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The Perception of Twitter Concerning Political Communication, Marketing of Products and Services, Brand Engagement and Freedom of Speech in Nigeria

Chidi-Opara, Chukwudi Henry (2022) The Perception of Twitter Concerning Political Communication, Marketing of Products and Services, Brand Engagement and Freedom of Speech in Nigeria. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: In many academic and professional literatures, the growing and diverse interest in the user perception of Twitter has been established. User perception is important to creators of mobile applications and technologies as well as product manufacturers who collect such data to improve user experience and connect more with their target consumers. However, in a repressive society such as Nigeria, venturing into a multidisciplinary research area involving political communication, marketing, branding, and freedom of expression is both tempting on one hand and fulfils a research gap on the other hand. Most studies that have investigated user perception with regard to Twitter have focused on one or two of the dimensions. However, since marketing and branding will thrive better in a free society with less repression, examining this study from the point of view of Nigerian Twitter users vis-à-vis politics, marketing, branding and human rights became imperative.

GAPS: Most studies that have examined user perception of Twitter have focused on single areas of measurements such as disaster management, health dissemination and management, marketing and advertising, brand engagement or politics. However, examining marketing and brand engagement in a repressive context could develop insights that would be beneficial for society and industry (platform companies such as Twitter).

METHODOLOGY: This is a deductive research which employed the correlation design and quantitative research method to collect data from 155 Twitter users in Nigeria through the convenience sampling technique. Data were analysed using Pearson Correlation Coefficient.

RESULTS: Four null hypotheses developed for the study were rejected and their null counterparts accepted since the P-values of the null hypotheses were found to be less than the level of significance (0.05). The research shows that while there is a strong, significant and positive relationship between Twitter users’ perception and political communication and exercise of the freedom of expression, there was weak but significant relationship between Twitter users’ perception and marketing of products and services and brand engagement.

CONTRIBUTIONS: This is a multidisciplinary research study which validates previous studies whose findings show a significant and positive correlation between Twitter users’ perception and political communication and exercise of the freedom of speech. In addition, this study shows that in repressive societies, Twitter users like those in Nigeria, may use Twitter to engage more in political communication and freedom of speech than marketing of services and brand engagement.

CONCLUSION: Twitter needs to overcome the threat that fake news poses to the world and the Nigerian society even as users engage in political communication and the exercise of their freedom of speech. Twitter also needs to expose/train users on how to benefit from its platform in the area of marketing of their products and services and brand engagements. This becomes a win-win for all parties.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Supervisors:
Name
Email
Macdonald, Robert
UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Perception; Twitter; Political Communication; Marketing; Brand Engagement; Freedom of Speech; Nigeria
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Branding
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > Information Science > Communication
Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > ZA Information resources > ZA4150 Computer Network Resources > The Internet > World Wide Web > Websites > Online social networks
T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering > Telecommunications > The Internet > World Wide Web > Websites > Online social networks
Divisions: School of Business > Master of Science in International Business
Depositing User: Tamara Malone
Date Deposited: 20 Mar 2023 10:56
Last Modified: 20 Mar 2023 10:56
URI: https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/6359

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