Internet ResearchTable of Contents for Internet Research. List of articles from the current issue, including Just Accepted (EarlyCite)https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/1066-2243/vol/34/iss/7?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestInternet ResearchEmerald Publishing LimitedInternet ResearchInternet Researchhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/proxy/containerImg?link=/resource/publication/journal/77760af01b35e8ef9e667145edb2fb13/urn:emeraldgroup.com:asset:id:binary:intr.cover.jpghttps://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/1066-2243/vol/34/iss/7?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe role of project owners' and potential backers' implicit social ties in crowdfunding project successhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2021-0424/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestIn this study, the authors sought to investigate how the implicit social ties of both project owners and potential backers are associated with crowdfunding project success. Drawing on social ties theory and factors that affect crowdfunding success, in this research, the authors developed a model to study how project owners' and potential backers' implicit social ties are associated with crowdfunding projects' degrees of success. The proposed model was empirically tested with crowdfunding data collected from Kickstarter and social media data collected from Twitter. The authors performed the test using an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model with fixed effects. The authors found that project owners' implicit social ties (specifically, their social media activities, degree centrality and betweenness centrality) are significantly and positively associated with crowdfunding projects' degrees of success. Meanwhile, potential project backers' implicit social ties (their social media activities and degree centrality) are negatively associated with crowdfunding projects' degrees of success. The authors also found that project size moderates the effects of project owners' social media activities on projects' degrees of success. This work contributes to the literature on crowdfunding by investigating how the implicit social ties of both potential backers and project owners on social media are associated with crowdfunding project success. This study extends the previous research on social ties' roles in explaining crowdfunding project success by including implicit social ties, while the literature explored only explicit social ties.The role of project owners' and potential backers' implicit social ties in crowdfunding project success
Jayesh Prakash Gupta, Hongxiu Li, Hannu Kärkkäinen, Raghava Rao Mukkamala
Internet Research, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp.1-23

In this study, the authors sought to investigate how the implicit social ties of both project owners and potential backers are associated with crowdfunding project success.

Drawing on social ties theory and factors that affect crowdfunding success, in this research, the authors developed a model to study how project owners' and potential backers' implicit social ties are associated with crowdfunding projects' degrees of success. The proposed model was empirically tested with crowdfunding data collected from Kickstarter and social media data collected from Twitter. The authors performed the test using an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model with fixed effects.

The authors found that project owners' implicit social ties (specifically, their social media activities, degree centrality and betweenness centrality) are significantly and positively associated with crowdfunding projects' degrees of success. Meanwhile, potential project backers' implicit social ties (their social media activities and degree centrality) are negatively associated with crowdfunding projects' degrees of success. The authors also found that project size moderates the effects of project owners' social media activities on projects' degrees of success.

This work contributes to the literature on crowdfunding by investigating how the implicit social ties of both potential backers and project owners on social media are associated with crowdfunding project success. This study extends the previous research on social ties' roles in explaining crowdfunding project success by including implicit social ties, while the literature explored only explicit social ties.

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The role of project owners' and potential backers' implicit social ties in crowdfunding project success10.1108/INTR-07-2021-0424Internet Research2023-12-12© 2023 Jayesh Prakash Gupta, Hongxiu Li, Hannu Kärkkäinen and Raghava Rao MukkamalaJayesh Prakash GuptaHongxiu LiHannu KärkkäinenRaghava Rao MukkamalaInternet Research3472023-12-1210.1108/INTR-07-2021-0424https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2021-0424/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Jayesh Prakash Gupta, Hongxiu Li, Hannu Kärkkäinen and Raghava Rao Mukkamalahttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Personal use of smartphones in the workplace and work–life conflict: a natural quasi-experimenthttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0607/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestPrior research has extensively examined how bringing technology from work into the non-work life domain creates conflict, yet the reverse pathway has rarely been studied. The purpose of this study is to bridge this gap and examine how the non-work use of smartphones in the workplace affects work–life conflict. Drawing from three literature streams: technostress, work–life conflict and role boundary theory, the authors theorise on how limiting employees' ability to integrate the personal life domain into work, by means of technology use policy, contributes to stress and work–life conflict. To test this model, the authors employ a natural experiment in a company that changed its policy from fully restricting to open smartphone access for non-work purposes in the workplace. The insights gained from the experiment were explored further through qualitative interviews. Work–life conflict declines when a ban on using smartphones for non-work purposes in the workplace is revoked. This study's results show that the relationship between smartphone use in the workplace and work–life conflict is mediated by sensed stress. Additionally, a post-hoc analysis reveals that work performance was unchanged when the smartphone ban was revoked. First, this study advances the authors' understanding of how smartphone use policies in the workplace spill over to affect non-work life. Second, this work contributes to the technostress literature by revealing how, in specific situations, engagement with ICT can reduce distress and strain.Personal use of smartphones in the workplace and work–life conflict: a natural quasi-experiment
Eoin Whelan, Ofir Turel
Internet Research, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp.24-54

Prior research has extensively examined how bringing technology from work into the non-work life domain creates conflict, yet the reverse pathway has rarely been studied. The purpose of this study is to bridge this gap and examine how the non-work use of smartphones in the workplace affects work–life conflict.

Drawing from three literature streams: technostress, work–life conflict and role boundary theory, the authors theorise on how limiting employees' ability to integrate the personal life domain into work, by means of technology use policy, contributes to stress and work–life conflict. To test this model, the authors employ a natural experiment in a company that changed its policy from fully restricting to open smartphone access for non-work purposes in the workplace. The insights gained from the experiment were explored further through qualitative interviews.

Work–life conflict declines when a ban on using smartphones for non-work purposes in the workplace is revoked. This study's results show that the relationship between smartphone use in the workplace and work–life conflict is mediated by sensed stress. Additionally, a post-hoc analysis reveals that work performance was unchanged when the smartphone ban was revoked.

First, this study advances the authors' understanding of how smartphone use policies in the workplace spill over to affect non-work life. Second, this work contributes to the technostress literature by revealing how, in specific situations, engagement with ICT can reduce distress and strain.

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Personal use of smartphones in the workplace and work–life conflict: a natural quasi-experiment10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0607Internet Research2023-12-11© 2023 Eoin Whelan and Ofir TurelEoin WhelanOfir TurelInternet Research3472023-12-1110.1108/INTR-08-2022-0607https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0607/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Eoin Whelan and Ofir Turelhttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Will after-hours technology-mediated work make employees leave? A mediated moderation modelhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0595/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestAs after-hours technology-mediated work (ATW) becomes common in organizations, the increased workload and interference to life caused by ATW has induced employee turnover. This research develops a mediated moderation model to explain how employees' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for ATW affect their turnover intention through work–life conflict. A survey was conducted to collect data of 484 employees from Chinese companies. Partial Least Square was used to perform data analysis. The results show that intrinsic motivation for ATW has an indirect negative impact on turnover intention via work–life conflict, whereas extrinsic motivation for ATW has both a positive direct impact and a positive indirect impact (via work–life conflict) on turnover intention. This study also helps find that time spent on ATW can strengthen the positive impact of extrinsic motivation for ATW on turnover intention but has no moderation effect on the impact of intrinsic motivation for ATW. Furthermore, this study reveals that the interaction effect of time spent on ATW and extrinsic motivation on turnover intention is mediated by employees' perceived work–life conflict. By discovering the distinct impact of employees' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for ATW on turnover intention, this research provides a contingent view regarding the impact of ATW and offers guidance to managers regarding how to mitigate ATW-induced turnover intention through fostering different motivations.Will after-hours technology-mediated work make employees leave? A mediated moderation model
Xiaolin Sun, Jiawen Zhu, Huigang Liang, Yajiong Xue, Bo Yao
Internet Research, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp.55-81

As after-hours technology-mediated work (ATW) becomes common in organizations, the increased workload and interference to life caused by ATW has induced employee turnover. This research develops a mediated moderation model to explain how employees' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for ATW affect their turnover intention through work–life conflict.

A survey was conducted to collect data of 484 employees from Chinese companies. Partial Least Square was used to perform data analysis.

The results show that intrinsic motivation for ATW has an indirect negative impact on turnover intention via work–life conflict, whereas extrinsic motivation for ATW has both a positive direct impact and a positive indirect impact (via work–life conflict) on turnover intention. This study also helps find that time spent on ATW can strengthen the positive impact of extrinsic motivation for ATW on turnover intention but has no moderation effect on the impact of intrinsic motivation for ATW. Furthermore, this study reveals that the interaction effect of time spent on ATW and extrinsic motivation on turnover intention is mediated by employees' perceived work–life conflict.

By discovering the distinct impact of employees' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for ATW on turnover intention, this research provides a contingent view regarding the impact of ATW and offers guidance to managers regarding how to mitigate ATW-induced turnover intention through fostering different motivations.

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Will after-hours technology-mediated work make employees leave? A mediated moderation model10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0595Internet Research2024-01-02© 2023 Xiaolin Sun, Jiawen Zhu, Huigang Liang, Yajiong Xue and Bo YaoXiaolin SunJiawen ZhuHuigang LiangYajiong XueBo YaoInternet Research3472024-01-0210.1108/INTR-08-2022-0595https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0595/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Xiaolin Sun, Jiawen Zhu, Huigang Liang, Yajiong Xue and Bo Yaohttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Acceptance of the metaverse: a laboratory experiment on augmented and virtual reality shoppinghttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0334/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestIn recent years, there has been significant interest in adopting XR (extended reality) technologies such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), particularly in retail. However, extending activities through reality-mediation is still mostly believed to offer an inferior experience due to their shortcomings in usability, wearability, graphical fidelity, etc. This study aims to address the research gap by experimentally examining the acceptance of metaverse shopping. This study conducts a 2 (VR: with vs. without) × 2 (AR: with vs. without) between-subjects laboratory experiment involving 157 participants in simulated daily shopping environments. This study builds a physical brick-and-mortar store at the campus and stocked it with approximately 600 products with accompanying product information and pricing. The XR devices and a 3D laser scanner were used in constructing the three XR shopping conditions. Results indicate that XR can offer an experience comparable to, or even surpassing, traditional shopping in terms of its instrumental and hedonic aspects, regardless of a slightly reduced perception of usability. AR negatively affected perceived ease of use, while VR significantly increased perceived enjoyment. It is surprising that the lower perceived ease of use appeared to be disconnected from the attitude toward metaverse shopping. This study provides important experimental evidence on the acceptance of XR shopping, and the finding that low perceived ease of use may not always be detrimental adds to the theory of technology adoption as a whole. Additionally, it provides an important reference point for future randomized controlled studies exploring the effects of technology on adoption.Acceptance of the metaverse: a laboratory experiment on augmented and virtual reality shopping
Nannan Xi, Juan Chen, Filipe Gama, Henry Korkeila, Juho Hamari
Internet Research, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp.82-117

In recent years, there has been significant interest in adopting XR (extended reality) technologies such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), particularly in retail. However, extending activities through reality-mediation is still mostly believed to offer an inferior experience due to their shortcomings in usability, wearability, graphical fidelity, etc. This study aims to address the research gap by experimentally examining the acceptance of metaverse shopping.

This study conducts a 2 (VR: with vs. without) × 2 (AR: with vs. without) between-subjects laboratory experiment involving 157 participants in simulated daily shopping environments. This study builds a physical brick-and-mortar store at the campus and stocked it with approximately 600 products with accompanying product information and pricing. The XR devices and a 3D laser scanner were used in constructing the three XR shopping conditions.

Results indicate that XR can offer an experience comparable to, or even surpassing, traditional shopping in terms of its instrumental and hedonic aspects, regardless of a slightly reduced perception of usability. AR negatively affected perceived ease of use, while VR significantly increased perceived enjoyment. It is surprising that the lower perceived ease of use appeared to be disconnected from the attitude toward metaverse shopping.

This study provides important experimental evidence on the acceptance of XR shopping, and the finding that low perceived ease of use may not always be detrimental adds to the theory of technology adoption as a whole. Additionally, it provides an important reference point for future randomized controlled studies exploring the effects of technology on adoption.

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Acceptance of the metaverse: a laboratory experiment on augmented and virtual reality shopping10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0334Internet Research2024-01-26© 2024 Nannan Xi, Juan Chen, Filipe Gama, Henry Korkeila and Juho HamariNannan XiJuan ChenFilipe GamaHenry KorkeilaJuho HamariInternet Research3472024-01-2610.1108/INTR-05-2022-0334https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0334/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Nannan Xi, Juan Chen, Filipe Gama, Henry Korkeila and Juho Hamarihttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Learning for success: understanding crowdfunding relaunch performance after initial failureshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0063/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestFierce competition in the crowdfunding market has resulted in high failure rates. Owing to their dedication and efforts, many founders have relaunched failed campaigns as a second attempt. Despite the need for a better understanding, the success of campaign relaunches has not been well-researched. To fill this research gap, this study first theorizes how founders’ learning may enhance their competencies and influence investors’ attribution of entrepreneurial failure. The study then empirically documents the extent and conditions under which such learning efforts impact campaign relaunch performance. This study examines 5,798 Kickstarter-relaunched campaigns. The founders’ learning efforts are empirically captured by key changes in campaign design that deviate from past business practices. Word movers’ distances and perceptual hashing algorithms (pHash) are used separately to measure differences in campaign textual descriptions and pictorial designs. Differences in textual descriptions and pictorial designs during campaign failure–relaunch are positively associated with campaign relaunch success. The impacts are further amplified when the previous failures are more severe. This study is one of the first to examine the success of a campaign relaunch after an initial failure. This study contributes to a better understanding of founders’ learning in crowdfunding contexts and provides insights into the strategies founders can adopt to reap performance benefits.Learning for success: understanding crowdfunding relaunch performance after initial failures
Xiaochen Liu, Yukuan Xu, Qiang Ye, Yu Jin
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Fierce competition in the crowdfunding market has resulted in high failure rates. Owing to their dedication and efforts, many founders have relaunched failed campaigns as a second attempt. Despite the need for a better understanding, the success of campaign relaunches has not been well-researched. To fill this research gap, this study first theorizes how founders’ learning may enhance their competencies and influence investors’ attribution of entrepreneurial failure. The study then empirically documents the extent and conditions under which such learning efforts impact campaign relaunch performance.

This study examines 5,798 Kickstarter-relaunched campaigns. The founders’ learning efforts are empirically captured by key changes in campaign design that deviate from past business practices. Word movers’ distances and perceptual hashing algorithms (pHash) are used separately to measure differences in campaign textual descriptions and pictorial designs.

Differences in textual descriptions and pictorial designs during campaign failure–relaunch are positively associated with campaign relaunch success. The impacts are further amplified when the previous failures are more severe.

This study is one of the first to examine the success of a campaign relaunch after an initial failure. This study contributes to a better understanding of founders’ learning in crowdfunding contexts and provides insights into the strategies founders can adopt to reap performance benefits.

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Learning for success: understanding crowdfunding relaunch performance after initial failures10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0063Internet Research2023-07-14© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedXiaochen LiuYukuan XuQiang YeYu JinInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-07-1410.1108/INTR-01-2022-0063https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0063/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Wear in or wear out: how consumers respond to repetitive influencer marketinghttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0075/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestEndorsement marketing has been widely used to generate consumer attention, interest and purchase decisions among targeted audiences. Internet celebrities who become famous on the Internet are dependent on strategic intimacy to appeal to their followers. Our study aims to examine how multiple exposures to Internet celebrity endorsements influence consumers’ click and purchase decisions in the context of influencer marketing. Based on a unique and representative dataset, the authors first model consumers’ choices for clicks and purchases with two panel fixed-effect logit models linking clicks and purchases with the frequency of exposure to Internet celebrity endorsement. To further control the endogeneity produced by the intercorrelation between the click and purchase models, the authors also adopt the two-stage Heckman probit structure to jointly estimate the two models using Maximum Likelihood Estimation. Robustness checks confirm the effectiveness of the models. The results suggest that Internet celebrity endorsement plays a significant role in bringing referral traffic to e-commerce sites but is less helpful in affecting conversion to sales. The impact of repetitive Internet celebrity endorsements on consumers’ click decisions is U-shaped, but the role of Internet celebrities as online retailers will “shape-flip” this relationship to a negative linear relation. Our study is the first to investigate the repetitive exposure effect of Internet celebrity endorsement. The results show a contradictory pattern with a wear-out effect of repetition in the advertising literature. This is the first study to show how the endorsing self, which is a common business model in influencer marketing, moderates the effectiveness of influencer marketing.Wear in or wear out: how consumers respond to repetitive influencer marketing
Ruibin Geng, Xi Chen, Shichao Wang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Endorsement marketing has been widely used to generate consumer attention, interest and purchase decisions among targeted audiences. Internet celebrities who become famous on the Internet are dependent on strategic intimacy to appeal to their followers. Our study aims to examine how multiple exposures to Internet celebrity endorsements influence consumers’ click and purchase decisions in the context of influencer marketing.

Based on a unique and representative dataset, the authors first model consumers’ choices for clicks and purchases with two panel fixed-effect logit models linking clicks and purchases with the frequency of exposure to Internet celebrity endorsement. To further control the endogeneity produced by the intercorrelation between the click and purchase models, the authors also adopt the two-stage Heckman probit structure to jointly estimate the two models using Maximum Likelihood Estimation. Robustness checks confirm the effectiveness of the models.

The results suggest that Internet celebrity endorsement plays a significant role in bringing referral traffic to e-commerce sites but is less helpful in affecting conversion to sales. The impact of repetitive Internet celebrity endorsements on consumers’ click decisions is U-shaped, but the role of Internet celebrities as online retailers will “shape-flip” this relationship to a negative linear relation.

Our study is the first to investigate the repetitive exposure effect of Internet celebrity endorsement. The results show a contradictory pattern with a wear-out effect of repetition in the advertising literature. This is the first study to show how the endorsing self, which is a common business model in influencer marketing, moderates the effectiveness of influencer marketing.

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Wear in or wear out: how consumers respond to repetitive influencer marketing10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0075Internet Research2023-04-17© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedRuibin GengXi ChenShichao WangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-04-1710.1108/INTR-01-2022-0075https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0075/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Organizational mission and digital platform evolution: an investigation of entrepreneurial organizations in nascent marketshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0077/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestAlthough digital platforms have become important to organizations and society, little is known about how platforms evolve over time. This is particularly true for early-stage platforms provided by entrepreneurial firms competing in nascent markets. This study aims to investigate the relationship between a platform provider's mission and the evolution of its digital platform. This study conducted an exploratory, multi-case study of startups in the emerging health/fitness wearables market over the period 2007 to 2016. This study emerged two organizational mission constructs – consistency and specificity – and two evolutionary dynamics of digital platforms – unity and evolution rate. It also considered unity and evolution rate in terms of features created by the platform provider and features connected by external parties. This study found relationships between aspects of mission consistency and platform unity and identified relationships between aspects of mission specificity and platform evolution rates. This study formalized findings into a set of theoretical propositions, thereby enriching the understanding of the relationship between organizational mission and digital platform evolution in nascent markets. This study provides new constructs and relationships that can be tested and refined in future research.Organizational mission and digital platform evolution: an investigation of entrepreneurial organizations in nascent markets
Nicholas Roberts, Inchan Kim
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Although digital platforms have become important to organizations and society, little is known about how platforms evolve over time. This is particularly true for early-stage platforms provided by entrepreneurial firms competing in nascent markets. This study aims to investigate the relationship between a platform provider's mission and the evolution of its digital platform.

This study conducted an exploratory, multi-case study of startups in the emerging health/fitness wearables market over the period 2007 to 2016.

This study emerged two organizational mission constructs – consistency and specificity – and two evolutionary dynamics of digital platforms – unity and evolution rate. It also considered unity and evolution rate in terms of features created by the platform provider and features connected by external parties. This study found relationships between aspects of mission consistency and platform unity and identified relationships between aspects of mission specificity and platform evolution rates.

This study formalized findings into a set of theoretical propositions, thereby enriching the understanding of the relationship between organizational mission and digital platform evolution in nascent markets. This study provides new constructs and relationships that can be tested and refined in future research.

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Organizational mission and digital platform evolution: an investigation of entrepreneurial organizations in nascent markets10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0077Internet Research2023-06-05© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedNicholas RobertsInchan KimInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-06-0510.1108/INTR-01-2022-0077https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2022-0077/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
How review content, sentiment and helpfulness votes jointly affect trust of reviews and attitudehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0025/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestWe investigate the joint impacts of three trust cues – content, sentiment and helpfulness votes – of online product reviews on the trust of reviews and attitude toward the product/service reviewed. We performed three studies to test our research model, presenting participants with scenarios involving product reviews and prior users' helpful and unhelpful votes across experimental settings. A high helpfulness ratio boosts users’ trust and influences behaviors in both positive and negative reviews. This effect is more pronounced in attribute-based reviews than emotion-based ones. Unlike the ratio effect, helpfulness magnitude significantly impacts only negative attribute-based reviews. Future research should investigate voting systems in various online contexts, such as Facebook post likes, Twitter microblog thumb-ups and up-votes for article comments on platforms like The New York Times. Our findings have significant implications for voting system-providers implementing information techniques on third-party review platforms, participatory sites emphasizing user-generated content and online retailers prioritizing product awareness and reputation. This study addresses an identified need; that is, the helpfulness votes as an additional trust cue and the joint effects of three trust cues – content, sentiment and helpfulness votes – of online product reviews on the trust of customers in reviews and their consequential attitude toward the product/service reviewed.How review content, sentiment and helpfulness votes jointly affect trust of reviews and attitude
Jing Li, Xin Xu, Eric W.T. Ngai
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

We investigate the joint impacts of three trust cues – content, sentiment and helpfulness votes – of online product reviews on the trust of reviews and attitude toward the product/service reviewed.

We performed three studies to test our research model, presenting participants with scenarios involving product reviews and prior users' helpful and unhelpful votes across experimental settings.

A high helpfulness ratio boosts users’ trust and influences behaviors in both positive and negative reviews. This effect is more pronounced in attribute-based reviews than emotion-based ones. Unlike the ratio effect, helpfulness magnitude significantly impacts only negative attribute-based reviews.

Future research should investigate voting systems in various online contexts, such as Facebook post likes, Twitter microblog thumb-ups and up-votes for article comments on platforms like The New York Times.

Our findings have significant implications for voting system-providers implementing information techniques on third-party review platforms, participatory sites emphasizing user-generated content and online retailers prioritizing product awareness and reputation.

This study addresses an identified need; that is, the helpfulness votes as an additional trust cue and the joint effects of three trust cues – content, sentiment and helpfulness votes – of online product reviews on the trust of customers in reviews and their consequential attitude toward the product/service reviewed.

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How review content, sentiment and helpfulness votes jointly affect trust of reviews and attitude10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0025Internet Research2024-03-18© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedJing LiXin XuEric W.T. NgaiInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-03-1810.1108/INTR-01-2023-0025https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0025/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Consumer vulnerability: understanding transparency and control in the online environmenthttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0056/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestIn the online environment, consumers increasingly feel vulnerable due to firms’ expanding capabilities of collecting and using their data in an unsanctioned manner. Drawing from gossip theory, this research focuses on two key suppressors of consumer vulnerability: transparency and control. Previous studies conceptualize transparency and control from rationalistic approaches that overlook individual experiences and present a unidimensional conceptualization. This research aims to understand how individuals interpret transparency and control concerning privacy vulnerability in the online environment. Additionally, it explores strategic approaches to communicating the value of transparency and control. An interpretivism paradigm and phenomenology were adopted in the research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 41 participants, including consumers and experts, and analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings identify key conceptual dimensions of transparency and control by adapting justice theory. They also reveal that firms can communicate assurance, functional, technical and social values of transparency and control to address consumer vulnerability. This research makes the following contributions to the data privacy literature. The findings exhibit multidimensional and comprehensive conceptualizations of transparency and control, including user, firm and information perspectives. Additionally, the conceptual framework combines empirical insights from both experiencers and observers to offer an understanding of how transparency and control serve as justice mechanisms to effectively tackle the issue of unsanctioned transmission of personal information and subsequently address vulnerability. Lastly, the findings provide strategic approaches to communicating the value of transparency and control.Consumer vulnerability: understanding transparency and control in the online environment
Donia Waseem, Shijiao (Joseph) Chen, Zhenhua (Raymond) Xia, Nripendra P. Rana, Balkrushna Potdar, Khai Trieu Tran
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

In the online environment, consumers increasingly feel vulnerable due to firms’ expanding capabilities of collecting and using their data in an unsanctioned manner. Drawing from gossip theory, this research focuses on two key suppressors of consumer vulnerability: transparency and control. Previous studies conceptualize transparency and control from rationalistic approaches that overlook individual experiences and present a unidimensional conceptualization. This research aims to understand how individuals interpret transparency and control concerning privacy vulnerability in the online environment. Additionally, it explores strategic approaches to communicating the value of transparency and control.

An interpretivism paradigm and phenomenology were adopted in the research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 41 participants, including consumers and experts, and analyzed through thematic analysis.

The findings identify key conceptual dimensions of transparency and control by adapting justice theory. They also reveal that firms can communicate assurance, functional, technical and social values of transparency and control to address consumer vulnerability.

This research makes the following contributions to the data privacy literature. The findings exhibit multidimensional and comprehensive conceptualizations of transparency and control, including user, firm and information perspectives. Additionally, the conceptual framework combines empirical insights from both experiencers and observers to offer an understanding of how transparency and control serve as justice mechanisms to effectively tackle the issue of unsanctioned transmission of personal information and subsequently address vulnerability. Lastly, the findings provide strategic approaches to communicating the value of transparency and control.

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Consumer vulnerability: understanding transparency and control in the online environment10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0056Internet Research2024-02-19© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedDonia WaseemShijiao (Joseph) ChenZhenhua (Raymond) XiaNripendra P. RanaBalkrushna PotdarKhai Trieu TranInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-1910.1108/INTR-01-2023-0056https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0056/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Social media as a living laboratory for researchers: the relationship between linguistics and online user responseshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0064/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestToday, individuals use social media to express their opinions and feelings, which offers a living laboratory to researchers in various fields, such as management, innovation, technology development, environment and marketing. It is therefore necessary to understand how the language used in user-generated content and the emotions conveyed by the content affect responses from other social media users. In this study, almost 700,000 posts from Twitter (as well as Facebook, Instagram and forums in the appendix) are used to test a conceptual model grounded in signaling theory to explain how the language of user-generated content on social media influences how other users respond to that communication. Extending developments in linguistics, this study shows that users react negatively to content that uses self-inclusive language. This study also shows how emotional content characteristics moderate this relationship. The additional information provided indicates that while most of the findings are replicated, some results differ across social media platforms, which deserves users' attention. This article extends research on Internet behavior and social media use by providing insights into how the relationship between self-inclusive language and emotions affects user responses to user-generated content. Furthermore, this study provides actionable guidance for researchers interested in capturing phenomena through the social media landscape.Social media as a living laboratory for researchers: the relationship between linguistics and online user responses
Aulona Ulqinaku, Selma Kadić-Maglajlić, Gülen Sarial-Abi
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Today, individuals use social media to express their opinions and feelings, which offers a living laboratory to researchers in various fields, such as management, innovation, technology development, environment and marketing. It is therefore necessary to understand how the language used in user-generated content and the emotions conveyed by the content affect responses from other social media users.

In this study, almost 700,000 posts from Twitter (as well as Facebook, Instagram and forums in the appendix) are used to test a conceptual model grounded in signaling theory to explain how the language of user-generated content on social media influences how other users respond to that communication.

Extending developments in linguistics, this study shows that users react negatively to content that uses self-inclusive language. This study also shows how emotional content characteristics moderate this relationship. The additional information provided indicates that while most of the findings are replicated, some results differ across social media platforms, which deserves users' attention.

This article extends research on Internet behavior and social media use by providing insights into how the relationship between self-inclusive language and emotions affects user responses to user-generated content. Furthermore, this study provides actionable guidance for researchers interested in capturing phenomena through the social media landscape.

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Social media as a living laboratory for researchers: the relationship between linguistics and online user responses10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0064Internet Research2023-12-15© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedAulona UlqinakuSelma Kadić-MaglajlićGülen Sarial-AbiInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-12-1510.1108/INTR-01-2023-0064https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-01-2023-0064/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Small businesses and e-government participation: the role of personalisation preference and intermediarieshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2021-0107/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestAdvances in technology have given rise to an increased demand by small businesses for personalised e-government services. Given the importance of small businesses to the Australian economy, it is vital to deliver small business-centric services that offer potential to generate value. To do that effectively, government departments need to understand factors that affect small business. The purpose of this study is to explore how preferences for personalised services and the use of intermediaries affect small business participation behaviour and, in turn, stimulate positive outcomes that are of interest to the government. This study draws on secondary data from a survey of 800 Australian small businesses about the digital services offered by a large government department. Structural equation modelling was used to empirically test the model. The findings demonstrate that whilst preference for personalisation has a positive relationship with participation behaviour, reliance on an intermediary does not. While such behaviour fosters emotional connection and perceptions of partner quality, the results of this study show no significant impact on satisfaction. This study advances knowledge about how small businesses can gain value from personalised support services. Importantly, it focuses on participation behaviour and small business – both of which are largely absent from existing studies. The findings can assist government departments to design personalised services that are valued by small businesses.Small businesses and e-government participation: the role of personalisation preference and intermediaries
Maryanne Scutella, Carolin Plewa, Carmen Reaiche
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Advances in technology have given rise to an increased demand by small businesses for personalised e-government services. Given the importance of small businesses to the Australian economy, it is vital to deliver small business-centric services that offer potential to generate value. To do that effectively, government departments need to understand factors that affect small business. The purpose of this study is to explore how preferences for personalised services and the use of intermediaries affect small business participation behaviour and, in turn, stimulate positive outcomes that are of interest to the government.

This study draws on secondary data from a survey of 800 Australian small businesses about the digital services offered by a large government department. Structural equation modelling was used to empirically test the model.

The findings demonstrate that whilst preference for personalisation has a positive relationship with participation behaviour, reliance on an intermediary does not. While such behaviour fosters emotional connection and perceptions of partner quality, the results of this study show no significant impact on satisfaction.

This study advances knowledge about how small businesses can gain value from personalised support services. Importantly, it focuses on participation behaviour and small business – both of which are largely absent from existing studies. The findings can assist government departments to design personalised services that are valued by small businesses.

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Small businesses and e-government participation: the role of personalisation preference and intermediaries10.1108/INTR-02-2021-0107Internet Research2023-05-18© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedMaryanne ScutellaCarolin PlewaCarmen ReaicheInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-1810.1108/INTR-02-2021-0107https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2021-0107/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Using machine learning to investigate consumers' emotions: the spillover effect of AI defeating people on consumers' attitudes toward AI companieshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2022-0113/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' emotional responses to artificial intelligence (AI) defeating people. Meanwhile, the authors investigate the negative spillover effect of AI defeating people on consumers' attitudes toward AI companies. The authors also try to alleviate this spillover effect. Using four studies to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, the authors use the fine-tuned Bidirectional Encoder Representations from the Transformers algorithm to run a sentiment analysis to investigate how AI defeating people influences consumers' emotions. In Studies 2 to 4, the authors test the effect of AI defeating people on consumers' attitudes, the mediating effect of negative emotions and the moderating effect of different intentions. The authors find that AI defeating people increases consumers' negative emotions. In terms of downstream consequences, AI defeating people induces a spillover effect on consumers' unfavorable attitudes toward AI companies. Emphasizing the intention of helping people can effectively mitigate this negative spillover effect. The authors' findings remind governments, policymakers and AI companies to pay attention to the negative effect of AI defeating people and take reasonable steps to alleviate this negative effect. The authors help consumers rationally understand this phenomenon and correctly control and reduce unnecessary negative emotions in the AI era. This paper is the first study to examine the adverse effects of AI defeating humans. The authors contribute to research on the dark side of AI, the outcomes of competition matches and the method to analyze emotions in user-generated content (UGC).Using machine learning to investigate consumers' emotions: the spillover effect of AI defeating people on consumers' attitudes toward AI companies
Yongchao Martin Ma, Xin Dai, Zhongzhun Deng
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' emotional responses to artificial intelligence (AI) defeating people. Meanwhile, the authors investigate the negative spillover effect of AI defeating people on consumers' attitudes toward AI companies. The authors also try to alleviate this spillover effect.

Using four studies to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, the authors use the fine-tuned Bidirectional Encoder Representations from the Transformers algorithm to run a sentiment analysis to investigate how AI defeating people influences consumers' emotions. In Studies 2 to 4, the authors test the effect of AI defeating people on consumers' attitudes, the mediating effect of negative emotions and the moderating effect of different intentions.

The authors find that AI defeating people increases consumers' negative emotions. In terms of downstream consequences, AI defeating people induces a spillover effect on consumers' unfavorable attitudes toward AI companies. Emphasizing the intention of helping people can effectively mitigate this negative spillover effect.

The authors' findings remind governments, policymakers and AI companies to pay attention to the negative effect of AI defeating people and take reasonable steps to alleviate this negative effect. The authors help consumers rationally understand this phenomenon and correctly control and reduce unnecessary negative emotions in the AI era.

This paper is the first study to examine the adverse effects of AI defeating humans. The authors contribute to research on the dark side of AI, the outcomes of competition matches and the method to analyze emotions in user-generated content (UGC).

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Using machine learning to investigate consumers' emotions: the spillover effect of AI defeating people on consumers' attitudes toward AI companies10.1108/INTR-02-2022-0113Internet Research2023-09-26© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedYongchao Martin MaXin DaiZhongzhun DengInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-09-2610.1108/INTR-02-2022-0113https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2022-0113/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Short video marketing: what, when and how short-branded videos facilitate consumer engagementhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2022-0121/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study explores whether and how four main factors of short-branded video content (content matching, information relevance, storytelling and emotionality) facilitate consumer engagement (likes, comments and shares), as well as the moderating effect of the release time (morning, afternoon and evening) in such relationships. This study uses Python to write programs to crawl relevant data information, such as consumer engagement and short video release time. It combines coding methods to empirically analyze the impact of short-branded video content characteristics on consumer engagement. A total of 10,240 Weibo short videos (total duration: 238.645 h) from 122 well-known brands are utilized as research objects. Empirical results show that the content characteristics of short videos significantly affected consumer engagement. Furthermore, the release time of videos significantly moderated the relationship between the emotionality of short videos and consumer engagement. Content released in the morning enhanced the positive impact of warmth, excitement and joy on consumer engagement, compared to that released in the afternoon. The findings provide new insights for the dissemination of products and brand culture through short videos. The authors suggest that enterprises that use brand videos consider content matching, information relevance, storytelling and emotionality in their design. From a broader perspective, this study constructs a new method for comprehensively evaluating short-branded video content, based on four dimensions (content matching, information relevance, storytelling and emotionality) and explores the value of these dimensions for creating social media marketing success, such as via consumer engagement.Short video marketing: what, when and how short-branded videos facilitate consumer engagement
Xuebing Dong, Hong Liu, Nannan Xi, Junyun Liao, Zhi Yang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study explores whether and how four main factors of short-branded video content (content matching, information relevance, storytelling and emotionality) facilitate consumer engagement (likes, comments and shares), as well as the moderating effect of the release time (morning, afternoon and evening) in such relationships.

This study uses Python to write programs to crawl relevant data information, such as consumer engagement and short video release time. It combines coding methods to empirically analyze the impact of short-branded video content characteristics on consumer engagement. A total of 10,240 Weibo short videos (total duration: 238.645 h) from 122 well-known brands are utilized as research objects.

Empirical results show that the content characteristics of short videos significantly affected consumer engagement. Furthermore, the release time of videos significantly moderated the relationship between the emotionality of short videos and consumer engagement. Content released in the morning enhanced the positive impact of warmth, excitement and joy on consumer engagement, compared to that released in the afternoon.

The findings provide new insights for the dissemination of products and brand culture through short videos. The authors suggest that enterprises that use brand videos consider content matching, information relevance, storytelling and emotionality in their design.

From a broader perspective, this study constructs a new method for comprehensively evaluating short-branded video content, based on four dimensions (content matching, information relevance, storytelling and emotionality) and explores the value of these dimensions for creating social media marketing success, such as via consumer engagement.

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Short video marketing: what, when and how short-branded videos facilitate consumer engagement10.1108/INTR-02-2022-0121Internet Research2023-05-25© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedXuebing DongHong LiuNannan XiJunyun LiaoZhi YangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-2510.1108/INTR-02-2022-0121https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2022-0121/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Longitudinal relationship between parental and adolescent smartphone addiction: serial mediating effects of adolescent self-esteem and depressionhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2023-0110/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study longitudinally investigated the predictors and mediators of adolescent smartphone addiction by examining the impact of parental smartphone addiction at T1 on adolescent smartphone addiction at T3, as well as the separate and sequential role of adolescent self-esteem and depression at T2 as mediating factors. This study used a hierarchical regression and the PROCESS macro (Model 6) to investigate research model by collecting 3,904 parent-adolescent pairs. Panel data were collected from three waves of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS). First, the result showed that parental smartphone addiction at T1 significantly and positively predicted adolescent smartphone addiction at T3. Second, the serial mediation analysis revealed that the impact of parental smartphone addiction at T1 on adolescent smartphone addiction at T3 was mediated by adolescent self-esteem and depression at T2 independently and serially. The findings enhance our comprehension of the impact of parental smartphone addiction, adolescent self-esteem and depression, on adolescent smartphone addiction.Longitudinal relationship between parental and adolescent smartphone addiction: serial mediating effects of adolescent self-esteem and depression
Il Bong Mun
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study longitudinally investigated the predictors and mediators of adolescent smartphone addiction by examining the impact of parental smartphone addiction at T1 on adolescent smartphone addiction at T3, as well as the separate and sequential role of adolescent self-esteem and depression at T2 as mediating factors.

This study used a hierarchical regression and the PROCESS macro (Model 6) to investigate research model by collecting 3,904 parent-adolescent pairs. Panel data were collected from three waves of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS).

First, the result showed that parental smartphone addiction at T1 significantly and positively predicted adolescent smartphone addiction at T3. Second, the serial mediation analysis revealed that the impact of parental smartphone addiction at T1 on adolescent smartphone addiction at T3 was mediated by adolescent self-esteem and depression at T2 independently and serially.

The findings enhance our comprehension of the impact of parental smartphone addiction, adolescent self-esteem and depression, on adolescent smartphone addiction.

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Longitudinal relationship between parental and adolescent smartphone addiction: serial mediating effects of adolescent self-esteem and depression10.1108/INTR-02-2023-0110Internet Research2024-02-06© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedIl Bong MunInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-0610.1108/INTR-02-2023-0110https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-02-2023-0110/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
The effect of social commerce attributes on customer engagement: an empirical investigationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0165/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestSocial commerce (s-commerce) offers community-based platforms that facilitate customer-to-customer interactions and the development of customers' social shopping-based experience. While prior research has addressed the role of customer engagement (CE) in boosting s-commerce-based sales and performance, insight into the effect of s-commerce attributes on CE remains tenuous. Addressing this gap, this study examines the role of specific s-commerce attributes (i.e. community, collaboration, interactivity and social dynamics) on CE, which is, in turn, proposed to impact customers' repurchase- and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) intention. A web-based survey was deployed to target users of a popular s-commerce platform, Etsy.com. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was, then, used to analyze the survey data collected from 390 users. The results reveal that the four examined attributes positively affect CE. The findings also demonstrate CE's positive effect on customers' repurchase- and eWOM intention. Though CE has been identified as a key s-commerce performance indicator, little remains known about the role of specific s-commerce attributes in driving CE, as, therefore, explored in this research. Specifically, the authors examine the role of s-commerce-based community, collaboration, interactivity and social dynamics on CE. Their analyses also corroborate that CE, in turn, drives customers' post-purchase (i.e. repurchase/eWOM) intention. Managerially, our findings can be used to develop more engaging s-commerce platforms.The effect of social commerce attributes on customer engagement: an empirical investigation
Abdelsalam Busalim, Linda D. Hollebeek, Theo Lynn
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Social commerce (s-commerce) offers community-based platforms that facilitate customer-to-customer interactions and the development of customers' social shopping-based experience. While prior research has addressed the role of customer engagement (CE) in boosting s-commerce-based sales and performance, insight into the effect of s-commerce attributes on CE remains tenuous. Addressing this gap, this study examines the role of specific s-commerce attributes (i.e. community, collaboration, interactivity and social dynamics) on CE, which is, in turn, proposed to impact customers' repurchase- and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) intention.

A web-based survey was deployed to target users of a popular s-commerce platform, Etsy.com. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was, then, used to analyze the survey data collected from 390 users.

The results reveal that the four examined attributes positively affect CE. The findings also demonstrate CE's positive effect on customers' repurchase- and eWOM intention.

Though CE has been identified as a key s-commerce performance indicator, little remains known about the role of specific s-commerce attributes in driving CE, as, therefore, explored in this research. Specifically, the authors examine the role of s-commerce-based community, collaboration, interactivity and social dynamics on CE. Their analyses also corroborate that CE, in turn, drives customers' post-purchase (i.e. repurchase/eWOM) intention. Managerially, our findings can be used to develop more engaging s-commerce platforms.

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The effect of social commerce attributes on customer engagement: an empirical investigation10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0165Internet Research2023-09-15© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedAbdelsalam BusalimLinda D. HollebeekTheo LynnInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-09-1510.1108/INTR-03-2022-0165https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0165/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Fake news detection using machine learning: an adversarial collaboration approachhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0176/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestPurveyors of fake news perpetuate information that can harm society, including businesses. Social media's reach quickly amplifies distortions of fake news. Research has not yet fully explored the mechanisms of such adversarial behavior or the adversarial techniques of machine learning that might be deployed to detect fake news. Debiasing techniques are also explored to combat against the generation of fake news using adversarial data. The purpose of this paper is to present the challenges and opportunities in fake news detection. First, this paper provides an overview of adversarial behaviors and current machine learning techniques. Next, it describes the use of long short-term memory (LSTM) to identify fake news in a corpus of articles. Finally, it presents the novel adversarial behavior approach to protect targeted business datasets from attacks. This research highlights the need for a corpus of fake news that can be used to evaluate classification methods. Adversarial debiasing using IBM's Artificial Intelligence Fairness 360 (AIF360) toolkit can improve the disparate impact of unfavorable characteristics of a dataset. Debiasing also demonstrates significant potential to reduce fake news generation based on the inherent bias in the data. These findings provide avenues for further research on adversarial collaboration and robust information systems. Adversarial debiasing of datasets demonstrates that by reducing bias related to protected attributes, such as sex, race and age, businesses can reduce the potential of exploitation to generate fake news through adversarial data.Fake news detection using machine learning: an adversarial collaboration approach
Karen M. DSouza, Aaron M. French
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Purveyors of fake news perpetuate information that can harm society, including businesses. Social media's reach quickly amplifies distortions of fake news. Research has not yet fully explored the mechanisms of such adversarial behavior or the adversarial techniques of machine learning that might be deployed to detect fake news. Debiasing techniques are also explored to combat against the generation of fake news using adversarial data. The purpose of this paper is to present the challenges and opportunities in fake news detection.

First, this paper provides an overview of adversarial behaviors and current machine learning techniques. Next, it describes the use of long short-term memory (LSTM) to identify fake news in a corpus of articles. Finally, it presents the novel adversarial behavior approach to protect targeted business datasets from attacks.

This research highlights the need for a corpus of fake news that can be used to evaluate classification methods. Adversarial debiasing using IBM's Artificial Intelligence Fairness 360 (AIF360) toolkit can improve the disparate impact of unfavorable characteristics of a dataset. Debiasing also demonstrates significant potential to reduce fake news generation based on the inherent bias in the data. These findings provide avenues for further research on adversarial collaboration and robust information systems.

Adversarial debiasing of datasets demonstrates that by reducing bias related to protected attributes, such as sex, race and age, businesses can reduce the potential of exploitation to generate fake news through adversarial data.

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Fake news detection using machine learning: an adversarial collaboration approach10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0176Internet Research2023-10-11© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedKaren M. DSouzaAaron M. FrenchInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-10-1110.1108/INTR-03-2022-0176https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0176/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
What enhances or worsens the user-generated metaverse experience? An application of BERTopic to Roblox user eWOMhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0178/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestGiven its growing economic potential and social impact, this study aims to understand the motivations and concerns regarding metaverse usage. It identifies user needs and risks around the metaverse grounded on uses and gratifications theory and perceived risk theory. The authors analyzed user reviews and rating data from Roblox, a representative modern metaverse platform. They applied BERTopic modeling to extract topics from reviews, identifying key motivations and risk aspects related to metaverse usage. They further constructed an explanatory model to assess how those affect user satisfaction and changes in these effects over time. This study discovered that gratifications like entertainment, escapism, social interaction and avatar-based self-expression significantly influence user satisfaction in the metaverse. It also highlighted that users find satisfaction in self-expression and self-actualization through creating virtual spaces, items and video content. However, factors such as identity theft, fraud and child safety were identified as potential detriments to satisfaction. These influences fluctuated over time, indicating the dynamic nature of user needs and risk perceptions. The novelty of this study lies in its dual application of the uses and gratifications theory and perceived risk theory to the metaverse. It provides a novel perspective on user motivations and concerns, shedding light on the distinct elements driving user satisfaction within the metaverse. This study unravels the metaverse’s unique capacity to assimilate features from established digital media while offering a distinctive user-generated experience. This research offers valuable insights for academics and practitioners in digital media and marketing. This research pioneers the application of both uses and gratifications and perceived risk theories to understand factors influencing metaverse satisfaction. By establishing a comprehensive framework, it explores the metaverse’s unique value as a user-content creation platform, while encompassing existing digital platform characteristics. This study enriches the academic literature on the metaverse and offers invaluable insights for both metaverse platforms and brand marketers.What enhances or worsens the user-generated metaverse experience? An application of BERTopic to Roblox user eWOM
Yun Kyung Oh, Jisu Yi, Jongdae Kim
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Given its growing economic potential and social impact, this study aims to understand the motivations and concerns regarding metaverse usage. It identifies user needs and risks around the metaverse grounded on uses and gratifications theory and perceived risk theory.

The authors analyzed user reviews and rating data from Roblox, a representative modern metaverse platform. They applied BERTopic modeling to extract topics from reviews, identifying key motivations and risk aspects related to metaverse usage. They further constructed an explanatory model to assess how those affect user satisfaction and changes in these effects over time.

This study discovered that gratifications like entertainment, escapism, social interaction and avatar-based self-expression significantly influence user satisfaction in the metaverse. It also highlighted that users find satisfaction in self-expression and self-actualization through creating virtual spaces, items and video content. However, factors such as identity theft, fraud and child safety were identified as potential detriments to satisfaction. These influences fluctuated over time, indicating the dynamic nature of user needs and risk perceptions.

The novelty of this study lies in its dual application of the uses and gratifications theory and perceived risk theory to the metaverse. It provides a novel perspective on user motivations and concerns, shedding light on the distinct elements driving user satisfaction within the metaverse. This study unravels the metaverse’s unique capacity to assimilate features from established digital media while offering a distinctive user-generated experience. This research offers valuable insights for academics and practitioners in digital media and marketing.

This research pioneers the application of both uses and gratifications and perceived risk theories to understand factors influencing metaverse satisfaction. By establishing a comprehensive framework, it explores the metaverse’s unique value as a user-content creation platform, while encompassing existing digital platform characteristics. This study enriches the academic literature on the metaverse and offers invaluable insights for both metaverse platforms and brand marketers.

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What enhances or worsens the user-generated metaverse experience? An application of BERTopic to Roblox user eWOM10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0178Internet Research2023-12-19© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedYun Kyung OhJisu YiJongdae KimInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-12-1910.1108/INTR-03-2022-0178https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0178/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Developing future managers through business simulation gaming in the UK and Hong Kong: exploring the interplay between cognitive realism, decision-making and performancehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0213/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis paper investigates how individuals' decision-making approach and perceptions of a game's cognitive realism affect the performance of virtual businesses in a web-based simulation game. Survey data are collected from 274 business simulation game users and is analysed using the fsQCA technique. The study identifies three alternative pathways to high and low performance in a business simulation game. Results indicate that a flexible decision-making approach exists in all high performance pathway solutions. Where a game is perceived to be realistic, a more focused decision-making approach is associated with high performance. However, where perceived cognitive realism is absent, a less focused experimental decision-making approach is employed, which increases the chances to achieve low performance. Finally, perceived cognitive realism and an experimental decision-making approach are found to be mutually exclusive for achieving high performance. Whilst the learning benefits of web-based simulation games are widely acknowledged, the complex interplay amongst factors affecting performance in games is under-researched. Limited research exists on how perceptions of a game's cognitive realism interact with user decision-making approaches to affect performance.Developing future managers through business simulation gaming in the UK and Hong Kong: exploring the interplay between cognitive realism, decision-making and performance
Jonathan Lean, Robert Newbery, Jonathan Moizer, Mohamed Haddoud, Wai Mun Lim
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This paper investigates how individuals' decision-making approach and perceptions of a game's cognitive realism affect the performance of virtual businesses in a web-based simulation game.

Survey data are collected from 274 business simulation game users and is analysed using the fsQCA technique.

The study identifies three alternative pathways to high and low performance in a business simulation game. Results indicate that a flexible decision-making approach exists in all high performance pathway solutions. Where a game is perceived to be realistic, a more focused decision-making approach is associated with high performance. However, where perceived cognitive realism is absent, a less focused experimental decision-making approach is employed, which increases the chances to achieve low performance. Finally, perceived cognitive realism and an experimental decision-making approach are found to be mutually exclusive for achieving high performance.

Whilst the learning benefits of web-based simulation games are widely acknowledged, the complex interplay amongst factors affecting performance in games is under-researched. Limited research exists on how perceptions of a game's cognitive realism interact with user decision-making approaches to affect performance.

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Developing future managers through business simulation gaming in the UK and Hong Kong: exploring the interplay between cognitive realism, decision-making and performance10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0213Internet Research2023-06-23© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedJonathan LeanRobert NewberyJonathan MoizerMohamed HaddoudWai Mun LimInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-06-2310.1108/INTR-03-2022-0213https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0213/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Disentangling the relationship between omnichannel integration and customer trust: a response surface analysishttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0222/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study aims to examine whether customer trust is influenced by the congruence and incongruence between customers' perceptions of two types of omnichannel integration—perceived transactional integration (PTI) and perceived relational integration (PRI). The authors further considered the perceived effectiveness of e-commerce institutional mechanisms (PEEIM) as the boundary condition of omnichannel integration's effect. Drawing upon the stereotype content model, this study hypothesizes the influences of PTI and PRI on customer trust wherein PEEIM moderates the relationships. The research model was empirically examined based on the responses surface analysis of survey data collected from 311 omnichannel customers. Results showed that when PTI and PRI are congruent, customers are inclined to trust brands that have high levels of PTI and PRI rather than low levels of PTI and PRI. Moreover, the incongruence between PTI and PRI is positively related to customer trust. PEEIM was found to weaken the congruence effect while strengthening the incongruence effect. The authors also examined customer distrust as another relational outcome to provide a robust check. This study uncovers customer cognition of omnichannel integration and examines the influences on customer trust, therefore contributing to our understanding of omnichannel integration's effect from the customer perspective. Findings from this research provide insights for brand managers on deploying channel integration strategies and institutional mechanisms to manage customer trust.Disentangling the relationship between omnichannel integration and customer trust: a response surface analysis
Yang Li, Jie Fang, Shuai Yuan, Zhao Cai
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study aims to examine whether customer trust is influenced by the congruence and incongruence between customers' perceptions of two types of omnichannel integration—perceived transactional integration (PTI) and perceived relational integration (PRI). The authors further considered the perceived effectiveness of e-commerce institutional mechanisms (PEEIM) as the boundary condition of omnichannel integration's effect.

Drawing upon the stereotype content model, this study hypothesizes the influences of PTI and PRI on customer trust wherein PEEIM moderates the relationships. The research model was empirically examined based on the responses surface analysis of survey data collected from 311 omnichannel customers.

Results showed that when PTI and PRI are congruent, customers are inclined to trust brands that have high levels of PTI and PRI rather than low levels of PTI and PRI. Moreover, the incongruence between PTI and PRI is positively related to customer trust. PEEIM was found to weaken the congruence effect while strengthening the incongruence effect. The authors also examined customer distrust as another relational outcome to provide a robust check.

This study uncovers customer cognition of omnichannel integration and examines the influences on customer trust, therefore contributing to our understanding of omnichannel integration's effect from the customer perspective. Findings from this research provide insights for brand managers on deploying channel integration strategies and institutional mechanisms to manage customer trust.

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Disentangling the relationship between omnichannel integration and customer trust: a response surface analysis10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0222Internet Research2023-05-23© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedYang LiJie FangShuai YuanZhao CaiInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-2310.1108/INTR-03-2022-0222https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-03-2022-0222/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Enterprise social media usage and social cyberloafing: an empirical investigation using the JD-R modelhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-04-2021-0239/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestOne of the most important challenges confronting enterprise managers is that of controlling employees' social cyberloafing. The use of enterprise social media entails opportunities for cyberloafing. However, previous research on how enterprise social media use affects cyberloafing is rather limited. Using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, this paper proposes a research model to investigate the relationship between enterprise social media usage and employees' social cyberloafing behavior. Structural equation modeling was performed to test the research model and hypotheses. Surveys were conducted in an online platform in China, generating 510 employees' data for analysis. First, both public social media and private social media used for work-related and social-related purposes have a positive effect on employees' job engagement. Further, job engagement has a negative effect on employees' social cyberloafing. Second, the use of public social media for work-related and social-related purposes has no effect on employees' emotional exhaustion. However, work-related private social media usage has a negative effect on employees' emotional exhaustion, and social-related private social media usage has a positive effect on employees' emotional exhaustion. Further, employees' emotional exhaustion has a positive effect on employees' social cyberloafing. Third, there are significant differences in the effects of enterprise social media on employees' social cyberloafing between male and female employees. First, this paper contributes to the social cyberloafing literature by establishing a relationship between enterprise social media usage and social cyberloafing in relation to the dual influence mechanism. Second, it contributes to the JD-R model by clarifying how the use of enterprise social media with different motivations affects social cyberloafing through a mediation mechanism, namely, an enabling mechanism and a burden mechanism. Third, this paper also contributes to the social cyberloafing literature by revealing the boundary condition, namely gender, between enterprise social media use and employees' social cyberloafing.Enterprise social media usage and social cyberloafing: an empirical investigation using the JD-R model
Liang Ma, Xin Zhang, Peng Yu
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

One of the most important challenges confronting enterprise managers is that of controlling employees' social cyberloafing. The use of enterprise social media entails opportunities for cyberloafing. However, previous research on how enterprise social media use affects cyberloafing is rather limited. Using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, this paper proposes a research model to investigate the relationship between enterprise social media usage and employees' social cyberloafing behavior.

Structural equation modeling was performed to test the research model and hypotheses. Surveys were conducted in an online platform in China, generating 510 employees' data for analysis.

First, both public social media and private social media used for work-related and social-related purposes have a positive effect on employees' job engagement. Further, job engagement has a negative effect on employees' social cyberloafing. Second, the use of public social media for work-related and social-related purposes has no effect on employees' emotional exhaustion. However, work-related private social media usage has a negative effect on employees' emotional exhaustion, and social-related private social media usage has a positive effect on employees' emotional exhaustion. Further, employees' emotional exhaustion has a positive effect on employees' social cyberloafing. Third, there are significant differences in the effects of enterprise social media on employees' social cyberloafing between male and female employees.

First, this paper contributes to the social cyberloafing literature by establishing a relationship between enterprise social media usage and social cyberloafing in relation to the dual influence mechanism. Second, it contributes to the JD-R model by clarifying how the use of enterprise social media with different motivations affects social cyberloafing through a mediation mechanism, namely, an enabling mechanism and a burden mechanism. Third, this paper also contributes to the social cyberloafing literature by revealing the boundary condition, namely gender, between enterprise social media use and employees' social cyberloafing.

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Enterprise social media usage and social cyberloafing: an empirical investigation using the JD-R model10.1108/INTR-04-2021-0239Internet Research2023-09-14© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedLiang MaXin ZhangPeng YuInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-09-1410.1108/INTR-04-2021-0239https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-04-2021-0239/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
How does material adaptivity of smart objects shape infusion use? The pivot role of social embeddednesshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-04-2022-0253/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestAdvances in material agency driven by artificial intelligence (AI) have facilitated breakthroughs in material adaptivity enabling smart objects to autonomously provide individualized smart services, which makes smart objects act as social actors embedded in the real world. However, little is known about how material adaptivity fosters the infusion use of smart objects to maximize the value of smart services in customers' lives. This study examines the underlying mechanism of material adaptivity (task and social adaptivity) on AI infusion use, drawing on the theoretical lens of social embeddedness. This study adopted partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), mediating tests, path comparison tests and polynomial modeling to analyze the proposed research model and hypotheses. The results supported the proposed research model and hypotheses, except for the hypothesis of the comparative effects on infusion use. Besides, the results of mediating tests suggested the different roles of social embeddedness in the impacts of task and social adaptivity on infusion use. The post hoc analysis based on polynomial modeling provided a possible explanation for the unsupported hypothesis, suggesting the nonlinear differences in the underlying influencing mechanisms of instrumental and relational embeddedness on infusion use. The formation mechanisms of AI infusion use based on material adaptivity and social embeddedness help to develop the business strategies that enable smart objects as social actors to exert a key role in users' daily lives, in turn realizing the social and economic value of AI. This study advances the theoretical research on material adaptivity, updates the information system (IS) research on infusion use and identifies the bridging role of social embeddedness of smart objects as agentic social actors in the AI context.How does material adaptivity of smart objects shape infusion use? The pivot role of social embeddedness
Qian Hu, Zhao Pan, Yaobin Lu, Sumeet Gupta
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Advances in material agency driven by artificial intelligence (AI) have facilitated breakthroughs in material adaptivity enabling smart objects to autonomously provide individualized smart services, which makes smart objects act as social actors embedded in the real world. However, little is known about how material adaptivity fosters the infusion use of smart objects to maximize the value of smart services in customers' lives. This study examines the underlying mechanism of material adaptivity (task and social adaptivity) on AI infusion use, drawing on the theoretical lens of social embeddedness.

This study adopted partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), mediating tests, path comparison tests and polynomial modeling to analyze the proposed research model and hypotheses.

The results supported the proposed research model and hypotheses, except for the hypothesis of the comparative effects on infusion use. Besides, the results of mediating tests suggested the different roles of social embeddedness in the impacts of task and social adaptivity on infusion use. The post hoc analysis based on polynomial modeling provided a possible explanation for the unsupported hypothesis, suggesting the nonlinear differences in the underlying influencing mechanisms of instrumental and relational embeddedness on infusion use.

The formation mechanisms of AI infusion use based on material adaptivity and social embeddedness help to develop the business strategies that enable smart objects as social actors to exert a key role in users' daily lives, in turn realizing the social and economic value of AI.

This study advances the theoretical research on material adaptivity, updates the information system (IS) research on infusion use and identifies the bridging role of social embeddedness of smart objects as agentic social actors in the AI context.

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How does material adaptivity of smart objects shape infusion use? The pivot role of social embeddedness10.1108/INTR-04-2022-0253Internet Research2023-07-03© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedQian HuZhao PanYaobin LuSumeet GuptaInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-07-0310.1108/INTR-04-2022-0253https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-04-2022-0253/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
How does social media use in the workplace affect employee voice? Uncovering the mediation effects of social identity and contingency role of job-social media fithttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-04-2023-0300/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestEmployee voice is crucial for organizations to identify problems and make timely adjustments. However, promoting voice in organizations is challenging. This study aims to investigate how social media use (SMU) in the workplace affects employee voice by examining its intrinsic mechanisms and boundary conditions. Specifically, this study examines the mediating roles of social identifications and the moderating effects of job-social media fit on the relationship between SMU and social identifications. This study conducted a survey of 348 employees in China. First, SMU affects voice through social identifications. Second, distinct identifications have different effects on voice, such that organizational identification positively affects employee voice, while relational identification positively affects promotive voice and negatively affects prohibitive voice. Third, when social media is highly suitable for the job, the positive effect of work-related SMU on organizational identification is strengthened, while the positive effect of social-related SMU on organizational identification is weakened. The results indicate that different identifications have distinct impacts on voice. Additionally, this study reveals a double-edged sword effect of SMU on voice through different social identifications. Further, job-social media fit moderates the relationship between SMU and social identifications. These findings have important implications for organizations adopting social media.How does social media use in the workplace affect employee voice? Uncovering the mediation effects of social identity and contingency role of job-social media fit
Wenjing Chen, Bowen Zheng, Hefu Liu
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Employee voice is crucial for organizations to identify problems and make timely adjustments. However, promoting voice in organizations is challenging. This study aims to investigate how social media use (SMU) in the workplace affects employee voice by examining its intrinsic mechanisms and boundary conditions. Specifically, this study examines the mediating roles of social identifications and the moderating effects of job-social media fit on the relationship between SMU and social identifications.

This study conducted a survey of 348 employees in China.

First, SMU affects voice through social identifications. Second, distinct identifications have different effects on voice, such that organizational identification positively affects employee voice, while relational identification positively affects promotive voice and negatively affects prohibitive voice. Third, when social media is highly suitable for the job, the positive effect of work-related SMU on organizational identification is strengthened, while the positive effect of social-related SMU on organizational identification is weakened.

The results indicate that different identifications have distinct impacts on voice. Additionally, this study reveals a double-edged sword effect of SMU on voice through different social identifications. Further, job-social media fit moderates the relationship between SMU and social identifications. These findings have important implications for organizations adopting social media.

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How does social media use in the workplace affect employee voice? Uncovering the mediation effects of social identity and contingency role of job-social media fit10.1108/INTR-04-2023-0300Internet Research2024-02-09© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedWenjing ChenBowen ZhengHefu LiuInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-0910.1108/INTR-04-2023-0300https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-04-2023-0300/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
The impact of streamer emotions on viewer gifting behavior: evidence from entertainment live streaminghttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0350/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe boom in live streaming has intensified competition among streamers for viewers' gifts, which makes it meaningful to study the factors that affect the viewers’ gifting behavior. Given the emotional attachment between streamers and viewers, the authors set out to elucidate a new driver on viewer gifting: expressions of the streamer. This research aims to explore the impact of streamer emotions on the viewer gifting behaviors, including free and paid gifting. The loyalty level of the viewers is also introduced as a moderating factor to investigate the heterogeneous effect of streamer emotions on gifting behavior. The dataset the authors collected consists of two parts, including 1809.69 h of live streaming videos and 358,002 gift giving records. Combined with deep learning methods and regression analysis, the authors performed empirical tests on the 81,110 valid samples. Several robustness checks were also conducted to ensure the reliability of main results. The empirical results show that streamer emotions do have effects on viewers' free and paid gifting behavior. The authors’ findings show that positive streamer expressions, such as happiness and surprise, have a positive influence on viewer gifting behavior. However, some negative expressions, like sadness, can also have a positive impact. Moreover, the authors discovered that higher viewer loyalty amplifies the positive effect of streamer emotions and reduces the negative effect. This research contributes to the study about streamer emotions and viewers' consumption behavior, which extends the application of emotion as social information model (EASI model) in the live streaming setting. The authors carefully divide the gifting behavior into two types: free and paid, and study how these two types are affected by streamer emotions. Besides, these effects are analyzed within viewers of different loyalty levels. This study offers practical emotion management strategies for streamers and live streaming platforms to gain more economic profits.The impact of streamer emotions on viewer gifting behavior: evidence from entertainment live streaming
Dinghao Xi, Wei Xu, Liumin Tang, Bingning Han
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The boom in live streaming has intensified competition among streamers for viewers' gifts, which makes it meaningful to study the factors that affect the viewers’ gifting behavior. Given the emotional attachment between streamers and viewers, the authors set out to elucidate a new driver on viewer gifting: expressions of the streamer. This research aims to explore the impact of streamer emotions on the viewer gifting behaviors, including free and paid gifting. The loyalty level of the viewers is also introduced as a moderating factor to investigate the heterogeneous effect of streamer emotions on gifting behavior.

The dataset the authors collected consists of two parts, including 1809.69 h of live streaming videos and 358,002 gift giving records. Combined with deep learning methods and regression analysis, the authors performed empirical tests on the 81,110 valid samples. Several robustness checks were also conducted to ensure the reliability of main results.

The empirical results show that streamer emotions do have effects on viewers' free and paid gifting behavior. The authors’ findings show that positive streamer expressions, such as happiness and surprise, have a positive influence on viewer gifting behavior. However, some negative expressions, like sadness, can also have a positive impact. Moreover, the authors discovered that higher viewer loyalty amplifies the positive effect of streamer emotions and reduces the negative effect.

This research contributes to the study about streamer emotions and viewers' consumption behavior, which extends the application of emotion as social information model (EASI model) in the live streaming setting. The authors carefully divide the gifting behavior into two types: free and paid, and study how these two types are affected by streamer emotions. Besides, these effects are analyzed within viewers of different loyalty levels. This study offers practical emotion management strategies for streamers and live streaming platforms to gain more economic profits.

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The impact of streamer emotions on viewer gifting behavior: evidence from entertainment live streaming10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0350Internet Research2023-10-24© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedDinghao XiWei XuLiumin TangBingning HanInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-10-2410.1108/INTR-05-2022-0350https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0350/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Herd behavior in social commerce: understanding the interplay between self-awareness and environment-awarenesshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0359/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study investigates how individuals' self-awareness (specifically, private and public self-awareness) and environment-awareness (perceived expertise, similarity and familiarity) shape herd behavior, encompassing discounting one’s information and imitating others. Drawing from latent state-trait theory, this research aims to discern the impact of these factors on purchase intention and behavior. Longitudinal data from 231 users in Xiaohongshu, China’s leading social commerce platform, were collected to test the proposed model and hypotheses. The findings from this study show that private self-awareness negatively influences discounting one’s own information and imitating others. Public self-awareness positively affects imitating others, while it does not affect discounting one’s own information. Perceived expertise diminishes discounting one’s own information but does not significantly affect imitating others. Perceived similarity and perceived familiarity are positively related to discounting one’s own information and imitating others. The results confirm different interaction effects between self-awareness and environment-awareness on herd behavior. First, this contributes back to the latent state-trait theory by expanding the applicability of this theory to explain the phenomenon of herd behavior. Second, this study takes an important step toward theoretical advancement in the extant literature by qualifying that both self- and environment-awareness should be considered to trigger additional effects on herd behavior. Third, this study provides a more enlightened understanding of herd behavior by highlighting the significance of considering the interplay between self- and environment-awareness on herd behavior. Finally, this study also empirically confirms the validity of classifying self-awareness into private and public aspects.Herd behavior in social commerce: understanding the interplay between self-awareness and environment-awareness
Xiayu Chen, Renee Rui Chen, Shaobo Wei, Robert M. Davison
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study investigates how individuals' self-awareness (specifically, private and public self-awareness) and environment-awareness (perceived expertise, similarity and familiarity) shape herd behavior, encompassing discounting one’s information and imitating others. Drawing from latent state-trait theory, this research aims to discern the impact of these factors on purchase intention and behavior.

Longitudinal data from 231 users in Xiaohongshu, China’s leading social commerce platform, were collected to test the proposed model and hypotheses.

The findings from this study show that private self-awareness negatively influences discounting one’s own information and imitating others. Public self-awareness positively affects imitating others, while it does not affect discounting one’s own information. Perceived expertise diminishes discounting one’s own information but does not significantly affect imitating others. Perceived similarity and perceived familiarity are positively related to discounting one’s own information and imitating others. The results confirm different interaction effects between self-awareness and environment-awareness on herd behavior.

First, this contributes back to the latent state-trait theory by expanding the applicability of this theory to explain the phenomenon of herd behavior. Second, this study takes an important step toward theoretical advancement in the extant literature by qualifying that both self- and environment-awareness should be considered to trigger additional effects on herd behavior. Third, this study provides a more enlightened understanding of herd behavior by highlighting the significance of considering the interplay between self- and environment-awareness on herd behavior. Finally, this study also empirically confirms the validity of classifying self-awareness into private and public aspects.

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Herd behavior in social commerce: understanding the interplay between self-awareness and environment-awareness10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0359Internet Research2023-12-26© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedXiayu ChenRenee Rui ChenShaobo WeiRobert M. DavisonInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-12-2610.1108/INTR-05-2022-0359https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0359/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Motivational profile and knowledge creation in eSports: examining the roles of mutualistic co-presencehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0388/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestResearch on knowledge creation within eSports learning is scarce. This study extends the understanding of competition-oriented collaborative learning in eSports by examining the relationship between the dynamics of knowledge creation modes and the continuum of the motivational profile, along with the moderating effects of mutualistic co-presence therein. Participants were recruited from the community of massively multiplayer online gamers (MMOGs). Through a quantitative survey, their motivations (i.e. self-extrinsic, self-intrinsic, peer-extrinsic and peer-intrinsic motivations), knowledge creation involvements (i.e. internalization, externalization, combination and socialization) and perception of mutualistic benefit of self and peers were captured for hypothesis testing. Significant and positive direct relationships were observed between four motivations and four knowledge creation modes. The mutualistic co-presence positively moderated the positive relationship between the self-extrinsic, peer-extrinsic and peer-intrinsic motivations and socialization. When mutualistic self-benefit were outweighed, peer-extrinsic motivated gamers became less likely to perform internalization, whereas self-extrinsic and peer-extrinsic motivated gamers were less likely to perform combination. This study is among the first to rationalize the relationship between motivational profile and the dynamics of knowledge creation in eSports learning. The conceptualization of the new construct – mutualistic co-presence – using the ecological concept of symbiosis is uncommon in prior literature. The findings also demonstrate that the four modes of knowledge creation in eSports learning are continuous and interwoven; they can be initiated at any point and do not necessarily occur in a specific sequence.Motivational profile and knowledge creation in eSports: examining the roles of mutualistic co-presence
Joseph Siu-Lung Kong, Ron Chi-Wai Kwok, Gabriel Chun-Hei Lai, Monica Law
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Research on knowledge creation within eSports learning is scarce. This study extends the understanding of competition-oriented collaborative learning in eSports by examining the relationship between the dynamics of knowledge creation modes and the continuum of the motivational profile, along with the moderating effects of mutualistic co-presence therein.

Participants were recruited from the community of massively multiplayer online gamers (MMOGs). Through a quantitative survey, their motivations (i.e. self-extrinsic, self-intrinsic, peer-extrinsic and peer-intrinsic motivations), knowledge creation involvements (i.e. internalization, externalization, combination and socialization) and perception of mutualistic benefit of self and peers were captured for hypothesis testing.

Significant and positive direct relationships were observed between four motivations and four knowledge creation modes. The mutualistic co-presence positively moderated the positive relationship between the self-extrinsic, peer-extrinsic and peer-intrinsic motivations and socialization. When mutualistic self-benefit were outweighed, peer-extrinsic motivated gamers became less likely to perform internalization, whereas self-extrinsic and peer-extrinsic motivated gamers were less likely to perform combination.

This study is among the first to rationalize the relationship between motivational profile and the dynamics of knowledge creation in eSports learning. The conceptualization of the new construct – mutualistic co-presence – using the ecological concept of symbiosis is uncommon in prior literature. The findings also demonstrate that the four modes of knowledge creation in eSports learning are continuous and interwoven; they can be initiated at any point and do not necessarily occur in a specific sequence.

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Motivational profile and knowledge creation in eSports: examining the roles of mutualistic co-presence10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0388Internet Research2024-01-08© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedJoseph Siu-Lung KongRon Chi-Wai KwokGabriel Chun-Hei LaiMonica LawInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-0810.1108/INTR-05-2022-0388https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-05-2022-0388/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
How social media fatigue feigning and altering emotion discourage the use of social mediahttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0390/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestSocial media fatigue (SMF) has been widely recognized; however, previous studies have included various concepts into a single fatigue construct. Fatigue has typically been explored from the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) or stimulus-organism-response (SOR) perspectives. To further investigate SMF, the authors split it into the two constructs of exhaustion and disinterest. Furthermore, the authors introduced the concept of emotional labor and identified rules that may affect surface and deep acting strategies. The authors designed and conducted a survey to collect data from social networking platform users. Results from 364 users of social networking platforms supported most of the authors' hypotheses. First, most of the display rules affect the choice of deep or surface acting. Second, both types of acting lead to exhaustion, but only surface acting leads to disinterest. Third, discontinuance intention is affected by both types of fatigue. This study contributes to SMF research by adding more antecedents (deep and surface acting) based on the emotional labor perspective and showing the impacts of communication rules on emotional labor. In addition, this study also distinguishes disinterest-style fatigue from exhaustion.How social media fatigue feigning and altering emotion discourage the use of social media
Jack Shih-Chieh Hsu, Chao-Min Chiu, Yu-Ting Chang-Chien, Kingzoo Tang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Social media fatigue (SMF) has been widely recognized; however, previous studies have included various concepts into a single fatigue construct. Fatigue has typically been explored from the stressor-strain-outcome (SSO) or stimulus-organism-response (SOR) perspectives. To further investigate SMF, the authors split it into the two constructs of exhaustion and disinterest. Furthermore, the authors introduced the concept of emotional labor and identified rules that may affect surface and deep acting strategies.

The authors designed and conducted a survey to collect data from social networking platform users.

Results from 364 users of social networking platforms supported most of the authors' hypotheses. First, most of the display rules affect the choice of deep or surface acting. Second, both types of acting lead to exhaustion, but only surface acting leads to disinterest. Third, discontinuance intention is affected by both types of fatigue.

This study contributes to SMF research by adding more antecedents (deep and surface acting) based on the emotional labor perspective and showing the impacts of communication rules on emotional labor. In addition, this study also distinguishes disinterest-style fatigue from exhaustion.

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How social media fatigue feigning and altering emotion discourage the use of social media10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0390Internet Research2023-12-14© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedJack Shih-Chieh HsuChao-Min ChiuYu-Ting Chang-ChienKingzoo TangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-12-1410.1108/INTR-06-2022-0390https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0390/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Bringing safety analytics to the online shopper: evaluating designs for augmenting point-of-sale interfaces with safety informationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0395/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe widespread adoption of online purchasing has prompted increasing concerns about product safety, and regulators are beginning to hold e-commerce sites accountable for dangerous product defects. For online consumers, understanding the many inherent safety risks among the extensive array of products they browse is a formidable task. The authors attempt to address this problem via a client-side software artifact that warns shoppers about potential product safety hazards at the point of sale. In this study, the authors built four candidate designs and assessed their effectiveness by means of a large randomized controlled experiment (n = 466). The authors define effectiveness as significant changes in dependent variables associated with health behaviors and technology adoption. The authors find that all of the designs score high on adoption likelihood, that designs incorporating highlighting and scoring are better at increasing safety knowledge and that simpler designs are better at enhancing safety awareness. These findings will inform the design of safety information dissemination systems and open new areas of safety awareness enhancement research. More generally, the authors introduce a novel method of testing text visualization variations and their impact on behavioral decisions.Bringing safety analytics to the online shopper: evaluating designs for augmenting point-of-sale interfaces with safety information
Richard Gruss, David Goldberg, Nohel Zaman, Alan Abrahams
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The widespread adoption of online purchasing has prompted increasing concerns about product safety, and regulators are beginning to hold e-commerce sites accountable for dangerous product defects. For online consumers, understanding the many inherent safety risks among the extensive array of products they browse is a formidable task. The authors attempt to address this problem via a client-side software artifact that warns shoppers about potential product safety hazards at the point of sale.

In this study, the authors built four candidate designs and assessed their effectiveness by means of a large randomized controlled experiment (n = 466). The authors define effectiveness as significant changes in dependent variables associated with health behaviors and technology adoption.

The authors find that all of the designs score high on adoption likelihood, that designs incorporating highlighting and scoring are better at increasing safety knowledge and that simpler designs are better at enhancing safety awareness.

These findings will inform the design of safety information dissemination systems and open new areas of safety awareness enhancement research. More generally, the authors introduce a novel method of testing text visualization variations and their impact on behavioral decisions.

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Bringing safety analytics to the online shopper: evaluating designs for augmenting point-of-sale interfaces with safety information10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0395Internet Research2023-08-10© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedRichard GrussDavid GoldbergNohel ZamanAlan AbrahamsInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-08-1010.1108/INTR-06-2022-0395https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0395/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
An investigation on the influencing factors of elderly people's intention to use financial AI customer servicehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0402/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestWith the great changes brought by information technology, there is also a challenge for the elderly's acceptance. This study aimed to determine the antecedents of elderly people's usage intention of financial artificial intelligent customer service (FAICS) and to examine the relationships between various factors and thus to help them better adapt to the digital age. A mixed method, including the qualitative and quantitative study, was utilized to explore answers of the research questions. As the qualitative study, the authors used semi-structured interviews and data coding to uncover the influencing factors. As the quantitative study, the authors collected data through questionnaires and tested hypotheses using structural equation modeling. The results of data analysis from interviews and questionnaires suggested that perceived anthropomorphism and virtual identity of elderly users have a positive impact on their perceived ease of use, and the perceived intelligence of elderly users positively influences their perceived ease of use, satisfaction and perceived usefulness. Additionally, the elderly's cognition age can moderate the effects of perceived usefulness and satisfaction on their usage intention of FAICS. This study contributes to the literature by taking the elderly group as the research participants and combining those influencing factors with technology acceptance model and information systems success model. The findings provide a basis for accelerating the promotion of FAICS and help address the problem that the elderly have difficulty adapting to a new technology.An investigation on the influencing factors of elderly people's intention to use financial AI customer service
Xusen Cheng, Liyang Qiao, Bo Yang, Zikang Li
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

With the great changes brought by information technology, there is also a challenge for the elderly's acceptance. This study aimed to determine the antecedents of elderly people's usage intention of financial artificial intelligent customer service (FAICS) and to examine the relationships between various factors and thus to help them better adapt to the digital age.

A mixed method, including the qualitative and quantitative study, was utilized to explore answers of the research questions. As the qualitative study, the authors used semi-structured interviews and data coding to uncover the influencing factors. As the quantitative study, the authors collected data through questionnaires and tested hypotheses using structural equation modeling.

The results of data analysis from interviews and questionnaires suggested that perceived anthropomorphism and virtual identity of elderly users have a positive impact on their perceived ease of use, and the perceived intelligence of elderly users positively influences their perceived ease of use, satisfaction and perceived usefulness. Additionally, the elderly's cognition age can moderate the effects of perceived usefulness and satisfaction on their usage intention of FAICS.

This study contributes to the literature by taking the elderly group as the research participants and combining those influencing factors with technology acceptance model and information systems success model. The findings provide a basis for accelerating the promotion of FAICS and help address the problem that the elderly have difficulty adapting to a new technology.

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An investigation on the influencing factors of elderly people's intention to use financial AI customer service10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0402Internet Research2023-03-16© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedXusen ChengLiyang QiaoBo YangZikang LiInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-03-1610.1108/INTR-06-2022-0402https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0402/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The role of vicarious learning strategies in shaping consumers' uncertainty: the case of live-streaming shoppinghttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0415/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis article seeks to understand how live-streaming technology (i.e. interactivity and effective use of live-streaming shopping’s information presentation tool) impacts consumers’ credibility perception regarding live streamers. The authors empirically examined their hypotheses with data (n = 405) collected from a survey of consumers who engage in live-streaming shopping. The results demonstrate that vicarious learning strategies (both coactive and independent) can shape consumers’ benefit perceptions (i.e. virtual presence and psychological proximity), and further have a positive effect on consumers’ personal value (i.e. perceived live streamer credibility). Furthermore, the consumers’ perception of the live streamers’ credibility positively affects their purchase intention and ultimately influences their purchase behavior. Building on the vicarious learning theory and means-end chain (MEC) model, this study investigates the mechanism of the IT features of live-streaming shopping in reducing consumers’ uncertainty about live streamers. This study reveals the value of vicarious learning experiences in reducing consumers’ uncertainty and further enhancing their purchase behavior.The role of vicarious learning strategies in shaping consumers' uncertainty: the case of live-streaming shopping
Jinqi Men, Xiabing Zheng, Robert M. Davison
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This article seeks to understand how live-streaming technology (i.e. interactivity and effective use of live-streaming shopping’s information presentation tool) impacts consumers’ credibility perception regarding live streamers.

The authors empirically examined their hypotheses with data (n = 405) collected from a survey of consumers who engage in live-streaming shopping.

The results demonstrate that vicarious learning strategies (both coactive and independent) can shape consumers’ benefit perceptions (i.e. virtual presence and psychological proximity), and further have a positive effect on consumers’ personal value (i.e. perceived live streamer credibility). Furthermore, the consumers’ perception of the live streamers’ credibility positively affects their purchase intention and ultimately influences their purchase behavior.

Building on the vicarious learning theory and means-end chain (MEC) model, this study investigates the mechanism of the IT features of live-streaming shopping in reducing consumers’ uncertainty about live streamers. This study reveals the value of vicarious learning experiences in reducing consumers’ uncertainty and further enhancing their purchase behavior.

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The role of vicarious learning strategies in shaping consumers' uncertainty: the case of live-streaming shopping10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0415Internet Research2023-04-19© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedJinqi MenXiabing ZhengRobert M. DavisonInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-04-1910.1108/INTR-06-2022-0415https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0415/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Friend-connecting affordances: playing online games to contact friendshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0419/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestOnline games are popular applications of Internet technology, with over 2.8 billion users worldwide. Many players engage in team gameplay, indicating that online games are suitable media through which players connect with their friends. However, past studies have not examined the ability of games to assist players in connecting with their friends, indicating a gap. To fill this gap, the authors propose a new concept, the friend-connecting affordance, which is the ability of an online game to enable players to contact friends within the game. The authors built a model to explain how games' friend-connecting affordances influence game loyalty. The authors gathered responses from 1,347 online players and used structural equation modeling to test the model. The authors found that friend-connecting affordances and team participation influence game loyalty. Gaming intensity and gaming history can moderate the impact of friend-connecting affordances. This new affordance can be realized through various game elements, offering unique and actionable insights to game makers. The authors also compared the friend-connecting affordances among a number of popular online games, providing insights specific to each game and increasing the practical value of the findings.Friend-connecting affordances: playing online games to contact friends
Gen-Yih Liao, Tzu-Ling Huang, Alan R. Dennis, Ching-I Teng
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Online games are popular applications of Internet technology, with over 2.8 billion users worldwide. Many players engage in team gameplay, indicating that online games are suitable media through which players connect with their friends. However, past studies have not examined the ability of games to assist players in connecting with their friends, indicating a gap. To fill this gap, the authors propose a new concept, the friend-connecting affordance, which is the ability of an online game to enable players to contact friends within the game.

The authors built a model to explain how games' friend-connecting affordances influence game loyalty. The authors gathered responses from 1,347 online players and used structural equation modeling to test the model.

The authors found that friend-connecting affordances and team participation influence game loyalty. Gaming intensity and gaming history can moderate the impact of friend-connecting affordances.

This new affordance can be realized through various game elements, offering unique and actionable insights to game makers. The authors also compared the friend-connecting affordances among a number of popular online games, providing insights specific to each game and increasing the practical value of the findings.

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Friend-connecting affordances: playing online games to contact friends10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0419Internet Research2023-07-31© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedGen-Yih LiaoTzu-Ling HuangAlan R. DennisChing-I TengInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-07-3110.1108/INTR-06-2022-0419https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0419/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Gaining customer engagement in social media recovery: the moderating roles of timeliness and personalizationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0439/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis research investigates the role of customer forgiveness as the result of online service recovery transparency in predicting customer engagement. It also examines the moderating roles of timeliness and personalization in this proposed model. An online survey study using retrospective experience sampling and a scenario-based experimental study were conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. Customer forgiveness positively influences customer engagement and plays a mediating role in the relationship between service recovery transparency and customer engagement. Additionally, timeliness and personalization moderate the positive influence of service recovery transparency on customer forgiveness. The positive influence of service recovery transparency on customer forgiveness is more apparent when levels of timeliness and personalization decrease. To retain focal customers' engagement after a service failure, firms must obtain their forgiveness. One of the firm's online complaint handling strategies to increase the forgiveness level of focal customers is to provide a high level of service recovery transparency (i.e. responding to their complaints in a public channel), especially when the firm is unable to respond to online complaints quickly or provide highly personalized responses. This research provides new insights into the underlying mechanism of customer engagement by applying the concept of customer forgiveness. It also contributes to the social influence theory by applying the essence of the theory to explain how other customers' virtual presence during the online complaint handling influences the forgiveness of focal customers in order to gain their engagement. Additionally, it provides insight into the conditions under which the role of service recovery transparency can be very effective in dealing with online complaints.Gaining customer engagement in social media recovery: the moderating roles of timeliness and personalization
Andreawan Honora, Kai-Yu Wang, Wen-Hai Chih
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This research investigates the role of customer forgiveness as the result of online service recovery transparency in predicting customer engagement. It also examines the moderating roles of timeliness and personalization in this proposed model.

An online survey study using retrospective experience sampling and a scenario-based experimental study were conducted to test the proposed hypotheses.

Customer forgiveness positively influences customer engagement and plays a mediating role in the relationship between service recovery transparency and customer engagement. Additionally, timeliness and personalization moderate the positive influence of service recovery transparency on customer forgiveness. The positive influence of service recovery transparency on customer forgiveness is more apparent when levels of timeliness and personalization decrease.

To retain focal customers' engagement after a service failure, firms must obtain their forgiveness. One of the firm's online complaint handling strategies to increase the forgiveness level of focal customers is to provide a high level of service recovery transparency (i.e. responding to their complaints in a public channel), especially when the firm is unable to respond to online complaints quickly or provide highly personalized responses.

This research provides new insights into the underlying mechanism of customer engagement by applying the concept of customer forgiveness. It also contributes to the social influence theory by applying the essence of the theory to explain how other customers' virtual presence during the online complaint handling influences the forgiveness of focal customers in order to gain their engagement. Additionally, it provides insight into the conditions under which the role of service recovery transparency can be very effective in dealing with online complaints.

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Gaining customer engagement in social media recovery: the moderating roles of timeliness and personalization10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0439Internet Research2024-02-01© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedAndreawan HonoraKai-Yu WangWen-Hai ChihInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-0110.1108/INTR-06-2022-0439https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0439/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Understanding the role of information transparency in improving patient experience under different uncertainties: a quasi-natural experimenthttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0482/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestWaiting time, as an important predictor of queue abandonment and patient satisfaction, is important for resource utilization and patient experience management. Medical institutions have given top priority to reforming the appointment system for many years; however, whether the increased information transparency brought about by the appointment scheduling mechanism could improve patient waiting time is not well understood. In this study, the authors examine the effects of information transparency in reducing patient waiting time from an uncertainty perspective. Leveraging a quasi-natural experiment in a tertiary academic hospital, the authors analyze over one million observational patient visit records and design the propensity score matching plus the difference in difference (PSM-DID) model and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to address this issue. The authors confirm that, on average, improved information transparency significantly reduces the waiting time for patients by approximately 6.43 min, a 4.90% reduction. The authors identify three types of uncertainties (resource, process and outcome uncertainty) in the patient visit process that affect patients' waiting time. Moreover, information transparency moderates the relationship between three sources of uncertainties and waiting time. The authors’ work not only provides important theoretical explanations for the patient-level factors of in-clinic waiting time and the reasons for information technology (IT)-enabled appointment scheduling by time slot (ITASS) to shorten patient waiting time and improve patient experience but also provides potential solutions for further exploration of measures to reduce patient waiting time.Understanding the role of information transparency in improving patient experience under different uncertainties: a quasi-natural experiment
Qing Ye, Hong Wu
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Waiting time, as an important predictor of queue abandonment and patient satisfaction, is important for resource utilization and patient experience management. Medical institutions have given top priority to reforming the appointment system for many years; however, whether the increased information transparency brought about by the appointment scheduling mechanism could improve patient waiting time is not well understood. In this study, the authors examine the effects of information transparency in reducing patient waiting time from an uncertainty perspective.

Leveraging a quasi-natural experiment in a tertiary academic hospital, the authors analyze over one million observational patient visit records and design the propensity score matching plus the difference in difference (PSM-DID) model and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to address this issue.

The authors confirm that, on average, improved information transparency significantly reduces the waiting time for patients by approximately 6.43 min, a 4.90% reduction. The authors identify three types of uncertainties (resource, process and outcome uncertainty) in the patient visit process that affect patients' waiting time. Moreover, information transparency moderates the relationship between three sources of uncertainties and waiting time.

The authors’ work not only provides important theoretical explanations for the patient-level factors of in-clinic waiting time and the reasons for information technology (IT)-enabled appointment scheduling by time slot (ITASS) to shorten patient waiting time and improve patient experience but also provides potential solutions for further exploration of measures to reduce patient waiting time.

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Understanding the role of information transparency in improving patient experience under different uncertainties: a quasi-natural experiment10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0482Internet Research2023-04-11© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedQing YeHong WuInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-04-1110.1108/INTR-06-2022-0482https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2022-0482/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Effect of consistency of the review set on causal attribution: the moderating roles of repeating purchase cues and product knowledgehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2023-0469/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe study examines the potential moderating effects of repeating purchase cues and product knowledge on the relationship between the varying consistency of the review set and causal attribution. This study also investigates how causal attribution correlates with the perceived misleadingness of the review set. A scenario-based experiment was conducted with 170 participants to explore the relationship between the consistency of the review set and causal attribution and how repeating purchase cues and product knowledge moderates this relationship. Findings suggest that inconsistent review sets lead to more product (vs reviewer) attribution than consistent review sets. The repeating purchase cues mitigate the negative relationship between the consistency of the review set and product attribution, whereas product knowledge mitigates the positive relationship between the consistency of the review set and reviewer attribution. Furthermore, the results indicate that high product attribution and low reviewer attribution are associated with low perceived misleadingness. This study is novel because it examines the moderating effects of repeating purchase cues and product knowledge on the relationship between the consistency of the review set and causal attribution. It adds to the literature by shedding light on the causal attribution process underlying the formation of perceived misleadingness of online reviews. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for managers on how to enhance the positive effects of consistent review sets and mitigate the negative effects of inconsistent review sets.Effect of consistency of the review set on causal attribution: the moderating roles of repeating purchase cues and product knowledge
Xiao Peng, Hessam Vali, Xixian Peng, Jingjun (David) Xu, Mehmet Bayram Yildirim
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The study examines the potential moderating effects of repeating purchase cues and product knowledge on the relationship between the varying consistency of the review set and causal attribution. This study also investigates how causal attribution correlates with the perceived misleadingness of the review set.

A scenario-based experiment was conducted with 170 participants to explore the relationship between the consistency of the review set and causal attribution and how repeating purchase cues and product knowledge moderates this relationship.

Findings suggest that inconsistent review sets lead to more product (vs reviewer) attribution than consistent review sets. The repeating purchase cues mitigate the negative relationship between the consistency of the review set and product attribution, whereas product knowledge mitigates the positive relationship between the consistency of the review set and reviewer attribution. Furthermore, the results indicate that high product attribution and low reviewer attribution are associated with low perceived misleadingness.

This study is novel because it examines the moderating effects of repeating purchase cues and product knowledge on the relationship between the consistency of the review set and causal attribution. It adds to the literature by shedding light on the causal attribution process underlying the formation of perceived misleadingness of online reviews. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for managers on how to enhance the positive effects of consistent review sets and mitigate the negative effects of inconsistent review sets.

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Effect of consistency of the review set on causal attribution: the moderating roles of repeating purchase cues and product knowledge10.1108/INTR-06-2023-0469Internet Research2024-01-29© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedXiao PengHessam ValiXixian PengJingjun (David) XuMehmet Bayram YildirimInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-2910.1108/INTR-06-2023-0469https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2023-0469/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
How tie strength influences purchasing intention in social recommendation: evidence from behavioral model and brain activityhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2023-0506/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestSocial recommendation has been recognized as a kind of e-commerce with large potential, but how social recommendations influence consumer decisions is still unclear. This paper aims to investigate how recommendations from different social ties influence consumers’ purchase intentions through both behavior and brain activity. Utilizing behavioral (N = 70) and electroencephalogram (EEG) (N = 49) experiments, this study explored participants’ behavior and brain responses after being recommended by different social ties. The data were analyzed using statistical inference and event-related potential (ERP) analysis. Behavioral results show that social tie strength positively impacts purchase intention, which can be fitted by a logarithmic model. Moreover, recommender-to-customer similarity and product affect mediate the effect of tie strength on purchase intention serially. EEG findings show that recommendations from weak tie strength elicit larger N100, N200 and P300 amplitudes than those from strong tie strength. These results imply that weak tie strength may motivate individuals to recruit more mental resources in social recommendation, including unconscious processing of consumer attention and conscious processing of cognitive conflict and negative emotion. This study considers the effects of continuous social ties on purchase intention and models them mathematically, exploring the intrinsic mechanisms by which strong and weak ties influence purchase intentions through recommender-to-customer similarity and product affect, contributing to the applications of the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model in the field of social recommendation. Furthermore, our study adopting EEG techniques bridges the gap of relying solely on self-report by providing an avenue to obtain relatively objective findings about the consumers’ early-occurred (unconscious) attentional responses and late-occurred (conscious) cognitive and emotional responses in purchase decisions.How tie strength influences purchasing intention in social recommendation: evidence from behavioral model and brain activity
Jia Jin, Yi He, Chenchen Lin, Liuting Diao
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Social recommendation has been recognized as a kind of e-commerce with large potential, but how social recommendations influence consumer decisions is still unclear. This paper aims to investigate how recommendations from different social ties influence consumers’ purchase intentions through both behavior and brain activity.

Utilizing behavioral (N = 70) and electroencephalogram (EEG) (N = 49) experiments, this study explored participants’ behavior and brain responses after being recommended by different social ties. The data were analyzed using statistical inference and event-related potential (ERP) analysis.

Behavioral results show that social tie strength positively impacts purchase intention, which can be fitted by a logarithmic model. Moreover, recommender-to-customer similarity and product affect mediate the effect of tie strength on purchase intention serially. EEG findings show that recommendations from weak tie strength elicit larger N100, N200 and P300 amplitudes than those from strong tie strength. These results imply that weak tie strength may motivate individuals to recruit more mental resources in social recommendation, including unconscious processing of consumer attention and conscious processing of cognitive conflict and negative emotion.

This study considers the effects of continuous social ties on purchase intention and models them mathematically, exploring the intrinsic mechanisms by which strong and weak ties influence purchase intentions through recommender-to-customer similarity and product affect, contributing to the applications of the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model in the field of social recommendation. Furthermore, our study adopting EEG techniques bridges the gap of relying solely on self-report by providing an avenue to obtain relatively objective findings about the consumers’ early-occurred (unconscious) attentional responses and late-occurred (conscious) cognitive and emotional responses in purchase decisions.

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How tie strength influences purchasing intention in social recommendation: evidence from behavioral model and brain activity10.1108/INTR-06-2023-0506Internet Research2024-02-13© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedJia JinYi HeChenchen LinLiuting DiaoInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-1310.1108/INTR-06-2023-0506https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-06-2023-0506/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Tap here to power up! Mobile augmented reality for consumer empowermenthttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2021-0477/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe present study aims to propose a framework elucidating the attributes of mobile augmented reality (AR) shopping apps (i.e., spatial presence, perceived personalization and perceived intrusiveness) and how they translate to downstream consumer-related outcomes (i.e., immersion, psychological ownership and stickiness to the retailer). By conducting a questionnaire-based survey, 308 responses were collected, and the data were submitted to partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analyses. A few important findings were generated from the present study. First, attributes of mobile augmented reality shopping apps (i.e., spatial presence, perceived personalization and perceived intrusiveness) influence stickiness to the retailer through immersion and consumer empowerment in serial. Second, immersion positively influences psychological ownership. Third, the optimum stimulation level moderates the relationship between spatial presence and immersion. Lastly, a post-hoc exploratory finding yielded by the multigroup analysis uncovered the moderating effect of gender. This study offers a novel contribution to the smart retail literature by investigating the role of mobile AR shopping apps in predicting consumers' stickiness to the retailer. A holistic framework elucidating the serial mediating effect of immersion and consumer empowerment, and the moderating roles of optimum stimulation level and gender were validated.Tap here to power up! Mobile augmented reality for consumer empowerment
Eugene Cheng-Xi Aw, Garry Wei-Han Tan, Keng-Boon Ooi, Nick Hajli
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The present study aims to propose a framework elucidating the attributes of mobile augmented reality (AR) shopping apps (i.e., spatial presence, perceived personalization and perceived intrusiveness) and how they translate to downstream consumer-related outcomes (i.e., immersion, psychological ownership and stickiness to the retailer).

By conducting a questionnaire-based survey, 308 responses were collected, and the data were submitted to partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analyses.

A few important findings were generated from the present study. First, attributes of mobile augmented reality shopping apps (i.e., spatial presence, perceived personalization and perceived intrusiveness) influence stickiness to the retailer through immersion and consumer empowerment in serial. Second, immersion positively influences psychological ownership. Third, the optimum stimulation level moderates the relationship between spatial presence and immersion. Lastly, a post-hoc exploratory finding yielded by the multigroup analysis uncovered the moderating effect of gender.

This study offers a novel contribution to the smart retail literature by investigating the role of mobile AR shopping apps in predicting consumers' stickiness to the retailer. A holistic framework elucidating the serial mediating effect of immersion and consumer empowerment, and the moderating roles of optimum stimulation level and gender were validated.

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Tap here to power up! Mobile augmented reality for consumer empowerment10.1108/INTR-07-2021-0477Internet Research2023-05-16© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedEugene Cheng-Xi AwGarry Wei-Han TanKeng-Boon OoiNick HajliInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-1610.1108/INTR-07-2021-0477https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2021-0477/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Determinants of debunking information sharing behaviour in social media users: perspective of persuasive cueshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0497/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestSharing and disseminating debunking information are critical to correcting rumours and controlling disease when dealing with public health crises. This study investigates the factors that influence social media users' debunking information sharing behaviour from the perspective of persuasion. The authors examined the effects of argument adequacy, emotional polarity, and debunker's identity on debunking information sharing behaviour and investigated the moderating effects of rumour content and target. The model was tested using 150 COVID-19-related rumours and 2,349 original debunking posts on Sina Weibo. First, debunking information that contains adequate arguments is more likely to be reposted only when the uncertainty of the rumour content is high. Second, using neutral sentiment as a reference, debunking information containing negative sentiment is shared more often regardless of whether the government is the rumour target, and information containing positive sentiment is more likely to be shared only when the rumour target is the government. Finally, debunking information published by government-type accounts is reposted more often and is enhanced when the rumour target is the government. The study provides a systematic framework for analysing the behaviour of sharing debunking information among social media users. Specifically, it expands the understanding of the factors that influence debunking information sharing behaviour by examining the effects of persuasive cues on debunking information sharing behaviour and the heterogeneity of these effects across various rumour contexts.Determinants of debunking information sharing behaviour in social media users: perspective of persuasive cues
Fan Chao, Xin Wang, Guang Yu
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Sharing and disseminating debunking information are critical to correcting rumours and controlling disease when dealing with public health crises. This study investigates the factors that influence social media users' debunking information sharing behaviour from the perspective of persuasion. The authors examined the effects of argument adequacy, emotional polarity, and debunker's identity on debunking information sharing behaviour and investigated the moderating effects of rumour content and target.

The model was tested using 150 COVID-19-related rumours and 2,349 original debunking posts on Sina Weibo.

First, debunking information that contains adequate arguments is more likely to be reposted only when the uncertainty of the rumour content is high. Second, using neutral sentiment as a reference, debunking information containing negative sentiment is shared more often regardless of whether the government is the rumour target, and information containing positive sentiment is more likely to be shared only when the rumour target is the government. Finally, debunking information published by government-type accounts is reposted more often and is enhanced when the rumour target is the government.

The study provides a systematic framework for analysing the behaviour of sharing debunking information among social media users. Specifically, it expands the understanding of the factors that influence debunking information sharing behaviour by examining the effects of persuasive cues on debunking information sharing behaviour and the heterogeneity of these effects across various rumour contexts.

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Determinants of debunking information sharing behaviour in social media users: perspective of persuasive cues10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0497Internet Research2023-06-16© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedFan ChaoXin WangGuang YuInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-06-1610.1108/INTR-07-2022-0497https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0497/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Competitive peer influence on knowledge contribution behaviors in online Q&A communities: a social comparison perspectivehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0510/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestUsers' knowledge contribution behaviors are critical for online Q&A communities to thrive. Well-organized question threads in online Q&A communities enable users to clearly read existing answers and their evaluations before contributing. Based on the social comparison and peer influence literature, the authors examine peer influence on the informativeness of knowledge contributions in competitive settings. The authors also consider three levels of moderating factors concerning individuals' perception of competitiveness: question level, thread level and contributor level. The authors collected data from one of the largest online Q&A communities in China. The hypotheses were validated using hierarchical linear models with cross-classified random effects. The generalized propensity score weighting method was employed for the robustness check. The authors demonstrate the peer influence due to social comparison concerns among knowledge contribution behaviors in the same question thread. If more prior knowledge contributors choose to contribute long answers in the question thread, the subsequent contributions are more informative. This peer influence is stronger for factual questions and questions with higher popularity of answering but weaker in recommendation-type and well-answered questions and for contributors with higher social status. This research provides a new cue of peer influence on online UGC contributions in competitive settings initiated by social comparison concerns. Additionally, the authors identify three levels of moderating factors (question level, thread level and contributor level) that are specific to online Q&A settings and are related to a contributor's perception of competitiveness, which affect the direct effect of peer influence on knowledge contributions. Rather than focus on motivation and quality evaluation, the authors concentrate on the specific content of online knowledge contributions. Peer influence here is not based on an actual acquaintance or a following relationship but on answering the same question. The authors also illustrate the competitive peer influence in subjective and personalized behaviors in online UGC communities.Competitive peer influence on knowledge contribution behaviors in online Q&A communities: a social comparison perspective
Chencheng Shi, Ping Hu, Weiguo Fan, Liangfei Qiu
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Users' knowledge contribution behaviors are critical for online Q&A communities to thrive. Well-organized question threads in online Q&A communities enable users to clearly read existing answers and their evaluations before contributing. Based on the social comparison and peer influence literature, the authors examine peer influence on the informativeness of knowledge contributions in competitive settings. The authors also consider three levels of moderating factors concerning individuals' perception of competitiveness: question level, thread level and contributor level.

The authors collected data from one of the largest online Q&A communities in China. The hypotheses were validated using hierarchical linear models with cross-classified random effects. The generalized propensity score weighting method was employed for the robustness check.

The authors demonstrate the peer influence due to social comparison concerns among knowledge contribution behaviors in the same question thread. If more prior knowledge contributors choose to contribute long answers in the question thread, the subsequent contributions are more informative. This peer influence is stronger for factual questions and questions with higher popularity of answering but weaker in recommendation-type and well-answered questions and for contributors with higher social status.

This research provides a new cue of peer influence on online UGC contributions in competitive settings initiated by social comparison concerns. Additionally, the authors identify three levels of moderating factors (question level, thread level and contributor level) that are specific to online Q&A settings and are related to a contributor's perception of competitiveness, which affect the direct effect of peer influence on knowledge contributions. Rather than focus on motivation and quality evaluation, the authors concentrate on the specific content of online knowledge contributions. Peer influence here is not based on an actual acquaintance or a following relationship but on answering the same question. The authors also illustrate the competitive peer influence in subjective and personalized behaviors in online UGC communities.

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Competitive peer influence on knowledge contribution behaviors in online Q&A communities: a social comparison perspective10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0510Internet Research2023-06-20© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedChencheng ShiPing HuWeiguo FanLiangfei QiuInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-06-2010.1108/INTR-07-2022-0510https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0510/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Why retail firms commonly get only halfway through channel integration with online channelshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0513/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis paper aims to examine why retail firms seldom achieve full integration of online and offline channels as prescribed in omni-channel literature. It examines the intermediate process of channel integration from an internal, operational perspective. This study is composed of two parts. In the first part, the authors interviewed informants from nine firms that were engaged in channel integration. In the second part, the authors conducted case studies with three firms from the cosmetics and skincare industry against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic to find evidence to support or negate the propositions made in the first part. The first part identified six operational challenges to channel integration. The authors categorized these challenges into two groups: inter-channel communication and inter-channel competition. Inter-channel competition carries more weight at the latter stage of integration. The authors also identified two antecedents that affect the seriousness of these challenges: heterogeneity among channels in business operation and external competitive pressure. In the second part, the authors found that both inter-channel communication and inter-channel competition were improved because of the external competitive pressure exerted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the heterogeneity of offline channels against online channels in business operation is a double-edged sword. The study identifies the changing effects of the challenges of channel integration and their antecedents in the midst of integration. The positive influence of a specific dimension of channel heterogeneity against other channels increases and then decreases along channel integration. The identification of the changing effects lays the foundation for a finer stage model of channel integration.Why retail firms commonly get only halfway through channel integration with online channels
Philip Tin Yun Lee, Aki Pui Yi Hui, Richard Wing Cheung Lui, Michael Chau
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This paper aims to examine why retail firms seldom achieve full integration of online and offline channels as prescribed in omni-channel literature. It examines the intermediate process of channel integration from an internal, operational perspective.

This study is composed of two parts. In the first part, the authors interviewed informants from nine firms that were engaged in channel integration. In the second part, the authors conducted case studies with three firms from the cosmetics and skincare industry against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic to find evidence to support or negate the propositions made in the first part.

The first part identified six operational challenges to channel integration. The authors categorized these challenges into two groups: inter-channel communication and inter-channel competition. Inter-channel competition carries more weight at the latter stage of integration. The authors also identified two antecedents that affect the seriousness of these challenges: heterogeneity among channels in business operation and external competitive pressure. In the second part, the authors found that both inter-channel communication and inter-channel competition were improved because of the external competitive pressure exerted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the heterogeneity of offline channels against online channels in business operation is a double-edged sword.

The study identifies the changing effects of the challenges of channel integration and their antecedents in the midst of integration. The positive influence of a specific dimension of channel heterogeneity against other channels increases and then decreases along channel integration. The identification of the changing effects lays the foundation for a finer stage model of channel integration.

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Why retail firms commonly get only halfway through channel integration with online channels10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0513Internet Research2023-09-26© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedPhilip Tin Yun LeeAki Pui Yi HuiRichard Wing Cheung LuiMichael ChauInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-09-2610.1108/INTR-07-2022-0513https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0513/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Factors influencing TikTok-based user purchase intention: comparison between potential customers and repeat customershttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0542/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this paper is to examine how different types of user experience in TikTok impact purchase intention via commitment to the influencer and commitment to the platform, with customer type included to determine moderating effects. Three types of user experience are considered: information experience, entertainment experience and parasocial-relationship-based experience. This study collected 458 valid questionnaires from TikTok users, employing the structural equation modeling approach to examine the proposed research model. Information experience, entertainment experience and parasocial-relationship-based experience are found to critically stimulate user commitment to the influencer and commitment to the platform, in turn driving TikTok-based purchase intention. Tests incorporating customer type reveal that commitment to the influencer more strongly influences the purchase intention of repeat customers, with commitment to the platform more likely to stimulate purchase intention among potential customers. On a theoretical level, the paper is among the first to examine TikTok-based user purchase intention with customer type as a moderator. On a practical level, the results can guide marketers to effectively promote products using TikTok and inspire TikTok managers to develop customized strategies to stimulate initial and repeat sales. TikTok is moving to the stage of commercialization and monetization by introducing e-commerce features. Although this move should cultivate particularly fertile ground for companies to sell products, TikTok user purchase behavior has yet to receive sufficient research attention, with little currently known about their purchase motivations. The current study uncovers the significant antecedents of users' purchase intention through TikTok, and further reveals the motivational differences among potential and repeat customers.Factors influencing TikTok-based user purchase intention: comparison between potential customers and repeat customers
Hongying Zhao, Christian Wagner
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this paper is to examine how different types of user experience in TikTok impact purchase intention via commitment to the influencer and commitment to the platform, with customer type included to determine moderating effects. Three types of user experience are considered: information experience, entertainment experience and parasocial-relationship-based experience.

This study collected 458 valid questionnaires from TikTok users, employing the structural equation modeling approach to examine the proposed research model.

Information experience, entertainment experience and parasocial-relationship-based experience are found to critically stimulate user commitment to the influencer and commitment to the platform, in turn driving TikTok-based purchase intention. Tests incorporating customer type reveal that commitment to the influencer more strongly influences the purchase intention of repeat customers, with commitment to the platform more likely to stimulate purchase intention among potential customers.

On a theoretical level, the paper is among the first to examine TikTok-based user purchase intention with customer type as a moderator. On a practical level, the results can guide marketers to effectively promote products using TikTok and inspire TikTok managers to develop customized strategies to stimulate initial and repeat sales.

TikTok is moving to the stage of commercialization and monetization by introducing e-commerce features. Although this move should cultivate particularly fertile ground for companies to sell products, TikTok user purchase behavior has yet to receive sufficient research attention, with little currently known about their purchase motivations. The current study uncovers the significant antecedents of users' purchase intention through TikTok, and further reveals the motivational differences among potential and repeat customers.

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Factors influencing TikTok-based user purchase intention: comparison between potential customers and repeat customers10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0542Internet Research2023-12-25© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedHongying ZhaoChristian WagnerInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-12-2510.1108/INTR-07-2022-0542https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0542/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Motivation for writing long online reviews: a big data analysis of an anime communityhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0548/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestBased on self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to determine the motivation factors of reviewers writing long reviews in the anime industry. This study analyzes 171,188 online review data collected from an online anime community (MyAnimeList.net). The findings show that intensity of emotions, experience in writing reviews and helpful votes in past reviews are the most important factors and positively influence review length. The overall rating of the anime moderates the effects of some motivation factors. Moreover, reviewers commenting on their favorite or nonfavorite anime also have varied motivation factors. Furthermore, this study has addressed the p-value problem due to the large sample size. This study provides a comprehensive and theoretical understanding of reviewers' motivation for writing long reviews. Online communities can incorporate the insights from this study into website design and motivate reviewers to write long reviews. Many past studies have investigated what reviews are more helpful. Review length is the most important factor of review helpfulness and positively affects it. However, few studies have examined the determinants of review length. This study attempts to address this issue.Motivation for writing long online reviews: a big data analysis of an anime community
Kevin Leung, Vincent Cho
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Based on self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to determine the motivation factors of reviewers writing long reviews in the anime industry.

This study analyzes 171,188 online review data collected from an online anime community (MyAnimeList.net).

The findings show that intensity of emotions, experience in writing reviews and helpful votes in past reviews are the most important factors and positively influence review length. The overall rating of the anime moderates the effects of some motivation factors. Moreover, reviewers commenting on their favorite or nonfavorite anime also have varied motivation factors. Furthermore, this study has addressed the p-value problem due to the large sample size.

This study provides a comprehensive and theoretical understanding of reviewers' motivation for writing long reviews.

Online communities can incorporate the insights from this study into website design and motivate reviewers to write long reviews.

Many past studies have investigated what reviews are more helpful. Review length is the most important factor of review helpfulness and positively affects it. However, few studies have examined the determinants of review length. This study attempts to address this issue.

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Motivation for writing long online reviews: a big data analysis of an anime community10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0548Internet Research2024-01-05© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedKevin LeungVincent ChoInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-0510.1108/INTR-07-2022-0548https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0548/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
How intergroup counter-empathy drives media consumption and engagementhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0552/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestSocial media is replete with malicious and unempathetic rhetoric yet few studies explain why these emotions are publicly dispersed. The purpose of the study is to investigate how the intergroup counter-empathic response called schadenfreude originates and how it prompts media consumption and engagement. The study consists of two field surveys of 635 in-group members of two professional sports teams and 300 residents of California and Texas with political party affiliations. The analysis uses SEM quantitative methods. Domain passion and group identification together determine the harmonious/obsessive tendencies of passion for an activity and explain the schadenfreude response toward the rival out-group. Group identification is a stronger driver of obsessive passion compared to harmonious passion. Schadenfreude directly influences the use of traditional media (TV, radio, domain websites), it triggers social media engagement (posting), and it accelerates harmonious passion's effects on social media posting. The study is limited by the groups used to evaluate the research model, sports, and politics. The more highly identified and passionate group members experience greater counter-empathy toward a rival. At extreme levels of group identification, obsessive passion increases at an increasing rate and may characterize extremism. Harboring feelings of schadenfreude toward the out-group prompts those with harmonious passion for an activity to more frequently engage on social media in unempathetic ways. This study links the unempathetic, yet common emotion of schadenfreude with passion, intergroup dynamics, and media behavior.How intergroup counter-empathy drives media consumption and engagement
Robin Wakefield, Kirk Wakefield
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Social media is replete with malicious and unempathetic rhetoric yet few studies explain why these emotions are publicly dispersed. The purpose of the study is to investigate how the intergroup counter-empathic response called schadenfreude originates and how it prompts media consumption and engagement.

The study consists of two field surveys of 635 in-group members of two professional sports teams and 300 residents of California and Texas with political party affiliations. The analysis uses SEM quantitative methods.

Domain passion and group identification together determine the harmonious/obsessive tendencies of passion for an activity and explain the schadenfreude response toward the rival out-group. Group identification is a stronger driver of obsessive passion compared to harmonious passion. Schadenfreude directly influences the use of traditional media (TV, radio, domain websites), it triggers social media engagement (posting), and it accelerates harmonious passion's effects on social media posting.

The study is limited by the groups used to evaluate the research model, sports, and politics.

The more highly identified and passionate group members experience greater counter-empathy toward a rival. At extreme levels of group identification, obsessive passion increases at an increasing rate and may characterize extremism. Harboring feelings of schadenfreude toward the out-group prompts those with harmonious passion for an activity to more frequently engage on social media in unempathetic ways.

This study links the unempathetic, yet common emotion of schadenfreude with passion, intergroup dynamics, and media behavior.

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How intergroup counter-empathy drives media consumption and engagement10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0552Internet Research2023-07-04© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedRobin WakefieldKirk WakefieldInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-07-0410.1108/INTR-07-2022-0552https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0552/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The coping strategies in fitness apps: a three-stage analysis with findings from SEM and FsQCAhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0554/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestCombining the coping theory and social support theory, this study aims to reveal users' coping strategies for mobile fitness app (MFA) engagement and fitness intentions with a rigorous and comprehensive hybrid research approach. A three-stage hybrid research design was employed in this study. In the first stage, this study utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the associations between coping resources and coping outcomes. A post hoc analysis was conducted in the second stage to unveil the reasons behind the insignificant or weak linkages. In the third stage, the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) technique was applied to explore the various configurations of coping resources that lead to the coping outcomes. The results in the three stages verify and compensate each other. The SEM results confirm the presence of two coping strategies in MFA, highlighting the importance of the intertwining of the strategies, and the post hoc analysis unveils the mediating role of positive affect. Moreover, the fsQCA results reinforce and complement the SEM findings by revealing eight alternative configurations that are sufficient for leading to users' MFA engagement and fitness intention. This study offers a prominent methodological paradigm by demonstrating the application of multi-analysis in exploring users' coping strategies. In addition, the study also advances the understanding of the complexity of the mechanism that determines users' behavioral decisions by presenting a comprehensive interpretation.The coping strategies in fitness apps: a three-stage analysis with findings from SEM and FsQCA
XiaoYu Xu, Syed Muhammad Usman Tayyab, Qingdan Jia, Kuang Wu
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Combining the coping theory and social support theory, this study aims to reveal users' coping strategies for mobile fitness app (MFA) engagement and fitness intentions with a rigorous and comprehensive hybrid research approach.

A three-stage hybrid research design was employed in this study. In the first stage, this study utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the associations between coping resources and coping outcomes. A post hoc analysis was conducted in the second stage to unveil the reasons behind the insignificant or weak linkages. In the third stage, the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) technique was applied to explore the various configurations of coping resources that lead to the coping outcomes.

The results in the three stages verify and compensate each other. The SEM results confirm the presence of two coping strategies in MFA, highlighting the importance of the intertwining of the strategies, and the post hoc analysis unveils the mediating role of positive affect. Moreover, the fsQCA results reinforce and complement the SEM findings by revealing eight alternative configurations that are sufficient for leading to users' MFA engagement and fitness intention.

This study offers a prominent methodological paradigm by demonstrating the application of multi-analysis in exploring users' coping strategies. In addition, the study also advances the understanding of the complexity of the mechanism that determines users' behavioral decisions by presenting a comprehensive interpretation.

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The coping strategies in fitness apps: a three-stage analysis with findings from SEM and FsQCA10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0554Internet Research2023-05-26© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedXiaoYu XuSyed Muhammad Usman TayyabQingdan JiaKuang WuInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-2610.1108/INTR-07-2022-0554https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0554/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
More than two decades of research on IoT in agriculture: a systematic literature reviewhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0559/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestAgriculture is one sector where the Internet of things (IoT) is expected to make a major impact. Yet, its adoption in the sector falls behind expectations. The purpose of this paper is to present the state-of-the-art of IoT in agriculture and investigate its slow adoption in the sector. The authors have undertaken a systematic review and a synthesis of 1355 relevant publications over the last decade. This literature review reveals that the “big three” barriers for the overall sector are cost, skills and standardization. The lack of connectivity and data governance are two key reasons why most of the proposed IoT solutions are standalone systems of limited scope, while the majority of commercial IoT efforts focus on practices in the protected indoor environment. Lastly, the analysis of past research along the five layers of the IoT system architecture reveals limited attention to barriers and solutions at the business layer, which represents a research opportunity for information systems scholars. It is possible that some of relevant publications were missed in the literature search, although the search queries were kept as broad as possible to avoid the exclusion of any relevant work. Any publication written in any other language other than English was excluded from the review. Given the geographical distribution of the reviewed English publications (see section 4.1), it is highly likely that important works written by Chinese and European scholars in their native language were overlooked. This study provides practical insights into the technical and organisational challenges on the ground. It is the hope that this literature review lays the groundwork for IS researchers who are well positioned to investigate technology adoption challenges in the relatively understudied agriculture sector. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review of adoption barriers and solutions across all five layers of the IoT system architecture.More than two decades of research on IoT in agriculture: a systematic literature review
Cevdet Bulut, Philip Fei Wu
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Agriculture is one sector where the Internet of things (IoT) is expected to make a major impact. Yet, its adoption in the sector falls behind expectations. The purpose of this paper is to present the state-of-the-art of IoT in agriculture and investigate its slow adoption in the sector.

The authors have undertaken a systematic review and a synthesis of 1355 relevant publications over the last decade.

This literature review reveals that the “big three” barriers for the overall sector are cost, skills and standardization. The lack of connectivity and data governance are two key reasons why most of the proposed IoT solutions are standalone systems of limited scope, while the majority of commercial IoT efforts focus on practices in the protected indoor environment. Lastly, the analysis of past research along the five layers of the IoT system architecture reveals limited attention to barriers and solutions at the business layer, which represents a research opportunity for information systems scholars.

It is possible that some of relevant publications were missed in the literature search, although the search queries were kept as broad as possible to avoid the exclusion of any relevant work. Any publication written in any other language other than English was excluded from the review. Given the geographical distribution of the reviewed English publications (see section 4.1), it is highly likely that important works written by Chinese and European scholars in their native language were overlooked.

This study provides practical insights into the technical and organisational challenges on the ground. It is the hope that this literature review lays the groundwork for IS researchers who are well positioned to investigate technology adoption challenges in the relatively understudied agriculture sector.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review of adoption barriers and solutions across all five layers of the IoT system architecture.

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More than two decades of research on IoT in agriculture: a systematic literature review10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0559Internet Research2023-05-02© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedCevdet BulutPhilip Fei WuInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-0210.1108/INTR-07-2022-0559https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0559/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Examining user-generated content, service failure recovery and customer–brand relationships: an exploration through commitment-trust theoryhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0580/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestUser-generated content (UGC) and service failure have attracted considerable marketing inquiry over the last two decades. Previous studies primarily focused on the outcome of service failure and the impact of UGC on perceived failure severity. This article departs from previous studies as it examines the moderating role of UGC on the relationship between service failure recovery (SFR) and customer–brand relationship. Building on commitment-trust theory and from a phenomenological hermeneutical perspective, this article explores this phenomenon through the interpretation of 60 in-depth interviews with millennials from three European countries: Italy, France and the UK. An analysis of the data was conducted using a qualitative approach to understand the main constructs and relationships derived from the data. This study conceptualises four distinct moderating characteristics of UGC in the SFR process: satisfaction with experience and brand, dissatisfaction with experience and brand, satisfaction with brand and dissatisfaction with brand. The insights from the responsiveness, empathetic response, counterfactual thinking and brand salience (RECB) framework contribute to research on UGC and shed light on the relationship between SFR and consumer–brand relationships in the fashion industry. Overall, this study demonstrates that customer interactions with UGC significantly affect their responses to, and relationships with, a brand. The proposed framework opens up interesting avenues for future research on the moderating role of UGC on the relationship between SFR and customer–brand relationships.Examining user-generated content, service failure recovery and customer–brand relationships: an exploration through commitment-trust theory
Wilson Ozuem, Michelle Willis, Kerry Howell, Silvia Ranfagni, Serena Rovai
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

User-generated content (UGC) and service failure have attracted considerable marketing inquiry over the last two decades. Previous studies primarily focused on the outcome of service failure and the impact of UGC on perceived failure severity. This article departs from previous studies as it examines the moderating role of UGC on the relationship between service failure recovery (SFR) and customer–brand relationship.

Building on commitment-trust theory and from a phenomenological hermeneutical perspective, this article explores this phenomenon through the interpretation of 60 in-depth interviews with millennials from three European countries: Italy, France and the UK. An analysis of the data was conducted using a qualitative approach to understand the main constructs and relationships derived from the data.

This study conceptualises four distinct moderating characteristics of UGC in the SFR process: satisfaction with experience and brand, dissatisfaction with experience and brand, satisfaction with brand and dissatisfaction with brand. The insights from the responsiveness, empathetic response, counterfactual thinking and brand salience (RECB) framework contribute to research on UGC and shed light on the relationship between SFR and consumer–brand relationships in the fashion industry.

Overall, this study demonstrates that customer interactions with UGC significantly affect their responses to, and relationships with, a brand. The proposed framework opens up interesting avenues for future research on the moderating role of UGC on the relationship between SFR and customer–brand relationships.

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Examining user-generated content, service failure recovery and customer–brand relationships: an exploration through commitment-trust theory10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0580Internet Research2023-04-04© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedWilson OzuemMichelle WillisKerry HowellSilvia RanfagniSerena RovaiInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-04-0410.1108/INTR-07-2022-0580https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-07-2022-0580/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Reexamining review variance and movie sales: the inverted-U-shaped relationship and boundary conditionshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2021-0536/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study is based on the heuristic-systematic model (HSM) to dynamically examine the effect of review variance on sales and the boundary conditions that mitigate this effect. Based on the theoretical domain of HSM, a conceptual model is proposed that analyzes the nonlinear relationship between review variance and sales and the interaction and motivation factors that moderate these relationships. Review data from websites targeting the film industry in the USA and South Korea (Korea) were collected to empirically analyze the authors' hypothesis, and panel regression analysis was used for confirmation. Moderated by interactive and motivational factors, review variance exhibits an inverse-U-shaped relationship with review variance. Specifically, as an interaction factor, review valence and owned social media (OSM) resulted in positive interaction effects, and as a motivation factor, the number of alternatives exhibited a positive interaction effect with review variance. The effect of review variance was less pronounced in the USA than in Korea. The study outcomes reveal a nonlinear relationship between review variance and sales, thus supporting the contradictory findings of previous studies. This study contributes to the literature by using the HSM as a theoretical framework to verify various HSM mechanisms using online review data. This exploratory study also contributes to the international marketing literature by showing that the effects of review variance vary across cultures.Reexamining review variance and movie sales: the inverted-U-shaped relationship and boundary conditions
Jungwon Lee, Cheol Park
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study is based on the heuristic-systematic model (HSM) to dynamically examine the effect of review variance on sales and the boundary conditions that mitigate this effect.

Based on the theoretical domain of HSM, a conceptual model is proposed that analyzes the nonlinear relationship between review variance and sales and the interaction and motivation factors that moderate these relationships. Review data from websites targeting the film industry in the USA and South Korea (Korea) were collected to empirically analyze the authors' hypothesis, and panel regression analysis was used for confirmation.

Moderated by interactive and motivational factors, review variance exhibits an inverse-U-shaped relationship with review variance. Specifically, as an interaction factor, review valence and owned social media (OSM) resulted in positive interaction effects, and as a motivation factor, the number of alternatives exhibited a positive interaction effect with review variance. The effect of review variance was less pronounced in the USA than in Korea.

The study outcomes reveal a nonlinear relationship between review variance and sales, thus supporting the contradictory findings of previous studies. This study contributes to the literature by using the HSM as a theoretical framework to verify various HSM mechanisms using online review data. This exploratory study also contributes to the international marketing literature by showing that the effects of review variance vary across cultures.

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Reexamining review variance and movie sales: the inverted-U-shaped relationship and boundary conditions10.1108/INTR-08-2021-0536Internet Research2023-11-20© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedJungwon LeeCheol ParkInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-11-2010.1108/INTR-08-2021-0536https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2021-0536/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
A dual-process model to explain self-disclosure on online social networking sites: examining the moderating effect of enjoymenthttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2021-0545/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestResearchers continue to address the concept of self-disclosure because it is foundational for helping social networking sites (SNS) function and thrive. Nevertheless, the authors' literature review indicates that uncertainty remains around the underlying mechanisms and factors involved in the self-disclosure process. The purpose of this research is to better understand the self-disclosure process from the lens of dual-process theory (DPT). The authors consider both the controlled factors (i.e. self-presentation and reciprocity) and an automatic factor (i.e. social influence to use an SNS) involved in self-disclosure and broaden The authors proposed a model to include the interactive facets of enjoyment. The proposed model was empirically validated by conducting a survey among users of WeChat Moments in China. As hypothesized, this research confirms that enjoyment and automatic processing (i.e. social influence to use an SNS) are complementary in the SNS self-disclosure process and enjoyment negatively moderates the positive relationship between controlled factor (i.e. self-presentation) and self-disclosure. Theoretically, this study offers a new perspective on explaining SNS self-disclosure by adopting DPT. Specifically, this study contributes to the extant SNS research by applying DPT to examine how the controlled factors and the automatic factor shape self-disclosure processes and how enjoyment influences vary across these processes – enriching knowledge about SNS self-disclosure behaviors. Practically, the authors provide important design guidelines to practitioners concerning devising mechanisms to foster more automatic-enjoyable value-added functions to improve SNS users' participation and engagement.A dual-process model to explain self-disclosure on online social networking sites: examining the moderating effect of enjoyment
Shanshan Zhang, Fengchun Huang, Lingling Yu, Jeremy Fei Wang, Paul Benjamin Lowry
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Researchers continue to address the concept of self-disclosure because it is foundational for helping social networking sites (SNS) function and thrive. Nevertheless, the authors' literature review indicates that uncertainty remains around the underlying mechanisms and factors involved in the self-disclosure process. The purpose of this research is to better understand the self-disclosure process from the lens of dual-process theory (DPT). The authors consider both the controlled factors (i.e. self-presentation and reciprocity) and an automatic factor (i.e. social influence to use an SNS) involved in self-disclosure and broaden The authors proposed a model to include the interactive facets of enjoyment.

The proposed model was empirically validated by conducting a survey among users of WeChat Moments in China.

As hypothesized, this research confirms that enjoyment and automatic processing (i.e. social influence to use an SNS) are complementary in the SNS self-disclosure process and enjoyment negatively moderates the positive relationship between controlled factor (i.e. self-presentation) and self-disclosure.

Theoretically, this study offers a new perspective on explaining SNS self-disclosure by adopting DPT. Specifically, this study contributes to the extant SNS research by applying DPT to examine how the controlled factors and the automatic factor shape self-disclosure processes and how enjoyment influences vary across these processes – enriching knowledge about SNS self-disclosure behaviors. Practically, the authors provide important design guidelines to practitioners concerning devising mechanisms to foster more automatic-enjoyable value-added functions to improve SNS users' participation and engagement.

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A dual-process model to explain self-disclosure on online social networking sites: examining the moderating effect of enjoyment10.1108/INTR-08-2021-0545Internet Research2023-11-28© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedShanshan ZhangFengchun HuangLingling YuJeremy Fei WangPaul Benjamin LowryInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-11-2810.1108/INTR-08-2021-0545https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2021-0545/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Wealth effects of firm's strategic technology investments: evidence from Ethereum blockchainhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0591/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestEthereum-based blockchain technology (EBT) affords members of the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) a market advantage in deploying blockchain within their organizations, including cybersecurity and operational benefits, that leads firms to strategically invest in this nascent technology. However, the impact of such strategic investments in EBT has yet to be explored in the context of its relationship to firm value. Therefore, this study explores EBT-specific firm-level characteristics that result in a stock market reaction to announcements of strategic investments. The authors use the event study methodology, strategic investment literature and signaling theory as contextualizing frameworks for their study. Additionally, the authors explore a new method for examining technology investments as a strategic counter to cybersecurity threats. Firms that signal to the market their strong commitment to their strategic investment by developing an EBT proof of concept see significantly higher market returns. Firms that have had prior cybersecurity incidents are rewarded by the market for strategically investing in EBT, and when firms with large undistributed free cash flows utilize this cash for strategic EBT investment, the market is more likely to reward these firms, indicating the market views EBT investment positively in these circumstances. The results of this study provide new evidence of the value impact of EBT for firms that suffered cybersecurity events in the past. The authors provide empirical evidence of firm-level characteristics that investors use to discern whether a strategic investment in EBT will drive organizational value. Likewise, the authors demonstrate how signaling affects investor perceptions of strategic information technology (IT) investments in EBT.Wealth effects of firm's strategic technology investments: evidence from Ethereum blockchain
Kane Smith, Manu Gupta, Puneet Prakash, Nanda Rangan
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Ethereum-based blockchain technology (EBT) affords members of the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) a market advantage in deploying blockchain within their organizations, including cybersecurity and operational benefits, that leads firms to strategically invest in this nascent technology. However, the impact of such strategic investments in EBT has yet to be explored in the context of its relationship to firm value. Therefore, this study explores EBT-specific firm-level characteristics that result in a stock market reaction to announcements of strategic investments.

The authors use the event study methodology, strategic investment literature and signaling theory as contextualizing frameworks for their study. Additionally, the authors explore a new method for examining technology investments as a strategic counter to cybersecurity threats.

Firms that signal to the market their strong commitment to their strategic investment by developing an EBT proof of concept see significantly higher market returns. Firms that have had prior cybersecurity incidents are rewarded by the market for strategically investing in EBT, and when firms with large undistributed free cash flows utilize this cash for strategic EBT investment, the market is more likely to reward these firms, indicating the market views EBT investment positively in these circumstances.

The results of this study provide new evidence of the value impact of EBT for firms that suffered cybersecurity events in the past. The authors provide empirical evidence of firm-level characteristics that investors use to discern whether a strategic investment in EBT will drive organizational value. Likewise, the authors demonstrate how signaling affects investor perceptions of strategic information technology (IT) investments in EBT.

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Wealth effects of firm's strategic technology investments: evidence from Ethereum blockchain10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0591Internet Research2023-12-22© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedKane SmithManu GuptaPuneet PrakashNanda RanganInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-12-2210.1108/INTR-08-2022-0591https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0591/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
An empirical examination of newcomer contribution costs in established OSS communities: a knowledge-based perspectivehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0594/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestTo remain sustainable, open source software (OSS) projects must attract new members—or newcomers—who make contributions. In this paper, the authors develop a set of hypotheses based on the knowledge barriers framework that examines how OSS communities can encourage contributions from newcomers. Employing longitudinal data from the source code repositories of 232 OSS projects over a two-year period, the authors employ a Poisson-based mixed model to test how community characteristics, such as the main drivers of knowledge-based costs, relate to newcomers' contributions. The results indicate that community characteristics, such as programming language choice, documentation effort and code structure instability, are the main drivers of knowledge-based contribution costs. The findings also suggest that managing these costs can result in more inclusive OSS communities, as evidenced by the number of contributing newcomers; the authors highlight the importance of maintaining documentation efforts for OSS communities. This paper assumes that motivational factors are a necessary but insufficient condition for newcomer participation in OSS projects and that the cost to participation should be considered. Using the knowledge barriers framework, this paper identifies the main knowledge-based costs that hinder newcomer participation. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study that does not limit data collection to a single hosting platform (e.g., SourceForge), which improves the generalizability of the findings.An empirical examination of newcomer contribution costs in established OSS communities: a knowledge-based perspective
Mohammad AlMarzouq, Varun Grover, Jason Thatcher, Rich Klein
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

To remain sustainable, open source software (OSS) projects must attract new members—or newcomers—who make contributions. In this paper, the authors develop a set of hypotheses based on the knowledge barriers framework that examines how OSS communities can encourage contributions from newcomers.

Employing longitudinal data from the source code repositories of 232 OSS projects over a two-year period, the authors employ a Poisson-based mixed model to test how community characteristics, such as the main drivers of knowledge-based costs, relate to newcomers' contributions.

The results indicate that community characteristics, such as programming language choice, documentation effort and code structure instability, are the main drivers of knowledge-based contribution costs. The findings also suggest that managing these costs can result in more inclusive OSS communities, as evidenced by the number of contributing newcomers; the authors highlight the importance of maintaining documentation efforts for OSS communities.

This paper assumes that motivational factors are a necessary but insufficient condition for newcomer participation in OSS projects and that the cost to participation should be considered. Using the knowledge barriers framework, this paper identifies the main knowledge-based costs that hinder newcomer participation. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study that does not limit data collection to a single hosting platform (e.g., SourceForge), which improves the generalizability of the findings.

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An empirical examination of newcomer contribution costs in established OSS communities: a knowledge-based perspective10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0594Internet Research2023-04-05© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedMohammad AlMarzouqVarun GroverJason ThatcherRich KleinInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-04-0510.1108/INTR-08-2022-0594https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0594/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
A meta-analysis of antecedents and consequences of trust in the sharing economyhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0655/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestTrust plays a crucial role in overcoming uncertainty and reducing risks. Uncovering the trust mechanism in the sharing economy may enable sharing platforms to design more effective marketing strategies. However, existing studies have inconsistent conclusions on the trust mechanism in the sharing economy. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the antecedents and consequences of different dimensions of trust (trust in platform and trust in peers) in the sharing economy. First, we conducted a meta-analysis of 57 related articles. We tested 13 antecedents of trust in platform (e.g. economic benefits, enjoyment, and information quality) and eight antecedents of trust in peers (e.g. offline service quality and providers’ reputation), as well as their consequences. Then, we conducted subgroup analyses to test the moderating effects of economic development level (Developed vs Developing), gender (Female-dominant vs Male-dominant), platform type (Accommodation vs Transportation), role type (Obtainers vs Providers), and uncertainty avoidance (Strong vs Weak). The results confirm that all antecedents and consequences significantly affect trust in platform or peers to varying degrees. Moreover, trust in platform greatly enhances trust in peers. Besides, the results of the moderating effect analyses demonstrate the variability of antecedents and consequences of trust under different subgroups. This paper provides a clear and holistic view of the trust mechanism in the sharing economy from an object-based trust perspective. The findings may offer insights into trust-building in the sharing economy.A meta-analysis of antecedents and consequences of trust in the sharing economy
Jiang Jiang, Eldon Y. Li, Li Tang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Trust plays a crucial role in overcoming uncertainty and reducing risks. Uncovering the trust mechanism in the sharing economy may enable sharing platforms to design more effective marketing strategies. However, existing studies have inconsistent conclusions on the trust mechanism in the sharing economy. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the antecedents and consequences of different dimensions of trust (trust in platform and trust in peers) in the sharing economy.

First, we conducted a meta-analysis of 57 related articles. We tested 13 antecedents of trust in platform (e.g. economic benefits, enjoyment, and information quality) and eight antecedents of trust in peers (e.g. offline service quality and providers’ reputation), as well as their consequences. Then, we conducted subgroup analyses to test the moderating effects of economic development level (Developed vs Developing), gender (Female-dominant vs Male-dominant), platform type (Accommodation vs Transportation), role type (Obtainers vs Providers), and uncertainty avoidance (Strong vs Weak).

The results confirm that all antecedents and consequences significantly affect trust in platform or peers to varying degrees. Moreover, trust in platform greatly enhances trust in peers. Besides, the results of the moderating effect analyses demonstrate the variability of antecedents and consequences of trust under different subgroups.

This paper provides a clear and holistic view of the trust mechanism in the sharing economy from an object-based trust perspective. The findings may offer insights into trust-building in the sharing economy.

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A meta-analysis of antecedents and consequences of trust in the sharing economy10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0655Internet Research2024-02-21© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedJiang JiangEldon Y. LiLi TangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-2110.1108/INTR-08-2022-0655https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0655/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Revisiting the social commerce paradigm: the social commerce (SC) framework and a research agendahttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0657/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestSocial commerce (SC) is a new genre in electronic commerce (e-commerce) that has great potential. This study proposes a new research framework to address deficiencies in existing social commerce research frameworks (e.g. the information model). In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 technologies and new social commerce (s-commerce) models, the authors believe that there is an immediate need for a new research framework. The authors analysed the progress of the s-commerce paradigm between 2003 and 2023 by applying longitudinal science mapping. The authors then developed a research framework based on the themes in the strategic diagrams and evolution map. From 2003 to 2010, studies on s-commerce mainly focused on social networking sites, virtual communities, social shopping and analytic approaches. From 2011 to 2015, it shifted to s-commerce, consumer behaviour, Web 2.0, artificial intelligence, social technologies, online shopping, user studies, data gathering methods, applications, service-based social commerce constructs, e-commerce and cognitive factors. Social commerce remained the primary research paradigm from 2017 to 2023. The SC framework may be analogous to popular research frameworks such as technology-organisation-environment (T-O-E) and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R). Based on this SC framework, researchers may gain a better understanding by determining the factors of the social, commercial, technological and behavioural dimensions. The authors redefined s-commerce and developed an SC framework. Practical guidelines for the SC framework and an exemplary research model are presented. Overall, this study offers a new research agenda for the extant understanding of s-commerce, with the SC framework as the next frontier of the theoretical advancements and applications of s-commerce.Revisiting the social commerce paradigm: the social commerce (SC) framework and a research agenda
Lai-Ying Leong, Teck Soon Hew, Keng-Boon Ooi, Nick Hajli, Garry Wei-Han Tan
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Social commerce (SC) is a new genre in electronic commerce (e-commerce) that has great potential. This study proposes a new research framework to address deficiencies in existing social commerce research frameworks (e.g. the information model).

In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 technologies and new social commerce (s-commerce) models, the authors believe that there is an immediate need for a new research framework. The authors analysed the progress of the s-commerce paradigm between 2003 and 2023 by applying longitudinal science mapping. The authors then developed a research framework based on the themes in the strategic diagrams and evolution map.

From 2003 to 2010, studies on s-commerce mainly focused on social networking sites, virtual communities, social shopping and analytic approaches. From 2011 to 2015, it shifted to s-commerce, consumer behaviour, Web 2.0, artificial intelligence, social technologies, online shopping, user studies, data gathering methods, applications, service-based social commerce constructs, e-commerce and cognitive factors. Social commerce remained the primary research paradigm from 2017 to 2023.

The SC framework may be analogous to popular research frameworks such as technology-organisation-environment (T-O-E) and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R). Based on this SC framework, researchers may gain a better understanding by determining the factors of the social, commercial, technological and behavioural dimensions.

The authors redefined s-commerce and developed an SC framework. Practical guidelines for the SC framework and an exemplary research model are presented. Overall, this study offers a new research agenda for the extant understanding of s-commerce, with the SC framework as the next frontier of the theoretical advancements and applications of s-commerce.

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Revisiting the social commerce paradigm: the social commerce (SC) framework and a research agenda10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0657Internet Research2023-08-24© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedLai-Ying LeongTeck Soon HewKeng-Boon OoiNick HajliGarry Wei-Han TanInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-08-2410.1108/INTR-08-2022-0657https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0657/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The influence of virtual reality on the experience of religious cultural heritage contenthttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0669/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this study is to expand the experience economy model and to determine if this model provides a better understanding of the process of growing intention to continue using religious cultural heritage content delivered digitally and intention to visit religious cultural heritage sites. In particular, it examines the influence of spiritual experience on the evaluation of religious cultural heritage content, comparing delivery via virtual reality (VR) to a web-based experience. In this study, a representative religious cultural heritage destination, Jerusalem, was chosen as an example for the application. Participants (n = 292) were randomly divided into two groups, one group using the web and the other group experiencing VR. After experiencing the destination virtually, participants completed a survey, the results of which were analyzed using path analysis and multi-group analysis. The results suggest that spiritual experience mediates the four elements of Pine and Gilmore (1998) experience economy model and the intention to continue engaging with the content virtually. Intellectual awareness of religious cultural heritage strengthens the spiritual experience, which mediates educational and aesthetic experiences and the successful use of VR and the web. Additionally, for participants experiencing VR, the influence of spiritual experience on the intention to continue using the virtual media to consume content related to religious cultural heritage sites and to visit actual religious heritage sites was stronger than for participants using the web. This study based on an expanded experience economy model explores the use of digital technologies for the enhancement of spiritual experience. Comparison of web-based and VR content delivery provides important implications for destination marketers in terms of promoting destinations online and encouraging intention to visit actual sites in the future.The influence of virtual reality on the experience of religious cultural heritage content
Kyunghwa Hwang, M. Claudia tom Dieck, Timothy Jung, Ohbyung Kwon
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this study is to expand the experience economy model and to determine if this model provides a better understanding of the process of growing intention to continue using religious cultural heritage content delivered digitally and intention to visit religious cultural heritage sites. In particular, it examines the influence of spiritual experience on the evaluation of religious cultural heritage content, comparing delivery via virtual reality (VR) to a web-based experience.

In this study, a representative religious cultural heritage destination, Jerusalem, was chosen as an example for the application. Participants (n = 292) were randomly divided into two groups, one group using the web and the other group experiencing VR. After experiencing the destination virtually, participants completed a survey, the results of which were analyzed using path analysis and multi-group analysis.

The results suggest that spiritual experience mediates the four elements of Pine and Gilmore (1998) experience economy model and the intention to continue engaging with the content virtually. Intellectual awareness of religious cultural heritage strengthens the spiritual experience, which mediates educational and aesthetic experiences and the successful use of VR and the web. Additionally, for participants experiencing VR, the influence of spiritual experience on the intention to continue using the virtual media to consume content related to religious cultural heritage sites and to visit actual religious heritage sites was stronger than for participants using the web.

This study based on an expanded experience economy model explores the use of digital technologies for the enhancement of spiritual experience. Comparison of web-based and VR content delivery provides important implications for destination marketers in terms of promoting destinations online and encouraging intention to visit actual sites in the future.

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The influence of virtual reality on the experience of religious cultural heritage content10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0669Internet Research2023-06-22© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedKyunghwa HwangM. Claudia tom DieckTimothy JungOhbyung KwonInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-06-2210.1108/INTR-08-2022-0669https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-08-2022-0669/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Effects of member similarity on group norm conformity, group identity and social participation in the context of social networking siteshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2021-0632/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestFacilitating members' continual participation in a community is crucial for ensuring the community's long-term survival. However, knowledge regarding whether member similarity is related to member participation and the mechanism underlying this relationship is limited. Drawing on similarity–attraction, social exchange and social identity theories, this study explored the influences of different facets of similarity (i.e. value, personality and goal similarity) on group norm conformity, group identity and social participation. Data were collected from 444 Taiwanese members of social networking sites (SNSs), and structural equation modeling was employed to examine the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that value similarity directly affected group norm conformity but did not directly affect group identity; personality similarity influenced group identity but not group norm conformity. Goal similarity had positive influences on group norm conformity and group identity. Moreover, group norm conformity had direct and positive influences on group identity and social participation; group identity also had a positive influence on social participation. On the basis of the aforementioned findings, this study contributes to the understanding of factors facilitating SNS members' participation from the perspective of similarity. These findings can serve as a reference for SNS administrators to facilitate social participation by emphasizing member similarity.Effects of member similarity on group norm conformity, group identity and social participation in the context of social networking sites
Edward Wang, Yu-Ting Liao
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Facilitating members' continual participation in a community is crucial for ensuring the community's long-term survival. However, knowledge regarding whether member similarity is related to member participation and the mechanism underlying this relationship is limited. Drawing on similarity–attraction, social exchange and social identity theories, this study explored the influences of different facets of similarity (i.e. value, personality and goal similarity) on group norm conformity, group identity and social participation.

Data were collected from 444 Taiwanese members of social networking sites (SNSs), and structural equation modeling was employed to examine the hypothesized relationships.

The results revealed that value similarity directly affected group norm conformity but did not directly affect group identity; personality similarity influenced group identity but not group norm conformity. Goal similarity had positive influences on group norm conformity and group identity. Moreover, group norm conformity had direct and positive influences on group identity and social participation; group identity also had a positive influence on social participation.

On the basis of the aforementioned findings, this study contributes to the understanding of factors facilitating SNS members' participation from the perspective of similarity. These findings can serve as a reference for SNS administrators to facilitate social participation by emphasizing member similarity.

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Effects of member similarity on group norm conformity, group identity and social participation in the context of social networking sites10.1108/INTR-09-2021-0632Internet Research2023-04-04© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedEdward WangYu-Ting LiaoInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-04-0410.1108/INTR-09-2021-0632https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2021-0632/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Leading for employees' enterprise system ambidextrous use through contextual ambidexterity: the mediating role of user empowerment and moderating role of leader–member exchangehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2021-0645/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study aims to develop a cross-level research model to explore the relationship between team-level contextual ambidexterity and employees' enterprise system (ES) ambidextrous use, and the mediating role of user empowerment in and moderating effect of leader–member exchange (LMX) on the relationship. This study conducted a sequential mixed-methods approach, which included a quantitative survey and a qualitative case study. The survey, administered to 244 employees in 59 groups from a financial institution, analyzed the relationships between contextual ambidexterity and ES ambidextrous use. Furthermore, the cross-level mediation and moderation effects were explored. The case study, involving nine members in three groups from a manufacturing firm, served to reinforce the validity of the survey results. Team-level contextual ambidexterity can affect ES ambidextrous use directly or through the partial mediator of user empowerment. Furthermore, this study highlights the moderating role of LMX in the relationship between contextual ambidexterity and user empowerment, thereby improving ES ambidextrous use. This study contributes to the literature by uncovering the cross-level effect of contextual ambidexterity on ES ambidextrous use through user empowerment, thereby extending the ambidexterity perspective and self-determination theory to the ES context. Additionally, this study provides nuanced insights into how to enhance ES ambidextrous use by revealing the moderating role and moderated mediation effect of LMX anchoring on social exchange theory.Leading for employees' enterprise system ambidextrous use through contextual ambidexterity: the mediating role of user empowerment and moderating role of leader–member exchange
Xiaofan Tang, Shaobo Wei
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study aims to develop a cross-level research model to explore the relationship between team-level contextual ambidexterity and employees' enterprise system (ES) ambidextrous use, and the mediating role of user empowerment in and moderating effect of leader–member exchange (LMX) on the relationship.

This study conducted a sequential mixed-methods approach, which included a quantitative survey and a qualitative case study. The survey, administered to 244 employees in 59 groups from a financial institution, analyzed the relationships between contextual ambidexterity and ES ambidextrous use. Furthermore, the cross-level mediation and moderation effects were explored. The case study, involving nine members in three groups from a manufacturing firm, served to reinforce the validity of the survey results.

Team-level contextual ambidexterity can affect ES ambidextrous use directly or through the partial mediator of user empowerment. Furthermore, this study highlights the moderating role of LMX in the relationship between contextual ambidexterity and user empowerment, thereby improving ES ambidextrous use.

This study contributes to the literature by uncovering the cross-level effect of contextual ambidexterity on ES ambidextrous use through user empowerment, thereby extending the ambidexterity perspective and self-determination theory to the ES context. Additionally, this study provides nuanced insights into how to enhance ES ambidextrous use by revealing the moderating role and moderated mediation effect of LMX anchoring on social exchange theory.

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Leading for employees' enterprise system ambidextrous use through contextual ambidexterity: the mediating role of user empowerment and moderating role of leader–member exchange10.1108/INTR-09-2021-0645Internet Research2023-07-07© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedXiaofan TangShaobo WeiInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-07-0710.1108/INTR-09-2021-0645https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2021-0645/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Loyalty and well-being explain serial crowdfunding backing behavior: an empirical test of complementary theorieshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0707/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestDespite the critical contribution of serial backers in advancing crowdfunding volumes, few studies have addressed the phenomenon of serial backing. Research on the motivations of backers suggests that cognitive antecedents influence pledging in crowdfunding projects according to the theory of planned behavior. However, intrinsic factors associated with different dimensions of well-being may also explain crowdfunding support. This study seeks to advance the understanding of drivers of serial backing by combining the theory of planned behavior and the theory of well-being. The study draws on survey data from 336 serial backers, complemented by objective data on the number of campaigns and amounts invested by backers from Headstart, the largest crowdfunding platform in Israel. The research model is tested using structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that the well-being of serial backers mediates the impact of attitude, subjective norms and social norms on their loyalty. However, while loyalty can be explained by elements of both theories, it does not translate into actual serial backing behavior. This study is the first to systematically explore serial backers' motivations in crowdfunding and the influence of these motivations on their actual behavior. It combines two previously separate theories, the theory of planned behavior and the theory of well-being.Loyalty and well-being explain serial crowdfunding backing behavior: an empirical test of complementary theories
Kalanit Efrat, Shaked Gilboa, Andreas Wald, Rotem Shneor
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Despite the critical contribution of serial backers in advancing crowdfunding volumes, few studies have addressed the phenomenon of serial backing. Research on the motivations of backers suggests that cognitive antecedents influence pledging in crowdfunding projects according to the theory of planned behavior. However, intrinsic factors associated with different dimensions of well-being may also explain crowdfunding support. This study seeks to advance the understanding of drivers of serial backing by combining the theory of planned behavior and the theory of well-being.

The study draws on survey data from 336 serial backers, complemented by objective data on the number of campaigns and amounts invested by backers from Headstart, the largest crowdfunding platform in Israel. The research model is tested using structural equation modeling.

The findings indicate that the well-being of serial backers mediates the impact of attitude, subjective norms and social norms on their loyalty. However, while loyalty can be explained by elements of both theories, it does not translate into actual serial backing behavior.

This study is the first to systematically explore serial backers' motivations in crowdfunding and the influence of these motivations on their actual behavior. It combines two previously separate theories, the theory of planned behavior and the theory of well-being.

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Loyalty and well-being explain serial crowdfunding backing behavior: an empirical test of complementary theories10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0707Internet Research2023-08-02© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedKalanit EfratShaked GilboaAndreas WaldRotem ShneorInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-08-0210.1108/INTR-09-2022-0707https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0707/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The role of para-social relationship in live streaming virtual gift purchase: a two-stage SEM-neural network analysishttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0709/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestDespite the burgeoning popularity of virtual gifting in live streaming, research lacks an in-depth understanding of the drivers behind this behavior. Using para-social relationship (PSR), this study aims to capture viewers’ lively social feelings toward the streamer as the key factor leading to the purchase behavior of virtual gifts. It also aims to establish a theoretical link between PSR and viewers’ holistic experience in live streaming as captured by cognitive absorption and aims to investigates the role of technological features (i.e. viewer–streamer and viewer–viewer interactivity, streamer-level and viewer-level deep profiling and design aesthetics) in shaping viewers’ experience. Based on 433 survey responses, this study employs a combination of structural equation modeling and neural networks to offer valuable insights into the relationships between the technological environment, viewer experience and viewer behavior. Our results highlight the salience of PSR in promoting the purchase of virtual gifts through cognitive absorption and the importance of the technological environment in eliciting the viewer experience. This study sheds light on the development of PSR in a technological environment and its relationship with cognitive absorption. By applying PSR to conceptualize viewers’ perceived connection with the streamer, this study extends the research on purchase behavior in the non-shopping context by providing an enlightened understanding of virtual gift purchase behavior in live streaming. Moreover, by theoretically linking PSR with cognitive absorption, virtual gift purchase and technological features of live streaming, it enriches the theory of PSR and bridges the gap between the design practice of supporting the IT infrastructure of live streaming and research.The role of para-social relationship in live streaming virtual gift purchase: a two-stage SEM-neural network analysis
Fangfang Hou, Boying Li, Zhengzhi Guan, Alain Yee Loong Chong, Chee Wei Phang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Despite the burgeoning popularity of virtual gifting in live streaming, research lacks an in-depth understanding of the drivers behind this behavior. Using para-social relationship (PSR), this study aims to capture viewers’ lively social feelings toward the streamer as the key factor leading to the purchase behavior of virtual gifts. It also aims to establish a theoretical link between PSR and viewers’ holistic experience in live streaming as captured by cognitive absorption and aims to investigates the role of technological features (i.e. viewer–streamer and viewer–viewer interactivity, streamer-level and viewer-level deep profiling and design aesthetics) in shaping viewers’ experience.

Based on 433 survey responses, this study employs a combination of structural equation modeling and neural networks to offer valuable insights into the relationships between the technological environment, viewer experience and viewer behavior.

Our results highlight the salience of PSR in promoting the purchase of virtual gifts through cognitive absorption and the importance of the technological environment in eliciting the viewer experience. This study sheds light on the development of PSR in a technological environment and its relationship with cognitive absorption.

By applying PSR to conceptualize viewers’ perceived connection with the streamer, this study extends the research on purchase behavior in the non-shopping context by providing an enlightened understanding of virtual gift purchase behavior in live streaming. Moreover, by theoretically linking PSR with cognitive absorption, virtual gift purchase and technological features of live streaming, it enriches the theory of PSR and bridges the gap between the design practice of supporting the IT infrastructure of live streaming and research.

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The role of para-social relationship in live streaming virtual gift purchase: a two-stage SEM-neural network analysis10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0709Internet Research2024-03-14© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedFangfang HouBoying LiZhengzhi GuanAlain Yee Loong ChongChee Wei PhangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-03-1410.1108/INTR-09-2022-0709https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0709/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Value creation for online collaboration between doctors and medical institutions: empirical evidence from online health communitieshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0723/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestDoctor–medical institution collaboration (DMIC) services are an emerging service mode in focal online health communities (OHCs). This new service mode is anticipated to affect user satisfaction and doctors' engagement behaviors. However, whether and how DMIC occurs is still ambiguous because the topic is rarely examined. To bridge this gap, this study explores doctors' participation in DMIC services and its effects on their online performance, as well as its effect on patients' evaluation of them on OHC platforms. The authors propose hypotheses based on structural holes theory. A unique dataset obtained from one of the most popular OHCs in China is used to test the hypotheses, and difference-in-differences estimation is adopted to test the causality of the relationship. The results demonstrate that providing DMIC services improves doctors' online consultation performance and patients' evaluations of them but has no significant effect on doctors' knowledge-sharing performance on OHC platforms. Doctors' knowledge-sharing performance and consultation performance mediate the relationship between participation in DMIC services and patients' evaluation of doctors. Regarding doctors' participation in DMIC services, its impact on doctors' consultation performance and patients' evaluation of them is weaker for doctors with higher professional titles than for doctors with lower professional titles. The findings clarify the value creation mechanisms of online collaboration between doctors and medical institutions and thereafter facilitate doctors' participation in DMIC services and enhance the sustainable development of OHCs.Value creation for online collaboration between doctors and medical institutions: empirical evidence from online health communities
Manyang Zhang, Han Yang, Zhijun Yan, Lin Jia
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Doctor–medical institution collaboration (DMIC) services are an emerging service mode in focal online health communities (OHCs). This new service mode is anticipated to affect user satisfaction and doctors' engagement behaviors. However, whether and how DMIC occurs is still ambiguous because the topic is rarely examined. To bridge this gap, this study explores doctors' participation in DMIC services and its effects on their online performance, as well as its effect on patients' evaluation of them on OHC platforms.

The authors propose hypotheses based on structural holes theory. A unique dataset obtained from one of the most popular OHCs in China is used to test the hypotheses, and difference-in-differences estimation is adopted to test the causality of the relationship.

The results demonstrate that providing DMIC services improves doctors' online consultation performance and patients' evaluations of them but has no significant effect on doctors' knowledge-sharing performance on OHC platforms. Doctors' knowledge-sharing performance and consultation performance mediate the relationship between participation in DMIC services and patients' evaluation of doctors. Regarding doctors' participation in DMIC services, its impact on doctors' consultation performance and patients' evaluation of them is weaker for doctors with higher professional titles than for doctors with lower professional titles.

The findings clarify the value creation mechanisms of online collaboration between doctors and medical institutions and thereafter facilitate doctors' participation in DMIC services and enhance the sustainable development of OHCs.

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Value creation for online collaboration between doctors and medical institutions: empirical evidence from online health communities10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0723Internet Research2023-11-07© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedManyang ZhangHan YangZhijun YanLin JiaInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-11-0710.1108/INTR-09-2022-0723https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0723/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The impacts of within-task and between-task personal Internet usage on employee creative performance: the moderating role of perceived organisational supporthttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0751/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestEmployees' personal Internet usage (PIU) has become increasingly common at work. It is important for both researchers and managers to understand how PIU affects employee creative performance. This study aims to examine what kind of PIU is likely to increase or decrease employee creative performance and why. The authors also examine a potential boundary condition for the effect of PIU on employee creative performance. Based on conservation of resource (COR) theory and broaden and build theory, the authors investigated the impact of two types of PIU, namely within-task PIU and between-task PIU, on the creative performance of knowledge workers. The authors conducted a daily diary study and surveyed 107 knowledge workers in China over 10 consecutive working days (n = 1,070) to test the model. The authors find that within-task PIU reduces knowledge workers' creative performance by decreasing the workers' positive emotion, whereas between-task PIU promotes the performance by increasing positive emotion. The above relationships become stronger when knowledge workers perceive a higher level of organisational support. The authors' study makes theoretical contributions by advancing researchers' understanding of the situations in which PIU may decrease or increase employee creative performance. The findings are also useful for developing organisational policies to take advantage of the positive side of PIU whilst avoiding PIU's negative side.The impacts of within-task and between-task personal Internet usage on employee creative performance: the moderating role of perceived organisational support
Yunyu Qian, Hemin Jiang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Employees' personal Internet usage (PIU) has become increasingly common at work. It is important for both researchers and managers to understand how PIU affects employee creative performance. This study aims to examine what kind of PIU is likely to increase or decrease employee creative performance and why. The authors also examine a potential boundary condition for the effect of PIU on employee creative performance.

Based on conservation of resource (COR) theory and broaden and build theory, the authors investigated the impact of two types of PIU, namely within-task PIU and between-task PIU, on the creative performance of knowledge workers. The authors conducted a daily diary study and surveyed 107 knowledge workers in China over 10 consecutive working days (n = 1,070) to test the model.

The authors find that within-task PIU reduces knowledge workers' creative performance by decreasing the workers' positive emotion, whereas between-task PIU promotes the performance by increasing positive emotion. The above relationships become stronger when knowledge workers perceive a higher level of organisational support.

The authors' study makes theoretical contributions by advancing researchers' understanding of the situations in which PIU may decrease or increase employee creative performance. The findings are also useful for developing organisational policies to take advantage of the positive side of PIU whilst avoiding PIU's negative side.

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The impacts of within-task and between-task personal Internet usage on employee creative performance: the moderating role of perceived organisational support10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0751Internet Research2023-06-16© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedYunyu QianHemin JiangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-06-1610.1108/INTR-09-2022-0751https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-09-2022-0751/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The effect of the motion attributes of spokes-characters on app launch pages on brand memoryhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2021-0735/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe use of brand slogans that represent brand concepts on app launch pages can improve user brand impressions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of using animated or static spokes-characters with brand slogans on app launch pages. Using the theory of attention selection, the authors conducted two experiments to study the boundary and mediation path of the influence of the motion attributes of spokes-characters (static vs animated) on brand memory based on app launch time (3 s vs 5 s), user engagement with spokes-characters and the level of attention to brand slogans. Study 1 explores the effect of the interaction between launch time and the motion attributes of spokes-characters on brand memory. The results show that when the launch time of the app is 3 s, the advertisement memory effect of using a static spokes-character is better than that of using an animated spokes-character; when the launch time of the app is 5 s, the advertisement memory effect of using an animated spokes-character is better than that of using a static spokes-character. Study 2 shows that user engagement with spokes-characters and the level of attention given to brand slogans play a continuous mediating role in the effect of the interaction between launch time and the motion attributes of spokes-characters on brand memory. This paper contributes to the marketing literature by expanding the knowledge of spokes-characters and animated visual images, providing new insights for future research.The effect of the motion attributes of spokes-characters on app launch pages on brand memory
Ning Zhang, Zhu Liya
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The use of brand slogans that represent brand concepts on app launch pages can improve user brand impressions. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of using animated or static spokes-characters with brand slogans on app launch pages.

Using the theory of attention selection, the authors conducted two experiments to study the boundary and mediation path of the influence of the motion attributes of spokes-characters (static vs animated) on brand memory based on app launch time (3 s vs 5 s), user engagement with spokes-characters and the level of attention to brand slogans.

Study 1 explores the effect of the interaction between launch time and the motion attributes of spokes-characters on brand memory. The results show that when the launch time of the app is 3 s, the advertisement memory effect of using a static spokes-character is better than that of using an animated spokes-character; when the launch time of the app is 5 s, the advertisement memory effect of using an animated spokes-character is better than that of using a static spokes-character. Study 2 shows that user engagement with spokes-characters and the level of attention given to brand slogans play a continuous mediating role in the effect of the interaction between launch time and the motion attributes of spokes-characters on brand memory.

This paper contributes to the marketing literature by expanding the knowledge of spokes-characters and animated visual images, providing new insights for future research.

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The effect of the motion attributes of spokes-characters on app launch pages on brand memory10.1108/INTR-10-2021-0735Internet Research2023-05-26© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedNing ZhangZhu LiyaInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-2610.1108/INTR-10-2021-0735https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2021-0735/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Fighting fire with fire: the use of an auxiliary platform to address the inherent weaknesses of a platform-based businesshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2021-0746/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe success of sharing economy (SE) platforms has made it attractive for many firms to adopt this business model. However, the inherent weaknesses of these platforms, such as their unstandardized service quality, the burden of maintenance on resource owners and the threat of multi-homing, have become increasingly apparent. Previous prescriptions for addressing these weaknesses, however, are limited because they do not account for factors such as compliance costs and information asymmetry, and tend to solve the problem on only one side of the platform at the expense of the others. By exploring the strategies deployed and actions undertaken across the development of Xbed, a successful accommodation-sharing platform in China, this study aims to explore an alternative solution that would overcome the aforementioned weaknesses without the corresponding compromises. The authors conducted a case study consisting of secondary data and interviews with 15 informants who were representatives of Xbed's top management, organizational IT functions and its various business units. The authors identified three inherent weaknesses that may be found in SE business models and how these weaknesses can be overcome without compromising other stakeholders through an auxiliary platform. The authors also discuss the advantages, characteristics, deployment and nature of auxiliary platforms. This model contributes an in-depth view of establishing and nurturing auxiliary platforms to complement a primary SE platform. Owners and managers of SE platforms may use our model as the basis of guidelines for optimizing their platforms' development, thereby extending the benefits of SE to more stakeholders.Fighting fire with fire: the use of an auxiliary platform to address the inherent weaknesses of a platform-based business
Cheuk Hang Au, Barney Tan, Chunmian Ge
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The success of sharing economy (SE) platforms has made it attractive for many firms to adopt this business model. However, the inherent weaknesses of these platforms, such as their unstandardized service quality, the burden of maintenance on resource owners and the threat of multi-homing, have become increasingly apparent. Previous prescriptions for addressing these weaknesses, however, are limited because they do not account for factors such as compliance costs and information asymmetry, and tend to solve the problem on only one side of the platform at the expense of the others. By exploring the strategies deployed and actions undertaken across the development of Xbed, a successful accommodation-sharing platform in China, this study aims to explore an alternative solution that would overcome the aforementioned weaknesses without the corresponding compromises.

The authors conducted a case study consisting of secondary data and interviews with 15 informants who were representatives of Xbed's top management, organizational IT functions and its various business units.

The authors identified three inherent weaknesses that may be found in SE business models and how these weaknesses can be overcome without compromising other stakeholders through an auxiliary platform. The authors also discuss the advantages, characteristics, deployment and nature of auxiliary platforms.

This model contributes an in-depth view of establishing and nurturing auxiliary platforms to complement a primary SE platform. Owners and managers of SE platforms may use our model as the basis of guidelines for optimizing their platforms' development, thereby extending the benefits of SE to more stakeholders.

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Fighting fire with fire: the use of an auxiliary platform to address the inherent weaknesses of a platform-based business10.1108/INTR-10-2021-0746Internet Research2023-05-24© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedCheuk Hang AuBarney TanChunmian GeInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-2410.1108/INTR-10-2021-0746https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2021-0746/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Understanding users' voice assistant exploration intention: unraveling the differential mechanisms of the multiple dimensions of perceived intelligencehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0807/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this study is to develop a framework for the perceived intelligence of VAs and explore the mechanisms of different dimensions of the perceived intelligence of VAs on users’ exploration intention (UEI) and how these antecedents can collectively result in the highest level of UEI. An online survey on Amazon Mechanical Turk is employed. The model is tested utilizing the structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach from the collected data of VA users (N = 244). According to the SEM outcomes, perceptual, cognitive, emotional and social intelligence have different mechanisms on UEI. Findings from the fsQCA reinforce the SEM results and provide the configurations that enhanced UEI. This study extends the conceptual framework of perceived intelligence and enriches the literature on anthropomorphism and users’ exploration. These findings also provide insightful suggestions for practitioners regarding the design of VA products.Understanding users' voice assistant exploration intention: unraveling the differential mechanisms of the multiple dimensions of perceived intelligence
Yiming Zhao, Yu Chen, Yongqiang Sun, Xiao-Liang Shen
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for the perceived intelligence of VAs and explore the mechanisms of different dimensions of the perceived intelligence of VAs on users’ exploration intention (UEI) and how these antecedents can collectively result in the highest level of UEI.

An online survey on Amazon Mechanical Turk is employed. The model is tested utilizing the structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) approach from the collected data of VA users (N = 244).

According to the SEM outcomes, perceptual, cognitive, emotional and social intelligence have different mechanisms on UEI. Findings from the fsQCA reinforce the SEM results and provide the configurations that enhanced UEI.

This study extends the conceptual framework of perceived intelligence and enriches the literature on anthropomorphism and users’ exploration. These findings also provide insightful suggestions for practitioners regarding the design of VA products.

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Understanding users' voice assistant exploration intention: unraveling the differential mechanisms of the multiple dimensions of perceived intelligence10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0807Internet Research2024-02-12© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedYiming ZhaoYu ChenYongqiang SunXiao-Liang ShenInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-1210.1108/INTR-10-2022-0807https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0807/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Generativity of enterprise IT infrastructure for digital innovationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0808/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestDigital innovation requires organizations to reconfigure their information technology infrastructure (ITI) to cultivate creativity and implement fast experimentation. This research inquiries into ITI generativity, an emerging concept demoting a critical ITI capability for organizational digital innovation. More specifically, it conceptualizes ITI generativity across two dimensions—namely, systems and applications infrastructure (SAI) generativity and data analytics infrastructure (DAI) generativity—and examines their respective social and technical antecedents and their impact on digital innovation. This research formulates a theoretical model to investigate the social and technical antecedents along with innovation outcomes of ITI generativity. To test this model and its associated hypotheses, a survey was administered to IT professionals possessing knowledge of their organization's IT architecture and digital innovation performance. The dataset, comprising responses from 140 organizations, was analyzed using the partial least squares technique. Results reveal that both dimensions of ITI generativity contribute to digital innovation performance, with the effect of DAI generativity being more pronounced. In addition, SAI and DAI generativities are driven by social and technical factors within an organization. More specifically, SAI generativity is positively associated with the usage of a digital application services platform and IT human resources, whereas DAI generativity is positively linked to the usage of a data analytics services platform, data analytics services usability and data analytics human resources. This research contributes to the literature on digital innovation by introducing ITI generativity as a crucial ITI capability and deciphering its role in digital innovation. It also offers useful insights and guidance for practitioners on how to build ITIs to achieve better digital innovation performance.Generativity of enterprise IT infrastructure for digital innovation
Shan Wang, Ji-Ye Mao, Fang Wang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Digital innovation requires organizations to reconfigure their information technology infrastructure (ITI) to cultivate creativity and implement fast experimentation. This research inquiries into ITI generativity, an emerging concept demoting a critical ITI capability for organizational digital innovation. More specifically, it conceptualizes ITI generativity across two dimensions—namely, systems and applications infrastructure (SAI) generativity and data analytics infrastructure (DAI) generativity—and examines their respective social and technical antecedents and their impact on digital innovation.

This research formulates a theoretical model to investigate the social and technical antecedents along with innovation outcomes of ITI generativity. To test this model and its associated hypotheses, a survey was administered to IT professionals possessing knowledge of their organization's IT architecture and digital innovation performance. The dataset, comprising responses from 140 organizations, was analyzed using the partial least squares technique.

Results reveal that both dimensions of ITI generativity contribute to digital innovation performance, with the effect of DAI generativity being more pronounced. In addition, SAI and DAI generativities are driven by social and technical factors within an organization. More specifically, SAI generativity is positively associated with the usage of a digital application services platform and IT human resources, whereas DAI generativity is positively linked to the usage of a data analytics services platform, data analytics services usability and data analytics human resources.

This research contributes to the literature on digital innovation by introducing ITI generativity as a crucial ITI capability and deciphering its role in digital innovation. It also offers useful insights and guidance for practitioners on how to build ITIs to achieve better digital innovation performance.

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Generativity of enterprise IT infrastructure for digital innovation10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0808Internet Research2024-01-31© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedShan WangJi-Ye MaoFang WangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-3110.1108/INTR-10-2022-0808https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0808/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Performance implications of match between social media–enabled interactions and contracts in interfirm governancehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0844/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestIntegrating transaction costs economics and task-technology fit theory, this study distinguishes two categories of social media–enabled interactions, namely task-related interactions and tie-related interactions, and explores the match between these two and firms' use of contracts in achieving safeguarding and coordinating purposes in interfirm governance. Two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, this study collaborated with a professional market research firm and collected responses from Chinese manufacturing firms in a survey. In Study 2, this study designed a scenario-based experiment and collected 239 participants from the Credamo platform. This study categorized social media–enabled interactions into task-related interactions and tie-related interactions and conducted two studies to reveal that the safeguarding purpose of contract specificity is amplified by tie-related interactions, whereas the coordinating purpose of contract specificity is strengthened by task-related interactions. This study assumes that firms permit and encourage the use of social media. However, some firms might prohibit the use of social media due to risk issues, or their partners may be prohibited from using social media. Given that social media–enabled interactions have joint effects with contracts in achieving safeguarding and coordinating purposes, a firm's employees should match their goals with an appropriate type of social media–enabled interactions. This study enriches the interfirm governance literature by uncovering the roles of these two types of interactions in matching contract specificity to achieve safeguarding and coordinating purposes, which provides actionable insights for managers in governing interfirm relationships.Performance implications of match between social media–enabled interactions and contracts in interfirm governance
Chao Feng, Jinjun Yu, Yajing Fan, Hui Chen
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Integrating transaction costs economics and task-technology fit theory, this study distinguishes two categories of social media–enabled interactions, namely task-related interactions and tie-related interactions, and explores the match between these two and firms' use of contracts in achieving safeguarding and coordinating purposes in interfirm governance.

Two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, this study collaborated with a professional market research firm and collected responses from Chinese manufacturing firms in a survey. In Study 2, this study designed a scenario-based experiment and collected 239 participants from the Credamo platform.

This study categorized social media–enabled interactions into task-related interactions and tie-related interactions and conducted two studies to reveal that the safeguarding purpose of contract specificity is amplified by tie-related interactions, whereas the coordinating purpose of contract specificity is strengthened by task-related interactions.

This study assumes that firms permit and encourage the use of social media. However, some firms might prohibit the use of social media due to risk issues, or their partners may be prohibited from using social media.

Given that social media–enabled interactions have joint effects with contracts in achieving safeguarding and coordinating purposes, a firm's employees should match their goals with an appropriate type of social media–enabled interactions.

This study enriches the interfirm governance literature by uncovering the roles of these two types of interactions in matching contract specificity to achieve safeguarding and coordinating purposes, which provides actionable insights for managers in governing interfirm relationships.

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Performance implications of match between social media–enabled interactions and contracts in interfirm governance10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0844Internet Research2023-11-23© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedChao FengJinjun YuYajing FanHui ChenInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-11-2310.1108/INTR-10-2022-0844https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-10-2022-0844/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Effect of the fit between situational regulatory focus and feedback focus on customers' co-design behaviorhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0861/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestCustomers' co-design behavior is an important source of knowledge for product innovation. Firms can regulate the focus of information interaction with customers to set goals and motivate their co-design behavior. Drawing on regulatory fit theory and construal level theory, the authors build a research model to study whether the fit between the regulatory focus of firms' task invitations (promotion focus vs prevention focus) and their feedback focus (self-focused vs other-focused) can enhance co-design behavior by improving customers' experiences (perceived meaning, active discovery and perceived empowerment). The authors conducted two online between-subjects experiments to validate the proposed research model. The two online experiments reveal that customers' experiences are enhanced when the feedback focus is congruent with the regulatory focus of the firm's task invitations. Specifically, self-focused feedback has a stronger positive effect on customers' experiences in the prevention focus context. Other-focused feedback has a stronger positive effect on customers' experiences in the promotion focus context. Moreover, customers' experience significantly and positively affects co-design behavior (i.e. co-design effort and knowledge contribution). This work provides theoretical and practical implications for firms to improve the effectiveness of information interaction with their customers and eventually ensure the sustainability of co-design.Effect of the fit between situational regulatory focus and feedback focus on customers' co-design behavior
Xinxue Zhou, Jian Tang, Tianmei Wang
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Customers' co-design behavior is an important source of knowledge for product innovation. Firms can regulate the focus of information interaction with customers to set goals and motivate their co-design behavior. Drawing on regulatory fit theory and construal level theory, the authors build a research model to study whether the fit between the regulatory focus of firms' task invitations (promotion focus vs prevention focus) and their feedback focus (self-focused vs other-focused) can enhance co-design behavior by improving customers' experiences (perceived meaning, active discovery and perceived empowerment).

The authors conducted two online between-subjects experiments to validate the proposed research model.

The two online experiments reveal that customers' experiences are enhanced when the feedback focus is congruent with the regulatory focus of the firm's task invitations. Specifically, self-focused feedback has a stronger positive effect on customers' experiences in the prevention focus context. Other-focused feedback has a stronger positive effect on customers' experiences in the promotion focus context. Moreover, customers' experience significantly and positively affects co-design behavior (i.e. co-design effort and knowledge contribution).

This work provides theoretical and practical implications for firms to improve the effectiveness of information interaction with their customers and eventually ensure the sustainability of co-design.

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Effect of the fit between situational regulatory focus and feedback focus on customers' co-design behavior10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0861Internet Research2024-01-02© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedXinxue ZhouJian TangTianmei WangInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-0210.1108/INTR-11-2022-0861https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0861/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Building bonds: an examination of relational bonding in continuous content contribution behaviors on metaverse-based non-fungible token platformshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0883/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe proliferation of non-fungible token (NFT)-based crypto-art platforms has transformed how creators manage, own and earn money through the creation, assets and identity of their digital works. Despite this, no studies have examined the drivers of continuous content contribution behavior (CCCB) toward NFTs. Hence, this study draws on the theory of relational bonds to examine how various relational bonds affect feelings of psychological ownership, which, in turn, affects CCCB on metaverse platforms. Using structural equation modeling and importance-performance matrix analysis, an online survey of 434 content creators from prominent NFT platforms empirically validated the research hypotheses. Financial, structural, and social bonds positively affect psychological ownership, which in turn encourages CCCBs. The results of the importance-performance matrix analysis reveal that male content creators prioritized virtual reputation and social enhancement, whereas female content creators prioritized personalization and monetary gains. We examine Web 3.0 and the NFT creators’ network that characterizes the governance practices of the metaverse. Consequently, the findings facilitate a better understanding of creator economy and meta-verse commerce.Building bonds: an examination of relational bonding in continuous content contribution behaviors on metaverse-based non-fungible token platforms
Crystal T. Lee, Zimo Li, Yung-Cheng Shen
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The proliferation of non-fungible token (NFT)-based crypto-art platforms has transformed how creators manage, own and earn money through the creation, assets and identity of their digital works. Despite this, no studies have examined the drivers of continuous content contribution behavior (CCCB) toward NFTs. Hence, this study draws on the theory of relational bonds to examine how various relational bonds affect feelings of psychological ownership, which, in turn, affects CCCB on metaverse platforms.

Using structural equation modeling and importance-performance matrix analysis, an online survey of 434 content creators from prominent NFT platforms empirically validated the research hypotheses.

Financial, structural, and social bonds positively affect psychological ownership, which in turn encourages CCCBs. The results of the importance-performance matrix analysis reveal that male content creators prioritized virtual reputation and social enhancement, whereas female content creators prioritized personalization and monetary gains.

We examine Web 3.0 and the NFT creators’ network that characterizes the governance practices of the metaverse. Consequently, the findings facilitate a better understanding of creator economy and meta-verse commerce.

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Building bonds: an examination of relational bonding in continuous content contribution behaviors on metaverse-based non-fungible token platforms10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0883Internet Research2024-02-08© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedCrystal T. LeeZimo LiYung-Cheng ShenInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-0810.1108/INTR-11-2022-0883https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0883/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
A mixed-methods investigation of the factors affecting the use of facial recognition as a threatening AI applicationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0894/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestArtificial intelligence (AI) applications pose a potential threat to users' data security and privacy due to their high data-dependence nature. This paper aims to investigate an understudied issue in the literature, namely, how users perceive the threat of and decide to use a threatening AI application. In particular, it examines the influencing factors and the mechanisms that affect an individual’s behavioral intention to use facial recognition, a threatening AI. The authors develop a research model with trust as the key mediating variable by integrating technology threat avoidance theory, the theory of planned behavior and contextual factors related to facial recognition. Then, it is tested through a sequential mixed-methods investigation, including a qualitative study (for model development) of online comments from various platforms and a quantitative study (for model validation) using field survey data. Perceived threat (triggered by perceived susceptibility and severity) and perceived avoidability (promoted by perceived effectiveness, perceived cost and self-efficacy) have negative and positive relationships, respectively, with an individual’s attitude toward facial recognition applications; these relationships are partially mediated by trust. In addition, perceived avoidability is positively related to perceived behavioral control, which along with attitude and subjective norm is positively related to individuals' intentions to use facial recognition applications. This paper is among the first to examine the factors that affect the acceptance of threatening AI applications and how. The research findings extend the current literature by providing rich and novel insights into the important roles of perceived threat, perceived avoidability, and trust in affecting an individual’s attitude and intention regarding using threatening AI applications.A mixed-methods investigation of the factors affecting the use of facial recognition as a threatening AI application
Xiaojun Wu, Zhongyun Zhou, Shouming Chen
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications pose a potential threat to users' data security and privacy due to their high data-dependence nature. This paper aims to investigate an understudied issue in the literature, namely, how users perceive the threat of and decide to use a threatening AI application. In particular, it examines the influencing factors and the mechanisms that affect an individual’s behavioral intention to use facial recognition, a threatening AI.

The authors develop a research model with trust as the key mediating variable by integrating technology threat avoidance theory, the theory of planned behavior and contextual factors related to facial recognition. Then, it is tested through a sequential mixed-methods investigation, including a qualitative study (for model development) of online comments from various platforms and a quantitative study (for model validation) using field survey data.

Perceived threat (triggered by perceived susceptibility and severity) and perceived avoidability (promoted by perceived effectiveness, perceived cost and self-efficacy) have negative and positive relationships, respectively, with an individual’s attitude toward facial recognition applications; these relationships are partially mediated by trust. In addition, perceived avoidability is positively related to perceived behavioral control, which along with attitude and subjective norm is positively related to individuals' intentions to use facial recognition applications.

This paper is among the first to examine the factors that affect the acceptance of threatening AI applications and how. The research findings extend the current literature by providing rich and novel insights into the important roles of perceived threat, perceived avoidability, and trust in affecting an individual’s attitude and intention regarding using threatening AI applications.

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A mixed-methods investigation of the factors affecting the use of facial recognition as a threatening AI application10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0894Internet Research2024-01-16© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedXiaojun WuZhongyun ZhouShouming ChenInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-1610.1108/INTR-11-2022-0894https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0894/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Moment or movement – the heterogeneous impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on personal and societal charitable crowdfunding campaignshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0904/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestWhenever social injustice tackled by social movements receives heightened media attention, charitable crowdfunding platforms offer an opportunity to proactively advocate for equality by donating money to affected people. This research examines how the Black Lives Matter movement and the associated social protest cycle after the death of George Floyd have influenced donation behavior for campaigns with a personal goal and those with a societal goal supporting the black community. This paper follows a quantitative research approach by applying a quasi-experimental research design on a GoFundMe dataset. In total, 67,905 campaigns and 1,362,499 individual donations were analyzed. We uncover a rise in donations for campaigns supporting the black community, which lasts substantially longer for campaigns with a societal than with a personal funding goal. Informed by construal level theory, we attribute this heterogeneity to changes in the level of abstractness of the problems that social movements aim to tackle. This research advances the knowledge of individual donation behavior in charitable crowdfunding. Our results highlight the important role that charitable crowdfunding campaigns play in promoting social justice and anti-discrimination as part of social protest cycles.Moment or movement – the heterogeneous impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on personal and societal charitable crowdfunding campaigns
Janina Seutter, Michelle Müller, Stefanie Müller, Dennis Kundisch
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Whenever social injustice tackled by social movements receives heightened media attention, charitable crowdfunding platforms offer an opportunity to proactively advocate for equality by donating money to affected people. This research examines how the Black Lives Matter movement and the associated social protest cycle after the death of George Floyd have influenced donation behavior for campaigns with a personal goal and those with a societal goal supporting the black community.

This paper follows a quantitative research approach by applying a quasi-experimental research design on a GoFundMe dataset. In total, 67,905 campaigns and 1,362,499 individual donations were analyzed.

We uncover a rise in donations for campaigns supporting the black community, which lasts substantially longer for campaigns with a societal than with a personal funding goal. Informed by construal level theory, we attribute this heterogeneity to changes in the level of abstractness of the problems that social movements aim to tackle.

This research advances the knowledge of individual donation behavior in charitable crowdfunding. Our results highlight the important role that charitable crowdfunding campaigns play in promoting social justice and anti-discrimination as part of social protest cycles.

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Moment or movement – the heterogeneous impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on personal and societal charitable crowdfunding campaigns10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0904Internet Research2024-02-16© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedJanina SeutterMichelle MüllerStefanie MüllerDennis KundischInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-1610.1108/INTR-11-2022-0904https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-11-2022-0904/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
IT investment and corporate collaborative innovation: the moderating role of the top management team's educational background and absorptive capacityhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0899/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestPrevious studies have shown that the application of information technology (IT) can help break through the innovation boundaries of firms and has undoubtedly become a key enabler of collaborative innovation. These studies, however, are mainly based on theoretical analysis and case studies, and little is empirically known about the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to empirically explore how firms' IT investments affect the firms' collaborative innovation performance. The authors also examine the moderating roles of the top management team's (TMT's) educational background and absorptive capacity in this relationship. The authors collected data on 2,097 listed Chinese manufacturing companies and used the ordinary least squares (OLS) method to perform regression analysis. In addition, the authors conducted robustness tests using the propensity score matching (PSM) method and the instrumental variable method. The results show that the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation is inverted, U-shaped and curvilinear. In addition, the TMT's educational background and absorptive capacity positively moderate the inverted U-shaped relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation. The study's findings on the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation differ from previous mainstream findings that recognized a positive linear relationship. The authors' findings deepen the understanding of the dual role of IT investments. Moreover, this research helps expand the contingency perspective in IT investments and collaborative innovation research.IT investment and corporate collaborative innovation: the moderating role of the top management team's educational background and absorptive capacity
Wenqing Wu, Pianpian Zhang, Sang-Bing Tsai
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Previous studies have shown that the application of information technology (IT) can help break through the innovation boundaries of firms and has undoubtedly become a key enabler of collaborative innovation. These studies, however, are mainly based on theoretical analysis and case studies, and little is empirically known about the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to empirically explore how firms' IT investments affect the firms' collaborative innovation performance. The authors also examine the moderating roles of the top management team's (TMT's) educational background and absorptive capacity in this relationship.

The authors collected data on 2,097 listed Chinese manufacturing companies and used the ordinary least squares (OLS) method to perform regression analysis. In addition, the authors conducted robustness tests using the propensity score matching (PSM) method and the instrumental variable method.

The results show that the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation is inverted, U-shaped and curvilinear. In addition, the TMT's educational background and absorptive capacity positively moderate the inverted U-shaped relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation.

The study's findings on the relationship between IT investments and collaborative innovation differ from previous mainstream findings that recognized a positive linear relationship. The authors' findings deepen the understanding of the dual role of IT investments. Moreover, this research helps expand the contingency perspective in IT investments and collaborative innovation research.

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IT investment and corporate collaborative innovation: the moderating role of the top management team's educational background and absorptive capacity10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0899Internet Research2023-05-12© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedWenqing WuPianpian ZhangSang-Bing TsaiInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-1210.1108/INTR-12-2021-0899https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0899/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Parasocial relationships with micro-influencers: do sponsorship disclosure and electronic word-of-mouth disrupt?https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0903/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study aims to examine whether and how the effect of intimate relationships with micro-influencers on customer behaviour is interrupted by external cues such as sponsorship disclosures and negative electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). The study worked with Instagram micro-influences to conduct a vignette survey with four experimental scenarios. The benefits of parasocial relationships (PSR) in enhancing customer engagement (CE), brand preference (BP) and purchase intention (PI) cannot be sustained in the presence of external interruptive cues. For micro-influencers, whilst sponsorship disclosures do not moderate the influence of PSR, customers are considerably sensitive to negative eWOM or when the two cues co-occur. This study focusses on micro-influencers and investigates whether the follower–micro-influencer bond can be moderated by external cues including sponsorship disclosure and negative eWOM.Parasocial relationships with micro-influencers: do sponsorship disclosure and electronic word-of-mouth disrupt?
Jie Sheng, Yi Hui Lee, Hao Lan
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study aims to examine whether and how the effect of intimate relationships with micro-influencers on customer behaviour is interrupted by external cues such as sponsorship disclosures and negative electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM).

The study worked with Instagram micro-influences to conduct a vignette survey with four experimental scenarios.

The benefits of parasocial relationships (PSR) in enhancing customer engagement (CE), brand preference (BP) and purchase intention (PI) cannot be sustained in the presence of external interruptive cues. For micro-influencers, whilst sponsorship disclosures do not moderate the influence of PSR, customers are considerably sensitive to negative eWOM or when the two cues co-occur.

This study focusses on micro-influencers and investigates whether the follower–micro-influencer bond can be moderated by external cues including sponsorship disclosure and negative eWOM.

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Parasocial relationships with micro-influencers: do sponsorship disclosure and electronic word-of-mouth disrupt?10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0903Internet Research2023-04-07© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedJie ShengYi Hui LeeHao LanInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-04-0710.1108/INTR-12-2021-0903https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0903/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
It pays to be forthcoming: timing of data breach announcement, trust violation, and trust restorationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0939/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis research examines the relationship between the timeliness in announcing the discovery of a data breach and consumer trust in an e-commerce company, as well as later trust-rebuilding efforts taken by the company to compensate users impacted by the breach. A survey experiment was used to examine the effect of both trust-reducing events (announced data breaches) and trust-enhancing events (provision of identity theft protection and credit monitoring) on consumer trust. The timeliness of the breach announcement by an e-commerce company was manipulated between two randomly assigned groups of subjects; one group viewed an announcement of the breach immediately upon its discovery, and the other viewed an announcement made two months after the breach was discovered. Consumer trust was measured before the breach, after the breach was announced, and finally, after the announcement of data protection. The results suggest that companies that delay a data breach announcement are likely to suffer a larger drop in consumer trust than those that immediately disclose the data breach. The results also suggest that trust can be repaired by providing data protection. However, even after providing identity theft protection and credit monitoring, companies that fail to promptly disclose a breach have lower repaired trust than companies that promptly disclose. This study contributes to the literature on e-commerce trust by examining how a company's forthrightness in reporting a data breach impacts user trust at the time of the disclosure of the data breach and after subsequent efforts to repair trust.It pays to be forthcoming: timing of data breach announcement, trust violation, and trust restoration
Steven Muzatko, Gaurav Bansal
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This research examines the relationship between the timeliness in announcing the discovery of a data breach and consumer trust in an e-commerce company, as well as later trust-rebuilding efforts taken by the company to compensate users impacted by the breach.

A survey experiment was used to examine the effect of both trust-reducing events (announced data breaches) and trust-enhancing events (provision of identity theft protection and credit monitoring) on consumer trust. The timeliness of the breach announcement by an e-commerce company was manipulated between two randomly assigned groups of subjects; one group viewed an announcement of the breach immediately upon its discovery, and the other viewed an announcement made two months after the breach was discovered. Consumer trust was measured before the breach, after the breach was announced, and finally, after the announcement of data protection.

The results suggest that companies that delay a data breach announcement are likely to suffer a larger drop in consumer trust than those that immediately disclose the data breach. The results also suggest that trust can be repaired by providing data protection. However, even after providing identity theft protection and credit monitoring, companies that fail to promptly disclose a breach have lower repaired trust than companies that promptly disclose.

This study contributes to the literature on e-commerce trust by examining how a company's forthrightness in reporting a data breach impacts user trust at the time of the disclosure of the data breach and after subsequent efforts to repair trust.

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It pays to be forthcoming: timing of data breach announcement, trust violation, and trust restoration10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0939Internet Research2023-07-07© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedSteven MuzatkoGaurav BansalInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-07-0710.1108/INTR-12-2021-0939https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2021-0939/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Service quality in cloud gaming: instrument development and validationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2022-0954/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe global market for cloud gaming is growing rapidly. How gamers evaluate the service quality of this emerging form of cloud service has become a critical issue for both researchers and practitioners. Building on the literature on service quality and software as a service, this study develops and validates a gamer-centric measurement instrument for cloud gaming service quality. A three-step measurement instrument development process, including item generation, scale development and instrument testing, was adopted to conceptualize and operationalize cloud gaming service quality. Cloud gaming service quality consists of two second-order constructs of support service quality and technical service quality with seven first-order dimensions, namely rapport, responsiveness, reliability, compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness. The instrument exhibits desirable psychometric properties. Practitioners can use this new measurement instrument to evaluate gamers' perceptions toward their service and to identify areas for improvement. This study contributes to the service quality literature by utilizing qualitative and quantitative approaches to develop and validate a new measurement instrument of service quality in the context of cloud gaming and by identifying new dimensions (compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness) specific to it.Service quality in cloud gaming: instrument development and validation
Winston T. Su, Zach W.Y. Lee, Xinming He, Tommy K.H. Chan
Internet Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The global market for cloud gaming is growing rapidly. How gamers evaluate the service quality of this emerging form of cloud service has become a critical issue for both researchers and practitioners. Building on the literature on service quality and software as a service, this study develops and validates a gamer-centric measurement instrument for cloud gaming service quality.

A three-step measurement instrument development process, including item generation, scale development and instrument testing, was adopted to conceptualize and operationalize cloud gaming service quality.

Cloud gaming service quality consists of two second-order constructs of support service quality and technical service quality with seven first-order dimensions, namely rapport, responsiveness, reliability, compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness. The instrument exhibits desirable psychometric properties.

Practitioners can use this new measurement instrument to evaluate gamers' perceptions toward their service and to identify areas for improvement.

This study contributes to the service quality literature by utilizing qualitative and quantitative approaches to develop and validate a new measurement instrument of service quality in the context of cloud gaming and by identifying new dimensions (compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness) specific to it.

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Service quality in cloud gaming: instrument development and validation10.1108/INTR-12-2022-0954Internet Research2024-02-20© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedWinston T. SuZach W.Y. LeeXinming HeTommy K.H. ChanInternet Researchahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-2010.1108/INTR-12-2022-0954https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/INTR-12-2022-0954/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited