USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO BOYCOTT: AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF TWITTER FEEDS

摘要

The results showed that, consistent with past research, instrumental boycott motives are dominant and that they can frequently overlap with non-instrumental ones, confirming the complexity of consumer motivations (John and Klein 2003). The content analysis of boycott messages also led to the identification of eight specific motives, four within each of the instrumental and non-instrumental motivations. Within instrumental boycott motivations, four themes emerged for specific motives: call for action, awareness and information sharing, making a difference, and offering alternatives or substitutes. Non-instrumental boycott motives included venting and expression of anger or displeasure, the desire to punish, threaten, or warn the boycott target, and self-enhancement. Human rights issues constitute the leading cause of boycotts, business strategy decisions and corporate failures are also frequent causes. For-profit providers of products and services are the most common boycott targets. The results also indicate that although consumer boycott messages are more commonly motivated by instrumental motives, non-instrumental motives have higher emotional intensity.