What drives consumers to patronise a hedonic social network? an empirical test of consumers' experiences, and their impact on continuance intention

My doctoral research focuses on the analysis of the various factors that potentially contribute to loyalty towards hedonic social networks. Among all the social networks, our study focuses on Facebook. After reviewing the relevant literature, we built a model including factors in three different categories: user experience (flow, interactivity and presence), social influence (subjective norms) and users' personality (OSL and attitude). With all the forgoing factors, we built a model containing the relationships between the constructs proposed, and its role in the construction of loyalty. The model has been validated and empirically analysed with a field research. For that purpose, we took a 371 valid records sample. The model was analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The empirical study yielded a positive relationship between the following constructs: interactivity with social and spatial presence, flow, attitude and loyalty; spatial presence with flow and social presence; social presence with loyalty; flow with attitude; subjective norms with loyalty; and attitude with loyalty.Esta tesis doctoral se enfoca en identificar y analizar los factores que puedan contribuir a la formación de lealtad hacia el uso de las redes sociales hedónicas. Entre todas las redes sociales, nuestro estudio se ha enfocado en Facebook. Después de revisar la literatura relevante, construimos un modelo que incluía factores relacionados de tres categorías distintas: la experiencia de uso (flujo, presencia e interactividad), la influencia social (normas subjetivas) y la personalidad del usuario (actitud y OSL). Con todo ello hemos construido un modelo que recoge las relaciones entre los constructos propuestos, y su papel dentro de la construcción de la lealtad. El modelo ha sido validado y contrastado empíricamente con una investigación de campo. Para ello se ha tomado una muestra de 371 registros. El modelo fue analizado utilizando una metodología de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM). El estudio empírico arrojó una influencia positiva entre los siguientes constructos: interactividad con presencia social y espacial, con flujo, actitud y lealtad; presencia espacial con flujo y presencia espacial; presencia social con lealtad; flujo con actitud; normas subjetivas con lealtad; y actitud con lealtad.Aquesta tesi doctoral s'enfoca en identificar i analitzar els factors que puguin contribuir a la formació de lleialtat cap a l'ús de les xarxes socials hedòniques. Entre totes les xarxes socials hedòniques, el nostre estudi s'ha enfocat a Facebook. Després de revisar la literatura rellevant, vam construir un model que incloïa factors relacionats de tres categories diferents: l'experiència d'ús (flux, interactivitat i presència), la influència social (normes subjectives) i la personalitat de l'usuari (actitud y OSL). Amb tot això hem construït un model que recull les relacions entre els constructes proposats, i el seu paper dins de la construcció de la lleialtat. El model ha estat validat i contrastat empíricament amb una investigació de camp. Per això s'ha obtingut una mostra de 371 registres. El model va ser analitzat utilitzant una metodologia de modelatge d'equacions estructurals (SEM). Aquest contrast va permetre mostrar una influència positiva entre els següents constructes: interactivitat amb presència social i espacial, amb flux, actitud i lleialtat; presència espacial amb flux i presència espacial; presència social amb lleialtat; flux amb actitud; normes subjectives amb lleialtat; i actitud amb lleialtat.Societat de la informació i el coneixemen

The context and content related determinants of professional social networking site usage – A perceived value perspective

Previous studies of organisational or recreational use of social networking sites (SNSs) are unable to fully explain a setting where work and play aspects combine, as in the case of professional SNS. This thesis aims at complementing the current research on SNS usage determinants by including the parallel roles of individual and professional self in using a professional SNS, a topic still academically sparse. This thesis applies the perceived value concept as a multidimensional determinant of SNS usage. Previous research has confirmed the relevance of perceived value in studying SNS continuance. In this study, perceived value is framed using context-content and individual-professional value scales for explaining the continuous usage of professional SNS. Theory on perceived consumption value (individual self) is complemented with social capital theory and the concept of resource pooling (professional self). Data from LinkedIn usage is then collected from users of different professional life stage. The research model and hypotheses are tested using PLS-SEM method. The key findings of this study both complement and confirm previous SNS research. First, the results indicate that the bridging social capital is a major contextual determinant of professional SNS usage whereas bonding social capital bears no clear significance. This is opposing to what previous literature on recreational SNS has claimed. Second, the hedonic value seems to be a stronger determinant of professional SNS usage than utilitarian value – something not expected in the case of professional service, but parallel to what has been found on recreational SNS. The perceived value approach brings a new perspective to SNS research and the robust empirical results verify the applicability of the individual-professional as well as the context-content scale of perceived value. The framework also shows substantial predictive capability which demonstrates its relevance for subsequent research

The Public\u27s Perception of an Earthquake Early Warning System: A Study on Factors Influencing Continuance Intention

This paper investigates the perceptions of the New Zealand public towards the Android Earthquake Alert (AEA) system, a public-facing earthquake early warning system. Specifically, it examines the public’s continuance intention towards the AEA system and the influencing factors of satisfaction, confirmation, perceived usefulness, and perceived trust. To gather insights into the public’s perceptions regarding the AEA system, this study distributed online surveys following two separate earthquake alert events on 12 October and 22 October 2021. A total of 524 and 671 participants responded to the two events’ surveys, providing valuable data for analysis and exploration. Structural Equation Modelling of the two datasets revealed that the continuance model fit the data to some extent, especially on the significance of perceived usefulness and perceived trust to continuance intention. However, the results also showed varying results for satisfaction’s relationship with perceived trust and continuance intention. These findings underscore the need for further investigation into the role of satisfaction and perceived trust, considering the evolving nature of EEW technologies and users’ familiarity over time. The descriptive and inferential analysis results raised concerns about potential confusion around the alerts’ source and highlighted the question of responsibility and liability for EEW. Overall, this study contributes to understanding continuance intention in the EEW context and provides insights into the public’s perception of the AEA system in New Zealand. The findings have implications more broadly for EEW systems’ design, implementation, and communication strategies

Social media adoption by microbusinesses

The social media implementation process (initiation, adoption, adaptation, acceptance, use and incorporation) is examined in correlation with the five factors (individual, organisational, technological, environmental and performance). Numerous existing theories from the innovation, technology adoption and performance measurement literature are used to derive probable relation between the implementation process and the five factors. Such expansive scope and comprehensive theory development has been articulated but never attempted. To manage the large scope, microbusinesses are selected purposefully due to their limited business processes. The research design reflects the need for relevance by using Lewin’s action research (traditional social change model) as the primary method augmented by participant observation (physical and online). Data collection uses a mix of unstructured, semi-structured and structured interviews assisted by structured observation. Data analysis uses a set of routines, such as tabulation, categorisation, abstraction and verification, involving prediction and testing. The research finds that a collaborative process to address concerns, along with quick start and self-training, helped to adopt social media. Participants needed to focus on concrete experience, work-place learning and personal knowledge for learning to use social media. Usefulness arising from improved communication, fitness and medium richness was the dominant indicator for acceptance and use. Continued use relied on satisfaction and habit of the user. Individual characteristics and personality factors both seemed to be a poor indicator of adoption with weak links towards extroversion. Microbusinesses suffered primarily from context and mental mode related challenges for social media use. Type of business, such as service shops, had a greater probability of success. Social media positively affected relationship marketing in terms of service quality. Business activity associated with specialisation seemed to perform poorly with social media. Finally, performance measurement techniques included finding the capability of social media to meet survival objectives, improve capacity utilisation and business resale value

Coping with pandemics using social network sites: A psychological detachment perspective to COVID-19 stressors

publishedVersio

Coping with pandemics using social network sites: A psychological detachment perspective to COVID-19 stressors

Prior research has often portrayed information technology (IT) as a stressor. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate that IT can also be an effective means of coping with life stressors, including those induced by pandemics such as COVID-19. We thus deviate from the common IT-as-a-stressor perspective and adopt an IT-as-a-coping-mechanism viewpoint. To this end, we apply the stressor-detachment model from organisational psychology to the use of social network sites (SNSs) in coping with stressors wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. We examine psychological well-being as our dependant variable and introduce psychological detachment through SNS use as a mediator and moderator of the associations between psychological well-being and two COVID-19 stressors: work–family conflict and perceived isolation. We used structural equation modelling and tested this model with survey data collected from 398 professionals who were in lockdown and working from home during the pandemic. The results indicated that psychological detachment through SNS uses increased psychological well-being and that heightened work–family conflict motivated this detachment strategy. In contrast, consistent with helplessness and motivation–opportunity theories, perceived isolation as a stressor did not influence psychological detachment through SNS use. While perceived isolation directly reduced individual well-being, the effect of work–family conflict on well-being was contingent upon users' levels of psychological detachment through SNS use. These findings suggest that while psychological detachment through SNS use is an effective means of improving one's well-being, it can be positively or negatively affected by stressors. Our study contributes to research on technology-mediated strategies for coping with stress and the psychosocial implications of global pandemics.publishedVersio

Automated technologies: how do they enable value co-creation, value co-destruction & customer brand engagement?

As novel automated technologies continue to play an increasingly prominent role in value- based service settings, there is an increased likelihood that the way in which value is co-created and co-destructed will concomitantly change (Paschen et al., 2021; Van Esch et al., 2019). Such technology-induced changes, along with their impacts on customers’ experiences of value co-creation and value co-destruction, are the focus of this research. To this end, this research unveils a more accurate understanding of how novel automated technologies enable value co-creation, value co-destruction and customer brand engagement (CBE). On this basis, the thesis addresses four research objectives: (1) to explore how customers perceive the impact of brands’ automated technology on their experiences of value co-creation and value co-destruction; (2) to examine the variables influencing CBE when customers interact with brands’ automated technology; (3) to examine the CBE outcomes/consequences that occur when customers interact with brands’ automated technology; and (4) to examine customers’ reasons for using brands’ automated technology during service encounters. A mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) approach is used for this research, consisting of semi-structured interviews and an online survey. Previous value co-creation research has primarily been qualitative or conceptual. For the first stage of data collection, 12 in-depth interviews were carried out. The sample included consumers who had interactions with the chatbot of at least one of the following brands: Asos, Amazon, Skyscanner and Vodafone. These interviews were conducted to explore how customers perceive the impact of brands’ automated technology (chatbots) on their experiences of value co-creation and value co- destruction. The findings indicate that customers’ experiences of value co-creation or value co- destruction are largely dependent on the characteristics of the chatbots they interact with. The chatbot characteristics identified include social presence, information quality, interactivity, personalisation, comprehension and empathy. For the second stage of data collection, an online survey was administered. The sample consisted of 736 consumers divided across Amazon, Vodafone, O2 and H&M. The respondents had prior interactions with these specific brands’/service providers’ chatbots. An online survey was conducted to examine the variables influencing CBE when customers interact with brands’ automated technology, the CBE outcomes/consequences that occur following automated service interactions and customers’ reasons for using these brands’ automated technology. The findings indicate that nine variables influence CBE in chatbot-enabled service settings: social presence, information quality, interactivity, personalisation and empathy, comprehension, utilitarian value, value co-creation and value co-destruction. Moreover, CBE was found to have a significant effect on customers’ continuance intention with the chatbot and brand intention. This research contributes to the value co-creation and CBE literature. Firstly, this research extends the value co-creation literature by exploring experiences of value co-creation and value co-destruction between customers and non-human actors (chatbots) within value-based service networks. Previous value co-creation research falls short in addressing the role nonhuman actors play in the value co-creation and value co-destruction process. Secondly, this research extends the value co-creation literature by revealing six key characteristics of chatbots and the role they play in the value co-creation and/or value co-destruction process. Previous value co-creation does not highlight the key characteristics of technology that facilitate customers' experiences of value co-creation or value co-destruction. Thirdly, this research extends the CBE literature by examining the 12 variables that influence CBE in automated (chatbot-enabled) service settings. Prior CBE research is yet to examine the variables that influence CBE in service settings that are chatbot driven. Fourth, this research extends the CBE literature by examining the impact of value co-creation and value co-destruction on CBE in settings where chatbots facilitate customer-brand interactions. Previous CBE research has not examined the impact value co-creation and value co-destruction have on CBE in chatbot driven service settings. Fifth, this research extends the CBE literature by examining customers’ intention to continue using the chatbot as a consequence/outcome of CBE fostered in chatbot-enabled service settings. Previous CBE research is yet to examine the customers’ continuance intention with the chatbot as an outcome of CBE in chatbot driven service settings.As novel automated technologies continue to play an increasingly prominent role in value- based service settings, there is an increased likelihood that the way in which value is co-created and co-destructed will concomitantly change (Paschen et al., 2021; Van Esch et al., 2019). Such technology-induced changes, along with their impacts on customers’ experiences of value co-creation and value co-destruction, are the focus of this research. To this end, this research unveils a more accurate understanding of how novel automated technologies enable value co-creation, value co-destruction and customer brand engagement (CBE). On this basis, the thesis addresses four research objectives: (1) to explore how customers perceive the impact of brands’ automated technology on their experiences of value co-creation and value co-destruction; (2) to examine the variables influencing CBE when customers interact with brands’ automated technology; (3) to examine the CBE outcomes/consequences that occur when customers interact with brands’ automated technology; and (4) to examine customers’ reasons for using brands’ automated technology during service encounters. A mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) approach is used for this research, consisting of semi-structured interviews and an online survey. Previous value co-creation research has primarily been qualitative or conceptual. For the first stage of data collection, 12 in-depth interviews were carried out. The sample included consumers who had interactions with the chatbot of at least one of the following brands: Asos, Amazon, Skyscanner and Vodafone. These interviews were conducted to explore how customers perceive the impact of brands’ automated technology (chatbots) on their experiences of value co-creation and value co- destruction. The findings indicate that customers’ experiences of value co-creation or value co- destruction are largely dependent on the characteristics of the chatbots they interact with. The chatbot characteristics identified include social presence, information quality, interactivity, personalisation, comprehension and empathy. For the second stage of data collection, an online survey was administered. The sample consisted of 736 consumers divided across Amazon, Vodafone, O2 and H&M. The respondents had prior interactions with these specific brands’/service providers’ chatbots. An online survey was conducted to examine the variables influencing CBE when customers interact with brands’ automated technology, the CBE outcomes/consequences that occur following automated service interactions and customers’ reasons for using these brands’ automated technology. The findings indicate that nine variables influence CBE in chatbot-enabled service settings: social presence, information quality, interactivity, personalisation and empathy, comprehension, utilitarian value, value co-creation and value co-destruction. Moreover, CBE was found to have a significant effect on customers’ continuance intention with the chatbot and brand intention. This research contributes to the value co-creation and CBE literature. Firstly, this research extends the value co-creation literature by exploring experiences of value co-creation and value co-destruction between customers and non-human actors (chatbots) within value-based service networks. Previous value co-creation research falls short in addressing the role nonhuman actors play in the value co-creation and value co-destruction process. Secondly, this research extends the value co-creation literature by revealing six key characteristics of chatbots and the role they play in the value co-creation and/or value co-destruction process. Previous value co-creation does not highlight the key characteristics of technology that facilitate customers' experiences of value co-creation or value co-destruction. Thirdly, this research extends the CBE literature by examining the 12 variables that influence CBE in automated (chatbot-enabled) service settings. Prior CBE research is yet to examine the variables that influence CBE in service settings that are chatbot driven. Fourth, this research extends the CBE literature by examining the impact of value co-creation and value co-destruction on CBE in settings where chatbots facilitate customer-brand interactions. Previous CBE research has not examined the impact value co-creation and value co-destruction have on CBE in chatbot driven service settings. Fifth, this research extends the CBE literature by examining customers’ intention to continue using the chatbot as a consequence/outcome of CBE fostered in chatbot-enabled service settings. Previous CBE research is yet to examine the customers’ continuance intention with the chatbot as an outcome of CBE in chatbot driven service settings

Friends with benefits : can firms benefit from consumers’ sense of community in brand Facebook pages?

PURPOSE : This two-country comparative study’s purpose is to investigate antecedents to, and the consequences of a sense of belonging to a firm’s Facebook community. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The model was grounded in the theory of sense of community and tested through structural equation modelling. Consumer panels were used via online surveys. FINDINGS : Of the three antecedents hypothesised to influence an individual’s sense of belonging, enjoyment is a very strong predictor in both countries; while the credibility of posts was also a significant predictor for Australia, but not for South Africa. The findings also show no direct relationship between a sense of belonging and continuing behaviour. However, for both countries, there is a strong relationship between a sense of belonging and the involvement with firm offerings in Facebook; and that involvement is significant for the intention to continue engaging with firms through this social media environment. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS : The findings support the framing of the study, in the sense of community theory and enhance researchers’ understanding of the role of a sense of belonging in moving visitors from simply clicking “like” to a deeper sense of engagement with the firm’s social media community and the flow-on effect to managerial relevant outcomes. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : The model is developed from the theory of sense of belonging, thus providing a fresh perspective to this research context. Additionally, there is limited research into the psycho-social antecedents and the outcomes of consumers’ sense of belonging to a firm’s Facebook community.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/loi/ebrhj2020Marketing Managemen

Foster childreńs views of family: A systematic review and qualitative synthesis

Producción CientíficaBackground: Research reveals that children with childhoods characterised by placement(s) in foster care have particularly complex and multi-dimensional understandings of family. Given the changing nature of family forms and meanings, and the increased emphasis on children’s voices in decisions about their care and well-being, this review seeks to encapsulate how foster children and former foster children (“foster children”) understand family. Objective: The aim of this review is to comprehensively identify, synthesise, and analyse three decades of qualitative research on current and former foster children’s understanding of family. Method: A systematic review was conducted, using three databases related to social sciences, social work, and family studies to identify relevant qualitative studies in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Using the guidelines of PRISMA statement, 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. A thematic synthesis of the findings was carried out. Results: Family was understood by foster and former foster children (1) as biological relatedness, (2) associated with positive emotions, (3) as doing family, and (4) as a choice, reflecting multiple ways of family belonging, in three contexts – kinship, non-kinship, and a combination of the two. Discussion and conclusion: For most foster children (both former and current), biological bonds determine what constitutes family. Some emphasised acts of mutual love, care, support, as well as tolerance and communication as important in defining what constitutes family. Others, however, felt that family is an individual choice. Welfare regimes were highlighted as a possible factor in foster children’s construction of family. We argue that foster children’s meaning and understanding of family in relation to a particular welfare state or local context, would be a welcome addition