The ethical dilemma of implicit vs explicit data collection: Examining the factors that influence the voluntary disclosure of information by consumers to commercial organizations

Abstract

This paper focuses on the examination, analysis and ethical evaluation of the explicit data collection method employed by commercial organizations. It builds upon the work of previous academics and introduces a multi-dimensional framework which provides an anatomy of what influences the voluntary disclosure of information by consumers to commercial organizations. Each of the framework's dimensions analyses constructs that derive from different academic disciplines like psychology, consumer behavior and marketing allowing the mixture and cross examination of multi-disciplinary factors that influence voluntary disclosure. The presented dimensions of the framework are a) Psychological processes b) Relational factors and c) Instrumental factors. Additionally, an experimental approach is proposed in order to examine and analyse the framework. This approach allows the identification of the most efficient and explicit combination of construct conditions leading to more effective data collection methods for organizations while taking into consideration consumer concerns regarding their privacy.