Corporate interactive strategy for consumer information processing

Abstract

In interactive online space, companies constantly communicate with consumers through various communication channels. Online discussion forum, which plays an important role in online criticism, provides useful information such as online commentaries generated by other consumers. The primary objective of this dissertation is to explore the key moderator on company evaluations in interactive communication between company and consumers. Essay 1 uses regulatory focus theory to explain how online commentaries are processed differently depending on consumers`` information processing style and how each self-regulatory mode moderates the impact of online commentaries on consumer``s overall evaluation of information. Essay 1 produces three major findings: (1) Promotion-focused consumers are more likely to change their preferences toward information than prevention-focused consumers do, (2) With hedonic information, preference change toward information will be stronger for promotion-focused consumers as compared to prevention-focused consumers, (3) With utilitarian information, preference change toward information will be stronger for prevention-focused consumers as compared to promotion-focused consumers. These finding have implications for online discussion forums in terms of how to manage consumers effectively and also how to prevent unintended criticism. Recent studies have shown that consumers contend more with information about negative CSR. However, little is known about the effects of different response strategies on negative CSR resulting from critical motivation factors. Based on theories of regulatory focus and confirmatory information search, Essay 2 analyzes the differential evaluations on negative CSR by consumers who are either prevention or promotion orientated in self-regulation, and the psychological processes as negative CSR-relevant information increases. Evidence is found that consumers`` regulatory focus moderates the effect of information quantit...