Toward a framework for establishing social media market mavenism : an expertise presentation approach

Abstract

This dissertation explores market mavens and presents initial steps toward a framework for understanding how market mavenism is established on social media. Since expertise is the construct that differentiates market mavens from other online influencers, the dissertation studies social media market mavens through the lens of their expertise. It builds on two relevant frameworks: expertise assessment and self-validation, and presents a theoretical conceptualization as well as research questions which are answered through a qualitative empirical study. The results of the study suggest that market mavenism is established on social media through the presentation of both absolute and reputation-based expertise; the former is presented through self-validation tactics while the latter is presented through the three tactics of disseminating knowledge, displaying ego, and exhibiting differentiation. The dissertation concludes that the presentation of expertise is integral to establishing social media market mavenism, and that attitude toward influence and the desire to pursue social media market mavenism are associated with the differential emphasis on particular expertise presentation tactics.