Exploring the Role of Online Social Network Dependency in Habit Formation

Online social networking is perhaps the biggest phenomenon of the Internet. Recently, there has been a rising concern over technology dependency. Recognizing that little theoretical and empirical attention has been given to examine technology dependency in the IS discipline, this study aim to examine the role of technology dependency in habit formation in the context of online social networking sites (SNS). The findings of an empirical study of 406 Facebook users indicate that online social network dependency (OSN dependency) is a significant antecedent of habit. The OSN dependency also plays a role in augmenting SNS users’ perceptions, which indirectly influence habit. Our theoretical model of habit formation explains 47% of the variance. Implications of the findings are discussed

Trust in Internet Shopping: A Proposed Model and Measurement Instrument

Despite the phenomenal growth of Internet users in recent years, the penetration rate of Internet shopping is still very low and one of most often cited reasons is the lack of consumers’ trust [e.g. Hoffman et al., 1999]. Although trust is an important concept in Internet shopping, there is a paucity of theory-guided empirical research in this area. In this paper, a theoretical model is proposed for investigating the nature of trust in the specific context of Internet shopping. In this model, consumers’ trust in Internet shopping is affected by two groups of antecedent factors, namely, “trustworthiness of Internet vendors” and “external environment”. In addition, the effects of these factors on trust are moderated by the consumers’ propensity to trust. Trust, in turn, reduces consumers’ perceived risk in Internet shopping. As a step towards the rigorous testing of the model, a 30-item measurement instrument has been developed with its reliability and validity empirically tested. This research contributes to the development of trust theory in e-commerce and provides a validated instrument for the measurement of various important trust related constructs

Usage of Mobile Applications Amongst Older Adults: Retrospect and Prospect

Addressing age-specific issues related to IT usage is becoming increasingly significant. To consolidate the existing knowledge on the usage of mobile apps amongst older adults, this study synthesizes the research nature, patterns, and theoretical foundations in existing studies through a systematic literature review. Based on our investigation into the 22 identified articles, we find that previous studies on this topic focus mainly on app usage behaviors, app development and evaluation, and app usage learning and training. Prior studies are still fragmented and a more comprehensive and integrated framework is required to guide future research. Finally, we discuss the key antecedents of older adults’ app usage identified in reviewed articles and highlight seven heuristic topics with corresponding research questions for future research. Limitations of this review are also discussed

Online Consumer Reviews: Does Negative Electronic Word-of-Mouth Hurt More?

Web-based technologies have created numerous opportunities for electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication. This phenomenon impacts retailers as this easily accessible information could greatly affect consumer purchasing decision. The connectivity of the Web allows one-to-many and many-to-many communications among users that make information spread much faster and broader, including the spread of negative information. In this paper, we investigate the impact of online consumer reviews on consumer online purchasing decision. Specifically, we compare the impact of both negative and positive eWOM using a laboratory experiment. Our results show that the mean values of emotional trust and intention to shop online are significantly lower in the negative treatment group. We expect the result of this paper will generate researchers and marketers’ interest in this important area of research and practice

An Integrative Model of Consumer Trust in Internet Shopping

Despite the phenomenal growth of Internet users, the penetration rate of Internet shopping remains low. Previous works suggesting that the lack of trust is the major impediment stops consumers from building exchange relationships with Internet vendors. In this study, we synthesize the three theoretical perspectives of trust and perceived risk theory to develop an integrative model of consumer trust in Internet shopping. We empirically test the research model with a sample of 405 students in a local university. The results show that both perceived integrity and perceived risk have the greatest influence on consumer trust in Internet shopping. Propensity to trust exhibits a significant moderating effect on consumer trust and its antecedents. The implications of this study are noteworthy for both researchers and practitioners

The State of Electronic Word-Of-Mouth Research: A Literature Analysis

This study evaluates the current status of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) research through an exhaustive literature review of relevant articles. We have identified a total of 83 eWOM research articles published from 2001 through 2010. Published research into eWOM first appeared in peer-reviewed journals about ten years ago, and research has been steadily increasing. Among research topic area, the impact of eWOM communication was the most researched topic in the last decade. We also found that individual and message were the two mostly used unit of analysis in eWOM studies. Survey, secondary data analysis, and mathematical modeling were the three main streams of research method. Finally, we found diverse theoretical approaches in understanding eWOM communication. We conclude this paper by identifying important trends in the eWOM literature to provide future research directions

Consumer Engagement Behaviors in Brand Communities of Social Networking Sites

Many companies have realized the enormous potential of social networking sites and have invested considerable resources in encouraging consumer engagement behaviors in brand communities of social networking sites. In this study, we attempt to propose a research model that explains how consumer engagement behaviors in brand communities of social networking sites affect brand loyalty. The research model is empirically tested with 201 Facebook users. The results provide supports to our research hypotheses and illustrate the importance of consumer engagement behaviors in social networking sites in building brand loyalty. Findings of this study are expected to provide useful insights for emarketers to develop brand loyalty through consumer engagement behaviors in online social networks as well as for researchers to better understand the relationship between consumer engagement behaviors in online brand community and consumer behavior

Revisiting User Engagement: Concepts, Themes, and Opportunities

Given the proliferation of information technology (IT), the growing research interest across diverse disciplines in user engagement with IT is unsurprising. However, defining, designing for, and evaluating user engagement remain complex issues within the information systems community, prompting researchers to call for a systematic understanding of these areas. To bridge this gap, this review presents an analysis of the main themes of 59 empirical studies focusing on the conceptualization, operationalization, antecedents, consequences, and forms of user engagement. Based on the findings of this review, opportunities for future research that address study settings, emerging technologies, the factor structure and forms of user engagement, as well as user engagement frameworks, are presented. As technological advances continue to shape how users engage with IT, the concept of user engagement should be refined and elaborated on according to the research context

Why Do We Post on Social Shopping Communities?

Social shopping communities, representing a special form of social media, have offered fertile ground for members to communicate their opinions and exchange product information. The goal of our paper is to understand this new business model of social shopping communities and investigate why members voluntarily share information on social shopping communities. We integrate theories of collective action and social capital theory to construct a research model for investigating the motivations behind members’ posting behavior. By analyzing panel data collected from a social shopping community, we found that members posting behavior is determined by reputation, enjoyment of helping, network centrality, member expertise, as well as reciprocity. The results of this study provide important implications for both research and practice