Introducing New Disruption in Uncertain Market Environments: How Breaking Media Attention on Corporate Events Impacts Online General Sentiment

Abstract

<p>This thesis proposes a novel methodology for exploring how breaking media attention on notable corporate events impacts the public sentiment surrounding a pre-introduced, potentially disruptive innovation (PPDI) in the form of online discourse. Additionally, how online sentiment changes over time is also explored. The focus on exploration enables for insight into how digital innovators may leverage social media and media attention to assist with reducing market uncertainty and plan future online promotional activities, the new product development process (NPD) and product launch. Twitter conversations surrounding the pre-introduced payment system called Diem (formerly known as Libra), a permissioned blockchain-based payment system and cryptocurrency, were analyzed. Sentiment analysis (SA) was applied to examine online breaking media attention and coverage impacts. The results suggest that breaking media attention elicits a significant change in online sentiment. Moreover, an event with a preannouncement observes an emotional momentum effect whereby sentiment accumulates across an anticipation period.</p>