Omer Cem Kutlubay, Mesut Cicek and Serdar Yayla
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to drastic changes in the lives of customers. Social isolation, financial difficulties, fear of being infected and many other factors have…
Abstract
Purpose
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to drastic changes in the lives of customers. Social isolation, financial difficulties, fear of being infected and many other factors have caused the psychological well-being of customers to deteriorate. By taking up the role of online reviews in the regulation of consumers’ moods, this study aims to examine the changes that have occurred in online product ratings, as well as the negative tone and word counts of product reviews during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examines the online reviews of 321 products in the pre-COVID, immediate COVID and extended COVID periods. This paper compares the changes that have taken place in product evaluations via various analysis of variance analyses. The authors also test the effect of COVID-related deaths on product evaluations via regression analyses.
Findings
The results indicate that online product ratings decreased sharply just after the outbreak of COVID-19. The study also found that the tone of reviews was found to be more negative and the length of reviews appeared to be longer in comparison to the pre-COVID-19 period. The results also revealed that the product type (experience vs search) moderated the effect of the pandemic in online reviews and the impact of COVID-19 on online product reviews diminished in the later stages of the ongoing pandemic.
Practical implications
Managers should be aware of the detrimental impact of pandemics on online product reviews and be more responsive to customer problems during the early stages of pandemics.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that analyzes the effects of a pandemic on online product ratings and review content. As such, this study offers a timely contribution to the marketing literature.
Details
Keywords
Serdar Turedi and Asligul Erkan-Barlow
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of managerial myopia on information technology (IT) investment. Specifically, it aims to investigate the influence of chief…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of managerial myopia on information technology (IT) investment. Specifically, it aims to investigate the influence of chief information officer (CIO) compensation on IT investment and the moderating role of the board monitoring strength on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The study examines a sample of 194 firms listed on US stock exchanges with a CIO position in 2019. The authors employ hierarchical regression analysis to test the hypothesis.
Findings
The results show that CIO compensation negatively influences IT investment. Further, even though vigilant board monitoring does not necessarily reduce such opportunistic behaviors, weak board monitoring creates an environment for such actions.
Research limitations/implications
First, the cross-sectional data can limit the results' generalizability. Second, the sampling frame is not perfectly random as it consists of firms that have CIO compensation information in the ExecuComp for 2019. Third, we include only two measures of board monitoring strength.
Practical implications
Board of directors should wisely select compensation packages' components since equity incentives potentially exacerbate managerial myopia. Moreover, firms may regulate CIOs' investment behaviors through board-level IT governance.
Originality/value
This study is one of the few studies that utilize CIO sensitivity to measure CIO compensation. Moreover, by examining the factors affecting IT investment behavior, this study sheds light on CIO incentives' impact on IT investment behaviors. Finally, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to investigate board monitoring's role in the relationship between CIO sensitivity and IT investment intensity.
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Shokoofeh Talebi, Zamzam Paknahad, Mohammad Hashemi and Akbar Hasanzadeh
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is developed by an insufficient supply of oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium. Recent studies have shown that increased oxidative stress has…
Abstract
Purpose
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is developed by an insufficient supply of oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium. Recent studies have shown that increased oxidative stress has implicated in the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis. Anxiety and CAD have a mutual relationship, as the effect of long-lasting anxiety on atherosclerosis and CAD is well known. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between dietary / serum total antioxidant capacity and CAD.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 160 male patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Diagnosis and analysis of angiograms were performed visually by a cardiologist. The subjects were categorized into CAD− (coronary artery obstruction <75 per cent) and CAD+ (coronary artery obstruction ≥ 75 per cent) groups. Anthropometric indices, blood pressure, blood sugar and lipid profile and physical activity (PA) were assessed. Information about anxiety was obtained by Spielberger questionnaire. Dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was obtained by using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and an oxygen radical absorbance capacity of selected foods.
Findings
Mean of dietary TAC was significantly lower in CAD+ than CAD− group (P < 0.001). However, there was not any significant differences about serum TAC (P = 0.28). The mean of body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.04) and triglyceride (TG) level (P = 0.03) and the frequency of smoking (P = 0.03) were significantly higher in the CAD+ than the CAD− group. There was no significant relationship between CAD with apparent (P = 0.33) and hidden anxiety level (P = 0.16). Confounding factors such as smoking and medications were adjusted.
Research limitations/implications
This study had certain limitations. Being a single center cross-sectional design does not permit analysis of causal relationships; the sample size was geographically limited. The authors could not exclude the medication of patients, which could affect the total antioxidant capacity levels. Measurement error in self-reported dietary consumption may results misclassification of exposure.
Practical implications
A diet high in total antioxidant capacity is inversely associated with CAD. Serum TAC does not vary between men with and without CAD when confounders including age, BMI, TG, smoking, SBP, DBP, energy intake, PA, HDL-C, LDL-C, T-C, FBS, family history of CAD, education and anxiety are taken into consideration.
Social implications
High consumption of vegetables and fruits may play a major role in the prevention of CAD.
Originality/value
The study was approved by the ethics committee of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (No:394888).