CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION
6.1 RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS
This study contributes to the limited body of research on online firestorms. This study reviewed numerous NWOM studies to form a clear definition of online firestorms and of NWOM. Based on Pfeffer et al. (2014), this study created the online firestorm forming process model to determine how online firestorms develop and operate in online social communities. This study also used the Google Trend to identify a measuring standard for studying online firestorms. This study then categorized our online firestorm cases and created a formula for determining online firestorm exploded days to judge which response is most effective for a given classification.
Finally, this study identified differences between online conventional business and political election firestorms.
Regarding practical contributions, because this study focused on online political election firestorms, this study described seven cases and their associated responses and provided a formula for determining the most effective response. This study employed image restoration theory to analyze several responses and categorized each case. Businesses and politicians may refer to this study to identify appropriate responses. Though each case is different, this study presents useful response strategies and some less successful cases that will prove useful to review. In addition, as this study described characteristics of online political election firestorms, politicians may refer to these findings and identify possible causes of online firestorms.
6.2 Research limitations
1. Case and response strategy data were collected from online news or candidate Facebook pages. There was not sufficient time to interview all publics involved in the events to determine the premise of their decisions. If this study had conducted interviews, our analysis of response strategies would have been more complete and accurate.
2. Because this study focused on online political election firestorm cases, this study did not study online conventional business firestorm response strategies. Researchers who are interested in this field may classify business online firestorm cases into the three categories presented above and may observe whether business and online political election firestorm response strategies differ.
3. Though this study presented an online firestorm forming process model based on the related literature, this study did not have sufficient time to validate it. Researchers may use focus groups or questionnaire surveys to determine whether the model reflects real conditions and to study ways of managing and preventing online firestorms.
6.3 Further study
Although this study focuses on online firestorms, there was limited literature to reference because online firestorms are a new phenomenon. The online firestorm
measurement standard and formula for calculating online firestorm exploded days are original. Those interested in online firestorms may refer to our measurement standard or adjust it to be more accurate and useful. Whereas our formula calculates firestorm length based on days, Facebook monitors who launches NWOM and when, and it may thus be possible to record firestorm periods to the hour or minute in addition to the number of participants and their characteristics. Moreover, this study hopes that future studies based on this study prove or improve online firestorm forming processes. After this study determines the main causes of online firestorms, this study may present ways of managing or preventing them. Additional case studies and more detailed classifications may form more complete response strategies to help those involved in online firestorms. Because online conventional business and political election firestorms differ, the two would require entirely different response strategies.
As social networks have grown, online firestorms have been triggered more easily, and more people are thus likely to suffer from them in the future. Because ongoing research on online firestorms would help numerous people, more research on this issue is needed.
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APPENDIX 1. Ko was accused of a tendency toward sexism 1-1.
1-2.
1-3.
2. Lien’s father criticized Ko’s grandfather is a japanization person
3. Ko said that rejecting company “Ting-Shin” was similar to witch burning
4. Lien donated one hundred thousand NT dollars to Kaohsiung gas explosion
5. Ko was accused of involving in human organs trading
6. Ko’s wife reply to the illegal canvass query