Shahnaj Akther
I study how creators, platforms and brands earn the trust of online audiences, especially in emerging markets where social commerce is growing fastest.
From the stage, to the livestream, to the survey
- 2013–2020TheatreB.A. in Theatre, Jagannath University. Acting, television drama production and a thesis on folk puppetry.
- 2020–2024Tech TheaterTechnology creator working with Daraz, ASUS, Samsung and Realme, and Bangladesh’s first woman tech YouTuber.
- 2021–2023Daraz LiveHosted a weekly livestream show and earned Top 11.11 and 12.12 influencer recognition.
- 2023–2026ResearchM.Sc. by Research, CGPA 3.80, with a published study on digital marketing and satisfaction.
Research interests
My questions come from years of being on the creator side of the screen. I now want to answer them with evidence.
Creators and trust
- Creator–audience interaction and online engagement
- Influencer credibility, authenticity and sponsorship disclosure
- Gender and digital media: how audiences see women technology creators
Commerce and behavior
- Livestream commerce and responses to creator-led marketing
- Digital advertising, persuasion and consumer behavior
- E-commerce customer satisfaction in emerging markets
Technology and culture
- AI-mediated communication and human–AI interaction
- Trust and technology adoption
- Folklore and cultural communication across traditional and digital media
Research projects
One quantitative study of digital marketing, and one field study of folk performance.
The Impact of Digital Marketing Strategies on Customer Satisfaction: A Case Study of Daraz Bangladesh
A cross-sectional survey of 240 active Daraz users, testing how social media, influencer and email marketing relate to customer satisfaction, framed by Expectation Confirmation Theory.
- Built a 20-item, four-construct Likert questionnaire and ran a 30-respondent pilot.
- Analyzed the data in SPSS 26: Cronbach’s alpha (0.84 to 0.91), Pearson correlation, multiple regression and multicollinearity checks.
- Named its limits: one platform, convenience sampling and a cross-sectional design. These shape the questions I want to pursue next.
Traditions & Current Practice of Puppet Show: Perspective of Manikganj District
An exploratory-descriptive, mixed-methods study of traditional puppetry in Manikganj, Bangladesh, and its status, challenges and future as Bengali folk theatre and cultural heritage.
- Reviewed books, journals and newspaper sources on puppetry in Bangladesh.
- Carried out field visits and questionnaire-based interviews with practitioners.
- Documented the field with audio recordings and photographs.
Publications and presentations
Akther, S., & Abdul Aziz, S. (2026). The impact of digital marketing strategies on customer satisfaction: Evidence from Daraz Bangladesh. International Journal of Business, Economics and Law, 39(1), 7–12. View article
Akther, S., & Abdul Aziz, S. (2026, September 5). The impact of digital marketing strategies on customer satisfaction: Empirical evidence from Daraz Bangladesh. 35th Kuala Lumpur International Business, Economics and Law Conference and 2nd Kuala Lumpur Entrepreneur, Education and Social Science Conference, Bangi Resort Hotel, Selangor, Malaysia.
Participant, Business Colloquium 202609, City Graduate School, City University Malaysia, September 24, 2026.
Education
M.Sc. in Business Administration (by Research)
Research methods, qualitative and quantitative analysis, literature review, proposal defense, data collection and analysis, and thesis viva.
B.A. in Theatre
Research Methodology (A+), Performance Studies, Play Writing, Play Direction Theory and Television Drama Production Technique.
Methods and skills
Research: survey design, questionnaire development, Likert measurement, pilot testing, literature review, data cleaning, research ethics.
Statistics: SPSS 26, Cronbach’s alpha, correlation, multiple regression, R², F-test, beta coefficients, p-values, VIF.
Languages: Bengali (native), English (fluent).
Experience
Daraz Live Influencer (KOL)
- Hosted “Tech Talk with Shahnaj” at least three days a week on the Daraz app.
- Presented product-launch livestreams from the Daraz head office.
- Worked with the affiliate team against performance goals.
- Top 11.11 and Top 12.12 Daraz LIVE Influencer.
Digital Content Creator
Technology content for social media and video audiences, produced with brands including Daraz, ASUS, Samsung, Realme, Motorola, Walton, Infinix, Itel and Symphony. Recognized as Bangladesh’s first woman tech YouTuber.
Digital Marketing Executive
Planned and monitored the company’s social media presence for technology audiences.
Let’s talk about research.
I welcome conversations with faculty whose work overlaps with these interests, including prospective supervisors and research groups.
phd.shahnaj@gmail.com