Traveler preferences from online reviews: Role of travel goals,class and culture

Along with being critical performance indicators as well as a rich source of information for potential customers, the overall rating and recommendation behavior also work as a crucial information source for managers of airlines for customer segmentation, service design, and post-purchase evaluation management. In this study, we explore how customer preferences, behavior and post-purchase evaluations differ for travelers depending on their respective travel goals, travel class, and the culture of their native country. Based on the frameworks of the construal level theory and expectation disconfirmation theory, we provide a psychological explanation of why specific service attributes, categorized in process-outcome and tangible—intangible dimensions, get higher importance than others for a particular set of customers. We analyzed consumer review data of 28,341 reviews for 345 airlines by customers from 132 countries. The results yielded critical theoretical contributions to extant literature on airline evaluations and recommendations, construal levels, airline customer segmentation, etc. Moreover, the results also helped managers of an airline to package design, segment customers, enhance targeted communication, and customer relationship management overall. The limitations and future scope of the study have also been discussed.     

Influence of price and brand image on restaurant customers’ restaurant selection attribute

The study examines the influence of price and brand image on three major restaurant quality attributes (ambiance, food quality, and service quality). A total number of 363 cases from the survey were used to assess the proposed model for structural equation modeling. The results of this study indicated that brand image significantly affected customers’ restaurant attribute preference. Living status (residents vs. tourists) partially affected customers’ restaurant attribute preference. This study provides valuable information about restaurant customers’ preferences. The results also demonstrate how restaurant operators attract new customers and retain existing customers by improving their ambiance, food, and service quality.     

Trade and unions: Does size matter?

Our empirical analysis builds upon the hypothesis that unions are detrimental to a firm's efficiency. Using a rich survey of German manufacturers, we investigate firm-level determinants on the probability of collective wage bargaining with particular focus on the impact of a firm's engagement in foreign markets. An interesting and very robust finding is that exporters are less likely to engage in union wage bargaining. This finding is in line with a pessimistic perception of unions. The negative effect of collective bargaining can be offset by efficiency gains for larger exporters, who can benefit from operation cost saving effects. Size does matter as larger firms export and may find bargaining with a single entity representing the workforce more convenient than bargaining with each worker individually. We are using firm level information on IT investment as instrument for the export dummy and successfully test for the validity of this instrument.     

信息质量对旅游目的地形象的影响研究——基于不同关系强度的社交媒体平台

在互联网迅猛发展以及智能手机不断更新迭代的大环境下,社交媒体已成为人们生活中必不可少的一部分,随着网络技术的发展,流畅的网络系统不仅给人们带来了高质量的上网体验,也为人们的信息收集提供了便利。有出游意愿的游客往往事先通过社交媒体搜索、浏览、接收相关旅游目的地信息,进而感知旅游目的地形象。以往研究中较少关注人们与平台的关系强度或者只选取某一个特定的社交平台来探讨其对信息质量的影响。文章创新性地从不同关系强度视角出发,选取微博、微信两大代表性社交平台,探讨不同关系强度对信息质量的影响,以及信息质量对目的地形象的影响,并得出相关结论。通过研究结论,为目的地营销提供有针对性的建议。     

How does self-construal shape tourists' image perceptions of paradox destinations? The mediating roles of cognitive flexibility and destination involvement

This study proposes the concept of the ‘paradox destination’ as a novel destination positioning strategy for destination marketers. A paradox destination strategy describes the situation where a destination delivers a brand identity with contradictory personalities. Four experiments were conducted to investigate the interactive effects of self-construal (independent vs. interdependent) and destination type (paradox vs. non-paradox) on the image perception of potential tourists. The results revealed that independent potential tourists have a more positive image perception of paradox destinations than do interdependent potential tourists. Moreover, independent potential tourists reported a more positive image perception of paradox destinations than they did for non-paradox destinations. The mediating effects of cognitive flexibility and destination involvement were also tested by this research. In addition to theoretical implications, this paper also provides practical marketing strategies for destination marketers.     

基于一维距离像稀疏表达的无源假目标识别

为了解决敌方释放箔条干扰我方防空反击任务或者敌方舰船设置角反射器阵列干扰我方对海目标打击任务中的雷达抗干扰问题，提出了一种基于雷达一维距离像的稀疏表达的无源假目标识别的方法。首先，分别利用大量关注目标和无源欺骗干扰的雷达一维距离像数据进行稀疏字典学习，分别得到目标和干扰的稀疏字典；然后利用两种稀疏字典分别对未知的雷达一维距离像信号进行稀疏表达；最后分别计算两种稀疏字典对未知信号稀疏表达的重构误差，利用重构误差比值识别目标和干扰类别。仿真结果表明，在目标与无源假目标干扰的回波不混叠、目标与干扰噪声比3 dB条件下，识别无源假目标欺骗干扰的准确率超过90%，证明了该方法抗无源假目标干扰的有效性。     

Does real exchange rate depreciation increase productivity? Analysis using Korean firm‐level data

We examine the effects of real exchange rate (RER ) depreciation shocks on firm productivity. Using the firm‐level data of Korean manufacturing industries for 2006–13, we distinguish between yearly RER movement and persistent RER depreciation during 2007–09 and analyse how each affects productivity. We find the positive effect of RER depreciation on productivity among exporters, and this positive effect increases with higher export exposure. However, the positive productivity gain disappears when the depreciation persists. Our findings suggest that while immediate depreciation leads to productivity upgrade via price competitiveness and scale expansion, persistent depreciation nullifies the productivity gain by slackening the innovation effort.     

一种基于卷积运算与全变分模型的图像去噪方法

梯度模值较易受到外界影响，导致全变分模型在大噪声点处往往不能很好地消除噪声，从而产生阶梯效应。针对该问题，提出了一种基于卷积运算与全变分模型的图像去噪方法。首先，针对以扩散形式获得的图像像素点进行卷积运算，利用滤波去噪降低大噪声点的灰度值；其次，以能量泛函形式构建图像全变分模型，并求解泛函对应的拉格朗日方程极小值来实现图像去噪；最后，将去噪后图像作为双边滤波算法的引导图像进行二次去噪，从而进一步提升图像去噪质量。仿真实验结果表明，与经典方法相比，该模型对去噪过程中的阶梯效应问题具有较好的处理效果。     

Analyzing the effects of private-label supplier disclosure on retailer image

Private-label retailers' disclosures of dual manufacturing agreements—that is, agreements with manufacturers that produce both their own national brands and private labels—can affect the images associated with the retailers. In this study, an experiment reveals moderating effects on retailer images, according to the images of both the national brand manufacturers and the retailers; and also depending on the brand equity of the private label. A low-image retailer's disclosure that a national brand manufacturer supplies its private label causes consumers to perceive that the retailer has a higher image. However, the positive effects of private label supplier disclosure on the retailer's image are weaker when the private label enjoys high equity.     

Gastronomic image in the foodstagrammer’s eyes – A machine learning approach

Given the rich content that foodstagrammers, people who actively share their dining experiences using photographs and texts on social media, post, they considerably shape a destination's gastronomic image. Using big data analytics, this study examined the formation of gastronomic images from foodstagrammers' perspectives and the associated emotions. Moreover, it demonstrated the applicability of the proposed machine learning approach to evaluate both textual and pictorial content on social media. The study findings extend the current understanding of gastronomic images by identifying the underlying attributes based on the interplay of the three dimensions of food, environment, and activities. Furthermore, the results reveal specific image clusters and dimensions that arouse positive sentiments among foodstagrammers and influence users' engagement with the post. For practitioners, this study provides valuable insights into foodstagrammers' behaviors by identifying the aspects of gastronomic images that effectively arouse interest and engagement, thus promoting gastronomic destinations.