Website design as moderating factor of online user behavior

It is widely assumed that online user behaviour is mainly utilitarian, although hedonic motivations such as enjoyment have also been found by recent research to have a marked influence on such behaviour. The present study explores the influence of website design (utilitarian motivation) on online user behaviour, in the context of a site promoting a tourist destination. The results underline the importance of utilitarian aspects for the effectiveness of online information-processing and the formation of perceived risk online. It is recommended that websites should reflect this type of motivation so as to make browsing useful for the online consumer.The authors appreciate the financial help provided via a research project of group ADEMAR (University of Granada) under the auspices of the Andalusian Program for R&D, number P06-SEJ02170, and Research Program from the Faculty of Education, Economy and Technology of Ceuta

The influence of website design, culture and language on perceived web usability, satisfaction and perceived risk online

The current markets globalization as a result of ICT development in general and the Internet in particular, have enhanced the importance of the websites design, which is a powerful communications medium for companies operating in international markets (Turban and Gehrek, 2000). The website of the company represents its image in the Internet as an intermediary with potential clients (Roy, Dewit and Aubert, 2001). Some researchers have found that much of the success of an e-service depends on website usability (Flavián, Guinalíu and Gurrea, 2006). Usability and appearance are two indicators that represent the utilitarian aspects of a website, together with its appeal. Those websites with a high level of usability in their design enable users to carry out their tasks coherently and achieve the results they expect (Palmer, 2000). In fact, this perception of control during the browsing process is positively related to the sensation of security and satisfaction (Diamantopoulos and Winklhofer, 2001; Casaló, Flavián and Guinalíu, 2008). In this international context, culture plays an increasingly relevant role in the use of information and communication technology. This is likely to affect how usability is understood, thus adding an additional factor to our understanding of culture´s effect on usability (Wallace, Reid, Clinciu and Kang, 2013). The importance of cultural factors in communications has been reinforced since the web can now link diverse regions and communities across the globe that were relatively isolated by time and space. The growth of global communications has increased and intensified the need for leaning to communicate successfully with a multitude of cultures. Regarding to these international situation, the crucial role of language in intercultural relations is widely acknowledged, with the words of a language being ‘symbols’ that acts as the vehicles for cultural transfer (Hofstede, 2001). The literature shows that the way in which a person processes information is conditioned by cultural values (Tavassoli, 2002). Furthermore, recent research has demonstrated that language is associated with cultural frameworks, such that communication in a given language can increase access to the cultural values associated with that language (Wong and Hong, 2005) and how users from the same culture, when processing information in different languages, obtain significantly different results in terms of perceived risk online (Alcántara-Pilar, Del Barrio-García and Porcu, 2013).The authors appreciate the financial help provided via a research project of group ADEMAR (University of Granada) under the auspices of the Andalusian Program for R&D, number P06-SEJ02170, and Research Program from the Faculty of Education and Humanities of Ceuta

Consumer searching information process and Culture Values

The use of Internet as a new market has increased interest in research on Consumer Behaviour Online. Due to its complexity, each investigation has been centred on different aspects. So to continue, a theoretical model will be offered developed from TAM and the State of Flow but adding some new elements related to social pressure and the intention to reduce cognitive effort of the navigator so that he can concentrate more on enjoying himself while navigating and shopping

The effect of culture and the cultural framework of language on online information - processing

The present work examines the effect of the user’s language, as a vehicle for cultural values, on their processing of the information contained within a website. A sample of 491 internet users from two different cultures (British and Spanish) was created. Half the users were asked to browse the experimental website in their mother tongue, while the other half browsed in their second language (British participants browsing in Spanish and the Spanish browsing in English). The key findings of the research demonstrate that information-processing is moderated by the user’s culture and the language in which they process the information

The effect of culture and language on perceived risk online

The present paper analyzes whether cultural values and language can influence the way in which information on a website is processed, in terms of perceived risk. An online experiment was conducted, using a sample comprising users from the United Kingdom and Spain. Participants were asked to browse a website relating to a fictitious tourist destination, with half the sample accessing the site in their mother tongue and the other half in their second language. The key findings show that Internet users’ perception of risk is moderated by the language used, with the degree of bilingualism being a key factor

¿Qué tipo de promoción de ventas online prefiere el usuario de aerolíneas? Análisis del efecto moderador del nivel de experiencia online

The aim of the present research is to assess which type of online promotional incentive (monetary or non-monetary) is the most effective at achieving purchase intention for airline tickets, depending on the user’s level of Internet experience (characterized as novice, moderate, or expert user). A Univariate General Linear Model is conducted, using data obtained from an experimental design with two levels: monetary online sales promotion and non-monetary online sales promotion. The findings indicate that in the case of acquiring an airline ticket online, monetary incentives are more appealing to novice Web users, while non-monetary incentives are preferred by expert users. The present study breaks new ground in that it examines, in the travel sector, the effectiveness of online sales promotions at prompting the individual to purchase online, in a comparative analysis based on online sales incentive type (monetary vs. non-monetary). The work contributes to the literature on the online travel sector by analyzing how the user’s level of Web experience affects the effectiveness of each type of online sales promotion.El objetivo de esta investigación es conocer qué tipo de incentivo promocional online (monetario o no monetario) es el más eficaz para incrementar la intención de compra de billetes aéreos, dependiendo del nivel de experiencia con Internet que presente el usuario (novel, moderado o experto). A través de un Modelo Lineal General Univariante se analizan los datos obtenidos en un diseño experimental de dos niveles: Promoción de ventas online monetaria y no monetaria. Los hallazgos indican que en el caso de compra de billetes aéreos online, las promociones monetarias son más eficaces para los usuarios noveles, mientras que las no monetarias son preferidas por los usuarios expertos. El presente estudio profundiza en el conocimiento del efecto de las promociones de ventas online en el sector viajes analizando comparativamente su eficacia en función del tipo de incentivo ofrecido (monetario vs no monetario). A su vez, contribuye a la literatura sobre sector de los viajes online investigando como el nivel de experiencia de uso web afecta a la eficacia de cada tipo de promoción ofrecida

Comparación cross-cultural de las relaciones entre el riesgo percibido online, la usabilidad percibida y la satisfacción hacia un destino turístico

The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the influence of culture on the relationships among perceived risk, perceived usability and satisfaction online, in two cultures: Spain (high uncertainty avoidance and low individualism) and the United Kingdom (low uncertainty avoidance and high individualism). The sample comprised 314 Internet users, 119 of whom were Spanish and 195 British. They were asked to browse the experimental website of a fictitious tourist destination. The findings indicated that there are significant differences between the direct influence of perceived risk on perceived usability and also the indirect relationship between perceived risk and satisfaction online during browsing of the tourist website, and that these differences are moderated by the uncertainty avoidance dimension.El propósito de este trabajo es analizar empíricamente la influencia de la cultura sobre la relación entre el riesgo percibido, la usabilidad y la satisfacción percibida online, entre dos culturas: España (Alto control de incertidumbre y bajo el individualismo) y del Reino Unido (Bajo control de incertidumbre y alto individualismo). La muestra estaba compuesta por 314 usuarios de Internet. De ellos, 119 eran españoles y 195 británicos. Se les pidió que navegar por un sitio web de un destino turístico ficticio. Los resultados indicaron que existen diferencias significativas entre la influencia directa del riesgo percibido en la usabilidad percibida y también la relación indirecta entre el riesgo percibido y la satisfacción en línea durante la navegación por la página web de turismo, y que estas diferencias estaban moderadas por la dimensión control de incertidumbre.The authors appreciate the financial help provided via a research project of group ADEMAR (University of Granada) under the auspices of the Andalusian Program for R&D, number P06-SEJ02170, and Research Program from the Faculty of Education and Humanities of Ceuta

Análisis cross-cultural del efecto del riesgo percibido sobre la aceptación de un sitio web

El carácter global de Internet ha hecho que todas las empresas que decidan operar en la Red deban tener en cuenta la influencia que ejercen los valores culturares de los consumidores en su comportamiento de compra. Estas diferencias culturales determinarán los elementos en los que hay que poner más importancia a la hora de diseñar el sitio Web. El objetivo del trabajo es analizar el efecto moderador de la cultura sobre la aceptación de un sitio Web sobre un destino turístico, y el efecto del riesgo percibido sobre dicha aceptación. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un diseño experimental con la cultura controlada entre-sujetos, usuarios españoles y británicos, con dimensiones culturales diferentes según la metodología de Hofstede (2001). Tras plantear un modelo de comportamiento del consumidor en Internet basado en el TAM introduciendo como variable externa el riesgo percibido, los resultados pusieron de manifiesto un efecto moderador significativo de la cultura sobre las distintas relaciones planteadas

Individual cultural values as determinants of the attitudinal process in the restaurant: a different perspective for understanding brand equity formation

In an increasingly innovative competitive environment, it is necessary to know the customer in depth and to understand the intrinsic determinants of customer loyalty to the restaurant and brand equity. Culture is a fundamental factor in understanding behaviour, which has often attracted interest because of its moderating rather than determining role. The objective of this research is to examine the determinant role of customers' cultural values (long-term orientation, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance) on the customer's attitudinal process in the restaurant (satisfaction and loyalty) in order to understand how it indirectly affects through the attitudinal process the formation of a restaurant's brand equity. A sample of 540 customers was used, and a SEM model was estimated. The results indicate that cultural values, except for power distance, strongly determine the attitudinal process. Therefore, culture indirectly affects the formation of the restaurant's brand equity.En un entorno competitivo cada vez más innovador, se hace necesario conocer en profundidad al cliente, y entender los determinantes intrínsecos de la lealtad del cliente hacia el restaurante y el capital de marca. La cultura es un factor fundamental para la comprensión del comportamiento, que frecuentemente ha despertado el interés por su papel moderador en mayor medida que determinante. El objetivo de esta investigación es examinar el papel determinante de los valores culturales de los clientes (Orientación en el tiempo, distancia de poder, y aversión al riesgo) sobre el proceso actitudinal del cliente en el restaurante (satisfacción y lealtad), para comprender cómo afecta de forma indirecta a través del proceo actitudinal en la formación del capital de marca de un restaurante. Se ha utilizado una muestra de 540 clientes, y se ha llevado a acabo la estimación de un modelo SEM. Los resultados indican que los valores culturales tienen un potente efecto determinante en el proceso actitudinal, a excepción de la distancia de poder. Por lo tanto, la cultura afecta indirectamente a la formación del capital de marca del resturanteAndalusian RD Programme P20-0102

Building heritage brand equity through social media sales promotion: The role of Power Distance

This paper aims to look into the moderating effect of individual's cultural characteristics—Power Distance—on the relationship between the use of discounts and gifts and the formation of the brand equity of a heritage tourist site is assessed. The results of a quasi-experimental 2×2 factorial design among Internet users from two countries and using two different promotional stimuli showed: a positive effect of sales promotions on social media on the formation of brand equity of a heritage tourist site; a lesser effect of online price discounts than free gifts; the moderating role of Power Distance on the formation of brand equity.Andalusian Program for R&D, Grant/AwardNumber: P20-0102