Everyday Disconnectivity Practices: Impacts on Consumers’ Social Relations Walther

dc.contributor.advisorFranco, P.
dc.contributor.authorOs, Walther van
dc.date.issued2023-07-04
dc.description.abstractDigital disconnectivity, the deliberate choice to disadopt technology, is becoming increasingly popular in our hyper connected world full of constant distractions and information. The consequences of technology on our society have been studied for decades, however, little is known about the effects that disconnecting from technology has on our daily lives. Existing research shows motivations and techniques on digital disconnecting, yet the consequence of disconnecting on consumers remains understudied. To gain knowledge on this topic, a Consumer Culture theoretical framework has been employed to research how digital disconnectivity impacts consumers’ social phenomena. In addition, Practice Theory is used as an enabling lens to create knowledge in the field of Innovation and Entrepreneurship on how consumers participate in everyday disconnectivity and how this changes their daily activities. With data from both semi-structured interviews under 16 participants and non-participatory netnographic research, this study gives insight in how digital disconnectivity practices impact social relations through changing consumer activities. Findings show that the more consumers disconnect, the more physical and embodied activities they start doing. These are also the activities that involve the most social interaction. However, it is not the adoption of new offline activities that influence consumers’ activities the most, it’s the disadoption of old online activities that makes consumers realize that their real-life social relations are more important than their online social relations. Therefore, digital disconnecting has a positive impact on the quality of consumers’ social relations. This study contributes to theory by researching disconnectivity beyond media studies and investigating the consequences of digital disconnectivity from a social, innovative, and entrepreneurial standpoint. Finally, practical implications show how consumers, innovators, entrepreneurs and organizations can improve their business models, increase revenue, find new markets and increase productivity on the work floor.
dc.identifier.urihttps://theses.ubn.ru.nl/handle/123456789/15788
dc.language.isoen
dc.thesis.facultyFaculteit der Managementwetenschappen
dc.thesis.specialisationspecialisations::Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen::Master Business Administration::Innovation and Entrepreneurship
dc.thesis.studyprogrammestudyprogrammes::Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen::Master Business Administration
dc.thesis.typeMaster
dc.titleEveryday Disconnectivity Practices: Impacts on Consumers’ Social Relations Walther
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