knowledge and skills; (2) technical knowledge and skills; and (3) ethical knowledge and skills. First, marketing knowledge and skills refers to the communication, client engagement, strategic management and channel management. In order to practice data-driven marketing, digital marketers should also be equipped with technical knowledge and skills, including search engine optimization, statistical analysis, data mining, web and mobile apps. Similar to the professionals in other industries, digital marketers should uphold the code of ethics so as to protect the privacy of clients and the reputation of companies. The key finding provides insights to academics on how to revamp or streamline the marketing programmes and ultimately narrowing the gap between education and practice in the context of digital marketing.