Online Behavioral Advertising: A Literature Review and Research Agenda
Online behavioral advertising (OBA) suffers from conceptual ambiguity and fragmented empirical evidence, hindering theoretical advancement and practical guidance. Method: Through a systematic literature review and interdisciplinary theoretical integration, this study develops the first precise definition of OBA and a unified theoretical framework that jointly models advertiser-controllable variables (e.g., data transparency, personalization intensity) and consumer-level characteristics (e.g., privacy concern, digital literacy). Contribution/Results: The study maps the distribution of existing empirical findings and identifies three critical research gaps: (1) mechanistic black boxes, (2) contextual boundary conditions, and (3) cross-cultural variations. It proposes empirically testable future research directions and policy design principles that balance advertising efficacy with privacy protection. This work provides an integrative scholarly foundation for advancing OBA theory, optimizing precision advertising practices, and informing data governance policy.