Negative Airbnb reviews: an aspect based sentiment analysis approach

Purpose (limit 100 words) The current paper aims at exploring negative aspects in reviews about Airbnb listings in Athens, Greece. Design/methodology/approach (limit 100 words) The aspect-based sentiment approach (ABSA), a subset of sentiment analysis, is used. The study analyzed 8,200 reviews, which had at least one negative aspect. Based on dependency parsing, noun phrases were extracted, and the underlying grammar relationships were used to identify aspect and sentiment terms. Findings (limit 100 words) The extracted aspect terms were classified into three broad categories, i.e., the location, the amenities and the host. To each of them the associated sentiment was assigned. Based on the results, Airbnb properties could focus on certain aspects related to negative sentiments in order to minimize negative reviews and increase customer satisfaction. Originality/value (limit 100 words) The study employs the ABSA, which offers more advantages in order to identify multiple conflicting sentiments in Airbnb comments, which is the limitation of the traditional sentiment analysis method

City image, city brand personality and Generation Z residents’ life satisfaction under economic crisis: Predictors of city-related social media engagement

The originality of the present study lies in that it examines generation Z residents’ engagement with the city’s social media during economic crisis in relation to city image, city brand personality and residents’ overall satisfaction. In order to test our hypotheses, 947 usable questionnaires were collected in Thessaloniki, Greece via the mall intercept technique. The findings reveal the significant impact city image and city brand personality have on generation Z residents’ engagement with city’s social media. The results also demonstrate a negative linkage between residents’ overall satisfaction and their engagement with the city’s social media. Lastly, the results support that the relationship between residents' overall satisfaction and their engagement with city's social media accounts is moderated by the effect of economic crisis on residents' personal daily routine. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed

Stressful eating indulgence by Generation Z: a cognitive conceptual framework of new age consumers’ obesity

Purpose: To delineate the phenomenon of stressful eating within generation Z due to the times they are living in. To extract propositions which elucidate phases of stressful eating within Zers. Methodology: Based on relevant literature on consumer obesity, theories of pure impulse buying and reasoned action, cognitive constructs eminent for reasoned conditioned behaviour is extracted. Followed by extraction of the reasoned conditioned behaviour and its cognitive constructs within Zers. Thereafter a conceptual framework is developed with propositions of stressful eating within Zers. Findings: Zers indulge in reasoned conditioned behaviour initially owing to their healthy understanding insights, and the activations of cognitive capacities within them due to the law of effect. The law of effect is cyclical after the first reasoned consumption among Zers, leading to obesity and constricting self-controlling behaviour. Originality Value: It is the first study that provides a deep understanding of the cognitive mechanism orienting generation Z’s stressful eating indulgence even though they have higher healthy lifestyle understandings

The impact of the macro-environment on consumer scepticism towards cause-related marketing: insights from an economic crisis setting

Purpose- The aim of this study was to explore how the macro-environment influences consumer scepticism towards cause-related marketing (CRM), especially in a turbulent economic setting. Design/methodology/approach- An exploratory qualitative research study utilizing open ended, semi-structured Skype interviews with 26 respondents was conducted in a country experiencing economic crisis. Findings- The findings demonstrate that respondents hold a strong scepticism toward CRM campaigns and they are more negative toward the CRM campaigns initiated by foreign enterprises as compared to the domestic ones. This can be attributed to ethnocentrism, or even antipathy or animosity towards foreign companies due to crisis. Furthermore, results reveal that the political and legal elements of the macro-environment have an impact on consumer scepticism towards CRM campaigns, while the impact of the economic crisis itself did not seem to be equally significant. Originality/value- This work contributes to the existing literature of CRM as it is the first study that explores the impact of macro-environmental elements on consumer scepticism towards CRM within an economic turbulence setting

Counterfeit purchase typologies during an economic crisis

Purpose-The economic crisis has become a global phenomenon, although in Europe it mostly affected the Mediterranean countries of Southern Europe. In times of economic stress, counterfeit products increase their market share. In this context this paper aims to explore, and attempt to explain, consumer perspectives on the purchasing of counterfeit brands. Methodology-The study utilized an e-mail based open ended questionnaire as its data collection method. The research used a sample of 83 participants belonging to generation Y (younger and older) and upper medium and high income class brackets. Findings-Purchasing behaviour of counterfeit products during the economic crisis enabled us to identify four types of consumers. Furthermore, the results indicated that some consumers have significant interest in counterfeits while some consumers show apathy or indifference towards counterfeiting. Furthermore, some consumers believe that the government’s economic austerity policies cause high level consumption of counterfeits while others consider the authorities to be responsible for counterfeiting, since they do not adequately tackle it. Research limitations/implications- This research is exploratory in nature and restricted to Greek generation Y consumers. Suggestions are presented regarding future studies and generalization of the findings. Practical implications- Implementation of law, joint communication campaigns and social media usage are the major implications for the stakeholders in the marketplace. Originality/value-This study extends the body of knowledge of purchasing behavior on non-deceptive counterfeit products by offering empirical findings from Greece, a country facing a severe economic crisis. To our knowledge this is the first study that explores counterfeit buying behaviour during an economic crisis perio

Factors predicting consumers’ knowledge of spirulina health benefits

Due to its numerous health benefits for humans spirulina is gaining interest as a nutraceutical, deriving in this way in its commercial demand worldwide. This paper reports the results of a study conducted within the above context. Researchers investigated awareness and factors predicting consumers subjective knowledge level of spirulina and its health benefit attributes. This research also examined source of knowledge, and willingness to be informed. Data were collected through a series of aided self administrated questionnaires employing the mall intercept technique, with 966 participants in Athens, Greece. The findings demonstrated that more than the half of the sample was not aware of the product, while moderate knowledge levels of the product’s attributes and benefits exist. Factor analysis produced four factors, accounting for 75.4% of total variance. Implications for product awareness and increase of knowledge levels are discussed

Perceptions of potential postgraduate Greek business students towards UK universities, brand and brand reputation

The purpose of this study is to explore the importance of UK business schools' brand reputation as a criterion of choice for postgraduate studies by Greek university students. The research was exploratory in nature and data was collected by carrying out semi-structured in-depth interviews with 27 students. Respondents identified the name as a major brand component, although the 'International recognition of the B-school', 'University's brand name', 'Survey rankings', 'Accreditation' and 'High graduation job and career prospects' were the most important elements of the B-schools' brand reputation. It seems that home university professors might also play role in the formation of the recommended foreign B-schools' brand reputation. This study offers empirical findings from university branding, where studies are limited, and partially confirms the findings and conclusions of earlier studies in the field

Can alternative tourism be the way forward for the development of tourism in Northern Greece?

Greece is one of the most popular destinations worldwide, especially for mass tourism. However, there is an uneven development of tourism in the various Greek regions, due to the lack of appropriate touristic features related to tourism in its traditional sense. Under-developed tourist regions therefore have much to gain from alternative forms of tourism beyond the traditional beach holiday, so as to benefit from tourism’s positive economic and social impacts. This paper explores the opportunities for the development of tourism in the regions of Northern Greece through alternative types of touristic attractions and includes a discussion on various suggested strategies