scholarly journals Analysing online reviews to investigate customer behaviour in the sharing economy

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 945-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Kar Hang Lee ◽  
Ying Kei Tse ◽  
Minhao Zhang ◽  
Jie Ma
Keyword(s):  
Clustering Algorithms ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Expectations ◽  
Customer Behaviour ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
Perception Of Quality ◽  
Seasonal Analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate attributes that influence Airbnb customer experience by analysing online reviews from users staying in London. It presents a text mining approach to identify a set of broad themes from the textual reviews. It aims to highlight the customers’ changing perception of good quality of accommodations. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyses 169,666 reviews posted by Airbnb users who stayed in London from 2011 to 2015. Hierarchical clustering algorithms are used to group similar words into clusters based on their co-occurrence. Longitudinal analysis and seasonal analysis are conducted for a more coherent understanding of the Airbnb customer behaviour. Findings This paper provides empirical insights about how Airbnb users’ mindset of good quality of accommodations changes over a five-year timespan and in different seasons. While there are common attributes considered important throughout the years, exclusive attributes are discovered in particular years and seasons. Research limitations/implications This paper is confined to Airbnb experiences in London. Researchers are encouraged to apply the proposed methodology to investigate Airbnb experiences in other cities and detect any change in customer perception of quality stay. Practical implications This paper offers implications for the prioritisation of customer concerns to design and improve services offerings and for alignment of services with customer expectations in the sharing economy. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to examine the change in customer expectation across the timespan and seasons in the case of Airbnb. It also contributes by illustrating how big data can be used to uncover key attributes that facilitate the engagement with the sharing economy.

Identifying the gaps between customer expectations and perceptions on service quality dimensions of Islamic banks in Malaysia

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafikul Islam ◽  
Selim Ahmed ◽  
Dzuljastri Abdul Razak
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Expectations ◽  
Banking Service ◽  
Significant Difference

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the gaps and differences between customer expectations and perceptions on service quality of Islamic banks in Malaysia based on six dimensions of service quality, namely, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, tangibles and Islamic Shari’ah compliance. Design/methodology/approach – This study surveyed 179 customers who have first-hand experience with Islamic banking services in Malaysia. The research data were analysed using reliability analysis, independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Findings – The results indicated that customers’ perceptions failed to meet their expectations on the service quality of Islamic banks in Malaysia. The results also indicated that those customers (respondents) aged below 30 years have higher expectations on empathy from the Islamic banking service compared to other age groups. However, there is no significant difference between customer expectations and perceptions of Islamic banking service quality based on educational background and occupation. Research limitations/implications – This research focused solely on Islamic banks in Malaysia and thus the results might not be applicable for other conventional banks. Originality/value – The findings are expected to provide guidelines for enhancing the satisfaction level of clients of the Islamic banking system in Malaysia and other countries.

Exploring backpackers’ perceptions of the hostel service quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1839-1855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Brochado ◽  
Paulo Rita ◽  
Carlos Gameiro
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mixed Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of backpackers’s evaluation of service quality provided by hostels by developing a battery of items to assess perceptions of the overall hostel experience. Design/methodology/approach – Scale development took a mixed approach that combines qualitative and quantitative research. First, the authors performed a content analysis of reviews provided by guests in hostel booking web sites, in-depth interviews with hostel managers and focus groups with guests, to develop a battery of items to assess the hostel experience from the guests’ perspective. Then, a quantitative survey (n = 222) was conducted, to explore the dimensionality of service quality in this sector. Lisbon hostels are the target of this study, as they received several awards based on the online reviews of backpackers. Findings – The results revealed that service quality is a multidimensional concept and includes six dimensions, namely, social atmosphere, location and city connection, staff, cleanliness, security and facilities. Regression results revealed that the social atmosphere appears to be a core service dimension crucial to create a sense of hostel guest’s overall quality. Originality/value – The findings suggest that service quality scales should incorporate the specific characteristics of the hotel industry. The quality of the staff and the social atmosphere are of utmost importance to enhance the hostel backpacker experience.

Understanding retail quality of sporting goods stores: a text mining approach

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Lunhua Mao
Keyword(s):  
Text Mining ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
The United States ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sport Industry ◽  
Sporting Goods ◽  
Quality Dimensions

PurposeSporting goods retailing is a significant sector within the sport industry with the total revenue of this sector reaching $52.2 billion in 2018. Beset with formidable competition, sporting goods stores are compelled to augment their merchandise with service and improve retail quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate retail quality of sporting goods stores (RQSGS).Design/methodology/approachBased on 27,793 online reviews of 1481 stores in the United States, this study used Leximancer 4.0, a text mining software, to identify critical retail quality dimensions associated with sporting goods stores, and further explored the most salient dimensions among different levels of ratings.FindingsCustomer service and store aspects are the two higher-order dimensions of RQSGS; holistic experience, manager and staff are three themes under customer service, and product, B&M store and online–offline integration are three themes under store aspects. Furthermore, extreme reviews focus more on customer service, whereas lukewarm reviews focus more on store aspects.Practical implicationsKnowledgeable staff, managers and online–offline integration are instrumental in creating superior retail quality. Sporting goods stores should enhance hedonic and social values for consumers in order to ward off online competitions.Originality/valueThis study explored retail quality dimensions that are pertinent to sporting goods retailing utilizing text mining methods. This study to certain extent cross-validated the existing retailing literature that is developed on alternative methods.

Externalities of development of the sharing economy in tourism cities

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-157
Author(s):  
Daria Elżbieta Jaremen ◽  
Elżbieta Nawrocka ◽  
Michał Żemła
Keyword(s):  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Real Estate Market ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Procedure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to identify the state-of-the-art of scientific research on externalities generated in cities by the sharing economy in tourism (SET) based on an extensive literature review. Design/methodology/approach This review detected benefits and costs of the SET in cities development described in the literature using the economic externalities theory approach. The SALSA (Search, AppraisaL, Synthesis and Analysis) research procedure was used to collect relevant academic articles. For findings, the qualitative and quantitative content analysis combined to make a critical analysis of selected papers was conducted. Findings Thirty articles devoted to the impact of the SET in cities were identified. Five topics that gained researchers’ attention were recognized: real estate market; transportation; quality of life and gentrification; entrepreneurship and innovativeness of citizens; and local budgets’ incomes. The studies that present externalities of development of the SET in a more complex way are extremely rare. Research limitations/implications Research limitations are related to the methods used. The subjectivism of the research is a limitation to possibilities to achieve similar results when analyzing the same set of papers by different researchers. The results then are not to be generalized. Practical implications The research reveals a list of problems with externalities of the development of the SET in tourism destinations. Those problems are to be solved by policymakers in cities. Originality/value This study identified the gaps of previous research on the impacts of the SET on cities’ development. The paper presented an original conceptualization of future research.

Examining the influence of satisfaction and regret on online shoppers' post-purchase behaviour

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Vijay Tata ◽  
Sanjeev Prashar ◽  
Chandan Parsad
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Repurchase Intentions ◽  
Product Assortment ◽  
Online Shoppers ◽  
Expectancy Confirmation ◽  
Post Purchase

PurposeThe present research has used the expectancy–confirmation model along with the regret theory to examine the influence of six e-retailers' characteristics and confirmation on shoppers' satisfaction or regret. Further, the effect of these two cognitive constructs has been investigated on consumers' post-purchase behaviour like the intention to write reviews, repurchase intentions and brand-switching behaviour.Design/methodology/approachExtensive review of the literature was undertaken to identify the related factors. Data were collected using the survey instrument from 367 respondents. Structural equation modelling using Amos 22.0 was carried out for analysing the data.FindingsThe findings from the data collected from 367 respondents include the significant influence of price transparency, service quality and firms’ sincerity on shoppers' satisfaction.Originality/valueContrary to expectations, it is observed that product assortment, product quality and quality of personalisation did not have any such influence. Also, a firm's sincerity is the only factor that influenced regret. The noticeable outcome of the study pertains to the fact that online reviews are only provided by satisfied shoppers and not shoppers who regret. Rather, such regretting customers prefer switching to the alternative brand(s) and are less inclined to repurchase.

How e-tailing attributes affect perceived quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 547-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Tamimi ◽  
Rose Sebastianelli
Keyword(s):  
Online Reviews ◽  
Behavioral Characteristics ◽  
Product Reviews ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Customer Support ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Managerial Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report results from an experimental study in which participants rank e-tailer quality on the basis of descriptions involving five attributes (reputation of retailer, site usability, security, delivery and customer support). The paper further explores how the relative importance of these attributes to perceived e-tailer quality is impacted by customer demographic and behavioral characteristics (such as gender, age, frequency of online purchasing and use of online reviews). Design/methodology/approach – Individual-level conjoint models are estimated to determine the relative importance of these five attributes to perceptions of e-tailer quality. Findings – The relative importance of these five attributes to perceived e-tailer quality are impacted by customer specific characteristics and online behaviors, namely, age, the frequency of prior online purchasing, the frequency of use of online reviews and the importance attached to the availability of a large number of online product reviews. Research limitations/implications – Managerial implications that help e-tailers develop more effective, targeted strategies for enhancing the quality of their websites and increasing customer loyalty are presented. Originality/value – The use of conjoint analysis for decomposing overall judgments of e-tailer quality to derive the relative importance of specific e-tailing attributes offers a realistic way to understand how online customers perceive and evaluate e-tailer quality.

scholarly journals Sources of value co-destruction: Uber customer perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 780-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erose Sthapit ◽  
Peter Björk
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Taxi Drivers ◽  
Effective Manner

Purpose This study aims to explore the antecedents that generate value co-destruction, the negative outcomes resulting from interactive value formation, in the sharing economy context, particularly taxi services. The focus of the study is on customers’ Uber reviews that are written in English and posted online. Three keywords, “bad”, “terrible” and “awful”, were used to capture online narratives linked to customers’ negative experiences with Uber. Out of the 758 online reviews, 75 negative reviews were analysed in this study. Design/methodology/approach A grounded theory approach was used for data analysis. Findings Two distinct themes resulted in value co-destruction: Uber drivers’ bad behaviour and poor customer service. The managerial implications include that Uber clearly should invest more resources to minimise the negative experiences of its customers by clearly defining the taxi drivers’ tasks and responsibilities. In addition, when customers report their dissatisfaction, they should be dealt with promptly and effectively through good customer service. Research limitations/implications First, the netnography study, by its nature, was restricted to those customers who shared their reviews online. The study did not consider those customers who have not posted their reviews online. Second, the focus of the study was on customer reviews that were written in English. Third, only three keywords (“bad”, “terrible” and “awful”) were used in the data selection process, limiting the number of review posts (75) that were analysed in this study. In addition, even if this study does not produce statistically generalizable findings, the findings are valuable in an analytical sense. Practical implications From a managerial perspective, Uber clearly should invest more in resources to minimise the negative experiences of its customers (both domestic customers and tourists) by clearly defining the taxi drivers’ tasks and responsibilities. If the drivers’ tasks are unclear, then customers cannot be served in an effective manner and with consistent service quality. The taxi drivers, regardless of their full-time or part-time work shifts, should ensure that quality services are offered to customers. Providing high-quality service might reduce the number of complaints and result in positive comments and compliments. Originality/value This study addresses the gap in previous literature by examining customers’ negative experiences during the overall service encounter and antecedents of value co-destruction in the context of Uber. This study contributes to a better understanding of value co-destruction within the sharing economy.

Toward maximization of peer-to-peer accommodation hosts’ competitive productivity (CP)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung In Kim ◽  
Jaewook Kim ◽  
Yoon Koh ◽  
John T. Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Driving Forces ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Firm ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Host Resource

Purpose The research purpose is to conceptualize competitive productivity (CP) in the peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation businesses. This study aims to conceptualize the four driving forces of P2P hosts’ CP and to empirically capture guest-based equity that supports such conceptual hosts’ CP model. Design/methodology/approach The goal of this paper is to apply Bauman’s Firm competitive productivity (FCP) model to the P2P accommodation business to conceptualize the CP of micro-entrepreneurial hosts. Four areas of the FCP model were reviewed to find how each of them contributes to the P2P hosts’ CP maximization. Findings Host talent, host resource management, value and host branding were conceptualized as key drivers of P2P hosts’ CP. The study also filled a gap in current literature by empirically analyzing online reviews to successfully capture key guest-based equity as satisfiers contributing to host talent, resource and branding. Practical implications Based on the hosts’ CP model, customer-generated resources play a significant role in the managerial implications, so that guest reviews with needs and wants and ratings can be empirically used to strengthen hosts’ CP under specific market circumstances. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to conceptualize a P2P host as a micro-entrepreneurial firm in the sharing economy platform for CP. This study looked at how the unique characteristics of the P2P accommodation industry and guest-based equity affect the P2P hosts’ CP.

scholarly journals Cultural tourism investment and resident quality of life: a case study of Indianapolis, Indiana

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 184-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Gullion ◽  
Sotiris Hji-Avgoustis ◽  
Yao-Yi Fu ◽  
Soonhwan Lee
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Cultural Tourism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resident Perception ◽  
Sports Tourism ◽  
Perception Of Quality ◽  
Good For

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore cultural tourism investment and resident quality of life in the Midwestern city of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is important to understand from a cultural tourism perspective how further attempts to grow and invest in tourism will affect resident perception of quality of life and future cultural tourism investment. Design/methodology/approach – To achieve this goal, data from the 2012 Indianapolis Quality of Life survey was statistically analyzed to specifically examine how residents’ perceived quality of life affects cultural tourism investment. This allows for the study of what city-service attributes (i.e. safety, attractions, transportation, etc.) identify as potential indicators of whether residents’ perception of quality of life affects cultural tourism investment and if there were any correlations between demographic factors of age, gender, ethnicity, and household income with the perception that investing in cultural events and attractions for tourists is good for residents. Findings – Results indicated that several key city-service attributes identify as potential indicators of whether residents’ perception of quality of life in Indianapolis affects residents’ perceptions that investing in cultural tourism for tourists is good for residents. Furthermore, excluding perceptions of cultural tourism investment, several key city-service attributes identified as potential indicators of residents’ perception of quality of life in Indianapolis. Finally, results indicated that demographic factors of gender, age, ethnicity, and income were not significant when it came to affecting the perception that investing in cultural events and attractions for tourists is good for residents. Research limitations/implications – The findings of this study have unique academic and applied implications in the continued study of tourism in Indianapolis, Indiana. This study provided research related to the study of quality of life in Indianapolis and reported statistics for the 2012 Indianapolis Quality of Life survey. The data and statistical analysis reported in this study will serve as valuable information for future endeavors concerning cultural tourism and quality of life in Indianapolis. The identification of city-service attributes that significantly impact resident perception of quality of life and city-service attributes that, in conjunction with resident perception of quality of life, affect how residents perceive cultural tourism investments is important information that can be utilized by future researchers, tourism planners, and policymakers in Indianapolis. The analysis revealed what city-service attributes are important to residents of Indianapolis and demographic factors that affect resident perception of quality of life. The continued examination of these city-service attributes may help to identify areas of public service that need to be improved. Practical implications – This study demonstrates that resident level of awareness pertaining to the benefits of cultural tourism investment are relatively low. Tourism planners, officials, and researchers can utilize this knowledge to better facilitate methods to gain resident support for cultural tourism investment and development. In addition, this research can be utilized to better understand the needs of residents and how tourism and various city-services impact their quality of life. If cultural tourism planners and other tourism officials better understand methods to gain resident support for cultural tourism investment then they can maximize economic and cultural tourism gains for the city. Originality/value – This case study specifically focussed on cultural tourism to better present data regarding this issue; however, the authors believe future studies that examine both cultural and sports tourism could be beneficial. Aspects such as city-services and resident perception of quality of life could be examined from both cultural and sports tourism perspectives. This approach could produce beneficial results regarding cultural and sports tourism investment and potentially highlight demographic characteristics unique to cultural tourism and sports tourism supporters in the city of Indianapolis.

How can mega events and ecological orientation improve city brand attitudes?

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 629-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose T. Marin-Aguilar ◽  
Natalia Vila-López
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Brand Attitudes ◽  
Emotional Experiences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
City Brand ◽  
Mega Events ◽  
Perceived Quality Of Life ◽  
San Marcos ◽  
Perception Of Quality

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine to what extent emotional experiences lived in mega-events and ecological orientation of citizens could act as direct antecedents of city brand attitude improvements. In addition, it addresses the effect in terms of a perceived quality of life that a city brand consolidation would be able to bring the citizens of a particular place. Cities must manage and administer their geographical territories as if they were brands, seeking to increase the benefits to society. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical study was performed by collecting information from 398 residents of Aguascalientes (Mexico) during the National Fair of San Marcos in 2011. Findings – Results show how in order to increase city brand attitudes, both the focus on mega-events and the ecological orientation are two successful ways. Moreover, improvements in city brand attitudes can bring significant benefits on the positive perception of quality of life among citizens. Originality/value – This investigation has made progress in implementing the experiential marketing channeled through emotional experiences in mega-events and, particularly, in environmentally oriented mega-events, which is able to improve ecological orientation of citizens. To date, no evidence of empirical research referenced in mega-events of the features of the National Fair of San Marcos, Mexico, exists.

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