Persuasion effect of e-WOM: The Impact of Involvement and Ambiguity Tolerance

Chih-Chien Wang,Yi-Ting Wang 한국마케팅과학회 2010 마케팅과학연구 Vol.20 No.4

Prior to purchasing a new product, consumers search external information about the product to make a well-informed purchase decision and decrease the potential risk involved in buying products. Due to the popularity of Internet, e-WOM has already become an important information source for many consumers. The current study proposed the idea that the distribution and quantity of electronic word-of-mouth would be related to consumers’ purchase intentions. In addition, consumers’ personality trait of tolerance of ambiguity and involvement would also be related to purchase intention. Tolerance of ambiguity and personal involvement were as mediators for the influence of e-WOM on purchase intentions. This article conducted three studies in order to investigate the persuasion effects of e-WOM. A restaurant was selected as the target of e-WOM in all the three studies. Authors created a simulated online community for a gourmet restaurant in order to manipulate the experimental variables for the three studies. Study 1 examined the impact of consumers’ characteristics of tolerance of ambiguity and involvement on the persuasion effects of e-WOM. This article recruited 122 voluntary participants in an online community. After deleting redundant responses and responses with missing data, a remaining 83 completed responses were accepted for data analysis. Study 1 adopted Partial Least Squares (PLS) to test the influence of involvement and ambiguity tolerance on purchase intention. The explanatory power of the construct was 19.4% for purchase intention and the path linkages from consumers’ tolerance of ambiguity and involvement to purchase intention were all significant. This study results displayed that a positive relationship between involvement and purchase intention and a negative relationship between ambiguity tolerance and purchase intention. Study 2 utilized a three factorial design to test the relationship between the quantity of e-WOM and purchase intention. Three web pages containing one, five, or fifteen customer reviews were created as experimental scenarios. Study 2 recruited 150 participants in total. After deleting redundant responses and responses with missing data, the remaining 98 completed responses were accepted for data analysis. An ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in consumers’ purchase intention among three groups of e-WOM quantity (F(2,95)=3.55, p<.05). The e-WOMs with five and 15 customer reviews influenced respondents to visit the restaurant, while the e-WOM with one customer review did not. Study 2 also used a t-test analysis to examine the differences in purchase intention between groups of one and 15 customer reviews. The results revealed that high involvement consumers reported higher purchase intentions in the 15 customer review group than in the one customer review (t=2.35, p<.05). Study 3 utilized a three factorial design to test the influence of distribution of e-WOMs on purchase intention. It included three e-WOM rating score distributions: J-shape, U-shape, and inverted U-shape (normal distribution). Study 3 recruited a total of 329 participants. After deleting redundant responses and responses with missing data, the remaining 215 completed responses were accepted for data analysis. ANOVA analysis showed a significant difference in purchase intentions among groups with different e-WOM rating score distributions (F(2, 212)=3.59, p<.05). Participants reported higher intention to dine at the restaurant when the rating score distribution was J-shape. The ANOVA results also found that the impact of e-WOM distribution on persuasion effect existed only in the high involvement group. For high involvement consumers, J-shape e-WOMs increase consumers purchase intention compared to other distributions. Base on the analyses of the three empirical studies, this article revealed that e-WOMs were more persuasive for individuals with high involvement and low ambiguity tolerance. Low ambiguity tol...

Persuasion effect of e-WOM : The Impact of Involvement and Ambiguity Tolerance

Chih-Chien Wang,Yi-Ting Wang 한국마케팅과학회 2010 마케팅과학연구 Vol.20 No.4

Prior to purchasing a new product, consumers search external information about the product to make a well-informed purchase decision and decrease the potential risk involved in buying products. Due to the popularity of Internet, e-WOM has already become an important information source for many consumers. The current study proposed the idea that the distribution and quantity of electronic word-of-mouth would be related to consumers' purchase intentions. In addition, consumers' personality trait of tolerance of ambiguity and involvement would also be related to purchase intention. Tolerance of ambiguity and personal involvement were as mediators for the influence of e-WOM on purchase intentions. This article conducted three studies in order to investigate the persuasion effects of e-WOM. A restaurant was selected as the target of e-WOM in all the three studies. Authors created a simulated online community for a gourmet restaurant in order to manipulate the experimental variables for the three studies. Study 1 examined the impact of consumers' characteristics of tolerance of ambiguity and involvement on the persuasion effects of e-WOM. This article recruited 122 voluntary participants in an online community. After deleting redundant responses and responses with missing data, a remaining 83 completed responses were accepted for data analysis. Study 1 adopted Partial Least Squares (PLS) to test the influence of involvement and ambiguity tolerance on purchase intention. The explanatory power of the construct was 19.4% for purchase intention and the path linkages from consumers' tolerance of ambiguity and involvement to purchase intention were all significant. This study results displayed that a positive relationship between involvement and purchase intention and a negative relationship between ambiguity tolerance and purchase intention. Study 2 utilized a three factorial design to test the relationship between the quantity of e-WOM and purchase intention. Three web pages containing one, five, or fifteen customer reviews were created as experimental scenarios. Study 2 re-cruited 150 participants in total. After deleting redundant responses and responses with missing data, the remaining 98 completed responses were accepted for data analysis. An ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in consumers' purchase intention among three groups of e-WOM quantity (F(2,95)=3.55, p

Feline mammary carcinoma-derived extracellular vesicle promotes liver metastasis via sphingosine kinase-1-mediated premetastatic niche formation

Yi-Chih Chang,Hao-Ping Liu,Hsiao-Li Chuang,Jiunn-Wang Liao,Pei-Ling Kao,Hsun-Lung Chan,Ter-Hsin Chen,Yu-Chih Wang 한국실험동물학회 2023 Laboratory Animal Research Vol.39 No.4

Background: Feline mammary carcinoma (FMC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies of female cats. FMC is highly metastatic and thus leads to poor disease outcomes. Among all metastases, liver metastasis occurs in about 25% of FMC patients. However, the mechanism underlying hepatic metastasis of FMC remains largely uncharacterized. Results: Herein, we demonstrate that FMC-derived extracellular vesicles (FMC-EVs) promotes the liver metastasis of FMC by activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to prime a hepatic premetastatic niche (PMN). Moreover, we provide evidence that sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1) delivered by FMC-EV was pivotal for the activation of HSC and the formation of hepatic PMN. Depletion of SK1 impaired cargo sorting in FMC-EV and the EV-potentiated HSC activation, and abolished hepatic colonization of FMC cells. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings uncover a previously uncharacterized mechanism underlying liver-metastasis of FMC and provide new insights into prognosis and treatment of this feline malignancy.

A study of the replacement of desulphurization slag for sand to ready-mixed soil materials (RMSM)

Yi-Fang Shiha,Shih-Shong Tseng,Her-Yung Wang,Chih-Ting Wei 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2016 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.17 No.3

After the industrial of steelmaking by-products are processed properly, they can be used in civil engineering, not only as a substitute for natural resources and to reduce costs, but also to provide environmental protection. This study used different amounts (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%,and 50%) of desulphurization slag to replace natural fine aggregates in ready-mixed soil materials, and tested the physical and fresh properties (slump, slump flow, tube flow, initial setting time, and bleeding) and hardened properties (compressive strength, ball drop, ultrasonic pulse velocity) of the materials. The variations between the performances of the materials with different mix proportions were discussed. When desulphurization slag is used in RMSM, the workability can be enhanced obviously significantly. When the replacement of desulphurization slag is 50%, the slump flow is increased by 110mm compared with the control group, and the initial setting time increases as the replacement increases, because of bleeding. When the replacement is 10% and 20%, the compressive strength at various ages is higher than that of the control group. When the replacement is 10%, the compressive strength at 7 days is higher than that of the control group by 60%, and the ultrasonic pulse velocity is proportional to the compressive strength, which increases with age and decrease as the replacement increases. An appropriate replacement can effectively accelerate construction, and allow projects to be finished ahead of schedule; therefore, an appropriate replacement, is applicable for ready-mixed soil materials.

Microstructural Evolution with Various Ti Contents in Fe-Based Hardfacing Alloys Using a GTAW Technique

Chih-Chun Hsieh,Yi-Chia Liu,Jia-Siang Wang,Weite Wu 대한금속·재료학회 2014 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.20 No.4

The aim of this study is to discuss the effect of microstructural development with different Ti contents inFe-based hardfacing alloys. A series of Fe-Cr-C-Si-Mn-xTi alloy fillers was deposited on SS400 low carbonsteel substrate using oscillating gas tungsten arc welding. The microstructure in the Fe-based hardfacing alloywithout Ti content addition included: the primary γ, eutectic γ+(Fe,Cr)3C, eutectic γ+(Fe,Cr)2C and martensite. With increasing Ti contents, the microstructures showed the primary TiC carbide, γ phase and eutectic+(Fe,Cr,Ti)3C. The amount and size of TiC carbide in the hardfacing layers increased as the Ti contentincreased. However, the eutectic γ+(Fe,Cr,Ti)3C content decreased as the Ti content increased. Accordingto the results of the hardness test, the lowest hardness value (HRC 54.93) was found with 0% wt% Ti andthe highest hardness (HRC 60.29) was observed with 4.87 wt% Ti.

On Establishing a New Fee Schedule for General Surgical Procedure Using Fuzzy MCDM

Chih-Young Hung,Yuan-Huei Huang,Pei-Yeh Chang,Kuei-Ing Wang,King-Jen Chang,Yi-Hsin Liu 대한산업공학회 2005 Industrial Engineeering & Management Systems Vol.4 No.2

GROUND OBSERVATIONS OF SPRITES AND OTHER TLES IN TAIWAN

WANG YUN-CHING,HSU RUE-RON,SU HAN-TZONG,CHEN ALFRED BING-CHIH,LEE YI-JEN,KUO CHENG-LING,TSAY WEAN-SHUN,CHANG CHAN-KAO,WANG SHI-CHUN,LEE LOU-CHUANG,LIU TIE-YUE The Korean Astronomical Society 2005 Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society Vol.38 No.2

Sprites, elves and blue jets are collectively denominated as the upper atmospheric transient luminous events (TLEs). They are recently discovered optical flashes between active thunderstorms and the ionosphere. In this report, a brief introduction to the most important characteristics of TLEs is given. Since 2001, scientists from the National Cheng Kung University have been performing yearly summer campaigns from various locations in Taiwan. The main achievements of their yearly campaign are presented.

MOF-Derived Bimetal-Embedded Carbon with Etched Morphologies as an Efficient Activator of Peroxymonosulfate for Eliminate Emerging Contaminants

Chen Yi-Chun,Jiang Xin-Yu,Lin Jia-Yin,Thanh Bui Xuan,Wang Haitao,Huang Chao-Wei,Ghotekar Suresh,Huang Chih-Feng,Lin Kun-Yi Andrew 한국화학공학회 2024 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.41 No.6

As bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)methanone (BHP) is one of the most common UV light stabilizers (UVLS), but exhibits endocrine disrupting toxicity, this study aims to develop useful sulfate radical-based techniques to eliminate BHP from water by activating peroxymonosulfate (PMS). Hence, while cobalt (Co) exhibits effi cacy as a transition metal for the activation of PMS, the utilization of manganese/cobalt (Mn/Co) bimetallic oxides presents an even more encouraging prospect as heterogeneous catalysts for PMS activation. In this study, we have successfully produced N-doped carbon-supported Mn/Co nanoparticles (NCMC) with a distinctive hollow-engineered nanostructure. The synthesis involved the utilization of Co-MOF as a precursor, followed by easy etching and Mn doping to achieve the desired composition of Mn/Co bimetallic oxide nanoparticles. The inclusion of Mn dopant facilitates the integration of Mn/Co nanoparticles into the hollow-structured N-doped carbon matrix. NCMC demonstrates much higher activity compared to NCC and the benchmark catalyst, Co 3 O 4 NP, in terms of PMS activation for the degradation of BHP. The fi ndings of the eco-toxicity study indicate that the degradation of BHP by NCMC + PMS does not yield hazardous or extremely toxic byproducts, so establishing NCMC as a potentially eff ective heterogeneous catalyst for activating PMS in the degradation of BHP.

On Establishing a New Fee Schedule for General Surgical Procedure Using Fuzzy MCDM

Hung, Chih-Young,Huang, Yuan-Huei,Chang, Pei-Yeh,Wang, Kuei-Ing,Chang, King-Jen,Liu, Yi-Hsin Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers 2005 Industrial Engineeering & Management Systems Vol.4 No.2

In this research a model for establishing a new, rational fee schedule for general surgical procedures in a national health insurance program is developed. A fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making (FMCDM) model is proposed. The relative values of eleven surgical procedures were obtained through an empirical study based on the FMCDM model. Consequently, a new fee schedule obtained from the FMCDM model. This new fee schedule is more convincing than previous schedule and more persuasive to the references for the policy setting.

Neuroprotective Activity of Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana Extracts In Vitro and In Vivo

Chung-Kwe Wang,Lih-Geeng Chen,Chi-Luan Wen,Wen-Chi Hou,Ling-Fang Hung,Shish-Jung Yen,Yi-Jyun Shen,Shyr-Yi Lin,Yu-Chih Liang 한국식품영양과학회 2010 Journal of medicinal food Vol.13 No.1

Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana (VTT) is a wild grape native to Taiwan, where it has been used as a folk medicine. In this study, we found that the branch and leaf ethanol extracts of VTT significantly inhibited the inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase protein expression and NO production in BV2 microglia. Using primary neuronal cells, kainic acid (KA) significantly increased hydrogen peroxide production in a dose-dependent manner. All four ethanol extracts of VTT significantly decreased hydrogen peroxide production. However, only root and branch ethanol extracts were able to prevent the neuronal cell death induced by KA in vitro. In the animal study, administration of all four plant part extracts of VTT delayed the onset of seizure and decreased the hippocampus neuronal cell loss, and the neuroprotective activity could be ranked as follows: branchleaf>root>trunk. The results suggest that VTT extracts have a potential to prevent neurodegeneration through the antioxidative activity by their ability to inhibit NO and hydrogen peroxide production.