Christian Pieter Hoffmann

Investor relations beyond financials : Non-financial factors and capital market image building

Purpose – In this paper, the authors aim to identify a range of non‐financial factors that play a role in the formation of a companys image, and ultimately its valuation, on capital markets. By identifying and highlighting their relative importance to the perceptions of equity analysts, the authors seek to show that investor relations are best understood as a strategic communication function rather than a mere purveyor of pure financials.Design/methodology/approach – The findings are based on a two‐tiered approach, relying on qualitative interview data collected among 42 equity analysts and a subsequent exploratory factor analysis performed on data obtained from a survey among 134 buy‐ and sell‐side analysts.Findings – The authors argue that equity analysts consider the following eight categories of non‐financial information when forming an impression of a company: the stakeholder relations of an organization, its corporate governance, its corporate social responsibility, its reputation and brand, the qu...

Content creation on the Internet: a social cognitive perspective on the participation divide

Sociodemographic variables are held to impact Internet users’ willingness and ability to productively use online media. This effect can create a ‘participation divide’ between distinct user groups. Recently, studies have enhanced our understanding of the participation divide by differentiating types of online content creation. They found that sociodemographics may only affect specific forms of online participation. We suggest that social cognitive theory (SCT) helps explain why and how sociodemographic variables influence different forms of online participation. Based on SCT, we analyze the mediating effect of two cognitive constructs, self-efficacy and privacy concerns, on different types of online content creation. We conduct a survey among German Internet users and apply structural equation modeling to compare three distinct theoretical models. We find that considering the mediating effects of cognitive constructs, based on SCT, improves our understanding of which sociodemographic variables affect which type of online content creation – and why.

Digital Natives or Digital Immigrants? The Impact of User Characteristics on Online Trust

Abstract Previous research suggests that user characteristics such as web experience and demographics may affect online trust. Drawing on social cognitive theory, we explore the moderating effect of user characteristics on online trust. Based on a survey of German Internet users, we differentiate three groups by age, web experience, and education. We term these groups digital natives, digital immigrants, and naturalized digitals. A multiple-group analysis reveals significant differences in trust formation, particularly in the cues considered in the evaluation of online services. Whereas a large user base inspires confidence in digital natives, naturalized digitals are more geared toward familiar brands and recommendations. Digital immigrants most critically weigh the risks of a transaction against its benefits. We argue that specific user characteristics are associated with distinct cognitive schemata, implying distinct interests and evaluations in online transactions. Online services should differentiate their signaling efforts according to the targeted customer group.

Methoden der Erfolgsmessung von Kommunikation

Die zunehmende Bedeutung der Unternehmenskommunikation hat eine fortschreitende Professionalisierung zur Folge. Instrumente, Ansatze und Masnahmen des Kommunikationsmanagements werden laufend erneuert, ausgebaut und verbessert. Das fuhrt zwangslaufig auch zu hoheren Anforderungen an die Messung des Erfolgs. Heute existieren bereits zahlreiche Ansatze und Methoden der Erfolgsmessung von Kommunikation. Diese wurden zum Teil vor einem akademischen Hintergrund, zum Teil aber auch in der Kommunikationspraxis entwickelt. Dieser Beitrag stellt die gangigen Methoden im Uberblick vor, systematisiert sie und unternimmt eine kritische Betrachtung. Gemas der heutigen Kommunikationspraxis werden die Methoden der Erfolgsmessung differenziert nach den etablierten Kommunikationsfunktionen – Public Relations, Investor Relations, Kunden- und Mitarbeiterkommunikation – dargestellt.

The dark side of online participation: exploring non-, passive and negative participation

ABSTRACT Studies on the ‘second-level digital divide’ explore the socio-economic antecedents and effects of (a lack of) user participation on the Internet. At the same time, some have criticized a normatively affirmative bias in online participation research as well as a one-sided focus on observable user activity. This contribution addresses the ensuing call for a more nuanced understanding of online participation in general, and online political participation in particular. We differentiate the online participation concept based on a focus group study among 96 Internet users from a broad range of social backgrounds in Germany. We derive a framework of eight types of online (non-)participation along three conceptual axes: activity, agency, and social valence. Taking user experiences and terminology into account, we differentiate participation from non-participation, active from passive and positive from negative (non-)participation. The proposed typology allows for a more balanced evaluation and more focused exploration of phenomena such as destructive or involuntary online participation as well as online abstention, boycotts, self-censorship, lurking, or digital exclusion.

Privacy cynicism: A new approach to the privacy paradox

Privacy concerns among Internet users are consistently found to be high. At the same time, these concerns do not appear to generate a corresponding wave of privacy protection behavior. A number of studies have addressed the apparent divergence between users’ privacy concerns and behavior, with results varying according to context. Previous research has examined user trust, lack of risk awareness and the privacy calculus as potential solutions to the “privacy paradox”. Complementing these perspectives, we propose that some users faced with seemingly overwhelming privacy threats develop an attitude of “privacy cynicism”, leading to a resigned neglect of protection behavior. Privacy cynicism serves as a cognitive coping mechanism, allowing users to rationalize taking advantage of online services despite serious privacy concerns. We conduct an interdisciplinary literature review to define the core concept, then empirically substantiate it based on qualitative data collected among German Internet users.

Stuck with ‘electronic brochures’? How boundary management strategies shape politicians’ social media use

ABSTRACT Social media provide new opportunities for politicians, such as personalized communication directed at specific communities of interest. Yet despite potential benefits, empirical analyses show that politicians tend to shy away from an active engagement of online audiences. This study explores the effect of politicians’ online boundary management on their use of social media. Ties maintained through social media profiles can be embedded in diverse social contexts (‘context collapse’). Professional communicators, especially, are faced with the challenge of managing boundaries between professional and private online self-presentations. Based on a survey of 106 German members of parliament, we distinguish four types of boundary management strategies. We analyze the effects of these strategies on politicians’ social media use practices – and find that considering boundary management strategies allows for a better understanding of politicians’ online engagement (or lack thereof).

The role of privacy concerns in the sharing economy

ABSTRACT Internet-mediated sharing is growing quickly. Millions of users around the world share personal services and possessions with others ‒ often complete strangers. Shared goods can amount to substantial financial and immaterial value. Despite this, little research has investigated privacy in the sharing economy. To fill this gap, we examine the sharing–privacy nexus by exploring the privacy threats associated with Internet-mediated sharing. Given the popularity of sharing services, users seem quite willing to share goods and services despite the compounded informational and physical privacy threats associated with such sharing. We develop and test a framework for analyzing the effect of privacy concerns on sharing that considers institutional and social privacy threats, trust and social-hedonic as well as monetary motives.

Perception is Reality

With the growth of e-business and large numbers of people engaging in online shopping, trust has been identified as a crucial topic in information systems and marketing research. Because online transactions are mostly anonymous and always computer-mediated, mutual trust is needed for their execution. A range of factors have been shown to influence trust formation in online transactions, both attributes of the buyer as well as the seller. This study analyses and differentiates between the impact of both perceived seller attributes (brand strength, perception of reciprocity, customer control and third party endorsements) and buyer attributes (age, gender, and web experience) on online trust based on a representative survey of the German online population. Our analysis reveals that seller attributes, as perceived by the buyer, have a stronger impact on online trust than buyer characteristics.

The impact of use motives on politicians’ social media adoption

ABSTRACT Studies on politicians’ social media adoption have focused on structural antecedents, such as race competitiveness or resource availability. Yet theory suggests that new media adoption is heavily influenced by use motives. Based on a survey of politicians active on the federal level in Switzerland, we analyze the impact of use motives on politicians’ social media adoption. We identify three salient use motives and differentiate two user groups based upon their primary use motives. A multiple-group analysis of a well-established adoption model reveals how use motives affect politicians’ adoption of social media.