Formalized Qualitative Modeling of Online Trust: Introduction of the Method and a Detailed Example

Abstract

The paper presents a simple qualitative model of online trust in the context of e-commerce. Qualitative models use just three values: Positive/Increasing, Zero/Constant and Negative/ Decreasing. Such quantifi ers of trends are the least information intensive. Qualitative models can be useful, since models of online trust include such variables as e.g. Perceived website quality and ease of use (SIT) or Company’s positive reputation (REP) that are sometimes diffi cult or costly to quantify. Hence, a signifi cant fraction of available information about online trust is not of numerical nature, e.g. if SIT is decreasing then online trust is decreasing as well. Such equationless relations are studied in this paper. The model has 13 variables and 32 pair-wise interrelations among them. The set of variables and interrelations was established based on discussions with experts and internet users. The model is solved and 23 solutions, i.e. scenarios are obtained (thus, we reduce a vast set of all “imaginable” scenarios concerning online trust to a manageable list of scenarios). All qualitative states, and the fi rst and second qualitative derivatives of all variables are specifi ed for each scenario. Many modifi cations, upgrades and extensions of the present model are easy within the methodological framework introduced in the paper. Qualitative modeling can be seen as one of the uncertainty calculi, such as fuzzy sets and rough sets, that can be helpful e.g. under information shortage (for example when new website is about to be launched and/or when novel, subjective or diffi cult to measure variables are considered). The paper is self-contained and no a priori knowledge of qualitative modeling is required on the reader’s part.

The Role of Perceived Risk and Security Level in Building Trust in E-government Solutions

“…Research on trust as a determinant focuses mainly on two areas: (i) study of the factors that shape initial trust in technology to overcome the risks and uncertainties associated with the adoption of new technologies (Wang & Benbasat, 2005) and (ii) study of trust as a determinant of the continued use of technology from the perspective of technology users (Li et al, 2008).…”

Online Grocery Retailing in Germany: An Explorative Analysis

“…The online channel represents a break with traditional shopping routines. There are many impediments to online grocery shopping (Veselý, Dohnal 2016). In our survey we explicitly asked about eight of them (insecurity, no control of freshness and quality, lack of feel, touch and smell, higher prices, high delivery costs, less going out, lack of shopping atmosphere or inspiration, happy with the status quo).…”

Modelling e-commerce customer reactions. Exploring online shopping carnivals in China

“…Satisfaction, besides significantly affecting loyalty, can also induce positive word-of-mouth effects, hence, providing additional benefits to a company (Lam et al, 2004, Huete-Alcocer, 2017, both leading to an increase in sales. Moreover, there is a direct relationship between satisfaction and customer willingness to assume risks in e-commerce (Javaria et al, 2020), the perception of risk connected to a seller diminishing in time (Vesel y & Dohnal, 2016). Conversely, dissatisfaction is expressed in the form of complaints and negative wordof-mouth (Bayol et al, 2000;Huete-Alcocer, 2017;Zhang et al, 2019).…”