Jyh-Jeng Wu

Cultural Impact on Trust: A Comparison of Virtual Communities in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

Abstract This study explores the influence of national culture on trust development of virtual community members across China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The research extends trust research by employing trust tendency, privacy policy, social presence, stickiness, and word-of-mouth to measure the trust of virtual community members. The quantitative analysis suggests that China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are three culturally diverse regions and there exists significant differences in individual trust tendency, social presence, stickiness, and word-of-mouth. When testing the relationship between antecedents of trust and trusting belief, the analysis shows that individual trust tendency and social presence relates to trusting belief positively. Furthermore, trusting belief influences trust behavior positively.

Impact of Signals and Experience on Trust and Trusting Behavior

Trust is an essential factor that drives virtual interaction and transactions on the Internet. Researchers have investigated the trust development process, and identified several important factors that form the basis for trust. This research combines the signal perspective and trust theory to examine the impact of market signals and past experience on trust formation and trusting behavior. Three market signals, including brand image, Web-site investment, and privacy policies, are identified and empirically tested to determine their impact on consumer trust. Based on 322 active Web users, the quantitative results suggest that brand image, Web-site investment, privacy policies, and past experience all positively impact trust formation. Furthermore, trust shows a positive effect on Web-site stickiness. Both theoretical and practical implications of the results are also offered.

Examining the mediating effect of positive moods on trust repair in e‐commerce

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of causal attributions (locus, stability, and controllability attributes) on trust violations and the coping strategies (affective, functional, and informational initiatives) involved in trust repair on building positive moods within the context of e‐commerce.Design/methodology/approach – The research model is tested using data collected from 513 active e‐shoppers. Structure equation modeling is employed to verify and validate the research model.Findings – Results show that strategies for repairing trust are effective in building positive moods among consumers, while causes of negative events have a negative impact on consumer mood. Furthermore, positive moods significantly influence the rebuilding of consumer trust. This research demonstrates that positive mood is an important mediator in trust repair.Practical implications – The research results provide insight into how e‐vendors can ease the tension associated with trust‐related disput...

Trust transfer and the effect of service quality on trust in the healthcare industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of service quality (interaction, physical environment, and outcome quality) on trust, to investigate the trust transfer in the healthcare industry, to explore the moderating effects of image congruence and switching costs on the trust transfer, and to assess the effect of trust on patients’ willingness of recommendation. Design/methodology/approach – The research model was tested using data collected from 483 inpatients in 15 medium-to-large hospitals in Taiwan. Structure equation modeling with the latent interaction effect was employed to verify and validate the research model. Findings – The outcomes show that interaction quality and outcome quality positively influence patients’ trust in the original hospital. But the effect of environment quality on trust is not significant. Patients’ trust in the original hospital positively affects their trust in its allied hospitals. Furthermore, image congruence positively moderates the trust transfer. H...

Impulse Purchases and Trust: The Mediating Effect of Stickiness and the Mental Budgeting Account

Impulse purchasing is a pervasive yet relatively little-discussed phenomenon. This study investigates the effect of impulse purchases on trust, as well as the mediating effect of stickiness and the mental budgeting account in the group buying context. Questionnaires were sent to group buying participants. The results show that impulse purchases have a positive effect on trust and that both stickiness and the mental budgeting account present a mediating effect.

Impact of initial trust, involvement, and mood on trusting belief

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to incorporate social exchange theory to elaborate on the antecedents that underlie consumers’ trust of innovative financial product providers. In particular, this study investigates the mediating role of positive moods in stimulating customer trust. Design/methodology/approach – The research model was tested using data collected from 440 elite customers from top-ten financial holding companies in Taiwan. Structure equation modeling was employed to verify and validate the research model. Findings – The findings suggest that initial trust and customer involvement significantly and positively impact customer moods. In addition, customer initial trust, involvement, and positive moods significantly influence customers’ trusting belief of service providers. Research limitations/implications – This study focussed on the financial services industry only. While this industry represents an ideal new product development context, future research is needed to test the theory in ...

Attachment relationship study of trust and trust transfer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply trust perspective and attachment theory and determined that relational embeddedness, anxiety attachment, and avoidance attachment are major factors influencing the trust of tenants in owners/developers of shopping centers. The authors also examined whether tenants transfer this trust to new shopping center developers and the consequent effect on relational performance. Design/methodology/approach This research was empirically based on primary data collected from new shopping center developers and the consequent effect on relational performance. Structure equation modeling was employed to verify and validate the research model. Findings Data collected from 250 shopping center tenants were analyzed, and the findings indicate that relational embeddedness, anxiety attachment, and avoidance attachment positively affect the trust of store tenants in the owners or developers of shopping centers. Furthermore, the authors determined that trust in existing shopping center developers was transferred to new shopping center developers, which consequently enhanced relational performance. Originality/value The findings contribute to trust transfer research and provide actionable guidelines to organizations intending to provide intermediary business services.

The effects of smartphone users’ core self-evaluations and stickiness on intentions to download free social media apps

Abstract This research investigates the influence of core self-evaluations (CSE), stickiness, positive emotion and trust on smartphone users’ intentions to download free social media apps. An online questionnaire was used to collect data, and 477 valid questionnaires were collected. The outcomes show that CSE and the smartphone users’ stickiness significantly influence their positive emotion. Comparing with CSE, stickiness plays a key role in affecting users’ emotion. Smartphone users’ emotions are found to positively influence their trust, which in turn positively influences their intentions to download free social media apps. The findings provide insights into how an app developer can improve users’ emotions and their associated behaviours.

Factors Influencing Inter-organizational Information Integration in Networked Environment

The advanced telecommunication technologies have changed the way of business interaction and competition. The network-based inter-organizational process integration is a complex issue involving both technological and social factors. Trust is fundamental to initiate the inter-organizational interaction and to develop long-term business relationship. This research applies IS success model and trust-relationship commitment perspective to explore factors influencing the impact of business-to-business processes integration. Three IS success factors, including system quality, information quality, and IS services quality, are proposed and empirically tested to examine their impact on inter-organizational trust. All the research hypothesis except the impact of IS service to organizational trust are supported. The research implications are discussed.

Anxious attachment, relational embeddedness, trust, co-production, and performance: An empirical study in online business-to-business relationships

Abstract Purpose The online shopping platform serves as an intermediary between online stores and individual online shoppers. The purposes of this study are to examine the influence of anxious attachment and relational embeddedness on trust and to investigate the impact of trust and co-production on performance in the context of online seller-shopping platform relationships. Design/methodology/approach The research is an empirical research using data collected from 308 senior marketing managers of online stores selling products/services in two largest online shopping platforms. Structure equation modeling was employed to verify and validate the research model. Findings The outcomes confirm that online sellers’ anxious attachment plays a key role and is negatively associated with their trust in the online shopping platform. Relational embeddedness positively affects trust of online sellers in the online shopping platform. The effect of trust on co-production and the influence of co-production on performance are statistically significant. However, trust does not appear to positively influence performance. Research limitations/implications This study surveyed targeted online sellers in Taiwan and the research outcomes may not be generalized to other countries. Practical implications The research results provide insights for the online shopping platform in understanding online sellers’ attachment anxiety and developing relational bonds with them to generate a favorable partnership. Originality/value This study represents one of the few that empirically examines the role of anxious attachment in online business-to-business partnerships and the findings provide useful information for the online shopping platform to improve customers’ trust and participation.