Online Information Review

Behnam Taraghi; Martin Grossegger; Martin Ebner; Andreas Holzinger

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-09-2012-0152

Purpose – The use of articles from scientific journals is an important part of research‐based teaching at universities. The selection of relevant work from among the increasing amount of scientific literature can be problematic; the challenge is to find relevant recommendations, especially when the related articles are not obviously linked. This paper seeks to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This paper focuses on the analysis of user activity traces in journals using the open source software “Open Journal Systems” (OJS). The research questions to what extent end users follow a certain link structure given within OJS or immediately select the articles according to their interests. In the latter case, the recorded data sets are used for creating further recommendations. The analysis is based on an article matrix, displaying the usage frequency of articles and their user selected successive articles within the OJS. Furthermore, the navigation paths are analysed. Findings – It was found that the users tend to follow a set navigation structure. Moreover, a hybrid recommendation system for OJS is described, which uses content based filtering as the basic system extended by the results of a collaborative filtering approach. Originality/value – The paper presents two original contributions: the analysis of user path tracing and a novel algorithm that allows smooth integration of new articles into the existing recommendations, due to the fact that scientific journals are published in a frequent and regular time sequence.

Jinwon Hong; One‐Ki (Daniel) Lee; Woojong Suh

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-08-2011-0144

Purpose – As social networking is becoming more popular, social software has achieved an important position in the internet business industry. For social software to be successful, it is crucial to understand how users form their continuous usage intentions toward social software. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing upon socio‐technical and social cognitive perspectives, this study proposes a theory‐based model that investigates the interaction effects between social (i.e. perceived user base and relationship commitment) and technical (i.e. perceived system quality) factors of social software, in addition to their direct effects on continuous usage intentions. To empirically validate the proposed research model, a structural equation modelling technique was used. Findings – The results of our model test indicate that all relevant social and technical factors are significant determinants of continuous usage intention. Moreover relationship commitment exhibits a positive interaction effect with perceived system quality on continuous usage intention, while perceived user base does not. Practical implications – Service designers or providers of social software should make an effort to nurture social relationships among users, expand users' social networks, and reinforce users' relationship commitment to their friends. Originality/value – Given the lack of investigations into socio‐technical interactions in prior social software studies, the theoretical perspectives and empirical findings of this study are useful to both academics and practitioners. The findings also raise new implications regarding the various types of interactions (e.g. enhancing or suppressing) between the social and technical factors around social software.

Jieun Yu; Hangjung Zo; Mun Kee Choi; Andrew P. Ciganek

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-12-2011-0202

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a research model examining users' perceived value of a location‐based social networking service (LB‐SNS) through hedonic, utilitarian, and social values. This study investigates the impact for each type of perceived value on user satisfaction, behavioural intention to use, and word‐of‐mouth for LB‐SNS. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 172 Korean smartphone users with experience using LB‐SNS. This study employed PLS to test the proposed model and corresponding hypotheses. Findings – A positive influence exists for each type of perceived value on satisfaction with hedonic value having the strongest relationship. Hedonic value is positively correlated with behavioural intention to use LB‐SNS and positive word‐of‐mouth while social value affects positive word‐of‐mouth. Utilitarian value did not influence either behavioural intention to use LB‐SNS or positive word‐of‐mouth. User satisfaction has a significant influence on both behavioural intention to use LB‐SNS and positive word‐of‐mouth. Research limitations/implications – This study is at the forefront of research focused on LB‐SNS adoption, extending beyond the utilitarian‐hedonic value dichotomy to include a social dimension. This study confirmed that perceived value is an antecedent of satisfaction, which leads to behavioural intentions. Practical implications – The advantages and benefits of LB‐SNS should be emphasised to increase users' perceived value. LB‐SNS providers can improve user satisfaction by increasing the hedonic, utilitarian, and social value of their services. Organisations should seek out and explore the possibilities of marketing campaigns through LB‐SNS. Originality/value – This study is the first empirical study examining user acceptance of LB‐SNS incorporating users' perceived value satisfaction and behavioural intentions

Chun‐Der Chen; Edward C.S. Ku

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-01-2011-0220

Purpose – Bridging indistinct relationships and online loyalty has become an important strategy for online interest‐based communities' operators and firms. The objective of this study is to draw on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) to advance our understanding of the influences on the development of relationship quality and the consequent impact on members' loyalty to online communities. Design/methodology/approach – To test the hypotheses the authors identified and selected four interest‐based online communities in Taiwan. The online survey yielded 331 completed questionnaires from members of interest‐based online communities and the authors analysed the results using the structural equation modelling approach. Findings – The findings show that argument quality and source credibility positively affect members' perceived relationship quality, which has a positive and significant effect on behavioural loyalty, and personal relevance and user expertise positively moderate the relationship between argument quality and relationship quality and negatively moderate the relationship between source credibility and relationship quality. Research limitations/implications – While this study has produced meaningful insights for investigating the informational processing influences on relationship quality and subsequent behavioural loyalty through the ELM perspective, the samples may not allow researchers to draw more general conclusions across different types of community contexts. The data were collected only from interest‐based communities. Examining this model across different types of online communities, such as transaction‐, relationship‐, or fantasy‐based ones, would help establish the generalisability of these results beyond the current context. Practical implications – The present study can help managers of online communities recognise the differential effects of these information processes across a user population and customise optimal strategies that best fit the unique characteristics of their community members. For making argument quality more convincing, Toulmin's (1958) model of argumentation could serve as an appropriate mechanism. Moreover it is crucial to provide various indicators of source credibility for information content. Originality/value – The paper addresses a gap in the research by using ELM to better understand the influences on the development of relationship quality and the impact on members' loyalty. Understanding these dynamics is critical since it: enriches the relationship marketing and information management literature by addressing the role of information content in the management and success of online communities; helps online community managers customise optimal strategies for their members, thereby fostering members' loyalty and their platform's competitive advantage; and illuminates two influential processes that can achieve the desired attitude change in the context of online communities.

Chen Ye; Oded Nov

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-05-2012-0091

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to explore empirically the relationship between quantity and quality of user contributed information in online social computing systems, and how these two performance outcomes are associated with user factors. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing from prior research, the paper presents a conceptual model hypothesizing a tradeoff between quality and quantity of user contributed information. In addition quality and quantity are associated with a set of motivational, cognitive, and social factors. The model was tested using data obtained through a web‐based survey of 345 users of the Flickr online photo sharing community. Findings – The empirical results support the hypothesized inverse relationship between quantity and quality of user contributed information, moderated by user's tenure in the community. The findings also suggest that a user's quantity of contribution is positively associated with the intrinsic motivation of commitment to the community, whereas quality of contribution is positively associated with the extrinsic motivation of self‐development. While users’ social embeddedness is associated with quality and quantity of contribution, virtualness of social ties is only associated with quality of contribution. Practical implications – The findings of this study can inform the design and management of online communities, and promote sustained contributions from individual users. Originality/value – This study extends our knowledge of the quality and quantity of user contributed online information by demonstrating the inverse relationship between these two performance outcomes, and that they could be motivated by different user factors.

Shih‐Ping Jeng

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-05-2012-0093

Purpose – The increasing number of people who search for and purchase gifts online underscores the need to better understand the process of searching for gifts online. This study explores online gift‐searching with regard to the psychological characteristics of gift seekers and the benefits of searching. This study examines how gift‐giving orientations (agape and reciprocity) influence the perceived benefits of searching (utilitarian and hedonic) in online gift‐searching behaviour. Design/methodology/approach – The conceptual framework was tested using a survey. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling. Findings – The results show that agape positively influences both utilitarian and hedonic benefits, which in turn increase online gift‐searching. Reciprocity does not affect utilitarian benefits but decreases hedonic benefits and thus causes a reduction in online gift‐searching. The perceived benefit of searching fully mediates the relationship between gift‐giving orientations and online gift‐searching. Utilitarian benefits are the primary benefits that are sought by consumers who search for gifts online. Originality/value – Previous research regarding online information searching has focused on searching for items for self‐use. This study extends that research by focusing on gift giving. By analysing the mediating effects of both the utilitarian and hedonic benefits of searching, this study provides new insights into whether and how gift‐giving orientations affect online gift‐searching. Additionally this study offers guidelines for effectively managing online retail environments.

Enrique Bonsón; Melinda Ratkai

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-03-2012-0054

Purpose – This study aims to propose a set of metrics in order to assess reactivity, dialogic communication and stakeholder engagement (popularity, commitment and virality): stakeholders' mood and social legitimacy on corporate Facebook pages. These metrics can offer a better understanding and measurability of this social media/social network/online communication management tool. Design/methodology/approach – Three theories (dialogic, stakeholders and legitimacy) were considered in the development of these metrics. Empirical evidence was collected from a sample of 314 European companies. Then ten active companies were used to validate the proposed metrics on Facebook. Findings – The constructed set of metrics was found to be valid and efficiently usable according to the principles of the applied theories. Moreover all the proposed metrics could be adapted for such sites as Google+. Research limitations/implications – Limitations can only be identified within the validation process as the metrics were only applied to ten representative companies from the Eurozone. Practical implications – The proposed metrics will help users, marketing/PR/communication professionals and company managers to measure their and their competitors' popularity, commitment, virality (metrics which reflect stakeholder engagement), and the mood of stakeholders, and use content analysis in order to measure social legitimacy via CSR information disclosure on Facebook. Thus the online reputation of a company can be practically measured. Originality/value – This paper is the first proposing metrics to assess stakeholder engagement and social legitimacy on a corporate Facebook page that can be used in both academic and professional circles to a gain a better understanding of corporate online communication via Facebook.

Misook Heo

2013 Online Information Review

doi: 10.1108/OIR-06-2012-0099

Purpose – The goals of this study are to evaluate the factorial validity of a measurement model of cultural heritage portals and to test the model's invariance as it relates to user satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – A measurement model was created by adapting multiple existing scales with the hypothesis that overall user satisfaction with a cultural heritage portal consists of satisfaction with data quality, satisfaction with service quality and users' technology acceptance. The validity of the indicator variables of each of the adapted scales was tested, then a combined measurement model was tested, via confirmatory factor analysis. The re‐specified measurement model was then tested for invariance between two age groups with increasingly stringent criteria. Findings – The analyses indicated that the three frameworks complement each other in assessing the factors influencing user satisfaction, especially in cultural heritage portals, and that the factor structure is the same across age groups, confirming the findings of the recent online trend: some of the key internet activities such as information consumption are becoming uniformly popular across different age groups. Originality/value – Considering that it is not usual for non‐profit organisations to assess customer satisfaction, and there exists limited literature examining factors influencing user satisfaction with cultural heritage portals, especially with different age populations, the findings of the current study provide a valuable contribution to the literature. The study also benefits practitioners in the field by providing a framework to assess user satisfaction with existing cultural heritage portals and/or to build cultural heritage portals in a way that increases users' satisfaction, regardless of age group.