Hanna Krasnova

Online Social Networks: Why We Disclose

On online social networks such as Facebook, massive self-disclosure by users has attracted the attention of industry players and policymakers worldwide. Despite the impressive scope of this phenomenon, very little is understood about what motivates users to disclose personal information. Integrating focus group results into a theoretical privacy calculus framework, we develop and empirically test a Structural Equation Model of self-disclosure with 259 subjects. We find that users are primarily motivated to disclose information because of the convenience of maintaining and developing relationships and platform enjoyment. Countervailing these benefits, privacy risks represent a critical barrier to information disclosure. However, users’ perception of risk can be mitigated by their trust in the network provider and availability of control options. Based on these findings, we offer recommendations for network providers.

Self-disclosure and Privacy Calculus on Social Networking Sites: The Role of Culture

Social Network Sites (SNSs) rely exclusively on user-generated content to offer engaging and rewarding experience to its members. As a result, stimulating user communication and self-disclosure is vital for the sustainability of SNSs. However, considering that the SNS users are increasingly culturally diverse, motivating this audience to self-disclose requires understanding of their cultural intricacies. Yet existing research offers only limited insights into the role of culture behind the motivation of SNS users to self-disclose. Building on the privacy calculus framework, this study explores the role of two cultural dimensions – individualism and uncertainty avoidance – in self-disclosure decisions of SNS users. Survey responses of US and German Facebook members are used as the basis for our analysis. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis results reveal the distinct role of culture in the cognitive patterns of SNS users. The authors find that trusting beliefs play a key role in the self-disclosure decisions of users from individualistic cultures. At the same time, uncertainty avoidance determines the impact of privacy concerns. This paper contributes to the theory by rejecting the universal nature of privacy calculus processes. The findings provide for an array of managerial implications for SNS providers as they strive to encourage content creation and sharing by their heterogeneous members.

Privacy Calculus on Social Networking Sites: Explorative Evidence from Germany and USA

Worldwide social networks, like Facebook, face fierce competition from local platforms when expanding globally. To remain attractive social network providers need to encourage user self-disclosure. Yet, little research exists on how cultural differences impact self-disclosure on these platforms. Addressing this gap, this study explores the differences in perceptions of disclosure-relevant determinants between German and US users. Survey of Facebook members indicates that German users expect more damage and attribute higher probability to privacy-related violations. On the other hand, even though American users show higher level of privacy concern, they extract more benefits from their social networking activities, have more trust in the service provider and legal assurances as well as perceive more control. These factors may explain a higher level of self-disclosure indicated by American users. Our results provide relevant insights for the social network providers who can adjust their expansion strategy with regard to cultural differences.

Deal of the Day Platforms what drives Consumer loyalty?

Abstract“Deal of the Day” (DoD) platforms have quickly become popular by offering savings on local services, products and vacations. For merchants, these platforms represent a new marketing channel to advertise their products and services and attract new customers. DoD platform providers, however, struggle to maintaining a stable market share and profitability, because entry and switching costs are low. To sustain a competitive market position, DoD providers are looking for ways to build a loyal customer base. However, research examining the determinants of user loyalty in this novel context is scarce. To fill this gap, this study employs Grounded Theory methodology to develop a conceptual model of customer loyalty to a DoD provider. In the next step, qualitative insights are enriched and validated using quantitative data from a survey of 202 DoD users. The authors find that customer loyalty is in large part driven by monetary incentives, but can be eroded if impressions from merchant encounters are below expectations. In addition, enhancing the share of deals relevant for consumers, i.e. signal-to-noise ratio, and mitigating perceived risks of a transaction emerge as challenges. Beyond theoretical value, the results offer practical insights into how customer loyalty to a DoD provider can be promoted.

Cognition or affect? - exploring information processing on facebook

Recognizing the increasing amount of information shared on Social Networking Sites (SNS), in this study we aim to explore the information processing strategies of users on Facebook. Specifically, we aim to investigate the impact of various factors on user attitudes towards the posts on their Newsfeed. To collect the data, we program a Facebook application that allows users to evaluate posts in real time. Applying Structural Equation Modeling to a sample of 857 observations we find that it is mostly the affective attitude that shapes user behavior on the network. This attitude, in turn, is mainly determined by the communication intensity between users, overriding comprehensibility of the post and almost neglecting post length and user posting frequency.

Impression Management in the Sharing Economy: Understanding the Effect of Response Strategy to Negative Reviews

Recognizing the harmful effect of negative reviews on the reputation of the hosts as well as a subjective nature of the travel experience judgements, accommodation sharing platforms, like Airbnb, have introduced the response option, empowering hosts with the voice to deny, present an excuse, or at least apologize for the subject of the criticism. However, the effects of different response strategies on the impression of guests regarding the host and, above all, guests’ willingness to rent a specific accommodation in the sharing setting remain unclear. To fill this gap, this study focuses on understanding the impact of different response strategies utilizing experimental methods. Our investigation shows that when the subject of complaint is controllable by a host, only the “confession / apology” strategy can improve the impression of guests regarding the host and enhance guests’ willingness to rent, compared to the absence of response. However, when the subject of criticism is beyond the control of the host, both “confession / apology” and “excuse” have positive influence on the impression and also guests’ willingness to rent. At the same time, “denial” strategy appears ineffective in both controllable and uncontrollable contexts we tested.

Die Rolle der Kultur in der Selbstoffenbarung und Privatsphäre in sozialen Onlinenetzwerken

ZusammenfassungSoziale Onlinenetzwerke (SON) stützen sich ausschließlich auf nutzergenerierten Inhalt um ihren Mitgliedern ein ansprechendes und lohnendes Erlebnis zu bieten. Infolgedessen sind die Belebung der Kommunikation zwischen Nutzern sowie die Stimulierung ihrer Selbstoffenbarung im Netz unerlässlich für die Zukunftsfähigkeit von SON. Soziale Netzwerke sind weltweit beliebt und deren Nutzer werden zunehmend kulturell vielfältiger. Um ihre Mitglieder zu motivieren Informationen zu teilen bedarf es des Verständnisses kultureller Feinheiten. Bisher bietet die derzeitige Forschung nur begrenzte Einblicke in die Rolle der Kultur, die hinter dieser Bereitwilligkeit von Selbstoffenbarung der Nutzer in Onlinenetzwerken steht. Aufbauend auf dem Privatsphärekalkül untersucht diese Studie die Rolle zweier kultureller Dimensionen – Individualismus und Unsicherheitsvermeidung – bei der Selbstoffenbarung auf SON. Die Umfrageergebnisse deutscher und amerikanischer Facebook-Nutzer bilden hierbei die Basis für die Analyse. Die Resultate des Strukturgleichungsmodells und der Multi-Gruppen-Analyse offenbaren deutliche Unterschiede in den kognitiven Strukturen dieser beiden Kulturen. Hierbei spielen Vertrauensannahmen eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Selbstoffenbarung von Nutzern mit individualistischem Hintergrund. Gleichzeitig beeinflusst die Unsicherheitsvermeidung die Auswirkung von den Bedenken hinsichtlich der Privatsphäre. Der Beitrag der Autoren zu der Theorie ist die Ablehnung des universellen Charakters des Privatsphärekalküls. Die Forschungsergebnisse geben den Betreibern von SON eine Reihe von Empfehlungen, um die Erstellung und Teilung von Inhalten ihrer heterogenen Zielgruppen zu stimulieren.AbstractSocial Network Sites (SNSs) rely exclusively on user-generated content to offer engaging and rewarding experience to its members. As a result, stimulating user communication and self-disclosure is vital for the sustainability of SNSs. However, considering that the SNS users are increasingly culturally diverse, motivating this audience to self-disclose requires understanding of their cultural intricacies. Yet existing research offers only limited insights into the role of culture behind the motivation of SNS users to self-disclose. Building on the privacy calculus framework, this study explores the role of two cultural dimensions – individualism and uncertainty avoidance – in self-disclosure decisions of SNS users. Survey responses of US and German Facebook members are used as the basis for our analysis. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis results reveal the distinct role of culture in the cognitive patterns of SNS users. The authors find that trusting beliefs play a key role in the self-disclosure decisions of users from individualistic cultures. At the same time, uncertainty avoidance determines the impact of privacy concerns. This paper contributes to the theory by rejecting the universal nature of privacy calculus processes. The findings provide for an array of managerial implications for SNS providers as they strive to encourage content creation and sharing by their heterogeneous members.

Bitcoin: Drivers and Impediments

The Bitcoin digital currency increasingly attracts an essential number of Internet users. This study focuses on the future outlook of Bitcoin by identifying drivers and impediments of the currencys adoption. For this aim, we conduct an empirical survey of around one hundred Bitcoin experts and discuss the results. Our research contributes to the practical and theoretical discussions in the cryptocurrency field and broadens the understanding of the adoption and future perspectives of Bitcoin.

Abgelenkte Eltern, frustrierte Kinder

Smartphones begleiten uns uberallhin – auch auf den Kinderspielplatz. Neue Studien analysieren den Stellenwert von Smartphones in verschiedenen sozialen Situationen und erforschen die Auswirkungen auf die Eltern-Kind-Beziehung.

„Deal of the Day“-Plattformen: Was treibt die Kundenloyalität?

ZusammenfassungDie Beliebtheit von „Deal of the Day“ (DoD)-Plattformen ist rasant angestiegen, da sie Einsparungen für lokale Dienstleistungen, Produkte und Urlaube anbieten. Für Händler stellen diese Plattformen einen neuen Marketingkanal dar, um ihre Produkte und Services zu bewerben und neue Kunden zu gewinnen. Die Betreiber von DoD-Plattformen kämpfen jedoch um einen stabilen Marktanteil und Profitabilität, da Eintritts- und Wechselkosten gering sind. Um eine wettbewerbsfähige Marktposition zu halten, suchen DoD-Betreiber daher nach Wegen, um einen loyalen Kundenstamm aufzubauen. Jedoch gibt es bisher kaum Forschung, welche die Determinanten von Kundenloyalität in diesem neuen Kontext untersucht. Um diese Lücke zu füllen, nutzt diese Studie die Grounded-Theory-Methodologie, um ein konzeptionelles Modell der Kundenloyalität für DoD-Betreiber zu entwickeln. Im nächsten Schritt werden diese qualitativen Erkenntnisse erweitert und validiert unter Verwendung quantitativer Daten, die im Rahmen einer Umfrage unter 202 DoD-Nutzern erhoben wurden. Die Autoren haben herausgefunden, dass Kundenloyalität zu einem großen Teil von monetären Anreizen beeinflusst wird, welche jedoch untergraben werden, wenn die Begegnung mit dem Händler unter den Erwartungen bleibt. Zusätzlich stellen die Erweiterung des Anteils relevanter Deals für Kunden (d.h. das Signal-Rausch-Verhältnis) und die Verringerung des wahrgenommenen Risikos einer Transaktion eine Herausforderung dar. Neben ihrem theoretischen Wert bieten die Erkenntnisse praktische Einblicke darüber, wie die Kundenloyalität zu DoD-Betreibern verbessert werden kann.Abstract“Deal of the Day” (DoD) platforms have quickly become popular by offering savings on local services, products and vacations. For merchants, these platforms represent a new marketing channel to advertise their products and services and attract new customers. DoD platform providers, however, struggle to maintaining a stable market share and profitability, because entry and switching costs are low. To sustain a competitive market position, DoD providers are looking for ways to build a loyal customer base. However, research examining the determinants of user loyalty in this novel context is scarce. To fill this gap, this study employs Grounded Theory methodology to develop a conceptual model of customer loyalty to a DoD provider. In the next step, qualitative insights are enriched and validated using quantitative data obtained in a survey with 202 DoD users. We find that customer loyalty is in large part driven by monetary incentives, but can be eroded if impressions from merchant encounter are below expectations. In addition, enhancing the share of deals relevant for consumers, i.e. signal-to-noise ratio, and mitigating perceived risks of a transaction emerge as challenges. Beyond theoretical value, our results offer practical insights into how customer loyalty to a DoD provider can be promoted.