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promotion involves a variety of tactics and has obvious impacts
on website effect. Some webometric indicators, such as web links,
search engine optimization, are used to disclose website
marketing [45]. Present webometrics studies involve four areas:
(1) Page content analysis; (2) Link analysis; (3) Site usage
analysis; (4) Web technology analysis (including search engine
performance) [46].To testify the influence of website promotion
on its effect, we adopt SEO (Search Engine Optimization) value,
the number of back-links and the number of times reported by
other media to evaluate website promotion. Hypothesis 7 is put
followed as follows:
H7: Website promotion is positively correlated with the effect of
MFW websites.
All the hypotheses form a theoretical framework of this study, as
shown in figure 3.
3. RESEARCH METHODS
Case study is adopted in some website researches, such as
Weischedel & Huizingh [47], Fang [48], etc.. Yin [49] states that
case studies could be used to describe, explore or explain
phenomena. Bonoma [50] (1985) suggests that multiple cases
could play a role in both hypothesis generation and hypothesis
testing. “Multiple-case designs allow for cross-case analysis and
the extension of theory, and yield more general research results
than single-case study.”[51]. Multi-case studies are often used to
explore influential factors in many management fields. Akhavan
et al [ 52 ] derived critical success factors for design and
implementing knowledge management (KM) system in a multicase
study research with an integrated approach. Our study is to
explore success factors for MFW websites beyond a single
perspective of technology. Multi-case approach is thought suitable
for this holistic exploration.
According to the analytical framework, independent variables are
business model, website construction, social networking services,
website promotion, and the dependent variable is website effect.
Their indicators are concluded in table 2.
Table 2: Indicators for Key Variables
Variables Dimensions Indicators
Website effect
Business
model
Website
construction
Website
awareness
Users’ satisfaction
Overall website
effect
(1)Daily average IP traffic
within a month;
(2) Daily average page
view estimates
Qualitative analysis of
feedback messages and
content of website forums
(1) Google Page Rank
Value;(2)qualitative
assessment of overall
effect;(3) Analysis of
problems and difficulties
Fund sources Amount and persistence
of funds or investment
Website property See in figure 1
Information
architecture
(1) Information contents
(quality, richness,
relevance, renewal and
98
Social
networking
services
Website
promotion
Technical support Open speed
Interaction
function
community
function
SEO (Search
Engine
Optimization)
Number of backlinks
Number of times
reported by
traditional media
accuracy)
(2) Information
organization
(classification, structure)
(3)Navigation (sign
design, number of internal
and external links, search)
Interaction channels (
feedback columns, Online
chat, etc.)
Virtual community (blog,
BBS, QQ group etc)
Number of pages included
in search engines on
ALEXA (google, baidu,
yahoo, netease, soso and
sogou)
Number of back-links
recorded in search engines
on ALEXA (google,
baidu, yahoo, netease,
soso and sogou)
Qualitative analysis of
relevant reports on
important traditional
media
4. CASES AND DATA
4.1 Case Description
Existing MFW websites mainly provide information related to
MFWS’ employment, legal right protection, children’s education,
medical treatment and e-business. Using search engines like
google, baidu, soso, et.al and any possible link tracks, we
searched case websites from November 2010 to 14 June 2011 and
finally found 11 relevant objects in total, including 9 websites (not
involving their sub-websites) and 2 special pages. These MFW
websites occupied a minimal percentage of more than 20,000
agriculture-related websites and could nearly be neglected
compared with more than 70,000 government websites in China at
the end of 2010. The earliest MFW website opened on 10 May
2003, a personal forum established by Changsheng Guo who
hoped to protect MFWs’ legal rights by displaying their living and
working situation. In 2004, “Minggong Net” (Websites for
MFWS), a website supported by the Office of Migrant Workers
and Poverty Alleviation Office of State Council, was opened
online. It mainly provides employment information services, and
often holds public activities for MFWs. After 2007, a few
websites for MFWs emerge, such as “Chinese Young Migrant
Workers”, “Zhong Lao Wang” (Websites of Chinese Labor) and
“Legal Rights Protection of MFWs”, ect.. Besides, some large
portal websites (e.g. Phoenix and Sohu) and large government
websites (e.g. China.net and Labor Union of China) own special
columns for MFWs. These websites, columns and pages play
different roles and gradually form an Internet information service
system for MFWs with specialization and diversity, which can be
shown as figure 2.