“I believe that the single platform that will dominate all households will be what we currently know as the gaming console,” says Jennifer Chandler, Mihaylo College associate professor of management, who has conducted research studies on service innovation, technology and the development of user-centric service systems.

The faculty of the Mihaylo College graduate programs are dedicated to excellence in teaching and research in their fields, providing cutting-edge perspectives to contemporary trends transforming the business community, economy and society.

Jennifer Chandler, associate professor of management and director of Mihaylo Graduate Programs, and Assistant Professor of Marketing Yuna Kim co-authored a recent study in which they look at the role Twitter plays in conversations among fans during product launches, specifically focusing on the launches of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One video game consoles.

The study looks at shared language, such as words like “kinect” and “bundle” that were frequently used when discussing console launches on Twitter, to discover how brands can best listen and respond to the desires of their audience when launching a product.

The study promises to guide company managers and marketers, as well as academic researchers, in understanding how social media can open an unprecedented two-way communication model between consumers and the makers of the products they seek.

Chandler discusses her findings and its implications, as well as her personal background and motivation to teach and research.

How can businesses take advantage of the opportunities that social media provide during product launches?

In today’s society, consumers have a louder voice because of social media, and when it comes to new products, this voice is crucial because everyone has the social media platform to amplify his or her opinion.

Moreover, we know that communities form around special interests and topics, so businesses can take advantage of the special communities during product launches. They can do so by encouraging sampling, being active in and engaging with these special communities and monitoring opinions that are shared in these special communities.

You note tracking shared language as a best practice for enhancing the social media conversation. How can such shared language best be identified and utilized?

Shared language can be identified when two or more users begin to use a common term that was not used before, or when they begin to use terms in ways that are new or different. Shared language suggests the emergence of community and shared values, so businesses should make themselves aware of specific terms associated with the shared language and participate in these communities using this shared language to suggest that they are authentic and engaged.

What interests you on a personal level about this research?

I am interested in how technology changes our everyday lives. From self-check out registers to smartphones, I find it fascinating to analyze service innovation – how technology causes businesses to rethink how they provide services to their customers.

In particular, I believe that we are evolving toward one-device households, in which the majority of electronic platforms are individual mobile devices, though there will be one superpower device that is shared among all the users in the household. Some trends suggest that personal desktops may become obsolete, and I believe that the single platform that will dominate all households will be what we currently know as the gaming console.

Think about multi-function machines such as gaming consoles or smart TVs. In the future, the gaming console could be integrated with the smart TV, and there will be no need for personal computing desktops.

Your educational background includes a doctorate from UC Irvine, an MBA from the University of Hawaii and a B.A. from UCLA. How and when did you decide that you wanted to become a professor, and what is one thing you like about teaching students?

While I was an MBA student at the University of Hawaii, I won the best presentation in that school’s first-ever business plan competition. The dean invited me to become a lecturer. In my first week as an instructor, I decided I loved teaching business students, and that was the beginning of the end!

I enjoy the practicality and applied nature of teaching in a business school. Storytelling is my favorite part of class. I like to tell stories and hear students’ stories. It is rewarding to be part of a new learning community every semester.

This study, “How social community and social publishing influence new product launch: The case of Twitter during the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launches,” appeared in the Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice in March 2018.

For More on Mihaylo Graduate Programs

Mihaylo Graduate Programs offer degree paths in business-related disciplines ranging from information technology to marketing. Designed for the working professional, the programs combine academic scholarship with applied experience to develop versatile business leaders. For more information on each of the college’s eight programs and additional concentrations, visit the Mihaylo College Graduate Programs website.