| Abstract [eng] |
Brief Description and Problem: In this Master thesis, the author studies the perception of consumers towards digital twin-based marketing communication and how this is influenced by privacy concerns and transparency to affect the perceived risk and purchase intention. Digital twins are also increasingly being talked about as a means of immersive and personalized marketing, but usually need a lot of consumer data, which raises the question of privacy, control, and trust. The main issue is that, the way consumers perceive privacy and transparency cues in this new marketing situation is not clear yet, and whether this cue can decrease the perceived risk and raise the purchase intention under conditions when the consumers do not know much about digital twins marketing. Aim and Objectives: To investigate consumers’ perceptions of digital twin–based marketing communication, specifically the influence of privacy concerns and transparency on perceived risk and purchase intention. Research Methods: The research involved a quantitative, cross-sectional study design on the basis of which the data was gathered through a structured online questionnaire (Google Forms). The survey measured the perceptions of privacy concern, transparency, perceived risk, as well as purchase intention concerning the digital twin-based marketing. The hypothesized relationships were tested and model explanatory power was estimated through data analysis using PLS-SEM with bootstrapping (5,000 resamples). Results: The results have demonstrated that the concept of privacy and transparency had a substantial impact on internal risk appraisal among consumers nevertheless, the model demonstrated to have partial support of the S-O-R pathway since the perceived risk failed to have significant influence on the purchase intention. It is worth noting that transparency (i) was significantly related to the perception of risk in the opposite direction than hypothesized (more disclosure, more risk salience), and (ii) the most direct positive impact on purchase intention. The model accounted 27.5% of variance in the perception of risk and 46.1% in purchase intention showing moderate explanatory power. Conclusions: On the whole, the research finds that the consumers do make their definite judgments about the digital twin marketing, depending on the indicators of privacy and transparency, but the intention to buy in the given situation is influenced by the direct impacts of privacy/transparency, rather than by the risk mediation. The findings point out that transparency can serve two purposes: not only can it make an individual more aware of data practices (perceived risk), but also enhance purchase intention via the perceived honesty, competence, or decision confidence. In practice, this thesis suggests that to prevent the unnecessary increase in risk perceptions without reducing trust and intention outcomes, the organizations ought to provide an effective form of transparency (clear, user-friendly and accompanied with robust privacy provisions and user controls). |
