The Effectiveness of Customer Reviews in the Tourism Industry

This study was planned with the purpose of understanding the effectiveness of online consumer reviews on purchase intentions and consumer behavior. Research began by reviewing previous literature relevant to the topic, published over the past 10-15 years. Four major hypotheses were developed after identifying literature gaps and potential topics for study. These were put to test after the study’s methodology was formulated. A questionnaire was developed for this purpose and shared online. There were 159 respondents, half being male and the other half being female. The first hypothesis developed questioned whether consumers consider third-party review sites more credible than other platforms for reviews. Results showed positive responses that supported this theory. The second hypothesis questioned the recurring trend of brand immunity to customer reviews (both positive and negative), specifically, if and how well-known brands are immune to online customer reviews. Results from the study indicated that consumers do not consider negative reviews when it comes to a well-known brand while positive reviews slightly enhanced sales. This may be a point of interest for lesser known brands to research upon so that they can progress by building similar levels of credibility and quality certainty. In addition to this, the third hypothesis sheds light on moderate reviews and their effect on increasing purchase intentions. The results received supported this hypothesis, emphasizing the importance of moderately valenced reviews. Finally, the questionnaire tested the effect of extremely positive reviews on consumers’ purchasing intentions. Research clearly showed that extremely positive reviews resulted in a negative consumer attitude which may decrease their purchase intentions. Extremely positive reviews are perceived as fake or biased by potential consumers. This dissertation contributes its own set of results through its own sample of participants by using a questionnaire method. Previous studies limited their tests to one website or one platform before deriving conclusions. Overall, three out of four hypotheses formed by this study were proven correct. However, the second hypothesis, brand immunity to positive and negative online reviews was proven to be incorrect, as positive reviews indicated a positive relationship with purchase intentions

Development of a Statistical Model to Predict Materials’ Unit Prices for Future Maintenance and Rehabilitation in Highway Life Cycle Cost Analysis

The main objectives of this study are to investigate the trends in primary pavement materials’ unit price over time and to develop statistical models and guidelines for using predictive unit prices of pavement materials instead of uniform unit prices in life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) for future maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) projects. Various socio-economic data were collected for the past 20 years (1997–2018) in California, including oil price, population, government expenditure in transportation, vehicle registration, and other key variables, in order to identify factors affecting pavement materials’ unit price. Additionally, the unit price records of the popular pavement materials were categorized by project size (small, medium, large, and extra-large). The critical variables were chosen after identifying their correlations, and the future values of each variable were predicted through time-series analysis. Multiple regression models using selected socio-economic variables were developed to predict the future values of pavement materials’ unit price. A case study was used to compare the results between the uniform unit prices in the current LCCA procedures and the unit prices predicted in this study. In LCCA, long-term prediction involves uncertainties due to unexpected economic trends and industrial demand and supply conditions. Economic recessions and a global pandemic are examples of unexpected events which can have a significant influence on variations in material unit prices and project costs. Nevertheless, the data-driven scientific approach as described in this research reduces risk caused by such uncertainties and enables reasonable predictions for the future. The statistical models developed to predict the future unit prices of the pavement materials through this research can be implemented to enhance the current LCCA procedure and predict more realistic unit prices and project costs for the future M&R activities, thus promoting the most cost-effective alternative in LCCA

Incorporating safety into targeted pavement friction data collection and maintenance procedures

The objective of this research was to develop a methodology for targeted pavement friction data collection based on the analysis of weather-related crashes. Furthermore, the aim was to identify threshold values of pavement friction characteristics indicating a significant impact on safety prompting the need for maintenance and improvements. Spatial analysis using Local Moran’s I statistic identified hotspots where pavement friction data were collected. A master database was assembled including Wisconsin State Trunk Network (STN) road attributes, hotspots of weather-related crashes, and pavement friction data collected based on hotspot analysis. The analysis results provide evidence in support of hotspot analysis as a viable procedure for targeted pavement friction data collection to enable efficiency and cost reductions. Classification tree analysis using GUIDE (Generalized, Unbiased, Interaction Detection and Estimation) algorithm was used to further explore the relationship between pavement friction characteristics and safety. Statistically significant hotspots were observed below a pavement friction number of approximately 57 and very high hotspots below a pavement friction number of approximately 42. The results indicate that pavement friction thresholds identified in the literature between 20 and 32 may be too low and that safety may be impacted at friction numbers as high as in the forties. The results also show differences in friction and safety for various types of pavement surfaces. The use of weather-related crashes provides a data-driven and cost-effective method of prioritizing locations for pavement friction data collection and maintenance. Results from this research can be readily used in initial steps of systemic road safety management procedures by practitioners

The Effectiveness of Customer Reviews in the Tourism Industry

This study was planned with the purpose of understanding the effectiveness of online consumer reviews on purchase intentions and consumer behavior. Research began by reviewing previous literature relevant to the topic, published over the past 10-15 years. Four major hypotheses were developed after identifying literature gaps and potential topics for study. These were put to test after the study’s methodology was formulated. A questionnaire was developed for this purpose and shared online. There were 159 respondents, half being male and the other half being female. The first hypothesis developed questioned whether consumers consider third-party review sites more credible than other platforms for reviews. Results showed positive responses that supported this theory. The second hypothesis questioned the recurring trend of brand immunity to customer reviews (both positive and negative), specifically, if and how well-known brands are immune to online customer reviews. Results from the study indicated that consumers do not consider negative reviews when it comes to a well-known brand while positive reviews slightly enhanced sales. This may be a point of interest for lesser known brands to research upon so that they can progress by building similar levels of credibility and quality certainty. In addition to this, the third hypothesis sheds light on moderate reviews and their effect on increasing purchase intentions. The results received supported this hypothesis, emphasizing the importance of moderately valenced reviews. Finally, the questionnaire tested the effect of extremely positive reviews on consumers’ purchasing intentions. Research clearly showed that extremely positive reviews resulted in a negative consumer attitude which may decrease their purchase intentions. Extremely positive reviews are perceived as fake or biased by potential consumers. This dissertation contributes its own set of results through its own sample of participants by using a questionnaire method. Previous studies limited their tests to one website or one platform before deriving conclusions. Overall, three out of four hypotheses formed by this study were proven correct. However, the second hypothesis, brand immunity to positive and negative online reviews was proven to be incorrect, as positive reviews indicated a positive relationship with purchase intentions