PhD Thesis Defense Presentation: Dongliang Sheng
Mr. Dongliang Sheng, a doctoral student at Â鶹AV in the Information Systems area will be presenting his thesis defense entitled:
Three Essays on Social Distinction and User Behaviors on Digital Platforms
Friday, September 27, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
(The defense will be done in Hybrid mode)
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Student Committee Chair: Professor Kunsoo Han and Professor Warut Khern-am-nuai
Please note that the presentation will be conducted in hybrid mode. If you wish to attend the presentation, please contact the PhD office for the room number.
Abstract:
Digital platforms play a pivotal role in facilitating connectivity and stimulating economic activities. Information on digital platforms empowers users to make well-informed decisions and holds significant value for businesses, allowing them to customize user experiences and improve offerings. Analyzing the vast quantities of data generated on digital platforms can provide valuable insights regarding user preferences and behaviors. This thesis focuses on social distinction on digital platforms by examining how individuals distinguish themselves and the impact of social distinction on user behaviors.
The three essays comprising this thesis investigate diverse digital phenomena across multiple platforms. The first essay empirically identifies the impact of online endorsements by traditional and Internet celebrities who possess significant social distinctions on social media platforms on consumer purchasing behaviors. Additionally, I examined the decrease in product sales when online endorsements are lifted. By comparing the relative magnitude of the increase in product sales due to online endorsements to the decrease in the absence of such endorsements, the results indicate that online endorsements by both traditional and Internet celebrities on social media platforms are myopic. The second essay investigates the efficacy of user reviews that fit in or stand out compared to peer and professional reviews to achieve social distinction on online review platforms regarding perceived review helpfulness. The findings indicate that user reviews that fit in with peer reviews and stand out from professional reviews regarding review rating and sentiment are perceived to be more helpful. Additionally, fitting in with professional reviews on review topics can contribute to the user reviewer’s attainment of social distinction. The third essay examines the personal and professional consequences that arise from users of social media platforms and online review platforms engaging in boycotts against prominent figures who transgress and further delves deeper into whether individuals can separate the art from the artist by analyzing the changes in social distinctions as reflected in the number of followers of boycotted artists on social media platforms and the online reviews of their works. This thesis enhances our understanding of the interplay between social distinction and user behaviors on digital platforms. Both research and managerial implications are discussed.
