Ian Mull, Jamie Wyss, Eunjung Moon and Seung-Eun Lee
The purpose of this paper is to examine consumers’ perceptions of using different types of 3D animated avatars as salespeople based on credibility, homophily, attractiveness and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine consumers’ perceptions of using different types of 3D animated avatars as salespeople based on credibility, homophily, attractiveness and intention to interact.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a survey method, participants (n=120) evaluated four types of 3D animated avatars (i.e. human, fantasy, animal and humanoid) based on the supposition the avatars would represent a salesperson for an online retailer.
Findings
The results show that avatar type has a significant influence on the perception of credibility, homophily, and attractiveness. Furthermore, credibility, homophily, and attractiveness significantly influence the intention to interact with the avatar. Overall, the human avatar was found to be perceived as the most credible, homophilous, attractive and was regarded as the highest in relation to intention to interact.
Originality/value
The practical and theoretical implications are discussed to offer guidance to online retailers, graphic designers, and researchers in the benefits and pitfalls of utilizing 3D animated avatars as salespeople.
Details
Keywords
Miguel Angel Gonzales-Chávez and Natalia Vila-Lopez
The two major purposes of this paper are as follows: first, to identify those appropriate key attributes that a commercial avatar promoting a leisure service must have in terms of…
Abstract
Purpose
The two major purposes of this paper are as follows: first, to identify those appropriate key attributes that a commercial avatar promoting a leisure service must have in terms of likeability, expertise, credibility and attractiveness, with the final purpose of stimulating millennials' acceptance (emotions, buying intentions and electronic word of mouth [eWOM]) and second, to compare if men and women expect the same attributes in a successful avatar.
Design/methodology/approach
A three avatar designs were prepared for this experiment. Then, they were presented to the respondents to be evaluated changing the order of appearance for avoiding biases: (attractive/likeable, expert/credible and normal/basic avatars). The participants were recruited using an online procedure. The final sample size was 104 consumers. They provided 302 valid responses about the three different avatars. A restaurant chain Chili's in Peru was used to define this experiment.
Findings
Findings of the study indicated that the design attributes of an avatar and the desired effects were related terms. Second, an expert/credible avatar worked better than an atractive/likeable one and also better than a common avatar, especially among the feminine target.
Originality/value
This paper tries to develop a guide for executives or entrepreneurs immersed in the gastronomic field in Peru, to enable them to make appropriate decisions regarding the definition of an attractive and disruptive web page design with an innovative tool: efficient commercial avatars.
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Keywords
Jaehee Gim and SooCheong (Shawn) Jang
This study aims to examine how information asymmetry, which refers to an information gap between a firm’s management and its investors regarding the firm’s true value, influences…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how information asymmetry, which refers to an information gap between a firm’s management and its investors regarding the firm’s true value, influences firms’ dividend and investment decisions in the restaurant industry. This study also investigated the moderating role of a firm’s level of franchising in the relationship between information asymmetry and these behaviors of restaurant firms.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used generalized method of moments panel regression analyses. Principal component analysis was also used to create a composite index of information symmetry.
Findings
This study demonstrated that in asymmetric information environments, restaurant managers tend to reduce dividend payments. In addition, this study showed that information asymmetry leads to restaurant managers’ investment inefficiency. However, the investment inefficiency of the restaurant industry was found to decrease as restaurant firms’ level of franchising increases.
Practical implications
Firms’ dividends and investment decisions are of great interest to investors because these decisions heavily influence investors’ wealth-maximization goals. By shedding light on the previously unrecognized determinants of dividend and investment behaviors in the restaurant industry, this study helps individual investors to make informed investing decisions.
Originality/value
Conflicting arguments can be made regarding the impact of asymmetric information environments on the dividend and investment behaviors of restaurant firms. This study aimed to verify these as-yet unclear relationships in the restaurant industry.