Anita Whiting

Why people use social media: a uses and gratifications approach

Purpose – This paper seeks to demonstrate the importance of uses and gratifications theory to social media. By applying uses and gratifications theory, this paper will explore and discuss the uses and gratifications that consumer receive from using social media. This paper seeks to provide a better and more comprehensive understanding of why consumers use social media.Design/methodology/approach – Exploratory study was conducted. 25 in‐depth interviews were conducted with individuals who use social media.Findings – This study identified ten uses and gratifications for using social media. The ten uses and gratifications are: social interaction, information seeking, pass time, entertainment, relaxation, communicatory utility, convenience utility, expression of opinion, information sharing, and surveillance/knowledge about others.Research limitations/implications – Limitations are small sample size. Research implications are that uses and gratifications theory has specific relevance to social media and shoul...

Closing the gap between perceived and actual waiting times in a call center: results from a field study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate what factors influence the gap between callers perception of how long they think they waited and how long they actually waited on hold and to determine what call managers can do to reduce this gap called estimation error.Design/methodology/approach – A field experiment was conducted with a corporations call center.Findings – The findings were: the higher the estimation error of callers, the less satisfied they are; music increases estimation error, unless callers can choose the music; waiting information reduces estimation error; callers with urgent issues have more estimation error and they overestimate more; and females have higher estimation error and they overestimate more than males.Research limitations/implications – Limitations are one call center in one context. Implications are identification of antecedents of overestimation.Practical implications – The paper provides guidelines for call center managers for reducing estimation error and incr...

Managing Voice-to-Voice Encounters: Reducing the Agony of Being Put on Hold

Voice-to-voice (V2V) encounters are interactions that occur between the company and the customer via a telephone. One critical aspect of the V2V encounter is the waiting time that occurs before the customer talks with a service employee. This article investigates two perception management techniques: information cues and music. In particular, estimated wait times, number in the queue, presence of music, and music valence are all investigated. The main findings are that playing of music, especially music that the customer likes, reduces the perception of waiting time and increases satisfaction. Information cues were not found to affect perception of the wait or satisfaction.

Push, scream, or leave: how do consumers cope with crowded retail stores?

Purpose – The paper examines coping strategies that consumers use within crowded retail stores. Specifically, this study explores and identifies coping strategies that consumers use, investigates whether the Folkman or Duhachek coping frameworks adequately capture all of the ways consumers cope, and looks at the implications these coping strategies may have on consumers and retailers.Design/methodology/approach – A three‐stage qualitative study was conducted. Stage One consisted of informal interviews with customers. Stage Two was a pilot study of airport passengers. Stage Three was an online qualitative survey.Findings – Many of Duhacheks and Folkmans coping strategies were operative within a crowded retail setting. The coping strategies that were frequently used were distancing, avoidance, social support, rational thinking, action, escape, positive thinking, emotional venting, and confrontive. The study also found that further refinement of coping strategies and scales is needed.Research limitations/i...

The Role of Frequent Short Exams in Improving Student Performance in Hybrid Global Business Classes.

ABSTRACT The authors investigate whether frequent in class exams can improve the performance of students in hybrid global business courses. An experiment was conducted in three hybrid sections of a global business course exposing students to short in class exams. The expectation of a short exam forces students to watch the online lectures and study the course material. By having more prepared students, the professor can devote class time to discussing international business issues. This results in significantly higher student performance. The performance of 182 students was examined and the results show significant improvements for all groups.

Toward a Better Understanding of the Ever Expanding Social Web: A Uses and Gratifcation Approach

Social media (sometimes referred to as consumer generated media or interactive media) has developed into an area of immense interest for marketing scholars and practioners. Many organizations are using social media as part of their integrated marketing communication programs. Communicating with consumers via social media is thought to be very important especially within the coming years. Despite the importance and increased usage of social media, research on social media usage is lacking when compared to the more traditional components of the marketing mix. Therefore, this paper seeks to investigate why and how consumers use social media.