Kathryn Waite

Online banking information: what we want and what we get

This paper reports on young adults’ expectations and perceptions of online retail banking information. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research was used. Focus groups proved valuable in eliciting criteria grounded in the experience of users of bank Web sites. The subsequent questionnaire survey allowed the measurement of gaps between perceptions and expectations. The results indicate that respondents expect bank Web sites to be easy to use and to provide them with basic account/product details. These features are valued more than the technological aspects. Yet, perceptions of actual information provision differ. While basic account and price information is perceived to be provided, certain features are perceived to be less prevalent, rendering bank Web sites ineffective at aiding consumer decision making. The research questions the role of the Internet in information provision and suggests how banks can improve their Web sites to assist consumer decision making.

Analysis by paralysis: The pension purchase decision process

Purpose – Attempts to understand the consumer behaviour in the context of the pension purchase process, including the decision process and factors affecting the decision.Design/methodology/approach – Focus groups were conducted among manual and clerical grades of employees within a public sector organization who were members of an occupational pension scheme.Findings – Despite the relative importance of pensions and the degree of risk associated with the purchase, the findings clearly indicate that purchasing decisions in this context are neither completely informed nor rational. The process described by focus group participants suggests “analysis by paralysis”, characterized by complexity, confusion and apathy.Research limitations/implications – Small number of focus groups and a focus on manual and clerical grades of employment only. A larger sample and representation of other grades of employment might yield differences in decision making between different segments of the population.Practical implicati...

Task scenario effects on bank web site expectations

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to explore whether consumer expectations of web site attributes differ according to information‐seeking or transaction tasks. Information seeking is a distinct online activity and is an important first stage of the Internet adoption process. However, there is little empirical research that compares online search and transaction behaviour.Design/methodology/approach – This pilot study focuses on retail bank web sites in order to select a service familiar to consumers for which a web site would serve as both an information source and a transaction channel. A self‐administered questionnaire collected data from a convenience sample of 160 UK adults in December 2005. The questionnaire measured normative and predictive expectations of systems and information quality.Findings – The findings show differences between task contexts with regards to the requirement to supply personal details, the presence of a search engine and the inclusion of moving graphics. There are impl...

“Following the yellow brick road” – young adults’ experiences of the information super‐highway

This paper uses the metaphor of the movie classic the Wizard of Oz to represent the online experiences of young adults. Just like the twister that turns Dorothy’s world upside, down the Internet has arrived to transform our black and white lives into the Technicolor hyper‐reality of the Land of Oz. What are the consequences for young Dorothies of today when they explore the yellow brick information superhighway? Phenomenologically informed qualitative research was used to explore the Internet experiences of older adolescents and young adults. The findings identify, financial, temporal, social, logistical and emotional barriers and indicate that although the Internet is an intrinsic facet of young adults’ lives, it falls well short of an obsession. The implications are that marketing practitioners need to pay closer attention to the genuine fears and concerns directed at the Internet rather than assuming that young adults’ responses are enthusiastic and positive.

Critical factors affecting intermediary web site adoption: understanding how to extend e‐participation

Purpose – To provide an investigation of e‐commerce development via an examination of the forces shaping web site development among intermediaries in an extended supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – A two‐stage research design combining qualitative and quantitative methods. Unstructured interviews conducted in the spirit of phenomenology elicited a range of critical incidents of web site development which were further examined via a quantitative survey of intermediaries to test for relationships between critical incidents and web site adoption.Findings – Adopter groups were identified which showed statistically significant differences in terms of the critical incidents driving web site development as well as differences in terms of key company characteristics. The timing of web site adoption was also found to affect the subsequent use of the technology, with early adopters making more advanced use.Research limitations/implications – Limitations associated with the use of retrospective data and respo...

Impact of co-production on consumer perception of empowerment

Service-dominant logic emphasises the customer role as co-creator of value. However, there is little empirical evidence of how customers perceive and experience value co-creation from participation in service co-production. The internet and interactive websites have increased the potential for consumers to engage in co-production through increased self-service which is acknowledged to contribute to consumer empowerment. The paper explores empirically the impact of service co-production via web technology on consumer perceptions of e-empowerment. Findings suggest that e-empowerment is multidimensional comprising empowerment and disempowerment dimensions. The paper makes several contributions to services theory. Variable co-production leads to different types of empowerment/disempowerment. Value-in-use can be perceived as process value and outcome value. The findings challenge the assumption that co-production naturally leads to co-creation of value. Co-production can be a double-edged sword: for some it can be value-enhancing, whereas for others it can be value-destructing. The paper notes several implications for practice.

Internet archaeology: uncovering pension sector web site evolution

Purpose – The paper has two objectives. First, it seeks to present a procedure for exploring web site development using the Internet archive (www.archive.org). Second, it aims to test the assumption that over time a progression in web site numbers and interactivity is visible within an industry sector.Design/methodology/approach – The Internet archive was used to view web site activity from 1998‐2004 for 21 randomly selected organisations generating a final sample of 106 web sites. Content analysis was used to gather information on web site numbers and functionality. Web sites were evaluated using existing models of web site evolution adapted for the financial services sector.Findings – This paper produces meaningful data on patterns of web site development. Results indicate that UK pension provider web sites have increased in sophistication but remain underdeveloped.Research limitations/implications – In this paper there is no qualitative web site assessment and thus no information on web site quality. T...

The influence of image interactivity upon user engagement when using mobile touch screens

Touch screens are a key component of consumer mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, as well as an increasingly common self-service component of information retrieval on fixed screens and mobile devices in-store. The ubiquity of touch screens in daily life increases consumer accessibility and extended use for shopping, whilst software innovations have increased the functionality of touch screens, for example the extent to which images respond to fingertip control. This study examines how users engage with interactive visual rotation and tactile simulation features while browsing fashion clothing products on touch screen devices and thus contributes to retail touch screen research that previously focused on in-store kiosks and window displays. Findings show that three dimensions of user engagement (endurability, novelty and felt involvement) are positively influenced by both forms of manipulation. In order to examine the extent to which touch screen user engagement varies with individual preferences for an in-store experience, the paper also examines whether user engagement outcomes are mediated by an individuals need for physical touch. Findings indicate that the need for touch does not explain the variance between individuals. We conclude that touch screen technology complements the physical retail environment.

Social Impact Theory: An examination of how immediacy operates as an influence upon social media interaction in Facebook Fan pages

This paper proposes that Social Influence Theory is an appropriate approach for understanding social media interaction. Increasingly organisations are looking for ways to develop an effective presence in social media to increase awareness, customer satisfaction, sales and consumer engagement with the brand. The influence of interpersonal interaction upon attitude, beliefs and behaviour, has been studied within social psychology. Different forms of immediacy: physical, temporal and social are theorised as exerting distinct influences upon individual behaviours. This paper reviews the concept of social influence and introduces social impact theory (SIT) a conceptual framework to guide research enquiry and inform practice within the social media marketing. It examines in detail the concept of immediacy and indicates how an understanding of immediacy might explain Facebook behaviours

The Role and Responsibilities of an E-Tutor Librarian.

Current trends in librarianship in higher education have indicated an increasing tutoring role for librarians in the online environment. This article examines how the role of the e-tutor is outlined in selected online learning literature before progressing to examine the implications for librarians of fulfilling the demanding e-tutoring role by drawing upon the authors’ own experiences of online education and training courses in UK universities. In conclusion it outlines the authors’ increased awareness of the distinct nature of e-tutoring and discusses the key learning outcomes for future e-tutoring activity by librarians.