How do online social networks support decision making? A pluralistic research agenda

Recently Online Social Communities and Networks (OSNs) have become widely popular as a source of data or reference for those seeking advice. Using an OSN can potentially enhance or degrade the DM process for both individuals and communities through the accessing of data from multiple sources. While ample independent research into OSN and DM exists, there is a lack of research into how online technology affects the making of decisions that have an impact on our lives. The synergy of these themes provides a unique perspective for research into DM in OSN. This paper proposes a pluralistic research agenda that interviews qualitative (exploratory) and quantitative (explanatory) approaches. In particular, we propose using netnography, surveys and interviews to discover the potential utilisation of OSNs as a support tool for the DM process.