Data for "Instagram in the Modest Fashion Market: Analysis by Perspective of Sociotechnical Structure" published by RAC - Revista de Administração Contemporânea

Published: 27 March 2023| Version 1 | DOI: 10.17632/8x4bdjc572.1
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Description

In this research, we aim to understand the sociotechnical role of Instagram in the modest fashion market in Brazil, proposing a theoretical-empirical model for the analysis of this social media as a market-thinking infrastructure. Therefore, we used two techniques for data collection: (a) semi-structured and in-depth interviews with 27 agents of the modest fashion market and (b) non-participant observation on Instagram. The data collected were analyzed by thematic content analysis. The results demonstrate that Instagram offers an infrastructure that mediates and standardizes interactions between market actors, allowing the construction of the modest fashion market, once seen as stigmatized. Instagram's infrastructure establishes rules that will dictate the success (or exercised power) of users (market actors) in the network and, consequently, in the market.

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The data for this research were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and non-participant observation on the Instagram social network. The interviews took place with 27 agents from the modest fashion market, divided into four groups of actors: digital influencers (9); Christian female singers (4); shopkeepers (5); and consumers (9). The choice of subjects participating in the interview was based on the peculiarities of each group of actors. Christian influencers and singers were chosen for their representation in the market, which meant having more than 5,000 followers on Instagram. Based on these requirements, the authors sent direct messages from Instagram to the influencers inviting them to participate in this research. Consumers were chosen through the snowball technique, that is, the authors had contact with two evangelical women in Minas Gerais and São Paulo who participated in the research and indicated others to participate. And, finally, the tenants were chosen based on their time in the market – defined as over 6 months. The scripts of the interviews covered three themes central: (a) cultural-religious influence; (b) social media; (c) perspectives on the modest fashion market. Because they took place during the Covid-19 Pandemic period (October/2020 to March/2021), all interviews were carried out in online format through Google Meet, Zoom, or WhatsApp applications, the choice being an option for the interviewees. Only four interviews followed each other asynchronously. The interviews were carried out asynchronously via WhatsApp, where separate audios were sent for each question in the script. Three interviewees responded via audio and only one responded in text format. On the same day, they were once the questions were sent, the answers were obtained – no dialogues took place on other days. The non-participant observation on Instagram co-occurred during the period of the interviews and exclusively on the profiles of the participants who agreed to participate in the research. In the non-participant observation, the sociotechnical aspects that involved actors in the modest fashion market stood out. To record the observations, a field diary with 32 pages was developed. For interpretation and analysis of the collected data, we used the content analysis. The categories were defined after the study, as they emerged from the data. The operationalization of the analysis took place through the steps proposed by Bardin (1977). First, a floating reading of the data was carried out, in which possible categories were identified. Subsequently, there were cuts and allocations of data in the types defined in the previous phase, and (re)organization of the categories. And, finally, the treatment of data and interpretation based on the theoretical connections proposed in the literature review were carried out. The entire analysis process was organized using spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel.

Institutions

Universidade Federal de Lavras

Categories

Marketing, Fashion Industry

Funding

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

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