The Role of Virtual Space and Social Networks in Health and Fitness Industry

Background & Aims: World population growth and increasing expectations for effective treatments and a generally better quality of life are putting increasing pressure on healthcare Therefore, health care is still one of the most important social and economic challenges worldwide and requires new and more advanced solutions from science and technology (1, 2). In response to such needs, since the early 1990s, information and communication technologies (ICT) have had a positive impact on the accessibility, efficiency, and quality of almost every health care-related process (3). Hence, the term eHealth, which refers to the application of information and communication technology in health care, has come into common use. Indeed, eHealth has attracted a great deal of public and private interest and has fueled unprecedented levels of investment in both research efforts and funding (4). On the other hand, health continuity includes the areas of disease prevention, diagnosis and management. Over the past decade, a rapidly growing group of more than 1,200 companies focused exclusively on digital health have received $33 billion in investment. These companies provide products and services with regard to every aspect of the health chain. For example, their digital health products and services promise scale, efficiency, accessibility, convenience, and greater patient engagement (5). Which can indicate the importance of business related to the health industry in different sections of the society. Support services add value to a business's core services, provide points of differentiation, and create a competitive advantage over competitors. Fitness clubs offer a number of support services, including opportunities to participate in exercise. Fitness tests are a common support service (11). On the other hand, some of the clients of medical clinics need sports and physical fitness services. For example, heart patients who need rehabilitation; Obese people who are looking for fitness; Patients with metabolic disorders such as type 2 and type 1 diabetes or people with alcoholic fatty liver who are clients of health clinics or fitness clubs, which can indicate the importance of planning and strategizing to provide services related to the health industry and market. Work in this field.According to the mentioned contents, the aim of the present research was to design a model for the implementation of business strategies for marketing health-related products in social networks. Methods: The present research was conducted with the approach of exploratory design of tool development, based on this plan, first the qualitative aspect of the research was conducted using the data theory analysis method based on Glazer's approach (1978) and then the research was conducted quantitatively and finally the qualitative and quantitative results were interpreted. It happened at the same time. In fact, in this project, first, based on qualitative studies, the structures or components of the desired theory were described and analyzed. In this way, the framework and factors of those structures and components are extracted and indexes are developed for it, and finally, using quantitative data, the credibility and evaluation of the constructed theory is investigated (Hakimzadeh and Abdulmaleki, 89). This plan can be seen below. The statistical population was used in the quantitative stage in the discussion of the screening of criteria from the point of view of 20 experts. It should be noted that considering that the criteria of the screening questionnaire should be set in such a way that the experts participate in the research; Therefore, qualitative experts were used in this research. In the criteria validation section, which was used with the confirmatory factor analysis approach, the statistical population was made up of all stakeholders and stakeholders and various experts in the discussion of sports business (N=2874). In order to estimate the sample size from SP sample size determination software. S. S sample power was used, taking into account the maximum independent variable influencing the dependent variables involved in the regression models of the research and the error percentage of 0.05, the power is higher than 0.85 and the effect size is 0.05, the sample size is 370. People were estimated. First, Delphi questionnaire was used to screen the identified criteria from the qualitative part of the research. And in the second stage, a questionnaire was used to measure the factorial validity of the identified criteria in the form of the desired constructs. The scoring basis for screening questionnaire criteria was based on a five-point Likert scale and the range of scores was from very low to very high. Delphi analysis method was used in the quantitative part. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model were used to check the questionnaire. Coding of the qualitative part was done manually. In order to perform calculations in this chapter of the research, Excel version 10, SPSS software version 25, Amos software version 23 and SmartPLS version 2,3 were used. Results: The results showed that innovation strategy has a positive and significant effect on product strategy (α = 0.144, P = 0.001). Promotion strategy has a positive and significant effect on product strategy (α = 0.065, P = 0.001). Service strategy has a positive and significant effect on product strategy (α = 0.239, P = 0.001). Pricing strategy has a positive and significant effect on product strategy (α = 0.471, P = 0.001). Expert manpower strategy has a positive and significant effect on development strategy (α = 0.638, P = 0.001). Customer relationship strategy has a significant and negative effect on product strategy (α = -0.141, P = 0.001). Infrastructure strategy has a positive and significant effect on product strategy (α = 0.092, P = 0.001). Product strategy has a positive and significant effect on expert human resources strategy (α = 0.461, P = 0.001). It was also found that the innovation strategy indirectly has a positive and significant effect on the development strategy (α = 0.042, P = 0.001). Finally, it was found that the infrastructure strategy indirectly has a positive and significant effect on the development strategy (α = 0.027, P = 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of this research, it can be said that the business of marketing sports products related to health as a part of the health industry in social networks should be done by making timely decisions and with sufficient knowledge of consumers and market needs. By offering a good product, at a reasonable price, using optimal distribution methods, using informative advertisements using a process defined by efficient and responsible human resources in a suitable place (one of the most popular social networks). The customer's destiny is to increase their market share and keep their customers with creativity, initiative, flexibility and adapting resources to the needs and demands of customers in addition to increasing their market share.