Estimating numerical scale ratings from text-based service reviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-202
Author(s):  
Hsiu-Yuan Tsao ◽  
Ming-Yi Chen ◽  
Colin Campbell ◽  
Sean Sands

PurposeThis paper develops a generalizable, machine-learning-based method for measuring established marketing constructs using passive analysis of consumer-generated textual data from service reviews. The method is demonstrated using topic and sentiment analysis along dimensions of an existing scale: lodging quality index (LQI).Design/methodology/approachThe method induces numerical scale ratings from text-based data such as consumer reviews. This is accomplished by automatically developing a dictionary from words within a set of existing scale items, rather a more manual process. This dictionary is used to analyze textual consumer review data, inducing topic and sentiment along various dimensions. Data produced is equivalent with Likert scores.FindingsPaired t-tests reveal that the text analysis technique the authors develop produces data that is equivalent to Likert data from the same individual. Results from the authors’ second study apply the method to real-world consumer hotel reviews.Practical implicationsResults demonstrate a novel means of using natural language processing in a way to complement or replace traditional survey methods. The approach the authors outline unlocks the ability to rapidly and efficiently analyze text in terms of any existing scale without the need to first manually develop a dictionary.Originality/valueThe technique makes a methodological contribution by outlining a new means of generating scale-equivalent data from text alone. The method has the potential to both unlock entirely new sources of data and potentially change how service satisfaction is assessed and opens the door for analysis of text in terms of a wider range of constructs.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Fernandes Pacheco Dias ◽  
Juliany Souza Braga

Purpose Literature on eco-innovation brings insights that help to understand which factors trigger innovation focused on sustainability in companies. However, when analyzing the studies that comprise such drivers, it appears that most of them were focused only on describing them in isolation. Therefore, this study aims to understand which are the combinations of drivers that favor the adoption of eco-innovation in slaughterhouses located in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Design/methodology/approach This study has used the crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis (csQCA) as the data analysis technique, in addition to the previous application of Most Similar Different Outcome/Most Different Same Outcome (MSDO/MDSO). Findings This study identified eight internal and external drivers that explain the differences in performance of eco-innovative and non-innovative slaughterhouses. These drivers generate 13 combinations of factors capable of favoring the adoption of five types of eco-innovation. Research limitations/implications A limitation identified was the difficulty to obtain information held by companies on environmental issues. In addition, in each company the authors only approached one respondent. Practical implications The use of combinations is identified by companies and governmental and non-governmental organizations to promote eco-innovation in slaughterhouses. Originality/value This study may be considered original for its contribution to the improvement of eco-innovation literature by describing how the drivers identified combine to favor the adoption of certain types of eco-innovation. In addition, the authors also made an original use of csQCA, linked with MSDO/MDSO, in the field of eco-innovation.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae-Seob Lee

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to develop a method to integrate the schedule-based analysis with a productivity-based analysis to prove and support the result of the damages calculation.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, a “cost and schedule impact integration” (CSI2) model is proposed to objectively show and estimate lost productivity due to changes in construction projects.FindingsA schedule-based analysis to include separate tracking of change order costs can be used to predict productivity due to the delay and disruption; changes in construction projects almost always result in delay and disruption. However, the schedule-based analysis needs to be integrated with a productivity-based analysis to prove and support the result of the damages calculation.Practical implicationsThe results of this study expand upon construction practices for proving and quantifying lost productivity due to changes in construction projects.Originality/valueThe contribution of the paper is summarized as the introduction of a “schedule impact analysis” into a “cost impact analysis” technique to assess the damages, as well as to demonstrate the labor productivity impact due to delay and disruption in construction projects.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (12) ◽  
pp. 3574-3591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuno Antonio ◽  
Ana Maria de Almeida ◽  
Luís Nunes ◽  
Fernando Batista ◽  
Ricardo Ribeiro

Purpose This paper aims to develop a model to predict online review ratings from multiple sources, which can be used to detect fraudulent reviews and create proprietary rating indexes, or which can be used as a measure of selection in recommender systems. Design/methodology/approach This study applies machine learning and natural language processing approaches to combine features derived from the qualitative component of a review with the corresponding quantitative component and, therefore, generate a richer review rating. Findings Experiments were performed over a collection of hotel online reviews – written in English, Spanish and Portuguese – which shows a significant improvement over the previously reported results, and it not only demonstrates the scientific value of the approach but also strengthens the value of review prediction applications in the business environment. Originality/value This study shows the importance of building predictive models for revenue management and the application of the index generated by the model. It also demonstrates that, although difficult and challenging, it is possible to achieve valuable results in the application of text analysis across multiple languages.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Jebaraj Benjamin ◽  
M. Srikamaladevi Marathamuthu ◽  
Uthiyakumar Murugaiah

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reduce or eliminate the overall equipment effectiveness (OEE’s) speed loss in a lean manufacturing environment. Design/methodology/approach – This action research study uses the lean manufacturing 5-whys analysis technique to reduce or eliminate the speed loss. Findings – The application of the 5-whys analysis technique in a manufacturing industry (XYZ Corporation) completely eliminated its top speed loss and resulted in a valuable savings of USD 32,811.5 per annum. Practical implications – The 5-whys analysis technique which has been primarily known to improve the OEE’s quality loss and changeover loss has been proven to be an effective approach to also tackle speed loss; a loss which has been regarded as the most dominating loss among all the types of OEE’s losses and a difficult one to eliminate. Originality/value – Little or no attempt has been made to date to expand the use of the 5-whys analysis technique beyond its originally intended purpose. The lessons learnt in this study could be applied to other organizations. The outcome of the study has also opened the possibility of widening the horizon of the use of the 5-whys analysis technique beyond its original intended objective and could be applicable to solve other losses of OEE and non-value added activities of lean philosophy in general.


2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 408-421
Author(s):  
Eleni Galiotou

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the creation and exploitation of a historical corpus in an attempt to contribute to the preservation and availability of cultural heritage documents. Design/methodology/approach – At first, the digitization process and attempts to the availability and awareness of the books and manuscripts in a historical library in Greece are presented. Then, processing and exploitation, taking into account natural language processing techniques of the digitized corpus, are discussed. Findings – In the course of the project, methods that take into account the state of the documents and the particularities of the Greek language were developed. Practical implications – In its present state, the use of the corpus facilitates the work of theologians, historians, philologists, paleographers, etc. and in the same time, prevents the original documents from further damage. Originality/value – The results of this undertaking can give useful insights as for the creation of corpora of cultural heritage documents and as for the methods for the processing and exploitation of the digitized documents which take into account the language in which the documents are written.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 655-665
Author(s):  
Barbara Czarniawska

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to convince the readers that more complex images of working women are needed, and that fiction may provide them. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, text analysis is done using a version of close reading. Findings Both media and research tend to simplify the images of working women, either in positive or negative way. Reality and some of its fictive representations offer more nuanced examples. Research limitations/implications Fiction can be treated as field material. Practical implications Women should dare more at workplaces. Social implications Researchers should join fiction writers in convincing society of the crucial role women play in contemporary organizations. Originality/value This paper belongs to the growing tradition of transdisciplinary organization studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pouya Chogan

PurposeThis paper explores travel motivations and characteristics of European ecotourists who visit ecolodges in desert areas of Iran. It also evaluates 26 ecolodge attributes from the perspective of the European patrons.Design/methodology/approachDifferent methods were adopted for the aim of this study, comprising the importance-performance analysis technique and a questionnaire survey.FindingsA survey of 386 patrons in 12 selected ecolodges found that most European ecotourists were middle-aged to old adults (36–65 years old) and highly educated who traveled with their spouses or friends. Ecotourists generally stayed in ecolodges for 2–5 days to learn and explore nature and be in the wilderness and undisturbed nature. This study also showed that the ecolodges are successful to a large extent, yet they need to focus more on their services and facilities.Practical implicationsDue to the significance of international tourists for the economy, decision-makers and managers must learn about tourists' motivations and travel satisfaction to be able to compete against their rivals in the marketplace. The result of this study may help the owners and managers of ecolodges in desert areas understand the needs and priorities of European tourists.Originality/valueThis study expanded the existing literature of motivations and satisfaction of tourists in the ecolodge industry.


2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Lucia-Palacios ◽  
Raúl Pérez-López ◽  
Yolanda Polo-Redondo

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify specific cognitive and affective responses in mall experience, as well as their antecedents, moderators and behavioural outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on content analysis technique. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews conducted from February 2013 to January 2014. Findings – The study reports the identification of efficiency and confusion as cognitive responses, as well as frustration, stress, peacefulness and excitement as affective responses experienced during the shopping trip. These responses lead to behavioural outcomes that are time spent, buying intentions and repatronage intentions. Furthermore, the paper identifies the main antecedents of these responses and the moderators of their relationships. Research limitations/implications – The findings provide insights into the study of psychological responses in retailing and avenues for further research. Practical implications – This research offers practical implications for managers, related to the manipulation of mall characteristics in order to encourage positive cognitive and affective responses and avoid negative ones. Originality/value – Based on content analysis technique, the present paper proposes a theoretical framework to conceptualize mall experience, detecting specific cognitive and affective responses and their specific behavioural outcomes as well as moderators.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hedlund

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the key credibility principles used by Migration Agency case-officers in Sweden. More specifically it analyses how they construct arguments about asylum-seeking unaccompanied minors’ credibility in first-decisions. Design/methodology/approach The study is inspired by a social constructionist approach to discourse and explores how case-officers construct legally legitimate arguments about credibility. The qualitative text analysis is focused on discursive practice. The data selected for analysis consists of 827 excerpts containing case-officers’ credibility reasoning deducted from a sample of 916 decisions. Findings The main finding is that case-officers question unaccompanied minors by using argumentative techniques in which children appear to be expected to deliver detailed and coherent accounts. In addition, unaccompanied minors’ knowledge-claims can be questioned regardless of decision outcome (rejection or approval). As unaccompanied minors’ claims for asylum appear to be questioned in such an extensive manner, their humanitarian claims also seem to be reduced. The findings of this study suggest that there is a risk that the possibility to be understood as a legitimate asylum seeker, worthy of residency, can be restricted for unaccompanied minors. Practical implications The findings indicate that when case-officers base their understanding of credibility on unaccompanied children’s individual life experiences they make use of a limited repertoire of arguments. Originality/value This study contributes to insights about how case-officers fulfil legal expectations when assessing unaccompanied minors’ credibility. The findings can be of interest to both legal and social science as well policy planners and immigration practitioners.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Osvaldo De Sordi ◽  
Wanderlei Lima Paulo ◽  
Mirian Siqueira Gonçalves ◽  
Marcia Carvalho de Azevedo ◽  
Roberto Coda

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss whether, in entrepreneurship disciplines, professors address equally the positive and negative aspects associated with being an entrepreneur. The literature shows that entrepreneurship professors are enthusiastic about entrepreneurial action, and there may be a bias toward predominant emphasis on positive aspects.Design/methodology/approachThe case study strategy was used to analyze disciplines that qualify entrepreneurship professors. The content analysis technique was applied to the description of the discipline contents and texts from the most frequently used literatures. The selected case (the country) satisfied the condition of having a regulatory agency that evaluates courses and also provides descriptive records of the disciplines that are taught.FindingsIt was observed that the topics discussed in the disciplines, as well as the texts of the most frequently used articles, contain a higher volume of messages that are positive and favorable toward the entrepreneurial act. Negative effects or aspects of entrepreneurship are addressed superficially.Practical implicationsThis article provides important reflections on the activities of those who teach entrepreneurship, as well as editors and reviewers of entrepreneurship journals. Regarding the former, when preparing the content of their disciplines, and for the latter, when evaluating articles, bearing in mind that their articles are also used by students and professors from countries with less developed economies.Originality/valueExploring the myths of entrepreneurship, especially the claim that everyone is capable of becoming an entrepreneur and that entrepreneurship promotes economic development, the risk of becoming an entrepreneur was addressed, especially in countries with less developed economies. From this viewpoint, issues regarding the responsible teaching of entrepreneurship were addressed, along with the need to focus equally on the favorable and unfavorable aspects of entrepreneurship.


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