Typology of Business-Related Fake News Online: A Literature Review

Abstract

Objective – This review paper discusses the emergence of scholarly articles related to the typology and classification of fake news and offers solutions for identified gaps, such as unstandardized terminology and unstandardized typology in the field of fake news-related research. Typology of fake news is a critical topic nowadays: recently emerged fake news needs to be categorized and analyzed in a structured manner in order to respond appropriately. Methodology/Technique – Based on the systematic review of literature identified in scientific databases, different typologies of fake news have been identified and a new typology of business-related fake news online has been proposed. New typology of business-related fake news online is based on factors such as level of facticity, intention to deceive and financial motivation. Findings and novelty – Content analysis of 326 articles containing terms related to the typology of fake news and classification of fake news indicates that the term “typology of fake news” is predominantly used in management, marketing and communications research, while the term “classification of fake news” is predominantly used in the information technology research. The content analysis also indicates the recent emergence of the topic of typology and classification of fake news in academic research, revealing that all articles related to these topics have been published on or after 2016. In addition to the contribution by presenting comprehensive typology of business-related fake news online, this paper also provides recommendations for future research and improvements related to the typology of fake news, emphasizing business-related fake news and fake news spread in the digital space. Type of Paper: Review JEL Classification: M31, M39. Keywords: Fake News; Crisis Communications; Online Communications; Digital Marketing; Management Research; Marketing Research Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Selakovic, M; Tarabasz, A; Gallant, M. (2020). Typology of Business-Related Fake News Online: A Literature Review, J. Mgt. Mkt. Review 5(4) 234 – 243. https://doi.org/10.35609/jmmr.2020.5.4(5)