Optimization of dynamic product offerings on online marketplaces: A network theory perspective

The fierce competition amongst brands on online marketplaces makes the optimization of offerings within this context a significant challenge. To address this challenge, we draw upon network theory and model the degree of competition through consumers’ consideration sets. We use a large empiricaldataset from one of the biggest online marketplaces to explore the dynamic relationship between network position and the degree of competition, and we depict the redistribution of market share of related offerings after adjusting their array. In doing so, we provide a theoretical reference on when and how brands should optimize their product offerings on online marketplaces. We further demonstrate that intra-brand cannibalization relations have a significantly greater impact on the degree of competition compared to inter-brand ones, while intra-brand cannibalization relations represent the main reason for fluctuations in the degree of competition. Hence, contrary to existing theoreticalinsights and practical intuitions, our findings demonstrate that brands should minimize the number and heterogeneity of their offerings within a market segment to increase their sales on online marketplaces

University of Dayton Magazine, Autumn 2010

Roommates reconnect, Blue Sky contemporary art project, and glaucoma research.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dayton_mag/1019/thumbnail.jp

The Perils and Promises of Big Data Research in Information Systems

With the proliferation of “big data” and powerful analytical techniques, information systems (IS) researchers are increasingly engaged in what we label as big data research (BDR)—research based on large digital trace datasets and computationally intensive methods. The number of such research papers has been growing rapidly in the top IS journals during the last decade, with roughly 16% of papers in 2018 employing this approach. In this editorial, we propose five conjectures that articulate the potential consequences of increasing BDR prevalence for the IS field’s research goals and outputs. We discuss ways in which IS researchers may be able to better leverage big data and new analysis techniques to conduct more impactful research. Our intent with these conjectures and analyses is to stimulate debate in the IS community. Indeed, we need a productive discussion about how emerging new research methods, digital trace data, and the development of indigenous theory relate to and can support one another

From inércia to inertia: drawing on the travel experience

O objectivo deste trabalho de projecto, a tradução para inglês americano do livro de viagens ilustrado inércia (2013), de André Carrilho, acompanhada de um ensaio em que analiso as minhas próprias estratégias e opções como tradutora, visa, em última instância, a publicação do livro nos Estados Unidos da América e/ou no Reino Unido. A tarefa envolveu a elaboração de um comentário não apenas do meu processo de tradução, mas igualmente do rico conteúdo do próprio livro, o qual pode ser lido e discutido à luz de várias abordagens teóricas — globalização, pós-colonialismo e a condição pós-pósmoderna. O trabalho de projecto inclui informação introdutória sobre o autor e o texto de partida, uma explicação da metodologia seguida e a versão final do texto de chegada. Explora e reflecte ainda sobre as bases teóricas do corpo do trabalho, especificamente no que diz respeito ao autor enquanto escritor de viagens — alguém que, afinal, tal como um tradutor, interpreta o Outro e molda a perpectiva que uma cultura tem de outra.The purpose of this work-project, the translation into American English of André Carrilho’s illustrated travel book in the form of a diary, inertia (2013), accompanied by an essay analyzing my own strategies and choices as translator, is to ultimately support the publishing of the book in the United States and/or in the United Kingdom. The task involved a commentary not only of my translation process, but also of the book’s rich content itself, as it can be read and discussed in the light of various theoretical approaches – globalization, post-colonialism and the post postmodern condition. The work-project contains introductory information on the author and the source text, an explanation of the methodology followed and the final target text in translation. It further explores and elaborates on the theoretical bases for the body of the work, specifically with regards to the author as travel writer — someone who, after all, like a translator, interprets the Other and shapes the perspective one culture has of another

Modelling Hospital Acquired Clostridium difficile Infections And Its Transmission In Acute Hospital Settings

The thesis explored a number of fundamental issues regarding the development of predictive models for hospital acquired Clostridium difficile infection (HA CDI) and its outbreaks. As predictive modeling for hospital acquired infection is still an emerging field and the ability to analyse HA CDI and potential outbreaks are in a developmental stage, the research documented in this thesis is exploratory and preliminary. Predictive modeling for the outbreak of hospital acquired infections can be considered at two levels: population and individual. We provide a comprehensive review regarding modeling methodology in this field at both population level and individual level. The transmission of HA CDI is not well understood. An agent based simulation model was built to evaluate the relative importance of the potential sources of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection in a non-outbreak ward setting in an acute care hospital. The model was calibrated through a two stage procedure which utilized Latin Hypercube Sampling methodology and Genetic Algorithm optimization to capture five different patterns reported in the literature. A number of aspects of the model including housekeeping, hand hygiene compliance, patient turnover, and antibiotic pressure were explored. Based on the modeling results, several prevention policies are recommended. One widely used tool to better understand the dynamics of infectious disease outbreaks is network epidemiology. We explored the potential of using network statistics for the prediction of the transmission of HA CDIs in the hospital. Two types of dynamic networks were studied: ward level contacts and hospital transfers. An innovative method that combines time series data mining and predictive classification models was introduced for the analysis of these dynamic networks and for the prediction of HA CDI transmission. The results suggest that the network statistics extracted from the dynamic networks are potential predictors for the transmission of HA CDIs. We explored the potential of using the “multiple modeling methods approach” to predict HA CDI patient at risk by using the data from the information systems in the hospital. A range of machine learning predictive models were utilized to analyse collected data from a hospital. Our results suggest that the multiple modeling methods approach is able to improve prediction performance and to reveal new insights in the data set. We recommend that this approach might be considered for future studies on the predictive model construction and risk factor analysis

A study of electronic commerce and tourism : e-commerce system evaluation and consumer behaviour in the e-business environment

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Empowering Information Systems Users: The Role of Timely and Customizable Information for User Engagement and Selection Behavior

Information systems (IS) increasingly empower their users by strengthening users’ capability and autonomy to make their own decisions how to use and engage with IS. Specifically, users are empowered when they have sufficient knowledge to make rational decisions within IS and sufficient control to shape their experience with IS. In line with these pillars of empowerment, technological advancements unlock new possibilities for IS providers to empower users with access to high quality information (e.g., by providing timely updates of dynamically changing information) and with the ability to control the information stream (e.g., by implementing interfaces to customize websites). As a result, users have greater autonomy to actively shape their user experience to their likening, making them less dependent on having to identify IS that match their needs. At the same time, empowering users pays off for IS providers, as empowered users are known to form more positive attitudes and intentions to engage with the empowering IS. This thesis addresses the two aforementioned pillars of empowerment through knowledge and empowerment through control. Four studies shed light on how the increasingly prevalent practice of empowering users with timely and customizable information affects user engagement as well as users’ selection behavior. The first strand of this thesis investigates user empowerment through timely information in the context of decision support systems (DSS) that aid users in their selection of which (physical) location to visit. To avoid congestion at locations, such DSS communicate how busy each location is by displaying crowding information (CI), accompanied by timeliness cues indicating when this CI was retrieved (e.g., “updated just now” vs. “average over the last year”). Helping users avoid crowded locations becomes all the more important during periods of extraordinary pathogenic risk, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, where physical distancing is imperative for the containment of the pathogen. Against this background, the first study in this thesis investigates how CI with different levels of timeliness affects how users select between differently crowded medical practices. The results demonstrate that while the display of CI is generally useful for users to avoid crowded locations, providing particularly timely CI (i.e., updated close to real-time) leads users to select less crowded locations even more effectively. Moreover, this effect is strongest for individuals who exhibit low levels of health anxiety – an important contextual variable influencing user behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second study extends the findings of the first study by investigating a context in which hedonic motives may encourage users to seek instead of avoid crowds. Specifically, the study examines how timely CI affects users’ choice between differently crowded bars. Despite users longing for the presence of others as part of their visit experience, the results show that particularly timely CI makes users more aware of potential costs of congestion (e.g., prolonged wait times) and consequently leads users to select less crowded locations – thereby corroborating the previous findings in the utilitarian context of selecting a medical practice. Importantly, timelier CI also increases user engagement in that users express a greater intention to reuse the DSS providing the CI. This finding indicates that timely CI not only contributes to the containment of congestion, but also allows DSS providers to retain users more effectively and thereby achieve recurring impact on the reduction of crowding. The second strand of this thesis investigates user empowerment through customizable information in the context of (banner) ads on websites. As ads oftentimes cause irritation and stifle user engagement with the website, first website providers have begun to empower users to customize how many ads they agree to have displayed. Despite website providers hoping to thereby enhance user engagement, it is unclear how users respond to the ability to customize ads they never asked for. Against this backdrop, the third study investigates how the provision of ad quantity customization (AQC) affects user engagement and which ad quantity levels users opt for. The results demonstrate that offering AQC consistently enhances user engagement in that users with access to AQC stay longer on the website and visit more sub-pages than users who cannot customize ad quantity. Counter-intuitively, a website with ads that offers AQC elicits even greater user engagement than a website that is entirely free of ads by default. In addition, the effect on user engagement is strongest for users accessing the website with a mobile (vs. stationary) device. Interestingly, users do not configure AQC to eliminate ads altogether, but instead opt for 29.0% of the default amount of ads to be displayed. The fourth study seeks to extend the previous findings by shedding light on the underlying mechanism that drives the effect of providing AQC on user engagement. The findings suggest that offering AQC elicits perceived empowerment as a pivotal stimulant with two important outcomes: First, users pay closer attention to the website, thereby discovering more information useful to them and consequently experiencing a greater fit between the website’s information and their own needs. Second, the feeling of being in control over ads, as typically immutable and irritating website elements, elicits a sense of enjoyment. Both informational fit and perceived enjoyment then lead users to engage more intensely with the website. Overall, this thesis showcases the role and importance of IS-enabled user empowerment by providing a more comprehensive understanding of how empowering users with timely and customizable information affects user engagement and users’ selection behavior. In doing so, this thesis answers calls for research that urge scholars to not only shed light on emerging phenomena, but also to enable and empower IS users. The studies in this thesis contribute to IS research on empowerment by (1) revealing the importance of timeliness of information as a thus far under-investigated source of empowerment and by (2) uncovering ad customization as a hitherto largely neglected, yet important piece of web customization that complements our understanding of empowerment mechanisms. In addition, this thesis also offers valuable insights and actionable recommendations how DSS providers and policy makers can harness empowerment through timely CI to recurringly reduce crowding without infringing on users’ freedom. Likewise, this thesis guides website providers how to leverage ads as website elements that users enjoy to customize to boost user engagement with the website as a whole

Social Capital in Action: From Nought to Xero

Typically internet start-ups (e-ventures) are innovative, independent, original companies that focus on information as their competitive factor. They are characterised by enormous growth potential, giving rise to technical and market risk. Resourcing these ventures can be daunting usually requiring significant financial and human capital and once the venture is formed they are subject to a liability of newness with no track record, legitimacy or endorsement for the product/service. Whilst entrepreneurs bring their own resources and skills to the business it is necessary to seek additional complementary resources through sustainable exchange relationships to ensure the ventures success. This report has used a case study of a New Zealand e-venture to provide qualitative evidence of how resources were secured to start and initially grow the business. Using Napahiet and Ghoshal's (1998) three dimensional model of social capital it has analysed the evidence against scholarly theory to determine how social capital assisted the founders and the company to fulfil resource requirements and overcome the liability of newness. Napahiet and Ghoshal define social capital as "the sum of the actual and potential resources embedded within, available through, and derived from the network of relationships possessed by individuals or social unit" (p.243). The report found that the high level of social capital the founders brought to the venture assisted in gaining quick access to finances, skilled staff, competitive information and potential customers. The social capital used to develop personal business relationships for the venture has been transferred into the company's organisational relationships that will provide future growth opportunities. The founders have benefited from having a diverse range of strong and weak contacts that provided referrals to new contacts and assisted in establishing a good reputation and trust, thus facilitating the exchange and combination of resources. Social capital has given the e-venture a uniqueness resulting in a competitive advantage that competitors would find difficult to imitate