Consumers’ Attitude towards Digital Social Responsibility: Impacts on Electronic Word of Mouth and Purchase Intention

Social responsibility is understood to be one of the crucial strategic responsibilities for organizations across the globe. In the digital era, firms have transformed social responsibility initiatives into digital platforms. This study aims to investigate the effects of digital social responsibility (DSR) on electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and purchase intention (PI) in the social media context. This survey research is based on 214 samples, collected via an online questionnaire as a research tool. Structural equation modelling has been used to validate the proposed hypotheses. The results show that perceived DSR has significant positive influence on consumers’ attitude (b = 0.408) and eWOM (b = 0.238). The mediation analysis indicates that consumers’ attitude partially mediates the relationship between DSR and eWOM (DE = 0.238, IE = 0.154), and fully mediates the relationship between DSR and PI (DE = 0.08, IE = 0.173). Since few previous studies have explored the impact of DSR toward eWOM and PI, our study confirms the effects of DSR on consumers’ attitudes and eWOM. This empirical study can provide managers with further understanding of the effects of DSR via social media on consumers’ attitude and eWOM. Our results should also encourage firms to implement DSR initiatives to enhance consumers’ positive attitudes and spread positive word of mouth about firms. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2022-06-01-05 Full Text: PDF

Boundary resource interactions in solution networks

Purpose This study aims to explore the interactions between two different and potentially complementary boundary resources in coordinating solution networks in a digital platform context: boundary spanners (those individuals who span interorganizational boundaries) and boundary interfaces (the devices that help coordinate interfirm relationships, e.g. electronic data interchanges, algorithms or chatbots). Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a multiple case study of three firms using digital platforms to coordinate solution networks in the information communication technology and lighting facility industries. Data were collected from 30 semi-structured interviews, which are complemented by secondary data. Findings As task complexity increases, smarter digital interfaces are adopted. When the intelligence level of interfaces is low or moderate, they are only used as tools by boundary spanners or to support boundary spanners’ functions. When the intelligence level of interfaces is high or very high, boundary spanners design the interfaces and let them perform tasks autonomously. They are also sometimes employed to complement interfaces’ technological limitations and customers’ limited user ability. Research limitations/implications The industry contexts of the cases may influence the results. Qualitative case data has limited generalizability. Practical implications This study offers a practical tool for solution providers to effectively deploy boundary employees and digital technologies to offer diverse customized solutions simultaneously. Originality This study contributes to the solution business literature by putting forward a framework of boundary resource interactions in coordinating solution networks in a digital platform context. It contributes to the boundary spanning literature by revealing the shifting functions of boundary spanners and boundary interfaces.

Processes of Proliferation

While scalability and growth are key concerns for mainstream, venture-backed digital platforms, local and location-oriented collaborative economies are diverse in their approaches to evolving and achieving social change. Their aims and tactics differ when it comes to broadening their activities across contexts, spreading their concept, or seeking to make a bigger impact by promoting co-operation. This paper draws on three pairs of European, community-centred initiatives which reveal alternative views on scale, growth, and impact. We argue thatproliferation -- a concept that emphasises how something gets started and then travels in perhaps unexpected ways -- offers an alternative toscaling, which we understand as the use of digital networks in a monocultural way to capture an ever-growing number of participants. Considering proliferation is, thus, a way to reorient and enrich discussions on impact, ambitions, modes of organising, and the use of collaborative technologies. In illustrating how these aspects relate inprocesses of proliferation, we offer CSCW an alternative vision of technology use and development that can help us make sense of the impact of sharing and collaborative economies, and design socio-technical infrastructures to support their flourishing.

Professionals’ Digital Training for Child Maltreatment Prevention in the COVID-19 Era: A Pan-European Model

The responsiveness of professionals working with children and families is of key importance for child maltreatment early identification. However, this might be undermined when multifaceted circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, reduce interdisciplinary educational activities. Thanks to technological developments, digital platforms seem promising in dealing with new challenges for professionals’ training. We examined a digital approach to child maltreatment training through the ERICA project experience (Stopping Child Maltreatment through Pan-European Multiprofessional Training Programme). ERICA has been piloted during the pandemic in seven European centers involving interconnected sectors of professionals working with children and families. The training consisted of interactive modules embedded in a digital learning framework. Different aspects (technology, interaction, and organization) were evaluated and trainers’ feedback on digital features was sought. Technical issues were the main barrier, however, these did not significantly disrupt the training. The trainers perceived reduced interaction between participants, although distinct factors were uncovered as potential favorable mediators. Based on participants’ subjective experiences and perspectives, digital learning frameworks for professionals working with children and families (such as the ERICA model nested in its indispensable adaptation to an e-learning mode) can represent a novel interactive approach to empower trainers and trainees to tackle child maltreatment during critical times such as a pandemic, and as an alternative to more traditional learning frameworks.