In the digital landscape, consumers are frequently asked to make decisions regarding the privacy of their data. In this research, we aim to provide insights regarding consumers’ experiences in making these privacy decisions. We offer a theory-based explanation for privacy decisions, supported by multimethod empirical evidence including four field studies and two lab experiments mimicking the online marketplace across multiple contexts. We show that consumers perceive privacy decisions as intrinsically difficult, and this difficulty increases the likelihood of decision deferral.
The effect can be mitigated by (i) designing the choice architecture in a way that reduces the perceived difficulty of the decision, and (ii) increasing privacy literacy of consumers.
However, it can be accentuated when these privacy decisions involve multiple aspects. Our findings deepen our understanding of consumers’ experiences and offer actionable insights for marketers, consumers, and policy makers.
Professor Gürhan Canlı is the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Koç University. Prof. Canlı is the former Dean of College of Administrative Sciences and Economics.
Prof. Canlı, after completing her undergraduate and graduate studies at Boğaziçi University, received her Marketing PhD from New York University in 1997. Holding a chair at Migros Marketing- Koç University since 2008, she teaches Consumer Behavior, Advertising and Promotion, Marketing Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Brand Management at both graduate level and Executive Education Programs.
Her recent research focuses on brand relationships, brand extensions, co‐branding, corporate image, company crisis, corporate social responsibility, and consumer behaviour.
Prof. Canlı is on the Editorial Review Boards of the Journal of Consumer Research, and Journal of Journal of Consumer Psychology. She is an area editor for the International Journal of Research in Marketing.
A recent study published in Journal of Marketing cited her among the top 50 most prolific scholars in the leading marketing journals during 1982-2006 by adjusted publication rate. Her article, The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Activities on Companies With Bad Reputations (2006), is cited as the most impressive publication of the year 2006 by Journal of Consumer Psychology.
The seminar will be held in English.
Major information: Daniela Bolzani (daniela.bolzani@unibo.it).