Materialism, television and social media – analysis of the transformation of post-colonial Indian market

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Selvanayagam ◽  
Varisha Rehman

Purpose This paper aims to, first, analyze the transformation of the Indian market by extending Sreekumar and Varman’s (2016) work on history of marketing in India into the post-colonial era; second, trace the emergence and adoption of various media technologies in the post-colonial Indian market; third, identify the evolving trends in marketing practices alongside the penetration of these media technologies in the market; and finally, argue the need for mindful adoption of marketing practices in the Indian market, rather than direct replication of Western practices. Design/methodology/approach The historical perspective on the post-colonial Indian market is done through extant literature review and analysis of marketing practices by iconic brands in the Indian market. Findings This research reveals that the adoption of Western marketing practices by brands in the Indian market has led to increasing materialistic consumption patterns among consumers. Furthermore, such practices in the social media technology era impose individualistic values in the Indian consumers, contrary to the cultural values of the country. Therefore, this research posits the need for mindful marketing practices to be adopted for the Indian market. Social implications This research shows warning signs of growing materialistic values among Indian consumers and the implications of marketing strategies on the society as a whole. Originality/value This study is a first of its kind in highlighting the transformation of the post-colonial Indian market by integrating actual marketing campaigns over this period with literature to present the various issues in the current state of the market.

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Alammari ◽  
Robert Newbery ◽  
Mohamed Yacine Haddoud ◽  
Emily Beaumont

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how cultural values influence the entrepreneurial process. It conceptualises the relationship between post-materialistic values and entrepreneurial intention to explain low entrepreneurial activity.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted in Saudi Arabia with non-entrepreneurs. An online survey returned 405 valid questionnaires, representing a 27 per cent response rate. The data were analysed using partial least structural equation modelling.FindingsThe paper identifies key factors that explain the influence of changing cultural values on entrepreneurial activity. The results show that post-materialistic values influence entrepreneurial intention by decreasing desirability and entrepreneurial self-efficacy.Research limitations/implicationsThe study conceptualises the interplay between cultural values and entrepreneurial intention in Saudi Arabia. Further insights can be developed by comparing Saudi Arabia with other countries. The study was conducted as a “snapshot” of the current situation of entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia with a cross-sectional survey design.Practical implicationsThe paper holds important implications for entrepreneurship educators when addressing unsupportive cultures for entrepreneurial activity. Cultural and motivational approaches are suggested. While the former focuses on aspects that encourage the desire and confidence to start a business, the latter involves encouraging setting venture creation as a goal.Originality/valuePrevious studies indicated that post-materialistic values negatively influence entrepreneurship; this paper contributes further by exploring how this relationship manifests by exploring the intervening factors between post-materialistic values and entrepreneurial intention. It advances entrepreneurship research by investigating deep assumptions underlying the formulation of entrepreneurial intentions. It also responds to the need to understand the difference in the levels of entrepreneurial activity across countries.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-72
Author(s):  
Saeed Rouhani ◽  
Ehsan Abedin

Purpose Crypto-currencies, decentralized electronic currencies systems, denote a radical change in financial exchange and economy environment. Consequently, it would be attractive for designers and policy-makers in this area to make out what social media users think about them on Twitter. The purpose of this study is to investigate the social opinions about different kinds of crypto-currencies and tune the best-customized classification technique to categorize the tweets based on sentiments. Design/methodology/approach This paper utilized a lexicon-based approach for analyzing the reviews on a wide range of crypto-currencies over Twitter data to measure positive, negative or neutral sentiments; in addition, the end result of sentiments played a training role to train a supervised technique, which can predict the sentiment loading of tweets about the main crypto-currencies. Findings The findings further prove that more than 50 per cent of people have positive beliefs about crypto-currencies. Furthermore, this paper confirms that marketers can predict the sentiment of tweets about these crypto-currencies with high accuracy if they use appropriate classification techniques like support vector machine (SVM). Practical implications Considering the growing interest in crypto-currencies (Bitcoin, Cardano, Ethereum, Litcoin and Ripple), the findings of this paper have a remarkable value for enterprises in the financial area to obtain the promised benefits of social media analysis at work. In addition, this paper helps crypto-currencies vendors analyze public opinion in social media platforms. In this sense, the current paper strengthens our understanding of what happens in social media for crypto-currencies. Originality/value For managers and decision-makers, this paper suggests that the news and campaign for their crypto in Twitter would affect people’s perspectives in a good manner. Because of this fact, the firms, investing in these crypto-currencies, could apply the social media as a magnifier for their promotional activities. The findings steer the market managers to see social media as a predictor tool, which can analyze the market through understanding the opinions of users of Twitter.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Burton ◽  
Cole McClean

PurposeThis study explores the use of event-related promotional hashtags by non-sponsors as a form of social ambushing, akin to newsjacking, as potential means of ambushing major events and the potential challenges facing commercial rights holders.Design/methodology/approachFramed within the context of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, the present research takes a descriptive analytical approach to social media analysis. Social media data were accessed from Twitter's API across a six-week Games period and subsequently coded and categorized based upon strategic intent, content and key structural characteristics. A quantitative analysis of Tweet distribution, frequency and buzz was then conducted, providing insight into the impacts and effects of social ambushing via newsjacking.FindingsImportantly, the study's findings suggest that whilst newsjacking by non-sponsors throughout the Games was pervasive, the potential reach and impact of such social ambushing may be limited. Non-sponsoring firms primarily adopted Games hashtags for behavioural or diversionary means, however consumer response to such attempts was minimal. These findings offer renewed perspective for scholars and practitioners on social ambushing and ambush marketing interventionism.Originality/valueThis research provides an important investigation into the manifestations and potential implications of social ambushing and illustrates the potential for brands to newsjack sporting events through unauthorized hashtag usage, necessary advances in sport marketing research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 830-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Cluley ◽  
William Green

Purpose Informed by social representation theory, the study aims to explore how marketing workers represent their activities on social media. Design/methodology/approach A naturalistic data set of 17,553 messages posted on Twitter by advertising workers was collected. A sample of over 1,000 unique messages from this data set, incorporating all external links and images, was analysed inductively using structured thematic analysis. Findings Advertising workers represent marketing work as a series of fun yet constrained activities involving relationships with clients and colleagues. They engage in cognitive polyphasia by evaluating these productive differences in both a positive and negative light. Research limitations/implications The study marks a novel use of social representation theory and innovative social media analysis. Further research should explore these relations in greater depth by considering the networks that marketing workers create on social media and establish how, when and why marketing workers turn to social media in their everyday activities. Practical implications Marketing workers choose to represent aspects of their work to one another, using social media. Marketing managers should support such activities and consider social media as a way to understand the lives and experiences of marketing workers. Originality/value Marketing researchers have embraced digital media as a route to understanding consumers. This study demonstrates the value of analysing digital media to develop an understanding of marketing work. It sheds new light on the ways marketing workers create social relationships and enables marketing managers to understand and observe the social aspects of effective marketing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Molnár ◽  
Anna Urbanovics

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the mechanisms behind the development of e-democracy. The contrasting cases of Italy and Hungary are selected as the case studies. With the development of new information and communication technology, more and more elements of domestic politics have been transferred to the internet-based platforms. As a response to the deep financial, economic and political crisis that Europe endured over the period 2010-2015 and as a result of the disappointment with traditional parties, new political movements and parties were created. In this paper, the Italian Five Star Movement (M5S) and the Hungarian Lehet Más a Politika (“Politics Can Be Different”) and Momentum are examined to trace the specific mechanisms that led to their establishment. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on mixed method approach, using primary and secondary data to identify and examine mechanisms conducive to the emergence of e-democracy. It uses quantitative analysis along with discourse analysis and social media analysis. The research is based on the analysis of respective parties’ social media communication. The social media analysis has been carried out by the SentiOne social listening software within the time frame of February 2018 and the end of 2019. Along different types of democracy measurements, Italy and Hungary have been analysed between 2017 and 2019. Findings The paper identifies the key preconditions for the emergence of e-democracy. These are freedom, gender gap, inequality and corruption. It also then elaborates on mechanisms, such as social media activity and citizen engagement, which lead to the emergence of e-democracy. The thesis of this article is that in Hungary (compared to Italy), elements of high-quality standards for a democracy are still missing to establish a successful political party which uses the sustainable concept for e-democracy. In Hungary, the examined parties use social media only as media representation without exploiting the possibilities lying in social media platforms. They mostly rely on these networking sites during elections and no strong sentiments can be identified in their communication. Italy is a more developed democracy where online platforms are used to engage citizens regularly. M5S actively communicates through these platforms, which is reflected in the amount of comments and strong social media activity even out of election period. Originality/value The originality of the paper is the social media analysis to test the use of social media in the parties’ political communication. The paper defines key factors and mechanisms concerning the establishment of e-democracy through inductive analysis of two contrasting cases. Italy and Hungary are two member states of the European Union (EU) with different development, their current preparation and situation regarding e-democracy give insights on how the quality of democracy determines their attitude towards cyber parties. While Italy being a founding member of the EU has become an established democracy, Hungary, after the transition, has developed into a new democracy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 807-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wu He ◽  
Xin Tian ◽  
Feng-Kwei Wang

Purpose Few academic studies specifically investigate how businesses can use social media to innovate customer loyalty programs. The purpose of this paper is to present an in-depth case study of the Shop Your Way (SYW) program, which is regarded as one of the most successful customer loyalty programs with social media. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses case study research as the methodology to uncover innovative features associated with the SYW customer loyalty program. The authors collected the data from SYW’s social media forums and tweets. The data set was analyzed using social media analytics tools including the R package and Lexicon. Findings Based on the research results, the authors summarize innovative social media features identified from SYW. The authors also provide insights and recommendations for businesses that are seeking to innovate their customer loyalty programs using social media technologies. Originality/value The results of this case study set a good example for businesses which want to innovate and improve their customer loyalty programs using social media technologies. This is the first in-depth case study on the SYW program, one of the most successful customer loyalty programs with social media. The results shed light on how social media can innovate customer loyalty programs in both theory and practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiwangi Singh ◽  
Akshay Chauhan ◽  
Sanjay Dhir

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use Twitter analytics for analyzing the startup ecosystem of India. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses descriptive analysis and content analytics techniques of social media analytics to examine 53,115 tweets from 15 Indian startups across different industries. The study also employs techniques such as Naïve Bayes Algorithm for sentiment analysis and Latent Dirichlet allocation algorithm for topic modeling of Twitter feeds to generate insights for the startup ecosystem in India. Findings The Indian startup ecosystem is inclined toward digital technologies, concerned with people, planet and profit, with resource availability and information as the key to success. The study categorizes the emotions of tweets as positive, neutral and negative. It was found that the Indian startup ecosystem has more positive sentiments than negative sentiments. Topic modeling enables the categorization of the identified keywords into clusters. Also, the study concludes on the note that the future of the Indian startup ecosystem is Digital India. Research limitations/implications The analysis provides a methodology that future researchers can use to extract relevant information from Twitter to investigate any issue. Originality/value Any attempt to analyze the startup ecosystem of India through social media analysis is limited. This research aims to bridge such a gap and tries to analyze the startup ecosystem of India from the lens of social media platforms like Twitter.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Crammond ◽  
Kingsley Obi Omeihe ◽  
Alan Murray ◽  
Kirstin Ledger

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise social media usage (SMU) as a contributory, knowledge management (KM) tool towards entrepreneurial behaviour amongst small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Although an underdeveloped concept in entrepreneurship, the conceptual analysis of KM presents evidence which links SMU as complementary to changing KM conventions. Design/methodology/approach The pertinent KM and SMU literatures of the SME context were reviewed to form an understanding of this context. Employing a mixed-methods approach, a pragmatic, thematic investigation of SMU-enhanced KM was facilitated. Findings Substantial benefits of innovative SMU, as a management tool towards SME entrepreneurialism, were witnessed. SMU enhances the administration of real-time knowledge, encouraging creativity. However, longer-term costs of employing requisite personnel, and anticipated organisational restructuring, present challenges. The paper identifies the potentials of social media technologies in overcoming KM issues. The authors propose a reasoned process model towards entrepreneurial exploitation by acknowledging systematic phases of research, concept, institutionalise, develop, target and assess, referred to as the RCIDTA model. Practical implications The authors argue that KM, through social media, facilitates interactions to execute innovative processes within SMEs ever-changing infrastructures. It also informs nascent entrepreneurs, in considering the benefits of systematic KM, and novel SMU, opportunities. The RCIDTA model for SMEs can be utilised in improving knowledge ecosystems of entrepreneurial SMEs, promoting innovation towards sustained organisation growth. Originality/value This paper embraces the growing approach of SMEs applying SMU. SMU and its cost efficiency support the start-up activity. This paper highlights central issues concerning the exploitation of sector-specific KM, including organisational strategy, structure, brand formation, fiscal and personnel resource allocation and market share.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahir Islam ◽  
Zaryab Sheikh ◽  
Zahid Hameed ◽  
Ikram Ullah Khan ◽  
Rauf I. Azam

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide the overview of factors responsible for materialism and compulsive buying among adolescents and young adults. In today’s world, materialism is a crucial phenomenon of the modern age. According to social comparison theory, comparisons are a significant factor affecting the behavioral intentions of adolescents and young adults. Thus, this study develops a framework based on the stimulus–organism–response model and uses the framework to examine the impact of interpersonal communication and marketing factors on social comparison, materialism and compulsive buying, with social media acting as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach Using a survey method, data were collected in Study 1 from adolescents (n = 298) and in Study 2 from young adults (n = 345). Structural equation modeling analysis using partial least squares technique was used to analyze the data. Findings The results show that social comparison plays a significant role in developing materialistic values and compulsive buying among adolescents and young adults. Through these two studies, it was found that young adults are more socially comparative, materialistic and compulsive in buying as compared to adolescents. Moreover, social media use moderated the relationship between social comparison with peers and media celebrities, which means that rapid increase of social media use leads adolescents and young adults to create high social comparison and materialistic values. Research limitations/implications This research is based on the cross-sectional method, which limits the research findings. Practical implications This research helps corporate managers understand the interpersonal communication role in creating social comparison among individuals. The study found that peer communication plays a more important role in enhancing the social comparative values among young adults than among adolescents, which provides clear implications for the practitioner. Originality/value This study makes a significant contribution to extant literature by discussing the above issue and presenting quantitative data. The study extends the literature by examining and validating a theoretical model of how interpersonal communication among socializing agents affects social comparison among young adults and adolescents. This research examines outcomes of the social comparison with parents, peers and social media, based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Urbanovics ◽  
Péter Sasvári ◽  
Bálint Teleki

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the legal and political background of COVID-19 related measures introduced during the first wave of the pandemic in the Visegrad Group. These countries introduced measures within the state of emergency that may be violation against the values of the European Union, such as the rule of law. Design/methodology/approach A mixed approach methodology is used. Firstly, the examined countries are analysed and compared from the aspect of constructional law and political science in the form of case studies. Then, empirical research is conducted based on social media analysis limited to Twitter contents. Findings The authors found that, however, in every analysed country, the measures challenge the European values these are not expressed in the social media equally. While Slovakia is displayed from a cooperative aspect, the Czech Republic has a few critics. Poland and Hungary have a biased, negative reputation filled with heavy critics. Research limitations/implications The limitation of this paper lies in the empirical research, as social media analysis was conducted based on keyword search and within a defined time scope. Practical implications Findings help decision-makers concentrate on and modify their communication concerning the extraordinary regulations during a worldwide crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Social implications The feedback of social media users analysed is valuable for politicians and government officials as well. Originality/value The socio-political impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have not been elaborated in the literature yet with respect to the V4 countries. The V4-countries are a special entity as an intergovernmental platform within the EU, whose reputation as democracies is rather heterogeneous.


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