The more the better? Exploring the effects of reviewer social networks on online reviews

ABSTRACT

Conventional wisdom suggests that firms leverage key influencers (e.g. individuals with high centrality) in online communities to stimulate buzz. Using a large panel dataset including 1,569,264 online Yelp reviews and the ego-network of 366,715 individual reviewers over a nine-year period, this study examines the effects of number of ties and network density on the volume and valence of online reviews. In contrast with the general belief that key influencers always generate positive buzz, the findings show that they can adversely affect future review valence. Specifically, reviewers with many connections on Yelp can reduce the positivity of reviews of the same business in the next period. This finding has implications for marketing practice in online community management and social media intervention.     

How the introduction of concepts of energy saving and carbon reduction (ESCR) can affect festival visitors’ behavioural intentions: an investigation using a structural model

This study investigates the relationships across a behaviour model of festival visitors based on a major festival encouraging energy saving and carbon reduction (ESCR). Using the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition (Taiwan) as a case study, 275 visitors completed a questionnaire, the answers to which were assessed using a structural equation model to test the behaviour model and its six hypotheses. The results showed that behaviour intentions are the best predictors of “value orientation”, “motivation for visiting”, “visitor experience” and “attitude towards behaviour”. Specifically, a highly positive correlation between visitors’ motivations and their experiences was found, suggesting that the presentation of festival activities influences visitors’ perceptions. The ESCR curriculum design and pedagogy, especially the inclusion of reflective learning, was found to be very important for the successful planning of future events, as was green transportation using advanced, energy-saving vehicles and effective waste processing and disposal at the site. Prior studies have explored links between festival tourism and behavioural change, but have often focused on Western contexts; this study provides an Asian cultural setting. Suggestions are made for future research.     

时间间隔何时能够提高在线评论的有用性感知——基于归因理论的视角

文章从归因理论的视角出发,探索了购买与评论间的时间间隔与产品类型（物质性产品Vs体验性产品）如何相互作用以影响评论的有用性感知。通过将产品分为物质性产品和体验性产品,文章运用实验检验了时间间隔对不同产品类型的评论影响作用产生的不同作用。结果表明,对于体验型产品来说,时间间隔近（Vs远）可以提高评论的有用性感知;而对于物质型产品来说,时间间隔近（Vs远）可以降低评论的有用性感知。除此之外,实验结果也证实归因倾向中介于时间间隔与评论有用性感知。但是时间间隔对评论有用性的影响还会受到评论效价的调节,时间间隔只会改变正面评论的有用性感知,但是并不能显著影响负面评论。研究结论有助于深入理解阅读者对在线评论的有用性判断的反应,并为在线零售商提供了一个更好利用和维护在线产品评论提高新的视角。     

The “Ecotourism Curriculum” and Visitor Learning in Community-based Ecotourism: Case Studies from Thailand and Cambodia

Visitor learning is a basic component of community-based ecotourism (CBET), yet has seldom been the subject of research. This study examines how local environmental, cultural and livelihood knowledge comprise the ecotourism curriculum in two CBET projects located in southern Thailand and Cambodia, respectively. Following an accounting of local ecotourism curriculum content and teaching pedagogies employed at present in the two projects, recommendations are made for enhancing visitor learning in CBET. These include curriculum development, which recognizes and incorporates the particular forms of local knowledge present in a given CBET community, and the application of pedagogies of experiential and transformative learning in the teaching of this curriculum.     

我国畜禽粪尿排放污染防治研究综述

［目的］我国畜禽养殖业发展迅速,总体规模已成为世界第一,但此过程也带来了大量的粪尿排放,对环境造成了严重威胁。文章旨在对我国畜禽粪尿排放污染研究进行全面的回顾,发现现存不足,提出进一步研究的方向。［方法］按照“排放特征—承载情况—治理对策”这一逻辑,运用文献综述法对相关研究进行综述。［结果］现有文献对我国畜禽粪尿排放污染防治进行了系统研究,涵盖了排放总量、增速和区位分布等特征,地区理论承载力、实际承载情况,污染防治的国外政策介绍、国内政策效果评价,以及环保技术介绍及经济效益测算等方面。［结论］现有文献为进一步研究提供了较为全面的参考资料,但内容上仍存在：忽视对林地、草地畜禽粪尿理论消纳能力及实际消纳条件的分析; 缺乏对国外防治政策效果及其国内适用性的分析; 缺乏针对提高相关污染防治技术利用率的具体研究; 缺乏运用国际贸易手段解决污染问题的思考等不足。