Dissertation topic: The effects of social networks on e-commerce with special reference to consumer buying behavior in the United States of America

Introduction

As the American community becomes more and more ingrained in the social media, various theories and beliefs on how social media affects online sales are increasing. Furthermore, as consumers get submerged in social media, they get to rely more and more on online purchases. The online sales driving force that social media provides to American businesses is a topic never explored by other scholars. It is imperative for companies to explore the extent to which social media boost online and on ground sales in the United States of America and thus the importance of the study. The study will further provide companies and businesses the insight of how social media affects online businesses and the strategies they ought to adopt to enhance their online sales taking advantage of social media.

Proposed Research methodology

The study will employ a bottom-up approach in which studies will be carried out to come up with a theory or the ontology method will be employed. According to Blaikie 2000, Ontology approach gives a description of the actual opinions and views of the respondents concerning a given phenomenon. The opinion and views are collected analysed and a theory formed. In this strategy, what is reality, the actual happenings, especially on what exists on the ground are truly presented and theory formed actually matches the respondents’ views and opinions. Additionally, Hatch and Cunliffe emphasize that this method employs a social science and an everyday example to demonstrate this point

Ontology approach will be appropriate for this study since it is mainly concerned with the nature of reality as it does not rely on the assumptions made by other scholars. By using ontology, primary data collection will be involved where questionnaires will be designed and randomly distributed to American online shopper. Where necessary, various interviews will be carried out in probing given aspects of the study.

Studying how ecommerce is affected by social media is essential for companies in redefining their operation strategies and target market.

References

Blaikie, N. (2000), Designing Social Research, 1st ed, Polity Press, Cambridge.

Hatch, J. and Cunliffe, L. (2006), Organization Theory, 2nd ed, Oxford University

Press, Oxford.