PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine how the usage of mobile devices influences text-posting behavior in the online review-generation process. This study attempts to improve the understanding of the negative impacts of mobile channels on the quality of online reviews.Design/methodology/approachThe authors develop a series of hypotheses to investigate the text-posting behaviors with mobile device usage. To examine the authors' hypotheses, the authors collect online reviews posted in London hotels on Booking.com. The authors first use a logistic regression model to examine the relationship between the usage of mobile devices and text-posting behavior. Then, the authors explored the characteristics of textual content in mobile reviews compared to reviews written via traditional devices.FindingsThe authors' finding shows that the use of mobile devices negatively influences text-posting behavior. Compared to traditional devices, consumers are less likely to post texts in their reviews with mobile devices. Although consumers decide to post text comments in consumers' reviews, the quality of textual content is relatively low – short in length, with limited analytical thinking and less authenticity.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, no study has attempted to explore text generation in review-posting behaviors in the context of mobile channels. Also, the authors' findings show the negative effects of using mobile channels on the value of generated information, which is counterintuitive to previous research.

PurposePrior literature on online customer reviews (OCRs) suggests that individuals are socially influenced by information shared by others. Given that the online environment brings together users from different cultures, understanding how users differ in their processing and generation of OCRs across cultures is imperative. Specifically, this paper explores how cross-cultural differences influence OCR generation when there are inconsistencies between recent and overall review ratings.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ an empirical study and an experimental approach to test the predictions. For the empirical study (Study 1), the authors collected and analyzed actual review data from an online hotel review platform, Booking.com. This was followed by an experimental study (Study 2) in which the authors manipulated the thinking style represented by each cultural orientation to further explain how and why cross-cultural differences exist.FindingsThe results show that compared with the review ratings of users from collectivist cultures, those of users from individualistic cultures are more likely to follow recent review ratings. Based on the experimental study, the authors further find that such cross-cultural differences in OCR generation are driven by differences in thinking style.Originality/valueThis research extends the literature by demonstrating the cross-cultural differences in individuals' herding tendencies in OCR generation. The authors also add to the literature by showing in which direction OCR herding occurs when there is a discrepancy between overall and recent review ratings. From a managerial perspective, the findings provide guidelines for online platforms serving the global market on predicting customers' OCR generation and constructing appropriate response strategies.

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PurposeThis study aimed to empirically examine the effectiveness of disclosing user comment history without disclosing personal identity as a nudge policy to refrain users from posting malicious content online.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected the number of comments and posters from the leading portal website in South Korea, Naver.com. To causally investigate the impacts of the new nudge policy on the number of comments and posters, the authors used the regression discontinuity design (RDD) approach.FindingsThe authors found that the new policy reduced all types of comments, including the number of malicious comments, self-deleted comments and current comments. This resulted in an overall decrease in the total number of posted comments, which is considered a side effect. In addition, the authors found that the effect of the nudge policy, which disclosed user comment history, has a stronger effect on older female users than their counterparts.Originality/valueThe study findings extend the current knowledge on a nudge policy being implemented by a website as a means to reduce malicious online content and how it impacts user content posting behaviors.

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