Christy M. K. Cheung

The impact of electronic word‐of‐mouth: The adoption of online opinions in online customer communities

Purpose – Web‐based technologies have created numerous opportunities for electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM) communication. This phenomenon impacts online retailers as this easily accessible information could greatly affect the online consumption decision. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which opinion seekers are willing to accept and adopt online consumer reviews and which factors encourage adoption.Design/methodology/approach – Using dual‐process theories, an information adoption model was developed to examine the factors affecting information adoption of online opinion seekers in online customer communities. The model was tested empirically using a sample of 154 users who had experience within the online customer community, Openrice.com. Users were required to complete a survey regarding the online consumer reviews received from the virtual sharing platform.Findings – The paper found comprehensiveness and relevance to be the most effective components of the argument quality construct ...

A theoretical model of intentional social action in online social networks

Online social networks (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and the like) have become truly significant new phenomena in human communication and interaction patterns and may have a profound impact in the way people communicate and connect with each other. In this study, the decision to use an online social network is conceptualized as intentional social action and the relative impact of the three modes of social influence processes (compliance, internalization, and identification) on intentional social action to use (collective intention) is examined. An empirical study of Facebook users (n=389) found that collective intention to use a social networking site is determined by both subjective norm and social identity. Further, social identity is found to be a second-order latent construct comprised of cognitive, evaluative, and affective (first-order) components. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Understanding information systems continuance: The case of Internet-based learning technologies

Our research model expanded the Bhattacherjees IS continuance model by adding a moderating effect (IS habit) to IS continuance intention and IS continued usage, postulating direct links between satisfaction and IS continued usage, as well as between prior behavior and IS continued usage. The model was tested with an Internet-based learning technology in a longitudinal setting. Data collected from 505 students were examined using partial least squares analysis. The results presented strong support for the theoretical links of IS continuance model, and for the new moderating effect. Both satisfaction and prior behavior were found to have significant impact on IS continuance. In addition, our findings confirmed the theoretical argument that the strength of intention to predict continuance was weakened by a high level of IS habit.

Understanding customer knowledge sharing in web-based discussion boards: An exploratory study

Purpose – The proliferation and advance of web‐based technologies create expanded opportunities for retailers to gain a better understanding of their customers. However, the success of these web‐based discussion boards depends solely on whether customers are willing to share their knowledge and experience with other customers in these discussion boards. Thus, this study aims at identifying the factors that drive knowledge sharing among customers in web‐based discussion boards.Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory study with 104 respondents was conducted to identify and categorize the key factors of customer knowledge sharing in web‐based discussion boards.Findings – The results indicate that the enjoyment of helping others is the most frequently cited reason for customer knowledge sharing in web‐based discussion boards. On the other hand, the lack of knowledge self‐efficacy is the mostly cited reason explaining why customers do not want to share knowledge with others.Research limitations/implicatio...

A Critical Review of Online Consumer Behavior: Empirical Research

Empirical research on online consumer theory has been examined under diverse contexts over the years. Although researchers from a variety of business disciplines have made significant progress over the past few years, the scope of these studies is rather broad, the studies appear relatively fragmented and no unifying theoretical framework is found in this area. In view of this, this study attempts to provide an exhaustive review of prior theoretical literature and to provide an integrative model of online consumer behavior. This framework not only provides us with a cohesive view of online consumer behavior, but also serves as a salient guideline for researchers in this area. The paper is concluded with a research agenda for future studies.

Understanding the sustainability of a virtual community: model development and empirical test

With the proliferation of Web 2.0 technologies, there is an expanded opportunity for individuals to get involved in information exchange. In this study, the sustainability of a virtual community for teachers and educators were investigated. The research model borrows the key concepts from the IS continuance model, social influence theory, the uses and gratifications paradigm, and relationship marketing to explain user intention to continue using a virtual community, as well as intention to recommend the community to others. Satisfaction, commitment, group norms are found to have significant impacts on intention to continue using and intention to recommend. Among the three factors, satisfaction has the highest impact on behavioral intentions. Individual-related factors (purposive value and self-discovery) are found to have significant impacts on user satisfaction, while social-related factors are more important in determining commitment and group norms. The results of this study provide important implications for both research and practice.

How social influence affects we-intention to use instant messaging: The moderating effect of usage experience

With the advent of Web 2.0, the business world is fast changing its way of communicating and collaborating. In this study, we regarded the use of instant messaging in team collaboration as a social behavior and examined the changing roles of social influence processes in the formation of usage we-intention (i.e. social intention). Building on the belief-desire-intention model and the social influence theory, an integrated model was developed and empirically tested using survey data collected from 482 students. The results demonstrated that desire partially mediates the effects of group norm and social identity on we-intention to use. In addition, the effect of group norm is more significant for users with lower usage experience, whereas the effect of social identity is more significant for users with higher usage experience. We believe this study provides several important implications for both research and practice.

The Asymmetric Effect of Website Attribute Performance on Satisfaction: An Empirical Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the asymmetrical effects of negative and positive website attribute performance on satisfaction. An online survey on satisfaction with an e-portal was conducted, and a total of 515 usable questionnaires were collected. Psychometric properties of the measures were examined, and ordinary least squares were used to estimate the regression model. Results show that the importance of asymmetrical effect is different for different attributes, where the negative performance on information reliability, system access and usability had a stronger impact than their positive performance. On the other hand, the positive performance on information understandability and usefulness, and system navigation had a stronger impact than their negative performance. This difference of asymmetrical effect is an important area calling for future investigation.

Consumer satisfaction with internet shopping: a research framework and propositions for future research

Consumer satisfaction with Internet shopping has been conceptualized in a variety of ways. Studies in this area remain broad and appear relatively fragmented. In view of this, the purpose of this study is to propose a research framework that integrates both end-user computing satisfaction literature and service quality literature. This framework explicitly considers information quality, system quality, and service quality as the key dimensions of consumer satisfaction with Internet shopping. We believe the research framework and propositions serve as salient guidelines for researchers.

Gender differences in intentional social action: We-intention to engage in social network-facilitated team collaboration

The growth and popularity of Web 2.0 applications help people to build and maintain their social networks online and further encourage social network-facilitated team collaboration. In this study, we conceptualized the use of instant messaging in social network-facilitated team collaboration as an intentional social action and further investigated the effect of gender differences in the development of we-intention (i.e. collective intention) to engage in such collaboration. A research model was developed and empirically tested with 482 university students in Mainland China. The results demonstrated that the effects of attitude, positive anticipated emotions, and group norms on we-intention were more important for men, whereas the effects of social identity and negative anticipated emotions were more significant for women to collectively participate in social network-facilitated team collaboration. We believe the implications of this study would shed considerable light on both research and practice.