Role of Social Technologies on User Engagement and Its Consequents

Abstract

In the world of technological advancement, social technologies have become an effective tool for engaging users with one another on virtual platforms. The study had contributed to the understanding of internet user s behavior in social technologies context. The thesis demonstrates social technologies elements as important variables predicting outcome variables such as social capital, word of mouth, purchase intention and post purchase action. The main thrust of the study focused on examining the role of social technologies on user engagement and its outcome variables. Self-administered questionnaire was prepared for data collection purposes. The data was collected in online mode from internet users and finally processed on usable 357 responses. The conceptual model has been analyzed using PLS-SEM technique. Two phase study that includes descriptive study and Focus group discussion had been performed for better understanding of social technology applications in terms of social technology elements. And further on the basis of findings of the study and from literature review, a framework had been proposed that was reviewed by experts using five scale model evaluation method. The statistical data results reveal significant relationship among predictor and outcome variables and the study results report that elements of social technologies such as information value, entertainment value, social value and ease of use has inhibiting effect on user s engagement. newline