تجارت الکترونیک و شکلدهی رفتار مصرفکنندگان ورزشی: رویکردی جامعهشناختی به فرهنگ مصرف و هویت ورزشی در عصر دیجیتال
محورهای موضوعی : مطالعات جامعه شناسی ورزشی
لعبت منشئی
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الهام مشکل گشا
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جواد شهولی کوه شوری
3
1 - گروه تربیت بدنی ، واحد مبارکه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، مبارکه، اصفهان، ایران.
2 - گروه تربیت بدنی و علوم ورزشی، واحد مبارکه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، اصفهان، ایران.
3 - استادیار مرکز تحقیقات طب ورزشی، واحد نجف آباد، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، نجف آباد، ایران
کلید واژه: تجارت الکترونیک, هویت ورزشی, فرهنگ مصرف, شبکههای اجتماعی, تحلیل تماتیک,
چکیده مقاله :
هدف: این پژوهش با هدف بررسی نقش تجارت الکترونیک در شکلدهی رفتار مصرفکنندگان ورزشی از دیدگاه جامعهشناختی و تحلیل تأثیر فرهنگ دیجیتال بر هویت و رفتار مصرفی انجام شده است. این تحقیق بهدنبال شناسایی تمهای کلیدی مرتبط با فرهنگ مصرف و تعاملات اجتماعی در عصر دیجیتال بوده است.
روششناسی: دادهها از پلتفرمهای یوتیوب، اینستاگرام و فیسبوک جمعآوری و با روش تحلیل تماتیک مبتنی بر پیکره زبانی تحلیل شدند. محتوای شبکههای اجتماعی فارسیزبان ایرانی شامل بیش از 50,000 واژه استخراج شده، با استفاده از نرمافزار AntConc نسخه 4.2.4 بررسی شد. واژگان پرتکرار و همآییهای کلمات تحلیل شده و مطابق مدل براون و کلارک (2006) تمها شناسایی و طبقهبندی شدند.
یافتهها: پنج تم اصلی شناسایی شد که شامل «تأثیر هویت ورزشی بر الگوهای مصرف دیجیتال»، «قدرت تبلیغات آنلاین در شکلدهی انتخابهای مصرفی»، «مصرفگرایی ورزشی و فرهنگ اجتماعی»، «نقش شبکههای اجتماعی در ترویج هویت ورزشی»، و «پیامهای اجتماعی و تشویق به مشارکت ورزشی» بودند. یافتهها نشان دادند که تعاملات دیجیتال نقشی کلیدی در تقویت هویت اجتماعی کاربران ایفاء کرده و مصرفگرایی ورزشی به بخشی از فرهنگ اجتماعی تبدیل شده است.
نتیجهگیری: تجارت الکترونیک و شبکههای اجتماعی، فراتر از ابزارهای اقتصادی، به بسترهایی برای ایجاد هویت اجتماعی و مشارکت فرهنگی تبدیل شدهاند. این تحقیق پیشنهاد میکند که تبلیغات و سیاستهای دیجیتال با تمرکز بر هویت اجتماعی، میتوانند تأثیر مثبتی بر ترویج سبک زندگی فعال و مشارکت ورزشی داشته باشند.
Introduction
Digital technologies have become major drivers of social and economic transformations in recent decades, reshaping both economic structures and social interactions. Faster communication, improved access to information, and innovative tools have led to profound changes in behavior and productivity. E-commerce, as a significant aspect of digital technology, has transformed traditional shopping practices, enabling personalized and efficient consumer experiences. This shift has not only redefined consumption patterns but also replaced physical stores with digital platforms and payment systems, influencing global consumer behavior.
Sports, as a vital cultural element, transcend national boundaries, promoting unity and well-being. International sporting events, such as the Olympics and the World Cup, foster cultural exchange and social cohesion. With digital integration, e-commerce has become crucial in redefining consumer-brand relationships in sports, offering easy access to goods and services while reflecting cultural trends. Sports consumption has evolved beyond its functional purpose, becoming a means of expressing identity, showcasing values, and fostering community through digital platforms and social media.
The concept of sports identity, once confined to physical interactions, now incorporates multilayered digital elements. Consumers utilize e-commerce and online communities to express their values, project their identities, and engage with brands, thereby transforming the nature of sports culture. This dynamic interaction blurs the lines between authentic and performative identities, challenging traditional notions of identity in sports.
However, research on the sociocultural dimensions of e-commerce in sports remains limited. Most studies focus on economic and managerial aspects, overlooking the social and cultural implications. Existing research has explored the impact of mass media on sports identity and fan behavior on social platforms, but has inadequately addressed how digital tools and e-commerce redefine these identities.
International studies highlight the role of e-commerce and social media in shaping sports identity and consumer behavior. For instance, digital platforms foster identity creation, promote sports culture, and influence consumption trends. However, gaps remain in understanding the sociological implications of these developments. This study aims to bridge this gap by investigating how e-commerce reshapes sports identity and cultural consumption practices, integrating sports sociology, consumer behavior, and e-commerce to provide actionable insights. It aims to deepen the understanding of e-commerce's impact on sports consumption, providing strategies for engaging consumers and promoting sustainable industry growth while addressing the overlooked sociological and cultural aspects of digital transformation in the sports industry.
Methods
This study examines the impact of e-commerce on the consumption behavior of sports consumers in Iranian society. A thematic analysis was conducted using a linguistic corpus based on social media data from platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. The research analyzed the interactions of Persian-speaking users related to purchasing sports goods and services, focusing on identifying linguistic patterns and themes tied to sports consumption culture and identity in the digital age.
Data collection involved searching for e-commerce and sports-related content using keywords like "sports products," "sports identity," and "sports goods consumption." Selection criteria included Persian language, relevance to the research topic, and a minimum level of interaction (e.g., 5,000 views for YouTube videos and 1,000 likes or views for Instagram and Facebook posts). The dataset, covering the period from 2018 to 2024, was transcribed into a corpus of over 50,000 words for analysis.
The thematic analysis followed Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase model, emphasizing "what is said" over narrative style to systematically identify recurring themes and patterns. Qualitative analysis ensured depth and precision while minimizing bias. AntConc 4.2.4 software was used to analyze the corpus, utilizing tools such as "Word" for generating frequent word lists, "KWIC" for identifying keyword co-occurrences, and "N-Gram" for identifying common phrases. Functional words were excluded to highlight significant linguistic patterns.
Using KWIC, researchers identified 20 high-frequency words as initial codes, which were then grouped into potential themes based on shared meanings. Themes were refined, defined, and presented in the final report, revealing five significant insights into the relationship between e-commerce and sports consumption.
Ethical considerations ensured privacy and confidentiality. Publicly available social media content was anonymized, with names, titles, and demographic details removed to adhere to ethical research standards.
Results
The study identified key themes from the thematic analysis of e-commerce and sports consumption content. Table 1 presents the 20 most frequent words extracted from the dataset, which includes a corpus of 50,000 words from social media content. The analysis excluded functional words (e.g., conjunctions) and irrelevant terms (e.g., “just” and “you know”) to enhance accuracy. Keywords such as “sports” (n = 102), “identity” (n = 85), “consumption” (n = 77), and “digital” (n = 65) were among the most frequent nouns, highlighting users’ focus on the relationship between sports consumption and digital identity. Similarly, verbs and adjectives like “buy” (n = 94), “impact” (n = 62), and “online” (n = 54) highlight users’ engagement with digital purchasing experiences.
Another group of words, such as “people” (n = 82), “users” (n = 74), and “family” (n = 46), underscores the social interactions in digital spaces. Furthermore, terms like “time” (n = 79), “life” (n = 65), and “platform” (n = 58) reflect the role of time and digital environments in shaping consumer behavior. Keywords like “help” (n = 56) and “sports identity” (n = 40) illustrate the influence of e-commerce on the formation of consumer identities.
Table 1. Top 20 Frequent Words in E-commerce and Sports Consumption Content
|
Word |
Frequency (N) |
Occurrences Per 1,000 Words |
Word |
Frequency (N) |
Occurrences Per 1,000 Words |
|
Sports |
102 |
2.04 |
Better |
50 |
1.00 |
|
Identity |
85 |
1.70 |
Observing |
49 |
0.98 |
|
Consumption |
77 |
1.54 |
Need |
44 |
0.88 |
|
Buying |
94 |
1.88 |
Speaking |
41 |
0.82 |
|
People |
82 |
1.64 |
Family |
46 |
0.92 |
|
Time |
79 |
1.58 |
Life |
65 |
1.30 |
|
Users |
74 |
1.48 |
Help |
56 |
1.12 |
|
Platform |
58 |
1.16 |
Sports Identity |
40 |
0.80 |
|
Impact |
62 |
1.24 |
Digital |
47 |
0.94 |
The frequent terms in Table 1 reveal strong connections between digital tools and sports consumption, social interactions, and identity formation. The words “sports identity,” “consumption,” and “platform” emphasize users’ focus on how digital platforms influence their choices and behaviors. Similarly, words like “help” and “better” highlight the supportive and aspirational role digital tools play in shaping decisions.
The analysis also employed AntConc’s KWIC tool to explore the context of these words, identifying how users express personal experiences and interactions. This insight sheds light on the growing importance of e-commerce as a medium not only for purchasing but also for creating and reinforcing social and cultural identities, particularly in the realm of sports consumption.
Conclusion
This study explored the sociological impact of e-commerce and social media on the consumption behaviors of sports consumers. Five key themes emerged: the influence of sports identity on digital consumption patterns, the power of online advertising in shaping consumer choices, the role of sports consumerism in social culture, the promotion of sports identity through social media, and the impact of social messages in encouraging sports participation. These themes highlight the intersection of consumption behaviors, social interactions, and digital culture in shaping individual and collective identities.
Sports identity, as a component of personal identity, has a significant influence on digital consumption patterns. Consumers with a strong sports identity are more likely to engage with sports-related digital content, share their experiences on social platforms, and make purchases that align with their identity. Online advertisements further shape consumer behavior by appealing to emotions and aspirations, encouraging active lifestyles and increased interest in sports products and services.
Sports consumerism, as part of social culture, reinforces individual and group identities, with purchases reflecting societal norms and values. Social media platforms, in turn, serve as powerful tools for promoting sports identity, enabling users to share experiences, connect with others, and foster a stronger sense of belonging within the sports community. Additionally, social messages motivate individuals to participate in sports by fostering collective inspiration and shared goals.
This research demonstrates how e-commerce and social media extend beyond commercial functions, acting as cultural and social forces that shape consumption norms and values. While limited to Persian-speaking users, future studies should expand to diverse cultures and employ mixed methods to deepen insights into the interplay between technology, identity, and consumption.
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