The impact of online community position on online game continuance intention: Do game knowledge and community size matter?

This study attempts to investigate how a player's position in an online gaming community leads to his or her continuance intention toward a Massive Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) from the perspective of social capital theory. Using subjective and objective data collected from 340 players in a representative MMOG, our results reveal that community position significantly affects community trust and perceived social value, which in turn positively influence MMOG continuance intention. Furthermore, this study provides support for the moderating effects of game knowledge and community size on the proposed model. This study concludes with research limitations and theoretical and managerial implications.     

Do students need teacher’s initiation in online collaborative learning?

As more and more people use computers to complete their work and solve problems in the workplace, computing education is emphasized for students of all levels and disciplines in Taiwan. However, the computing education in Taiwan can hardly be recognized as effective and satisfactory. Many inappropriate examples that lack context are used in teaching and textbooks that may result in employees with low competence and insufficient ability for collaborative working. Students who grow up in this learning context usually lack the ability to seek information and solve problems by themselves. In this regard, the author redesigned a course and adopted online collaborative learning with initiation to establish the essential knowledge for students’ collaboration in the initial stage of a course. This study conducted an experiment that included 169 undergraduates from three class sections – the first two from an academic university (Case 1, n = 68; Case 2, n = 68) and the last one from a university of science and technology (Case 3, n = 33) – taught by the same teacher under the same course name and the same course website. The results show that students who received online collaborative learning with initiation had higher grades than those without. The author further discusses the implications for teachers, schools, and scholars who plan to provide online courses for their students, particularly computing courses.     

The effects of mice and pull‐down menus versus command‐driven interfaces on writing

The effects of two different computer user interfaces on the process of writing are examined. English composition students (matched on computer experience) used a computer and keyboard (either with function keys or with a mouse) to write essays during their English classes. Essays generated using either a mouse or command‐driven interface were compared across different stages of writing. The impact of using a mouse versus command‐driven interface is described by analyzing the differences in the process used to create the essays and the quality of the essays produced by each group. Results indicate that students who used the command‐driven interface scored better on organization of the paper, creativity, number of supporting arguments, grammar/spelling, and letter grade than did their mouse counterparts, as perceived by graders. However, there were no significant differences between the two interface conditions on any grammatical indices.     

Do online reviews reflect a product’s true perceived quality? An investigation of online movie reviews across cultures

This paper investigates when the reported average of online ratings matches the perceived average assessment of the population as a whole, including the average assessments of both raters and non-raters. We apply behavioral theory to capture intentions in rating online movie reviews in two dissimilar countries – China and the United States. We argue that consumers’ rating behaviors are affected by cultural influences and that they are influenced in predictable ways. Based on data collected from IMDB.com and Douban.com, we found significant differences across raters from these two different cultures. Additionally, we examined how cultural elements influence rating behavior for a hybrid culture – Singapore. To study whether online consumer reviews are subjected to under-reporting bias, which is, consumers with extreme opinions are more likely to report their opinions than consumers with moderate reviews causing online reviews to be a biased estimator of a product’s true quality, we compare the consumer reviews posted online with those from an experimental study. Our results shows that under-reporting is more prevalent among US online network, thus online reviews are a better movie perceived quality proxy in China and Singapore than in the US.     

Do online reviews affect product sales? The role of reviewer characteristics and temporal effects

Online product reviews provided by consumers who previously purchased products have become a major information source for consumers and marketers regarding product quality. This study extends previous research by conducting a more compelling test of the effect of online reviews on sales. In particular, we consider both quantitative and qualitative aspects of online reviews, such as reviewer quality, reviewer exposure, product coverage, and temporal effects. Using transaction cost economics and uncertainty reduction theories, this study adopts a portfolio approach to assess the effectiveness of the online review market. We show that consumers understand the value difference between favorable news and unfavorable news and respond accordingly. Furthermore, when consumers read online reviews, they pay attention not only to review scores but to other contextual information such as a reviewer’s reputation and reviewer exposure. The market responds more favorably to reviews written by reviewers with better reputation and higher exposure. Finally, we demonstrate that the impact of online reviews on sales diminishes over time. This suggests that firms need not provide incentives for customers to write reviews beyond a certain time period after products have been released.

Do virtual goods entice more online donations? Perspectives of mental imagery and project appeal

Most existing research on online fundraising options has examined monetary settings. Recently, a new option has emerged that uses virtual goods. In this setting, donors choose between different amounts of virtual goods rather than different amounts of money. Whether this setting of options will impact donors' willingness to donate has yet been empirically tested in the literature. We propose that the concreteness of the donation option itself plays an important role here, and we compare the influences of two different donation option settings, i.e., virtual goods option and monetary option, on individuals' donation willingness. We conducted three experiments and found that charity projects using the virtual goods option are better able to entice donations than those using monetary settings. This effect is mediated by mental imagery and is moderated by the types of project appeals (i.e., altruistic vs. egoistic). Finally, both the theoretical and practical contributions of this research are discussed.     

Competitively versus cooperatively? An analysis of the effect of game play on levels of stress

Many gamers report that playing video games, including those with violent content, helps them to reduce stress. However, few studies have examined competitive and cooperative video game play as they relate to stress reduction. The current study employed a design to acutely stress 100 participants before assigning them randomly to play a mildly violent game either competitively or cooperatively with a female confederate. Results indicated stress levels declined over time at equal levels during both competitive and cooperative game play. Participants in the competitive condition held a slightly less positive impression of the confederate following game play, although players held a generally positive impression of the confederate overall.     

Do the feet of German and Australian children differ in structure? Implications for children's shoe design

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were any significant differences in the morphology of the feet of children living on two different continents. The shape and dimensions of the feet of 86 preschool and 419 primary school children from Australia, matched to the same number of German children for age, gender, height and BMI, were compared. The German children display significantly longer and flatter feet relative to their Australian counterparts, whereas the Australian children reveal a significantly smaller ball angle, implying that the forefoot of the Australian children is squarer in shape. These findings imply that footwear must be designed to cater to the unique foot dimensions of children in different continents to ensure that shoe shape matches foot shape. Most footwear companies do not vary the dimensions of their shoe lasts to accommodate intercontinental differences in foot morphology based on racial and/or environmental factors. The results of this study will have immediate implications for the design of comfortable footwear suitable for the developing feet of children.     

Do shy people feel less communication apprehension online? The effects of virtual reality on the relationship between personality characteristics and communication outcomes

This study examines the effect of 3D virtual worlds on an individual’s communication experience in comparison with Face-to-Face communications (FtFCs). Using 2 × 2 posttest only group design where subjects were asked to discuss over a given topic. This study investigated whether individuals’ different personality characteristics (i.e. shyness) influence communication experiences (i.e. communication apprehension). The data suggest that shy individuals felt less of communication apprehension during the discussion conducted online than FtFC. On the other hand, FtFC turned out to be more effective in influencing individuals’ intention to change behavior compared to virtual worlds. The results suggest that lack of visual/auditory cues in virtual reality is the major factor that influenced the outcome.     

Is the influence of privacy and security on online trust the same for all type of consumers?

This article analyzes the relationships among online trust and two of its most important antecedents, namely privacy and security, and explains how consumers’ characteristics (gender, age, education and extraversion), moderate the influence of both privacy and security in online trust. This study expands previous literature by identifying the conditions under which perceived privacy and security are likely to have the greatest positive effects on consumer trust in the online retailer. Based on data from 398 online consumers, the results revealed that the influence of both privacy and security on online trust was stronger for male, younger, more educated, and less extraverted consumers. Implications for theory and management are discussed.     

Taking reading comprehension exams on screen or on paper? A metacognitive analysis of learning texts under time pressure

People often attribute their reluctance to study texts on screen to technology-related factors rooted in hardware or software. However, previous studies have pointed to screen inferiority in the metacognitive regulation of learning. The study examined the effects of time pressure on learning texts on screen relative to paper among undergraduates who report only moderate paper preference. In Experiment 1, test scores on screen were lower than on paper under time pressure, with no difference under free regulation. In Experiment 2 the time condition was manipulated within participants to include time pressure, free regulation, and an interrupted condition where study was unexpectedly stopped after the time allotted under time pressure. No media effects were found under the interrupted study condition, although technology-related barriers should have taken their effect also in this condition. Paper learners who preferred this learning medium improved their scores when the time constraints were known in advance. No such adaptation was found on screen regardless of the medium preference. Beyond that, paper learning was more efficient and self-assessments of knowledge were better calibrated under most conditions. The results reinforce the inferiority of self-regulation of learning on screen and argue against technology-related factors as the main reason for this.     

Should Firms Outsource their Basic Research? The Impact of Firm Size on In‐House versus Outsourced R&D Productivity

It has been long known that firms can benefit substantially from basic research. Recently, however, the open innovation literature has questioned whether firms should conduct these basic research activities in‐house and has suggested that outsourcing is more appropriate both for small and large firms. However, existing empirical work investigates the performance implications of R&D outsourcing in general, but does not take into account the differences between basic research on the one hand and more applied R&D on the other. This paper therefore studies whether outsourced basic research indeed contributes equally to firm productivity as in‐house basic research, while explicitly incorporating the moderating effect of firm size. A production function approach is applied to firm‐level data stemming from three waves of the Flemish R&D survey, combined with data from firms' annual accounts. The results show that small firms benefit from outsourcing their basic research activities. For medium‐sized and large firms, however, in‐house basic research is more productive than outsourced basic research. These results contradict the general belief that small firms benefit little from basic research and cast doubts on the recent trend to close medium‐sized and large firms' corporate labs.     

Dangerous minds? Effects of uncivil online comments on aggressive cognitions,emotions, and behavior

Despite the potential of online commenting spaces for public deliberation, they are often full of destructive or uncivil and aggressive comments. Based on research on social learning and social influence, we conducted an online experiment to investigate the effects of uncivil comments on readers' cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions. The experiment was built on a one-factorial between-subjects design including four experimental conditions and a control group: Participants were exposed to a news article and six user comments of which zero, one, three, or six were uncivil. Results suggest that exposure to uncivil comments can lead to an increase in readers' hostile cognitions. The effect, however, does not rise with exposure to a higher proportion of incivility. No significant effects were found on hostile emotions or the use of incivility in readers' own comments.     

Do work technique and musculoskeletal symptoms differ between men and women performing the same type of work tasks?

Musculoskeletal disorders are more common among women than among men. When comparing the difference between men and women in the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, methodological problems arise as men and women seldom perform the same type of activities, neither at work nor at home.

The main objective of this cross-sectional case study was to compare work technique and self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms between men and women performing the same type of work tasks within a metal industry. Other factors, such as leisure activities, were also taken into consideration. Three data collection methods were used; questionnaire, interviews and systematic observations. The results from the observations revealed that women worked more frequently and during longer times with their hands above shoulder height than men. Working with hands above shoulder height is considered a risk factor for neck and shoulder disorders according to previous studies. Workplace design factors were probably a reason for differences in working technique between men and women. A higher proportion of women than men reported shoulder symptoms. Women spent more time on household activities than men, which indicates a higher total workload in paid and unpaid work.     

Do zoom meetings really help? A comparative analysis of synchronous and asynchronous online learning during Covid-19 pandemic

Background

Online learning and teaching were globally popularized due to the impact of Covid-19. The pandemic has made both synchronous and asynchronous online learning inevitable in regions privileged with the technological affordance.

Aims

This study was designed to examine and compare the effectiveness of both learning modes through the Community of Inquiry framework.

Materials & Methods

Comparative analyses on a sample of N = 170 undergraduate students who took both synchronous and asynchronous online courses in Spring 2021.

Results

The paired-sample T-tests results indicated a significant difference in social presence, cognitive presence and self-evaluated performance.

Discussion & Conclusion

Teaching presence significantly influenced social presence and cognitive presence in both learning modes. However, under synchronous learning mode, social presence significantly impacted self-evaluation, grades and school identification. While social presence only influenced school identification under asynchronous learning mode. Theoretical and practical implications were also included.     

Do badges increase user activity? A field experiment on the effects of gamification

During recent years, the practice of adding game design to non-game services has gained a relatively large amount of attention. Popular discussion connects gamification to increased user engagement, service profitability, goal commitment and the overall betterment of various behavioral outcomes. However, there is still an absence of a coherent and ample body of empirical evidence that would confirm such expectations. To this end, this paper reports the results of a 2 year (1 + 1 year – between-group) field experiment in gamifying a service by implementing a game mechanic called ‘badges’. During the experiment a pre-implementation group (N = 1410) was monitored for 1 year. After the implementation, the post-implementation (the gamified condition) group (N = 1579) was monitored for another full year. Results show that users in the gamified condition were significantly more likely to post trade proposals, carry out transactions, comment on proposals and generally use the service in a more active way.     

How credible are online product reviews? The effects of self-generated and system-generated cues on source credibility evaluation

Online product reviews are important information sources in the consumer decision-making process. Despite the importance of online reviews in product evaluation, there is an emerging need to address the role of self-generated and system-generated information in enhancing the credibility of online reviews. Two experiments were conducted to examine the topic. Study 1 found significant interactions between perceived similarity and source reputation on the evaluation of trustworthiness and expertise. Study 2 extended the findings of study 1 by examining how argument quality influenced credibility perception under different levels of similarity and source reputation.     

When do online shoppers appreciate security enhancement efforts? Effects of financial risk and security level on evaluations of customer authentication

As the popularity of online shopping grows, concerns about identity theft and fraud are increasing. While stronger customer authentication procedures may provide greater protection and thus benefit customers and retailers, security is often traded off against convenience. To provide insight into this security-convenience trade-off in customer authentication, we experimentally investigated how levels of authentication security and financial risk factors affect perception and evaluation of authentication systems in two contexts: security questions (Experiment 1) and card security codes (Experiment 2). Experiment 1, which examined the effects of security level and product price as a financial risk factor, showed that authentication procedures based on higher-level security tended to be perceived as significantly less convenient and more frustrating. Interestingly, participants rated the higher-level security system (i.e., asking more demanding challenge questions) as less convenient and more frustrating when the amount involved in the transactions was higher. Experiment 2, which introduced consumer liability for fraudulent activities as an additional financial risk factor, showed that participants gave more positive ratings of the higher-level security system under full liability than under zero liability. Taken together, the present research suggests that patterns of security-convenience trade-offs reflecting consumers’ perception and appreciation of authentication technologies may vary depending on the characteristics of financial risk factors involved in the transaction process.     

In whose bed shall I sleep tonight? The impact of transaction-specific versus partner-specific information on pricing on a sharing platform

Platform providers in the sharing economy such as AirBnB face a trade-off between providing information on the object of the transaction and providing more information about the transaction partner. We view this trade-off from an economic perspective as the choice between complete or relational contracts. Using a global data set of AirBnB listings, we empirically compare the strength of influence of premises-specific versus host-specific information on pricing on that platform. The results indicate that partner-specific information in fact has only a comparatively weak influence on prices. This sheds critical light on the frequently used argument that in the sharing economy, personal information is essential to establish the necessary trust between transaction partners. We also find that the importance of premises-specific versus partner-specific information varies with the type of premises being rented.