Social Commerce: Challenges and Opportunities

This assignment delves into the burgeoning field of social commerce. Students are tasked with researching the various challenges and opportunities presented by this rapidly evolving sector. The research should encompass a critical analysis of relevant literature, exploring concepts such as user-generated content, influencer marketing, and the impact of social media on consumer behavior. Additionally, students will need to analyze current trends and future directions in social commerce, drawing upon both secondary sources and potentially primary data collection methods.

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHOD
Business Research Method
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
Topic: Opportunities and Problem of Social Electronic Commerce...............................................2
1. Introduction:................................................................................................................................2
2. Project Objective:........................................................................................................................2
3. Project Scope:..............................................................................................................................3
4. Literature review:.........................................................................................................................3
5. Research question:.......................................................................................................................5
6. Research design:..........................................................................................................................5
6.1 Qualitative research:..................................................................................................................5
6.2 Quantitative data analysis:.........................................................................................................6
7. Gnatt Chart:.................................................................................................................................8
8. Research Limitation:....................................................................................................................9
9. Time schedule:.............................................................................................................................9
10. Conclusion:................................................................................................................................9
Reference list:................................................................................................................................10
Appendix: Time schedule..............................................................................................................12

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Topic: Opportunities and Problem of Social Electronic Commerce
1. Introduction:
Social media commerce is the form of e-commerce that employs social media in
promoting online transaction. Social e-commerce is a tool that allows online buyers in sharing
their views and experience about the product as well as service quality. Social e-commerce was
first introduced in 2005 with the initiative of Yahoo. The primary objective of this specific
initiation was gathering necessary feedback and support from the online shoppers. Based on their
feedback the business experts tend to implement their new business strategy and policy for
fulfilling the needs and demands of the customers. It has been observed that after the emergence
of social ecommerce large number of business experts get the scope of collecting customers’
feedback from different geographical boundaries and attitudes. As a result, the business experts
get to know the current trend of market. This specific study has provided in-depth overview on
the Opportunities and Problem of Social Electronic Commerce.
2. Project Objective:
The primary objectives of this specific project are as follows:
 To critically evaluate the opportunity that business experts have after initiating social
ecommerce for online transaction
 To identify the challenges that occur in maintaining social electronic commerce within
business
 To provide some of the major recommendations on how to overcome those challenges of
social electronic commerce

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3. Project Scope:
In past few years the business experts were facing innumerable difficulties in collecting
customers’ feedback beyond going the regional boundary. Traditional media was not sufficient
enough to gather appropriate response of the customers (Turban et al. 2015). However, in order
to collect necessary feedback from the online shoppers the social electronic commerce has been
rendered. However, after the emergence of social ecommerce the business experts by sitting at
the own workplace has collected necessary feedback from the customers. As a result, the
business managers are aware of the current needs and demands of market. This specific study has
focused to make an in-depth evaluation on how the business experts are successful to enhance
their business process after interacting with the customers from social media.
At the same time, it has also been observed that people who are providing their necessary
feedback are from different geographical boundaries. Therefore, the service providers have to
face communication barriers, psychological barriers while gathering feedback. At the same time,
large number of business employees is not very much advanced in technology (Huang and
Benyoucef 2013). Therefore, the employees have to face difficulties in operating the business
process with the help of technological advancement.
4. Literature review:
Summarizing literature review:
Mayo (2014) stated that with the rapid growth of business customers’ needs and demands
are changing gradually. People of different geographical backgrounds and attitudes intend to
provide their necessary feedback regarding the quality of products and services. Social electronic
commerce is the platform where people can share their own experience of online shopping, their

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service delivery process as well as the quality of products. After the emergence of social
ecommerce different scholars have showed their own point of view whether social ecommerce is
possessed with positive impact or negative impact. Brown and Green (2012) opined that the
emergence of social electronic commerce enables the business managers in collecting necessary
feedback of customers from different geographical backgrounds and cultural attitudes. As a
result, the organizational managers are able to know the current needs and demands of market.
However, Fang (2014) has differed the point of view of previous scholar that business experts
have to face innumerable challenges in collecting customers’ feedback from social electronic
commerce.
Justification of research problem:
The research problem that has been identified in this specific research work includes
Opportunities and Problem of Social Electronic Commerce. After evaluating the entire literature
review it can be concluded that social electronic commerce has expanded their entire business
process in the international market (Zheng, Zhu and Lin 2013). People of various geographical
boundaries and attitudes are flexible enough in providing their necessary experience regarding
the product and services. As a result, the business managers can get an in-depth overview about
the current needs and demands of international customers. At the same time, employees are not
accustomed with technological advancement. As a result, they have to face challenges in
gathering appropriate data from social ecommerce.
Literature gap and opportunity:
In this specific literature review, the researcher has focused to highlight various
opportunities of using social electronic commerce for making online transaction. The research

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issue that has been primarily identified includes Opportunities and Problem of Social Electronic
Commerce. Therefore, the researcher could have focused on evaluating the major challenges of
using social ecommerce for business expansion.
5. Research question:
Primary question:
 What are the opportunities that business experts have after initiating social ecommerce for
online transaction?
Secondary question:
 What are the challenges that occur in maintaining social electronic commerce within
business?
 What should be the recommendations of overcoming those challenges of social electronic
commerce?
6. Research design:
Research design enables the researcher in conducting the entire research work with the
help of using appropriate methodological tools. In this specific study, the qualitative as well as
quantitative data analysis will be conducted for accomplishing the entire project successfully.
6.1 Qualitative research:
Sample size:

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5 ecommerce business managers are selected for collecting necessary data and
information about Opportunities and Problem of Social Electronic Commerce. Non-probability
sapling technique would be used as this specific tool involves selective respondents (Kearns
2012). Therefore, only ecommerce business managers are involved for collecting data.
Data collection technique:
An effective face to face interview session would be conducted by involving 5 business
managers. The primary advantage of conducting face to face interview is immediate response
from the participants (Zhu 2013). Therefore, the respondents do not have to wait for a long time
for analyzing data and information collected from the participants.
Reliability and validity:
The researcher would like to involve those respondents who are directly associated with the
research issue. Therefore, ecommerce business managers have been involved so that they can
provide necessary response on how online shoppers are comfortable with the platform of social
ecommerce for providing their feedback.
6.2 Quantitative data analysis:
Process of research design:
In order to accomplish appropriate data and information, the researcher would like to
select positivism research philosophy with the help of which research issue can be observed
repeatedly (Hajli 2013). Deductive approach is able to evaluate the research issue based on
existing theory. In addition, descriptive research design enables the researcher to explain various
modes of research issue from different point of view without making self interpretation.

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Research instrument:
Both survey questionnaires as well as interview questionnaires are used as a research
instrument for collecting appropriate data and information from different resources. Survey
questions enable a participant to provide a direct feedback to the researcher (Schultz and Peltie
2013). As a result, the entire project would be conducted by collecting immediate feedback from
the participants.
Data analysis process:
With the help of an appropriate graphical representation along with evaluating mean,
median and mode the data will be analyzed. As a result, the data analyst can maintain an
accuracy of data and information.
Sampling size:
Total 50 online shoppers have been involved for making an effective survey regarding
the research issue. With the help of non-probability sampling technique the researcher has
involved only those customers who use social ecommerce as a platform of providing necessary
feedback (Hajli 2015). These participants with the help of non-probability sampling technique
would provide necessary response about the impact of social ecommerce for business
enhancement.
Interview and question design:
Question 1: Do you think social electronic commerce has helped organizational managers
in forming new business strategies as per current demands of market?

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7. Gnatt Chart:
Serial No. Activities Start Date End Date Duration
1. Selection of topic 06/10/2017 08/08/2017 3
2. Formulation of aim and objectives 09/10/2017 10/08/2017 2
3. Literature review 11108/2017 20/08/2017 10
4. Research methodology 21/10/2017 24/08/2017 4
5. Data collection 25/10/2017 1/08/2017 8
6. Data analysis 02/11/2017 07/09/2017 7
7. Conclusion 08/11/2017 10/09/2017 3
8. Final submission 11/11/2017 ------- 1
Selection of topic
Formulation of aim and objectives
Literature review
Research methodology
Data collection
Data analysis
Conclusion
Final submission
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3
2
10
4
8
7
3
1
Duration
Gnatt Chart
(Source: Created by the author)

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8. Research Limitation:
While conducting with the research issue the researcher has selected some of the major
approaches that could be improved for accomplishing the entire research work more effectively.
In this very specific study the researcher has focused to the necessary opportunities of social
electronic commerce for business enhancement. While using the research methodological tools
positivism philosophical approach has been used in order to gather necessary data and
information. However, positivism research philosophy is highly dependent on keen observation.
Therefore, the researcher could have used post positivism research philosophy so that necessary
data and information can be observed along with proper evidence. In addition, only 50 sample
size is not sufficient enough for gathering appropriate feedback regarding the research issue.
9. Time schedule:
(Time schedule has been attached in the appendix)
10. Conclusion:
In last few years it has been observed that the entire process of business has been entirely
dependent on ecommerce. Business managers before forming a particular business strategy
intend to collect customers’ current needs and demands. Social electronic commerce is the
appropriate tool with the help of which the business experts can gather necessary feedback from
the customers of different geographical boundaries. After using both qualitative and quantitative
data the researcher has analyzed the necessary opportunities as well as the challenges of using
social ecommerce for online business transaction.

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Reference list:
Brown, B. and Green, N. eds., 2012. Wireless world: Social and interactional aspects of the
mobile age. Springer Science & Business Media.
Fang, Y.H., 2014. Beyond the credibility of electronic word of mouth: Exploring eWOM
adoption on social networking sites from affective and curiosity perspectives. International
Journal of Electronic Commerce, 18(3), pp.67-102.
Hajli, M., 2013. A research framework for social commerce adoption. Information Management
& Computer Security, 21(3), pp.144-154.
Hajli, N., 2015. Social commerce constructs and consumer's intention to buy. International
Journal of Information Management, 35(2), pp.183-191.
Huang, Z. and Benyoucef, M., 2013. From e-commerce to social commerce: A close look at
design features. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 12(4), pp.246-259.
Kearns, M., 2012. Experiments in social computation. Communications of the ACM, 55(10),
pp.56-67.
Mayo, E., 2014. The social problems of an industrial civilisation. Routledge.
Schultz, D.E. and Peltier, J., 2013. Social media's slippery slope: challenges, opportunities and
future research directions. Journal of research in interactive marketing, 7(2), pp.86-99.
Turban, E., King, D., Lee, J.K., Liang, T.P. and Turban, D.C., 2015. Electronic commerce: A
managerial and social networks perspective. Springer.

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Yadav, M.S., De Valck, K., Hennig-Thurau, T., Hoffman, D.L. and Spann, M., 2013. Social
commerce: a contingency framework for assessing marketing potential. Journal of Interactive
Marketing, 27(4), pp.311-323.
Zheng, X., Zhu, S. and Lin, Z., 2013. Capturing the essence of word-of-mouth for social
commerce: Assessing the quality of online e-commerce reviews by a semi-supervised
approach. Decision Support Systems, 56, pp.211-222.
Zhu, Z., 2013. Discovering the influential users oriented to viral marketing based on online
social networks. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 392(16), pp.3459-3469.

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Appendix: Time schedule
Main activities/ stages 1st
week
2nd
week
3rd
week
4th
week
5th
week
6th week
Topic Selection 
Data collection from secondary
sources
 
Framing layout of the research 
Literature review   
Formation of the research Plan  
Selection of the Appropriate
Research Techniques
 
Primary data collection  
Analysis & Interpretation of
Data Collection
 
Conclusion of the Study 
Formation of Rough Draft 
Submission of Final Work 