Giulia Ranzini
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Ranzini
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Giulia
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+41 71 224 2792
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  • Publication
    Diversity by Choice : Applying a Social Cognitive Perspective to the Role of Public Service Media in the Digital Age
    (The Annenberg Center for Communication, 2015-04-30)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    Hopes for a new abundance of diverse media content have long been tied to the rise of the Internet. Ensuring diversity remains a fundamental objective of media policy. However, media policy is still largely focused on public service media. In this article, we introduce a new theoretical perspective to inform media policy, focusing on the concept of diversity experience and users' motivation, awareness, and ability to seek diverse content in a transforming media environment. We argue that our understanding of and regulatory approaches to media pluralism must be adapted to technological advances. Based on social cognitive theory, we propose an extension of the diversity debate by considering user cognition. We analyze challenges to users' diversity experiences on a motivational, perceptual, and capability level. Given the (over)abundance of content available online, users must be willing and able to seek out diverse and serendipitous information. We derive a user-centric approach to media pluralism and diversity. Based on this framework, we outline criteria for changing the role of public service media in the digital age to focus on empowering users to actually experience media diversity.
    Type: journal article
    Journal: International Journal of Communication
    Volume: 9
    Issue: 1
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/106522
  • Publication
    Stress 2.0 : Social Media Overload among Swiss Teenagers
    (Emerald, 2014-12-07)
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    Technostress and information overload are serious challenges of the information age. An alarming number of people exhibit dangerously intensive media consumption, while Internet and mobile phone addictions are a widespread phenomenon. At the same time, new media overexposure among young people is understudied, even more so when social network sites are concerned. Our study explores how feelings of overexposure and stress relate to the self-expressive needs of teenagers, made explicit through their digital interactions. It presents and discusses the results of a large-scale survey conducted during an exhibition on media overload in Berne, Switzerland. A total of 6989 adolescents provided answers on their media overload and stress. Through a quantitative analysis, significant factors fostering and inhibiting SNS overload are found.
    Type: journal article
    Journal: Studies in Media and Communication
    Volume: 8
    Issue: 1
    DOI: 10.1108/S2050-206020140000008001
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/86033
  • Publication
    An Element of Surprise : The Impact of Serendipity on Online Trust
    (Academy of Management, 2013-08-11)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    The importance of user trust in online business is well-established in theory and practice. At the same time, the Internet is a dynamic space with constantly evolving user experiences based on new technological developments. A current example of such a development is the increasing use of algorithms in search and recommendation systems. Critics claim that these algorithms limit the users' Web experience and their ability to come across new and surprising, even challenging insights ("serendipity"). We propose that these developments have an impact on online trust and explore the effect of serendipity on trust formation as well as the role of privacy and security on serendipitous Web uses. Based on a large-scale representative survey among Swiss Internet users, we analyze a quantitative model of privacy perception, serendipity and trust on the Internet. We find that service providers suffering from a lack of trust need to weigh the benefits of a tightly controlled and efficient user experience against those of a more curious, explorative, trusting and less protective customer behavior.
    Type: conference paper
    DOI: 10.5465/ambpp.2013.12336abstract
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/88864
  • Publication
    Over-exposed portraits : Technology overload and the identities of the young
    (University of Antwerp, 2013-03-20)
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    Technostress and information overload represent serious challenges of the Information Age. An alarming number of people exhibit dangerously intensive media consumption, while Internet and mobile phone addictions are a widespread phenomenon, especially among teens. Despite increasing evidence for technostress and information overload within the literature, the consequences of new media overexposure on young individuals are so far understudied. When it comes to Social Network Sites (SNS), in particular, only limited research has been conducted on the causes and effects of excessive use and perceived overexposure. The value of social media for identity experimentation, construction and negotiation has been widely covered in research: the aim of our study is to explore how feelings of overexposure and stress relate to the self-expressive needs of teenagers, made explicit through their digital interactions. In this contribution we present and discuss the results of a large-scale survey conducted during an exhibition on media overload in Berne, Switzerland: a total of 6989 adolescents provided answers on their media overload and stress. Through a quantitative analysis, significant factors fostering and inhibiting SNS overload are found. Our results are discussed considering their meanings for the digital identities of teenagers, and for their well-being online.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/89500
  • Publication
    Trusted Surprises? : Antecedents of Serendipitous Encounters Online
    (ICA International Communication Association, 2013-06-19)
    Lutz, Christoph
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    The concept of Serendipity, i. e. a useful discovery emerging out of chance encounters, has been increasingly discussed with the rise of personalized search and social media. Little is known, however, about what generates Serendipity, supporting the "accidental sagacity" of individuals. In the present paper, we explore the conditions and dimensions of Serendipity from a quantitative standpoint, relying on data from a representative survey conducted in Switzerland in 2012 (N=1002). Through a Structural Equation Model, we enrich current research on Serendipity by providing quantitative support to the theory, and by including elements which relate to individuals, rather than to the Internet structure, thereby expanding the debate on the effects of personalization on innovation and creativity.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/89104
  • Publication
    Too Much of a Good Thing? : Technostress and Information Overload Among Young Swiss
    (ICA International Communication Association, 2013-06-20)
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Lutz, Christoph
    Technostress and information overload are serious challenges of the Information Age. An alarming number of people exhibit excessive media consumption, while Internet addiction seems to be an increasingly widespread phenomenon (Christakis et al., 2011). Although there is evidence for technostress and information overload in a range of studies (Bawden & Robinson, 2009; Eppler & Mengis, 2004; Shenk, 1997; Wang et al., 2008), little is known about how young people feel about overexposure to technology and new media (Akin, 1998). In order to address this gap, we present findings from a survey addressing the social media usage and perceptions of individuals, collected at the Museum for Communication in Bern, Switzerland. Based on a sample including 1915 children and 6989 adolescents and through a quantitative approach (OLS regressions) we explore the impact of cultural background, age and social status on differences in technostress.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/89094
  • Publication
    A Tale of Two Online Personae : Social Media and the Self Representation of Professionals
    (Rotterdam School of Management, 2012-06-06)
    Fieseler, Christian
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    The predominance of Social Media over other communication tools has determined a change in the work practices of professionals from a wide variety of fields. As managers create their online personae (i.e. their different professional and personal digital selves) Social Network Websites can also be thought of as a space for identity construction and experimentation (Ellison et al., 2006; Ibarra, 1999). In the present paper, we focus on a sample of communication and PR professionals to explore how their Social Media usage and attitudes influence their impression management practices. Through the self-representation choices of managers online, we are capable to explore the concretization of their informal roles, and the consequences on identity negotiation processes, at individual and organizational level.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/91498
  • Publication
    Between Usefulness and Ease of Use : Social Media Acceptance among Swiss Parliamentarians
    (Academy of Journalism and Media, 2012-04-20)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Suphan, Anne
    For many years, the Internet has been heralded as a boon to citizen participation in political decision-making (White, 1997). Research has been quick to explore whether new technologies facilitate direct participation and create access for non-elite citizens (Stromer-Galley, 2000; Davis, 1999; Hacker, 1996). In fact, Internet use has repeatedly been found to be positively associated with political and civic participation (Moy et al., 2005; Boulianne, 2009). The emergence of social media has further energized the hope that the Web will boost political participation. Recent studies confirm that social media use positively impacts civic and political partici-pation (Towner & Dulio, 2011; Zhang et al., 2009; Vitak et al, 2011). An emerging stream of research analyzes the use of social media in political communication and campaigning (Bichard, 2006; Williamson, 2011; Towner & Dulio, 2011). These studies find an increasing use of social media, starting early in the new millennium, spreading from blogs to a wide range of platforms like wikis, social bookmarking, social networking and content sharing sites. In fact, integrating social media in political campaigns has largely become "business as usual" (Williamson, 2011, p. 60). Little research has been directed at the drivers of social media acceptance by politicians, though: what elements contribute to the use of social media in political communication, what factors stand in its way? Methodology and Results In late 2010, Switzerland held elections for both chambers of the national parliament, the "Nationalrat" and "Ständerat". In mid-2011, our research team conducted an online-survey, inviting all 246 members of parliament by e-mail. A questionnaire had been prepared in the three national languages (German, French and Italian), addressing the frequency and intensity of the participants' social media use and reasons for use. Furthermore, key drivers of social media acceptance were investigated, based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM3) as proposed by Venkatesh and Bala (2008). This model posits that the acceptance of specific technological applications (including intention to or actual use) is driven by the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease of use of the application (Davis 1989; Davis & Venkatesh, 1996). A total of 117 parliamentarians filled out the questionnaire (response rate of 48%). A first analysis of the data found significant differences between active users and non-users of social media. Aside from current behavioral patterns and intentions, these groups differ in their playfulness, i.e. their approach to the use of new technologies. Accordingly, those who actively engage in social media rate the perceived enjoyment of their use significantly higher. A closer look at the drivers of social media acceptance reveals that perceived useful-ness and (to a lesser degree) perceived ease of use strongly impact social media use. All of the drivers included in our model exhibit significant explanatory power when analyzing for perceived usefulness and ease of use. Among the drivers of perceived usefulness, output quality and job relevance most clearly characterize user perceptions. Among the drivers of perceived ease of use, anxiety and perceived enjoyment exhibit the strongest discriminatory power.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/91751
  • Publication
    I'll tweet my representative : Antecedents of Social Media use among German Parliamentarians
    ( 2012-09-20)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Suphan, Anne
    Participatory social media platforms facilitate the political communication and cooperation of interested citizens, leading, some believe, to the strengthening of political and civic participation offline. Given such a tangible effect of social media on political engagement, how do politicians react to their proliferation? Previous studies have analyzed antecedents of the adoption of new media applications in online campaigning. However, only little is known about the drivers of social media use in day-to-day political routine, outside of a campaign setting. The present study measures the frequency of political communication by members of the German federal parliament on a variety of social media platforms throughout the year 2010 - a year without any elections at either the federal or state level in Germany. It tests for a range of possible antecedents, and finds that supply-side (age), demand-side (electoral district type), and structural factors (party affiliation) significantly impact the use of social media by parliamentarians.
    Type: conference paper
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/90995
  • Publication
    "I'll Tweet My Representative!" : Antecedents of Social Media Use Among German Parliamentarians
    (P.I.E. Peter Lang, 2013)
    Hoffmann, Christian Pieter
    ;
    Meckel, Miriam
    ;
    Ranzini, Giulia
    ;
    Suphan, Anne
    ;
    Okay, Aydemir
    ;
    Tench, Ralph
    ;
    Carayol, Valérie
    Participatory social media platforms facilitate the political communication and cooperation of interested citizens, leading, some believe, to the strengthening of political and civic participation offline. Given such a tangible effect of social media on political engagement, how do politicians react to their proliferation? Previous studies have analyzed antecedents of the adoption of new media applications in online campaigning. However, only little is known about the drivers of social media use in day-to-day political routine, outside of a campaign setting. The present study measures the frequency of political communication by members of the German federal parliament on a variety of social media platforms throughout the year 2010 - a year without any elections at either the federal or state level in Germany. It tests for a range of possible antecedents, and finds that supply-side (age), demand-side (electoral district type), and structural factors (party affiliation) significantly impact the use of social media by parliamentarians.
    Type: book section
    URI: https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/90137