Online Traveler Reviews as Social Influence: Price Is No Longer King

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Book ◽  
Sarah Tanford ◽  
Rhonda Montgomery ◽  
Curtis Love
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Cognitive Dissonance ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Consumer Decisions ◽  
Spring Break ◽  
Student Subjects ◽  
Price Differences ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Dissonance Reduction

Price is a major influence on travel purchases; however, traveler reviews have also become a prevalent source of influence. Theories of social influence and cognitive dissonance provide insight into consumer decisions. This research investigated the effect of social influence in the form of traveler reviews and price on consumer decisions and postdecision dissonance. Student subjects evaluated two resorts for a Spring Break vacation in Cancun using a 2 (valence: positive or negative) × 2 (unanimity: unanimous or nonunanimous) × 3 (price: same, slightly lower, much lower) experimental design. The results reveal that social influence had a strong effect on both resort evaluations and postdecision dissonance. Nonunanimous reviews reduced the prevailing valence of reviews, but increased dissonance. The lack of results for price suggests that price may not be the predominant influence on decisions, as previously thought. This research provides new insight into the effect of traveler reviews on decisions by evaluating the unanimity of social influence, the effect of price differences, and the extent to which consumers engage in postdecision dissonance reduction.

Do I Know What I’m Doing? Cognitive Dissonance and Action Identification Theory

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valérie Fointiat ◽  
Audrey Pelt
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Dissonance ◽  
Attitude Change ◽  
Action Theory ◽  
Action Identification ◽  
Problematic Behavior ◽  
Target Behavior ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Identification Theory ◽  
High Level ◽  
Dissonance Reduction

AbstractOur main purpose was to explore hypotheses derived from the Identification of Action Theory in a particular situation that is, a dissonant situation. Thus, we varied the identification (low versus high-level) of a problematic behavior (to stop speaking for 24 hours) in the forced compliance paradigm. Two modes of dissonance reduction were presented: cognitive rationalization (classical attitude-change) and behavioral rationalization (target behavior: to stop speaking for 48 hours). As predicted, the results showed that high-level identity of action leads to cognitive rationalization whereas low-level identity leads to behavioural rationalization. Thus, participants identifying the problematic behavior at a low-level were more inclined to accept the target behavior, compared with participants identifying their problematic behavior at a higher-level. These results are of particular interest for understanding the extent to which the understanding of the discrepant act interferes with the cognitive processes of dissonance reduction.

Outcome Assessment of a Writing-Skill Improvement Initiative: Results and Methodological Implications

2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hollis Ashbaugh ◽  
Karla M. Johnstone ◽  
Terry D. Warfield
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Outcome Assessment ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Accounting Students ◽  
Writing Skill ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Skill Improvement ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Over Time

This paper reports the outcome assessment of our accounting department's writing-skill improvement initiative. We employ complementary experimental designs to examine the effects of professionally relevant writing experiences on accounting students' writing-skill development. Using a between-subjects experimental design, we compare the writing skills of accounting students who participated in our writing initiative with the writing skills of other business students who did not participate. Using a within-subjects experimental design, we track improvements of accounting students' writing skills over time. Results from both outcome assessment methodologies indicate that accounting students' writing skills improve as students participate in our writing initiative. This paper provides insight into the features of a successful writing initiative and offers methodological suggestions for conducting outcome assessments of writing initiatives.

scholarly journals Network Analysis Provides Insight into Tomato Lipid Metabolism

Metabolites ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasiya Kuhalskaya ◽  
Micha Wijesingha Ahchige ◽  
Leonardo Perez de Souza ◽  
José Vallarino ◽  
Yariv Brotman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Volatile Compounds ◽  
Tomato Fruit ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Solanum Pennellii ◽  
Metabolic Network Analysis ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Insight Into

Metabolic correlation networks have been used in several instances to obtain a deeper insight into the complexity of plant metabolism as a whole. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), metabolites have a major influence on taste and overall fruit quality traits. Previously a broad spectrum of metabolic and phenotypic traits has been described using a Solanum pennellii introgression-lines (ILs) population. To obtain insights into tomato fruit metabolism, we performed metabolic network analysis from existing data, covering a wide range of metabolic traits, including lipophilic and volatile compounds, for the first time. We provide a comprehensive fruit correlation network and show how primary, secondary, lipophilic, and volatile compounds connect to each other and how the individual metabolic classes are linked to yield-related phenotypic traits. Results revealed a high connectivity within and between different classes of lipophilic compounds, as well as between lipophilic and secondary metabolites. We focused on lipid metabolism and generated a gene-expression network with lipophilic metabolites to identify new putative lipid-related genes. Metabolite–transcript correlation analysis revealed key putative genes involved in lipid biosynthesis pathways. The overall results will help to deepen our understanding of tomato metabolism and provide candidate genes for transgenic approaches toward improving nutritional qualities in tomato.

scholarly journals Arbitrage hedging in markets for the US lean hogs and the EU live pigs

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 11) ◽  
pp. 505-511
Author(s):  
M. Ziegelbäck ◽  
G. Kastner
Keyword(s):  
Cointegration Analysis ◽  
Monetary Benefit ◽  
Price Adjustments ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Economic Interpretation ◽  
The Us ◽  
Price Differences ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
The Eu

  The paper describes an attempt to gain insight into the relationship between cash and futures markets for US lean hogs and EU live pigs, and the opportunity of arbitrage hedging. In doing so, the authors use newer methods of threshold cointegration analysis for time series from 1999 until 2008. Besides the existence of a long-run equilibrium, asymmetric price adjustments can be demonstrated. This is especially the case for the EU live pigs, where price variations of the basis are higher and exhibit lower standard deviation. The results also perfectly show that cash prices follow the futures market more than the other way round. Furthermore, a grid search has revealed that the residual-based threshold in either market is near zero and therefore coherent with economic interpretation. Thus, at least theoretically, arbitrageurs in those markets are able to exploit the price differences between the two markets and reap no-risk monetary benefit. Hence, the results are in line with the statement that “speculating the basis” generates a better return.

Drivers of intention to use Murabaha financing: religiosity as moderator

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naqeeb Ullah Atal ◽  
Mohammad Iranmanesh ◽  
Fathyah Hashim ◽  
Behzad Foroughi
Keyword(s):  
Social Influence ◽  
Reasoned Action ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Religious Obligation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of Muslims’ attitude and intention towards Murabaha financing by considering religiosity as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected through a survey of 373 Muslims in Afghanistan and were analysed using the partial least squares technique. Findings The results showed that social influence and religious obligation have a positive effect on attitude towards Murabaha financing. Furthermore, social influence and attitude have a positive effect on the intention to use Murabaha financing. Religiosity moderates negatively the impact of social influence on attitude towards Murabaha financing. Practical implications Managers and marketers of Islamic banks may benefit from the findings of this study, which provide insight into the factors that should be considered to promote Murabaha financing. Originality/value The findings contribute to the literature on Islamic financing products by demonstrating the drivers of attitude towards and intention to use Murabaha financing. The study also extends the literature by testing the moderating role of religiosity. Furthermore, the study extends the theory of reasoned action in the context of Islamic financing by introducing religious obligation as a potential driver of attitude and religiosity as a moderator.

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