Developing mobile services for specific user groups using virtual environments

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the service demand of existing users and potential users for mobile information services provided by university libraries in China. The primary objective is to explore the impact of user experience on user needs, which is conducted by a comparison between two user groups over their needs from three aspects – service function, service mode and information content. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 353 library users from ten Chinese universities via questionnaires. Based on the user needs model, three dimensions of user needs were established for mobile information services and 26 measurement items were generated through a review of the literature. Furthermore, based on frequency analysis, independent samples t-test and the calculation of need rate, the demand differences in mobile information services between existing and potential users were explored. Findings Significant differences existed in the needs for service functions and service modes of mobile information services between existing users and potential users. Existing users cared more about such characteristics as intelligence, personalization and the variety of mobile services. Potential users, in contrast, concerned themselves more with the usability of mobile services and similarity to traditional information services. These two user groups showed little difference in the needs for information content, as they both have strict requirements for specialty, richness in and quality of information resources in mobile network environments. Originality/value Previous research on user needs for mobile libraries services has been primarily conducted from the perspectives of existing users. This study, however, compared the needs of existing and potential users based on their previous experiences, which can help libraries to know better what their users need and improve the quality of mobile information services to meet those needs. This can also make existing users more willing to use the services and cultivate the usage habits of potential users at the same time.

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Profiling Mobile Service Customers in the Spanish Market

Research Anthology on Concepts, Applications, and Challenges of FinTech ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-8546-7.ch031 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 594-618

Author(s):

Cristina Calvo-Porral

Keyword(s):

Service Industry ◽

Mobile Services ◽

Customer Segmentation ◽

Mobile Service ◽

Services Sector ◽

Service Companies ◽

Research Findings ◽

User Groups ◽

Management Recommendations ◽

Customer Profiles

This research aims to examine whether different user groups exist in the mobile services industry and to profile and characterize them in order to provide management recommendations for mobile service companies. To examine the users' behavior in the mobile services sector, customer segmentation by means of factor analysis and k-means cluster analysis is developed with data from 443 mobile service users. Further, a Manova test is conducted to confirm differences among the obtained user segments. Mobile service customers cannot be seen as a homogenous group, since different customer profiles coexist in the mobile service industry. More specifically, four user clusters emerge from the research findings, namely “pragmatic uninvolved,” “satisfied savers,” “prone-to-switch” users, and “service mavens,” the “service mavens” being the most attractive segment for mobile service companies. A behavioral-based segmentation is developed to extend the understanding of customer behavior in the mobile services field.

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Profiling Mobile Service Customers in the Spanish Market

Impact of Mobile Services on Business Development and E-Commerce - Advances in Electronic Commerce ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-0050-7.ch011 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 211-235

Author(s):

Cristina Calvo-Porral

Keyword(s):

Service Industry ◽

Mobile Services ◽

Customer Segmentation ◽

Mobile Service ◽

Services Sector ◽

Service Companies ◽

Research Findings ◽

User Groups ◽

Management Recommendations ◽

Customer Profiles

This research aims to examine whether different user groups exist in the mobile services industry and to profile and characterize them in order to provide management recommendations for mobile service companies. To examine the users' behavior in the mobile services sector, customer segmentation by means of factor analysis and k-means cluster analysis is developed with data from 443 mobile service users. Further, a Manova test is conducted to confirm differences among the obtained user segments. Mobile service customers cannot be seen as a homogenous group, since different customer profiles coexist in the mobile service industry. More specifically, four user clusters emerge from the research findings, namely “pragmatic uninvolved,” “satisfied savers,” “prone-to-switch” users, and “service mavens,” the “service mavens” being the most attractive segment for mobile service companies. A behavioral-based segmentation is developed to extend the understanding of customer behavior in the mobile services field.

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The sense of presence in virtual environments:

Zeitschrift für Medienpsychologie ◽

10.1026//1617-6383.15.2.69 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 69-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

Thomas W. Schubert

Keyword(s):

Virtual Environments ◽

Coding Theory ◽

Model Building ◽

Self Report ◽

Survey Study ◽

Spatial Presence ◽

Component Structure ◽

Sense Of Presence ◽

Being There ◽

Measure Sense

Abstract. The sense of presence is the feeling of being there in a virtual environment. A three-component self report scale to measure sense of presence is described, the components being sense of spatial presence, involvement, and realness. This three-component structure was developed in a survey study with players of 3D games (N = 246) and replicated in a second survey study (N = 296); studies using the scale for measuring the effects of interaction on presence provide evidence for validity. The findings are explained by the Potential Action Coding Theory of presence, which assumes that presence develops from mental model building and suppression of the real environment.

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Dreamlike and Playful Virtual Environments to Inspire Children’s Divergent Thinking

Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications ◽

10.1027/1864-1105/a000279 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Jérôme Guegan ◽

Claire Brechet ◽

Julien Nelson

Keyword(s):

Virtual Environments ◽

Divergent Thinking ◽

Idea Generation ◽

Combined Processes ◽

Office Environment ◽

School Aged Children

Abstract. Computers have long been seen as possible tools to foster creativity in children. In this respect, virtual environments present an interesting potential to support idea generation but also to steer it in relevant directions. A total of 96 school-aged children completed a standard divergent thinking task while being exposed to one of three virtual environments: a replica of the headmistress’s office, a replica of their schoolyard, and a dreamlike environment. Results showed that participants produced more original ideas in the dreamlike and playful environments than in the headmistress’s office environment. Additionally, the contents of the environment influenced the selective exploration of idea categories. We discuss these results in terms of two combined processes: explicit references to sources of inspiration in the environment, and the implicit priming of specific idea categories.

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