Consumer Online Search with Partially Revealed Information

Modern-day search platforms generally have two layers of information presentation. The outer layer displays the collection of search results with attributes selected by platforms, and consumers click on a product to reveal all its attributes in the inner layer. The information revealed in the outer layer affects the search costs and the probability of finding a match. To address the managerial question of optimal information layout, we create an information complexity measure of the outer layer, namely orderedness entropy, and study the consumer search process for information at the expense of time and cognitive costs. We first conduct online random experiments to show that consumers respond to and actively reduce cognitive cost for which our information complexity measure provides a representation. Then, using a unique and rich panel tracking consumer search behaviors at a large online travel agency (OTA), we specify a novel sequential search model that jointly describes the refinement search and product clicking decisions. We find that cognitive cost is a major component of search cost, while loading time cost has a much smaller share. By varying the information revealed in the outer layer, we propose information layouts that Pareto-improve both revenue and consumer welfare for our OTA. This paper was accepted by Juanjuan Zhang, marketing.

Interdependency Pattern Recognition in Econometrics: A Penalized Regularization Antidote

When it comes to variable interpretation, multicollinearity is among the biggest issues that must be surmounted, especially in this new era of Big Data Analytics. Since even moderate size multicollinearity can prevent proper interpretation, special diagnostics must be recommended and implemented for identification purposes. Nonetheless, in the areas of econometrics and statistics, among other fields, these diagnostics are controversial concerning their “successfulness”. It has been remarked that they frequently fail to do proper model assessment due to information complexity, resulting in model misspecification. This work proposes and investigates a robust and easily interpretable methodology, termed Elastic Information Criterion, capable of capturing multicollinearity rather accurately and effectively and thus providing a proper model assessment. The performance is investigated via simulated and real data.

Information Complexity and Behavior Intention to Prescribe Antibiotics Based on the Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Report: The Mediating Roles of Information Overload and Attitude

Background: The antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) report has guiding significance for physicians to prescribe antibiotics. This study aims to examine the effect of the AST report information complexity on physician’s intention to prescribe antibiotics based on the AST report, as well as the mediating role of information overload and attitude.Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted on 411 physicians in a general hospital in China in July 2021. Data were collected by a self-reported questionnaire. A serial multiple mediation model was tested to explore the sequential causality between the information complexity of the AST report, information overload, attitude, and behavior intention to prescribe antibiotics based on the AST report by using the SPSS macro PROCESS program.Results: Information complexity, information overload, attitude and behavior intention were significantly correlated (p < 0.01). Information complexity can not only have a direct positive impact on the intention to prescribe antibiotics based on the AST report (effect = 0.173; SE = 0.044; Boot95%CI: LL = 0.089, UL = 0.260), but also have an indirect impact on behavior intention through the independent mediating role of information overload (effect = 0.025; SE = 0.011; Boot 95%CI: LL = 0.008, UL = 0.050) and the independent mediating role of attitude (effect = 0.130; SE = 0.025; Boot 95%CI: LL = 0.086, UL = 0.180), while the chain of information overload and attitude played a masking effect between information complexity and behavior intention (effect = −0.013; SE = 0.004; Boot 95%CI: LL = −0.023, UL = −0.005).Conclusion: The increase in information complexity can encourage physicians to prescribe antibiotics based on the AST report, information overload and attitude can promote this effect. It is necessary to provide physicians with sufficient information to prescribe antibiotics without increasing the burden on them. At the same time, publicity and standardized training should be conducted for physicians to interpret the AST report better and faster.

Investigating the influence of information complexity on construction quality: a systems thinking approach

PurposeThis paper investigates the causative relation between information complexity and construction quality. The objectives are to identify the challenges faced in the communication of information and data on construction projects and determine how these barriers influence quality performance of a project.Design/methodology/approachLimitations in the literature on information seeking, coupled with the utilization of Theory of Motivated Information Management as a response led to the development of research problem statement. Through comprehensive review of literature published between the years 2005–2019, the paper first identified barriers of information communication in the industry and key performance indicators of construction quality, followed by content analyses to rank and screen out the least important variables. This paved the way for quantitative and qualitative analyses through 180 structured questionnaires and 11 expert opinion sessions that respectively led to the use of systems thinking approach to establish causality.FindingsThe study finds ineffective communication, unclear details, changes in contract, information delays, unpleasant relationships between stakeholders and project complexity as the most critical factors causing information complexity in a construction project. These factors cause a reduction in quality performance of a project through increased rework and decreased implementation of total quality management.Practical implicationsThe study will assist project managers to diagnose quality-related issues in their projects, trace them back to the challenges and barriers of information communication and then make policy/strategic interventions to reduce such issues through improved information flow.Originality/valueMajority of the studies in this field of work have identified the effects of ineffective information flow on overall project performance, but very few have focused specifically on the quality of construction projects.

Generalized differential-linear cryptanalysis of block cipher

Differential-linear cryptanalysis of block ciphers was proposed in 1994. It turns out to be more efficient in comparison with (separately) differential and linear cryptanalytic methods, but its scientific substantiation remains the subject of further research. There are several publications devoted to formalization of differential-linear cryptanalysis and clarification of the conditions under which its complexity can be mathematically accurately assessed. However, the problem of the differential-linear cryptanalytic method substantiation remains completely unresolved. This paper presents first results obtained by the author in the direction of solving this problem. The class of differential-linear attacks on block ciphers is expanded. Namely, both distinguishing attacks and attacks aimed at recovering one bit of information about a key are considered. In this case, no assumptions are made (as in well-known publications) about the possibility of representing the cipher in the form of some two components. Lower bounds of information complexity of these attacks are obtained. The expressions of these bounds depend on the averaged (by keys) values of the elements’ squares of the generalized autocorrelation table of the encryption transformation. In contrast to the known ones, the obtained bounds are not based on any heuristic assumptions about the investigated block ciphers and are valid for a wider class of attacks as compared to the traditional differential-linear attack. Relations between, respectively, differential, linear and differential-linear properties of bijective Boolean mappings are given. In contrast to the well-known works, the matrix form of the relations is used that makes it possible to clarify better their essence and simplify the proofs. A new relation is derived for the elements of the generalized autocorrelation table of the encryption transformation of the product of two block ciphers, which may be useful in further research.