How Review Quality and Source Credibility Interacts to Affect Review Usefulness: An Expansion of the Elaboration Likelihood Model

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Aghakhani, Navid; Oh, Onook; Gregg, Dawn; Jain, Hemant

Abstract: This study extends our understanding of what makes an online review useful by ex ... Expand

Abstract: This study extends our understanding of what makes an online review useful by examining the effects of review quality (i.e., as a composite variable of review comprehensiveness and review topic consistency) on review usefulness, and the moderating effects of source credibility on the relationship between review quality and review usefulness. The Elaboration Likelihood Model, convergence theory, and cueing effect literature are used to define the variables of review comprehensiveness and review topic consistency. Analyses of 27,517 restaurant reviews from Yelp show that review topic consistency has a positive effect on review usefulness, but, contrary to our hypothesis, review comprehensiveness has a negative effect on review usefulness. We also found source credibility positively moderates the effect of review comprehensiveness on review usefulness, but negatively moderates the effect of review topic consistency on review usefulness. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Collapse

Topics: online review user-generated content Python website data breach

Methods: topic model term frequency–inverse document frequency NLTK statistical hypothesis test robustness check

Theories: elaboration likelihood model

Brand Crisis and Customer Relationship Management on Social Media: Evidence from a Natural Experiment from the Airline Industry

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Al Balawi, Ramah; Hu, Yuheng; Qiu, Liangfei

Abstract: In this study, we investigate the effect of a brand crisis on the customer relat ... Expand

Abstract: In this study, we investigate the effect of a brand crisis on the customer relationship management (CRM) efforts of brands on social media. Despite the opportunities social media offers to brands to connect and engage with customers, it is still unclear how a brand crisis can change a brand’s social CRM efforts. Social media platforms can amplify the negative consequences of a brand crisis. However, the unique and public nature of social media platforms can offer new means for brands to handle a brand crisis and publicly manage their customer relationships. Compared with traditional CRM, social media enables brands to communicate with their customers publicly, which can strengthen their relationships with customers and maintain higher levels of customer engagement. Leveraging a natural experiment setting, we investigate the impact of the United Airlines crisis on three dimensions of social CRM efforts: informativeness, timeliness, and attentiveness. Contrary to traditional CRM efforts and recommendations, we find that the brand crisis increases informativeness efforts but reduces timeliness and attentiveness efforts.History: Yong Tan, Senior Editor; Beibei Li, Associate Editor.Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1159. Collapse

Topics: social media Twitter customer service customer satisfaction customer relationship management

Methods: mediation analysis longitudinal research robustness check natural experiment experimental group

Public Opinion and Impression Management in the Communication of Performance During the Second Iraq War

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Audia, Pino G.; Rousseau, Horacio E.; Stimmler, Mary Kate

Abstract: Although studies show that organizations engaged in controversial actions often ... Expand

Abstract: Although studies show that organizations engaged in controversial actions often aim to minimize the release of threatening information, scholars know relatively little about what may prompt organizations to increase transparency in these situations. In this study, we focus on support from public opinion as a condition that may influence the disclosure of sensitive performance information to the public. Using the second Iraq War as an empirical context, we focus on the extent to which public officials—Pentagon spokespersons—release and frame information about war performance. This outcome is critical because the way in which organizations communicate their performance to outsiders has often been regarded as a key defensive impression management tactic. We hypothesize that high public support for the war will increase the likelihood that Pentagon officials release information about sensitive combat performance indicators in their press briefings and identify contingencies, such as adversity and organizational spokespersons’ power, that moderate this relationship. We also explore whether high public support decreases the strategic use of alternate performance frames that emphasize metrics that signal progress toward a desirable end state. Using a unique data set based on the coding of press briefings, public opinion data, and other public sources, we find support for several of our hypotheses. We discuss implications for understanding the relationship between public opinion and impression management and highlight the importance of extending this research to nongovernmental organizations. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.1598. Collapse

Topics: armed conflict organization structure website database system terrorist incident

Methods: logistic regression descriptive statistic statistical hypothesis test regression analysis method theory development

Theories: accountability theory

Network Centralization and Collective Adaptability to a Shifting Environment

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 1

Authors: Bernstein, Ethan S.; Shore, Jesse C.; Jang, Alice J.

Abstract: We study the connection between communication network structure and an organizat ... Expand

Abstract: We study the connection between communication network structure and an organization’s collective adaptability to a shifting environment. Research has shown that network centralization—the degree to which communication flows disproportionately through one or more members of the organization rather than being more equally distributed—interferes with collective problem-solving by obstructing the integration of existing ideas, information, and solutions in the network. We hypothesize that the mechanisms responsible for that poor integration of ideas, information, and solutions would nevertheless prove beneficial for problems requiring adaptation to a shifting environment. We conducted a 1,620-subject randomized online laboratory experiment, testing the effect of seven network structures on problem-solving success. To simulate a shifting environment, we designed a murder mystery task and manipulated when each piece of information could be found: early information encouraged an inferior consensus, requiring a collective shift of solution after more information emerged. We find that when the communication network within an organization is more centralized, it achieves the benefits of connectivity (spread of novel better solutions) without the costs (getting stuck on an existing inferior solution). We also find, however, that these benefits of centralization only materialize in networks with two-way flow of information and not when information only flows from the center of the network outward (as can occur in hierarchical structures or digitally mediated communication). We draw on these findings to reconceptualize theory on the impact of centralization—and how it affects conformity pressure (lock-in) and awareness of diverse ideas (learning)—on collective problem-solving that demands adaptation.History: This paper has been accepted for the Organization Science Special Issue on Experiments in Organizational Theory.Funding: The authors acknowledge financial support from the Division of Research at the Harvard Business School for making this research possible. Collapse

Topics: social influence problem solving internet technology social network debugging

Methods: experiment machine learning simulation Poisson regression logistic regression

Theories: organizational theory

Why to gamify performance management? Consequences of user engagement in gamification

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Bizzi, Lorenzo

Abstract: Gamification offers one of the most promising solutions for information technolo ... Expand

Abstract: Gamification offers one of the most promising solutions for information technology (IT) managers to innovate performance management systems. Yet, evidence on its benefits is limited, and IT managers are left without a clear guidance on why to implement it. To solve the problem, this article shows the benefits of gamification for overall job performance and the intermediating mechanisms through which it exercises its advantageous effects. It is theorized that employees’ engagement in gamification favorably alters their cognitions, transferring their effect onto employee attitudes and behaviors in the workplace. First, user engagement in gamification alters cognitions about the performance management system, making employees perceive justice, which, in turn, af­ fects their satisfaction with the performance system. Second, user engagement in gamification alters cognitions about the job, influencing the perceptions of job stressors that affect job satisfaction. Third, user engagement in gamification alters cognitions about the organization, making employees perceive organizational support, which translates into higher organizational commitment. The improved cognitions then transfer their beneficial effect onto overall job performance as justice is found to exercise a mediating effect. The findings from 268 employees in a human resource service organization support the hypotheses and provide concrete evidence for the benefits of gamification in performance management. Collapse

Topics: gamification task productivity organizational commitment job satisfaction organizational context

Methods: mediation analysis statistical hypothesis test survey survey design factor analysis

Theories: distributive justice theory

Let Artificial Intelligence Be Your Shelf Watchdog: The Impact of Intelligent Image Processing-Powered Shelf Monitoring on Product Sales

2023 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Deng, Yipu; Zheng, Jinyang; Huang, Liqiang; Kannan, Karthik

Abstract: We collaborated with a leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturer t ... Expand

Abstract: We collaborated with a leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturer to investigate how intelligent image processing (IIP)-based shelf monitoring aids manufacturers' shelf management by using data from a quasi-experiment and a field experiment. We discovered that such artificial intelligence (AI) assistance significantly and consistently improves product sales. Several underlying mechanisms were revealed by our quantitative and qualitative analysis. First, retailers are more likely to comply due to the greater monitoring effectiveness enabled by AI assistance. Second, the positive effect of IIP-based shelf monitoring partially persists after it is terminated, implying that human learning takes place. Third, the value of IIP-based shelf monitoring can be attributed to independent retailers rather than chain retailers. Since the degree of contract heterogeneity is the major difference between these retailers in terms of monitoring, this finding further suggests that AI is relatively more scalable when coping with more heterogeneous instances. Apart from these great benefits, we demonstrate the low marginal costs of implementing IIP-powered shelf monitoring, which indicates its long-term applicability and potential to generate incremental value. Our research contributes to several literature streams and provides managerial insights for practitioners who consider AI-assisted operational models. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence organizational value cost benefit analysis mobile application human AI collaboration

Methods: experimental group field experiment qualitative interview experiment quasi experiment

Do you see what I see? A social capital perspective on microtask gig worker opportunity recognition within electronic networks of practice

2023 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Di Gangi, Paul M.; Howard, Jack L.; Goh, Samuel H.; Thatcher, Jason Bennett

Abstract: Microtask gig workers (MGWs) rely on digital platforms to arrange work agreement ... Expand

Abstract: Microtask gig workers (MGWs) rely on digital platforms to arrange work agreements with requesters to complete well-defined microtasks. Many MGWs use an electronic network of practice (ENP) to facilitate information sharing about desirable and undesirable microtasks. This study uses social capital theory to theorize how social capital’s dimensions – structural, cognitive, and relational – shape the development of uncertainty-reducing and individualized-skill benefits. Based on survey data from 436 Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers, the findings demonstrate that unique social capital dimensions affect specific ENP benefits. Understanding the communication style of an ENP (i.e., cognitive social capital) positively influences the uncertainty-reducing benefits of microtask information quality (MIQ) related to MTurk work. Combined with expectations of reci­ procity and trust in ENP members (i.e., relational social capital), MIQ shapes microtask opportunity recognition (MOR), whereby individual MGWs identify opportunities to complete financially beneficial microtasks. The present study demonstrates that contextual factors, based on the coopetive nature of microtask ENPs, affect the interrelated structure of social capital theory and its underlying dimensions. Lastly, post hoc findings demon­ strate the influence of MOR on MGWs’ financial performance, challenging previously held assumptions about the role of MIQ within the microtask literature. Collapse

Topics: social capital financial performance platform worker data quality digital platform

Methods: survey post-hoc analysis structural equation modeling mediation analysis theory development

Theories: social capital theory lemon market theory

Evolution of Referrals over Customers’ Life Cycle: Evidence from a Ride-Sharing Platform

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Fernández-Loría, Carlos; Cohen, Maxime C.; Ghose, Anindya

Abstract: Online platforms often ask their users to refer friends in exchange for a reward ... Expand

Abstract: Online platforms often ask their users to refer friends in exchange for a reward. This paper addresses how referral generation and referral value evolve throughout the customer’s life cycle as a function of service usage, experience level, and past referral behavior. Our analysis is based on a longitudinal data set that comprises the transactions and referral actions of 400,000 users in a ride-sharing platform over a year. The richness of our data set allows us to address two shortcomings from previous studies: modeling dynamic behavior (i.e., the relationship between past and future referrals) and accounting for unobserved heterogeneity across users. Our results show that users make more referrals when they have used the service recently and intensively. For example, users become 9% less likely to make referrals for each week they have not used the service. Furthermore, users make more high-value referrals as they become more experienced with the service. The referral generation and referral value of the top 10% most experienced users are more than 18% higher relative to when they first used the service. Finally, as users make more referrals, they become more likely to run out of friends to whom they can refer the service, leading to less referrals in the future. After users make their first referral, the probability of making additional referrals decreases by more than 78% and the value of subsequent referrals reduces by 19% on average. The results imply that platforms should consider tailoring their referral programs according to how referral generation and referral value evolve over time.History: Xiaoquan (Michael) Zhang, Senior Editor; Khim Yong Goh, Associate Editor. Collapse

Topics: ride sharing platform mobile application logistics management accounting marketing management

Methods: longitudinal research robustness check instrumental variables estimation regression analysis method Poisson regression

Theories: social contagion theory

Do Social Media Marketing Activities Improve Brand Loyalty? An Empirical Study on Luxury Fashion Brands

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Fetais, Abdulla H.; Algharabat, Raed S.; Aljafari, Abdullah; Rana, Nripendra P.

Abstract: This research aims to investigate the impact of social media marketing activitie ... Expand

Abstract: This research aims to investigate the impact of social media marketing activities (SMMa) on brand loyalty directly and through mediating variables community engagement and lovemark. To propose a research model, we used the theories including lovemark theory, engagement theory and brand equity theory. As a result, this research investigates the impact of SMMa, community engagement, and lovemark on brand loyalty. Using an online survey, we collected data from 464 female participants who are following luxury fashion brands on major social networking sites including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Results using PLS revealed that SMMa positively influences community engagement and lovemark. Moreover, we find positive relationships between community engagement, lovemark and brand loyalty. However, we find that SMMa has no direct influence on brand loyalty. Collapse

Topics: customer loyalty social media word of mouth online word of mouth marketing management

Methods: survey partial least squares regression partial least squares path modeling statistical hypothesis test data transformation

Theories: equity theory job engagement theory service-dominant logic theory of logic

Do women and men click differently? Mobile devices mitigate gender differences in online dating

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 1

Authors: Fink, Lior; Ilany-Tzur, Naama; Yam, Hadar; Sokhina, Svetlana

Abstract: Online dating has replaced traditional offline venues largely because of the str ... Expand

Abstract: Online dating has replaced traditional offline venues largely because of the structured presentation of visual and verbal information about potential partners. This study shows that including verbal information alongside visual information in online dating profiles affects attractiveness assessments by women more favorably than it affects those by men. These gender differences, however, are mitigated by using a mobile device instead of a personal computer. The findings extend the selectivity model, as well as the literature on online dating and mobile use, by highlighting gender differences in processing specific information types and by identifying the device as a boundary condition. Collapse

Topics: online dating mobile system website smartphone user behavior

Methods: experiment statistical hypothesis test regression analysis method descriptive statistic experimental task