Destination Image on the DMO's Platforms: Official Website and Social Media

Tourists usually configure and develop ideas about possible destinations based on information previously gathered from both social media and the official web of the destination management organization (DMO). In spite of the relevance of said information sources, there have not been many studies evaluating how these different sources influence the destination image. This research proposes a model intended to explain the image creation process of a destination taking into account both the DMO’s online platforms and the perceived psychological distance. The proposed model is tested with an empirical study including a questionnaire which collects data from 264 participants. The validity of the model is reviewed through PLS analysis. Results show that the psychological distance does not influence the overall destination image. In addition, the overall destination image can be estimated to a larger extent when tourists approach social media as their main source of information. Implications and conclusions are discussed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Análisis de la intención de realizar comercio social en webs con herramientas sociales

El comercio social, o comercio a través de los medios sociales (también conocido como social commerce) es una de las modalidades de comercio electrónico con mayor potencial de crecimiento. Sin embargo, su estudio aún es limitado, por lo que las dinámicas y elementos que afectan a la intención de realizar comercio social requieren de una mayor investigación. La bibliografía existente principalmente analiza la intención de los usuarios de practicar comercio social en una red social, pero no en una web de comercio electrónico que tenga sus propias herramientas sociales (p. ej. foros, valoraciones de productos, etc.). Por lo tanto, la presente investigación tiene como objetivo identificar los antecedentes de la intención de comercio social en webs de comercio electrónico en las que se emplean herramientas sociales. A partir de la revisión de la literatura, se desarrolla un modelo para analizar la influencia de cinco posibles antecedentes de la intención de comercio social: calidad de la web, apoyo social emocional, apoyo social informativo, presencia social e inmersión o flow. Para ello, se realizó un estudio empírico entre los usuarios de una web de comercio electrónico que cuenta con un sistema de valoración, comentarios de productos y foros. Los datos se obtuvieron a partir de una encuesta realizada a 200 compradores, y fueron analizados mediante la técnica PLS. Los resultados indican que los elementos más racionales y emocionales de la experiencia del usuario, como son la calidad del sitio web, flow y el apoyo social emocional, son los que motivan la compra; mientras que la presencia social y el apoyo social informativo, no son significativos. Este estudio contribuye a la teoría del comportamiento del consumidor al aplicar variables predictivas de la intención de comercio social a webs con herramientas sociales. Además, los resultados ayudan a los profesionales del comercio electrónico a mejorar el uso que hacen de las herramientas sociales.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Antecedents to the Adoption of Mobile Payment in China and Italy: an Integration of UTAUT2 and Innovation Resistance Theory

Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.This research aims to investigate the adoption gap in mobile payment systems between Italy and China, focusing on users’ intention to adopt mobile payment. The theoretical framing considers both drivers and barriers when combines the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) with innovation resistance theory (IRT). To empirically verify the proposed model, this study gathers primary data through a web-based, self-administered survey. To analyze the data, we use structural equation modeling, and to test for significant differences between the two groups we run multi-group analysis. The respondents in Italy and China present different behaviors. Social influence plays a significant role in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance, such as Italy. The tradition barrier is the only significant barrier to the adoption of mobile payment.Projekt DEA

El valor percibido en webs de social commerce: Efectos sobre la lealtad del consumidor.

El estudio del comportamiento del consumidor en webs de social commerce está en auge, debido al gran crecimiento del sector en los últimos años. A pesar de ello, su comprensión se encuentra en su infancia, debido a la multitud de factores influyentes. Esta investigación, a través de la metodología del estímulo-organismo-respuesta, estudia qué papel tiene el valor percibido (O) por el consumidor, mediante el análisis de dos de sus principales antecedentes (calidad del sistema y del servicio) (S), así como de sus efectos sobre la lealtad (R). Los resultados obtenidos a partir de la aplicación de la técnica PLS a una muestra de 272 consumidores habituales de estas webs ponen de manifiesto la gran importancia que la calidad de la web tiene en la generación de valor en el consumidor, así como el rol clave de éste sobre las intenciones del consumidor tanto para volver a comprar como para recomendar.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Time for a Different Perspective: A Preliminary Investigation of Barriers of Merchants’ Adoption of Mobile Payments

The mobile phone has become an essential tool for completing purchases both online and offline. Although mobile payments (m-payments) are still in a developmental and early adoption stage, their mobility and accessibility make them likely to be one of the future’s most successful mobile services. Existing research has focused on consumer adoption, ignoring calls for merchant-centric research. Therefore, this paper presents a preliminary study on the adoption of m-payments from the merchants’ perspective. The results of the research revealed that merchants’ have an overarching affinity for financial institutions providing m-payment services and that lack of knowledge and lack of critical mass are the dominant barriers of merchants’ adoption of m-payment systems. Based on the results several recommendations for practitioners are offered and a number of lines for further research are identified

Prevalence of the colonization of Helicobacter pylori among students of the school of dentistry, University of Granada, Spain

The oral cavity is a reservoir for Helicobacter pylori, and occupations that involve close contact with it, like Dentistry, could entail a higher risk of colonization. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the length of stay at the School of Dentistry of the University of Granada could influence colonization by H. pylori, and to furthermore correlate colonization by H. pylori, with the state of oral health and oral hygiene habits. The study groups were: Group 1, 35 students of Odontology in their first year of studies; Group 2, the same 35 students when they were in their fifth academic year; Group 3, 35 students from University study programs unrelated with Health and of the same age as the group 2 students. All underwent H. pylori, colonization determinations by means of the urea breath test (UBT), stool antigen test and a serological test. Also studied were the variables plaque index, gingival index and the number of times teeth were brushed per day. The Student t test was used for comparisons among the three studied groups. The Chi-squared test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to determine any connection between colonization by H. pylori, and the variables studied. Comparisons between groups 1 and 2 and between groups 2 and 3 showed significant differences regarding colonization by H. pylori, plaque index, gingival bleeding index and tooth brushing. A positive correlation was found between being colonized by H. pylori, and having a gingival index higher than 10% and tooth brushing once a day or less, in all the studied groups. Colonization by H. pylori, among Dentistry students at the University of Granada decreased over a four-year time period at the University. Factors related with better oral health, such as a lower gingival index and more frequent tooth brushings, would explain these results

What drives customer satisfaction and well-being in ridesharing? A developing country perspective

This study examines ridesharing services from the customer perspective in a developing country context and investigates two significant post-adoption and marketing consequences: satisfaction and well-being. Using a purposeful sampling technique, six semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in Sindh province, Pakistan. Among the major findings are that customers’ awareness of the services and how to use the mobile application, convenience of use, high perceived value, the quality of information available in the ridesharing mobile app, real-time location services, and an effective complaint resolution mechanism promote customer satisfaction and well-being. This study includes implications and an agenda for future research

Análisis de la calidad y de la satisfacción en la visita turística. Una aplicación empírica al conjunto monumental de la Alhambra

Over the past several years the behavior of tourists has evolved, hence the satisfaction of touristic visits needs to be revised. This research aims to identify the dimensions of service quality and examine the interrelationships between these dimensions in the tourist visit made by visitors to the Monumental Complex of the Alhambra and its relationship with the satisfaction of tourists through the use of the well-known SERVQUAL scale and some later modifications proposed by the scientific literature, examining the level of expectations and measuring the subsequent satisfaction of the visitors. The present study contributes to the research already carried out on the quality of service and satisfaction, through the use of the SERVQUAL scale and subsequent adaptations.En los últimos años el comportamiento de los turistas ha cambiado, de ahí que la satisfacción de su visita turística requiera revisión. La presente investigación pretende identificar las dimensiones de la calidad de servicio y examinar las interrelaciones entre dichas dimensiones en la visita turística que efectúan los visitantes al Conjunto Monumental de la Alhambra así como su relación con la satisfacción del turista mediante el empleo de la conocida escala SERVQUAL y algunas modificaciones posteriores propuestas por la literatura científica, examinando el nivel de expectativas y la medición de la satisfacción posterior de los visitantes. El presente estudio contribuye por tanto al conocimiento derivado de las investigaciones en materia de calidad de servicio y satisfacción, mediante el uso de la escala SERVQUAL y adaptaciones posteriores

The impact of customer personality and online brand community engagement on intention to forward company and users generated content: palestinian banking industry a case

Personality five characteristics are playing crucial role on intention to forward Online Company Generated Content and user generated content mediated by online brand community engagement. This paper is applied on a case of banking industry in order to perceive a long run relationship between banks operating in Palestine and their customers. The total of 685 valid questionnaires were collected from online banking sector in Palestine, who is member of online brand community in Facebook. Moreover, the data were analysed and processed by structural equation model. The results reveal that personality traits (extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness) have positive influence on online brand community engagement. It also found that online brand community engagement plays vital role in inducing clients to forward CGC and UGC. Simultaneously, the results provide banks with a valuable implication on how banking industry can attract more customers in online brand community website and perceived trust of banks services and products

To use or not to use, that is the question. Analysis of the determining factors for using NFC Mobile Payment Systems in Public Transportation.

Política de acceso abierto tomada de: https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/16965 (submitted version)There is growing interest in our society in making payments using mobile phones as an alternative to using cash, checks or credit cards. The objective of this study is to analyze the status of Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile payment systems in public transportation, as well as the factors that affect users' intentions to continue using said systems. To meet this objective, a personal survey was conducted on a sample of 180 users with experience using this type of system. A comprehensive review of the scientific literature justifies the development of a behavioral model that explains the continuance intention of NFC mobile payments through a structural equation model. The results show that satisfaction, service quality, effort expectancy, and perceived risk are determining factors of the continuance intention to use this technology. Finally, the managerial conclusions and implications offer the companies that manage these public services new business opportunities based on user behaviors.The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Malaga City Council, Empresa Malagueña de Transportes and Cátedra de Gestión del Transporte (Transport Management Lab) of the University of Malaga, with the data collection