'Indiana University Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics (CGB)'
Abstract
Netnography is a relatively new research method, which adapts
research techniques of ethnography to study cultures and communities
through computer-mediated communications. It has become a popular
research method in marketing research during the early 21st century.
However, the use of netnography in the field of information systems
(later referred as IS) has not been studied to great extent. Thus, we
have conducted a systematic literature review to investigate the ethical
practices of netnographic research in the field of IS.
To analyse the ethical practices of netnographic research and
discussion surrounding it, we have collected 52 articles which use
netnography either as their sole research method or as their completing
research method. These articles were selected from 77 IS journals. Our
findings indicate that netnography is an emerging research method which
is still searching the shape of its ethical guidelines. Researchers, who
use netnography, do not completely agree on the ethically just manner
of conducting netnography. However, it is apparent that certain ways of
conducting netnography are often considered to be ethically just where
as some other ways might be often considered to not be ethically just.</p
