Consumer privacy: understanding the acceptance of consumer information collection

Franciscus Theodorus Beke

    Research output: ThesisThesis fully internal (DIV)

    1843 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    In the current ‘age of information’, consumer privacy has become an important issue. The goal of this dissertation is to provide some much-needed insights with regard to consumer privacy and consumers’ acceptance of information collection. After resolving the confusion surrounding the concept of consumer privacy we describe the current knowledge on the influence of firms’ privacy practices (collection, storage, use, transparency, control) on consumers across firms, consumers, and environments. By structuring the current knowledge we are able to identify research gaps, for which we formulate research propositions aimed at providing direction for future research regarding the role of privacy in marketing. Aimed at better understanding consumers’ acceptance of information collection we develop and validate a measurement tool (PRICAL index). By taking both the valence and the probability of the consequences of the collection, storage, and use of information into account we are better able to explain the acceptance of products and services that are contingent on information collection. Hereafter, we assess privacy more from a firm (strategy) perspective, as we show that when consumers have to decide upon accepting information collection the influence of a firm’s privacy strategy on the choices consumers make differs between industries. While all privacy practices are of consequence, information collection and use matter more in highly sensitive industries than lowly sensitive industries. Moreover, the influence of privacy practices depends on the status quo in an industry. In summary, this dissertation provides a better understanding of how consumer privacy affects firms and consumers.
    Translated title of the contributionConsumenten privacy: de acceptatie van informatieverzameling van consumenten begrijpen
    Original languageEnglish
    QualificationDoctor of Philosophy
    Awarding Institution
    • University of Groningen
    Supervisors/Advisors
    • Verhoef, Peter, Supervisor
    • Wieringa, Jaap, Supervisor
    • Eggers, Felix, Co-supervisor
    • Henseler, Jorg, Assessment committee, External person
    • van Ittersum, Koert, Assessment committee
    • Tucker, C., Assessment committee, External person
    Award date8-Feb-2018
    Place of Publication[Groningen]
    Publisher
    Print ISBNs978-94-034-0409-7
    Electronic ISBNs978-94-034-0410-3
    Publication statusPublished - 2018

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