HRBUS84
Assignment 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
DUE 31 July 2025
, HRBUS84
Assignment 2
DUE 31 July 2025
LITERATURE REVIEW
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL PROOF IN THE CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
, Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 4
2. UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL PROOF ......................................................................... 6
2.1 Online Manifestations in E-commerce ................................................................... 7
3. CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING MODELS .............................................................. 9
3.1 Social Proof Across the Five Stages ...................................................................... 9
3.2 Limitations of Traditional Models ......................................................................... 12
3.3 The Role of eWOM in Decision Confidence ........................................................ 13
4. KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING GEN Z’S DECISIONS ............................................ 15
4.1 Trust in Peer Reviews and User-Generated Content ........................................... 15
4.2 Influence of Social Media and Influencers ........................................................... 16
4.3 Social Shopping and Interactive Platforms .......................................................... 19
4.4 Perceived Credibility of the Source ...................................................................... 20
4.5 Emotional and Psychological Drivers ................................................................... 21
5. KNOWLEDGE GAPS IN THE LITERATURE ............................................................ 23
5.1 Limited Focus on Gen Z in Developing Countries................................................ 23
5.2 Underexplored Stages of the Decision-Making Process ...................................... 23
5.3 Lack of Differentiation Between Types of Social Proof ........................................ 24
5.4 Emotional and Psychological Mechanisms Are Understudied ............................. 25
5.5 Inadequate Attention to Trust and Misinformation ............................................... 26
5.6 Lack of Longitudinal and Causal Research ......................................................... 27
6. RELEVANT THEORIES AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................. 28
6.1 Engel-Kollat-Blackwell (EKB) Model .................................................................... 28
6.2 Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) .................................................................... 28
6.3 Social Influence Theory ....................................................................................... 29
, 7. UNDERLYING THEORY FOR THIS STUDY ............................................................ 30
8. KEY FACTORS TO BE INVESTIGATED .................................................................. 31
8.1 Types of Social Proof ........................................................................................... 31
8.2 Digital Platforms Used ......................................................................................... 31
8.3 Decision-Making Stages ...................................................................................... 31
8.4 Trust and Credibility ............................................................................................. 32
8.5 Social Proof and Impulse Buying ......................................................................... 32
9. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 33
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 35
Assignment 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
DUE 31 July 2025
, HRBUS84
Assignment 2
DUE 31 July 2025
LITERATURE REVIEW
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL PROOF IN THE CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
, Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 4
2. UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL PROOF ......................................................................... 6
2.1 Online Manifestations in E-commerce ................................................................... 7
3. CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING MODELS .............................................................. 9
3.1 Social Proof Across the Five Stages ...................................................................... 9
3.2 Limitations of Traditional Models ......................................................................... 12
3.3 The Role of eWOM in Decision Confidence ........................................................ 13
4. KEY FACTORS INFLUENCING GEN Z’S DECISIONS ............................................ 15
4.1 Trust in Peer Reviews and User-Generated Content ........................................... 15
4.2 Influence of Social Media and Influencers ........................................................... 16
4.3 Social Shopping and Interactive Platforms .......................................................... 19
4.4 Perceived Credibility of the Source ...................................................................... 20
4.5 Emotional and Psychological Drivers ................................................................... 21
5. KNOWLEDGE GAPS IN THE LITERATURE ............................................................ 23
5.1 Limited Focus on Gen Z in Developing Countries................................................ 23
5.2 Underexplored Stages of the Decision-Making Process ...................................... 23
5.3 Lack of Differentiation Between Types of Social Proof ........................................ 24
5.4 Emotional and Psychological Mechanisms Are Understudied ............................. 25
5.5 Inadequate Attention to Trust and Misinformation ............................................... 26
5.6 Lack of Longitudinal and Causal Research ......................................................... 27
6. RELEVANT THEORIES AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................. 28
6.1 Engel-Kollat-Blackwell (EKB) Model .................................................................... 28
6.2 Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) .................................................................... 28
6.3 Social Influence Theory ....................................................................................... 29
, 7. UNDERLYING THEORY FOR THIS STUDY ............................................................ 30
8. KEY FACTORS TO BE INVESTIGATED .................................................................. 31
8.1 Types of Social Proof ........................................................................................... 31
8.2 Digital Platforms Used ......................................................................................... 31
8.3 Decision-Making Stages ...................................................................................... 31
8.4 Trust and Credibility ............................................................................................. 32
8.5 Social Proof and Impulse Buying ......................................................................... 32
9. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 33
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 35
