Fifty shades of consumer engagement : an exploration of factors influencing digital natives' brand-related consumer engagement behaviours on Facebook

Grounded in a constructivist paradigm, this thesis contributes to an emerging body of scholarship on the consumer engagement concept. In this research, the author conceptualises consumer engagement on social networking sites as a one-dimensional behavioural notion expressed by visible manifestations such as likes, comments and shares - referred to by scholars as consumer engagement behaviours. Although studies on consumer engagement in thecontext of social networking sites have increased over the past few years, current research often fails to provide frameworks that would adequately reflect the interactive nature of those behaviours. In particular, little knowledge exists about why consumers decide to engage with brands or branded content on these online platforms. This thesis addresses this gap by exploring key factors that influence digital natives' brand-related consumer engagement behaviours in the context of Facebook. Findings of this research are based on 25 event-based diaries that were completed by a sample of digital natives who recorded their brand-related engagement behaviours over a period of 11 weeks and from 25 follow-up semi-structured interviews. The data captured by the above-mentioned diary interview method allowed the author to gain rich insights into brand-related consumer engagement behaviours. Furthermore, the diary and interview method is used in this context for the first time which provides a unique methodological contribution. This thesis offers an original contribution to current scholarship on consumer engagement behaviours by introducing three new frameworks, namely: Categories of Effective Creative Content Practices on Facebook, an Integrated Framework of Factors Influencing Positive Brand-Related Engagement Behaviours on Facebook, and an Integrative Framework of Factors influencing Negative Brand-Related Consumer Engagement Behaviours on Facebook. Collectively, as well as individually, these frameworks enhance current theoretical knowledge on the concept by offering a more comprehensive overview of reasons behind brand-related consumer engagement behaviours on Facebook, which can also contribute to practice by assisting social media brand managers in improving current engagement strategies.