Two essays on the personal behaviors in online platforms

Abstract

As social beings, individuals are affected by others on the platforms as well as affecting the society in large. Taking account the role of information technologies in the era of information communication technology, this thesis investigates how individuals affect the society inside and outside of the platform. This thesis is composed of two essays. The first essay investigates the effect of prior reviewer’s reviews-“online crowd”-on the subsequent reviewer’s self-disclosure. Drawing upon the social norms theory, the essay examines how “online crowd’s” dynamic aspects, the average and variance in the self-disclosure level of crowd and crowdedness affects reviewer’s self-disclosure on a review. In addition, given that online user’s prior experience determines an individual’s susceptibility toward the environment, the essay delineates how a reviewer’s prior experience of writing a review moderates the relationship between “online crowd” and self-disclosure level. The essay employs 2 stage-least-squares approach using review data collected from a leading apparel rental site in the United States. The second essay focuses on the impact of car sharing service use on the number of public transportation rides within urban area. Based on the findings regarding the substitution or complementary impact of new technologies on existing technologies, we empirically explore the role of car sharing, a new means for transportation, in public transportation use, an existing means of transportation. In addition, drawn upon the notion that the change in transportation modes may have significant impact on local commercial performance, the essay conducts additional analysis on the impact of the number of car sharing visits on the number of visitors to local tourist attractions. Using field data from a leading car sharing service vendor in South Korea, the essay conducts 2 stage-least-squares model to investigate such relationship.