Explore the vast range of titles available.

The concept of guanxi (i.e., a close and pervasive interpersonal relationship) has received little attention in the literature on online marketplaces, perhaps due to their impersonal nature. However, we propose that computer-mediated communication (CMC) technologies can mimic traditional interactive face-to-face communications, thus enabling a form of guanxi in online marketplaces. Extending the literature on traditional guanxi, we herein introduce the concept of swift guanxi, conceptualized as the buyer’s perception of a swiftly formed interpersonal relationship with a seller, which consists of mutual understanding, reciprocal favors, and relationship harmony. Integrating theories of CMC and guanxi, we develop a model that explains how a set of CMC tools (i.e., instant messaging, message box, feedback system) facilitate repeat transactions with sellers by building swift guanxi and trust through interactivity and presence (social presence and telepresence) with sellers. Longitudinal data from 338 buyers in TaoBao, China’s leading online marketplace, support our structural model, showing that the buyers’ effective use of CMC tools enable swift guanxi and trust by enhancing the buyers’ perceptions of interactivity and presence. In turn, swift guanxi and trust predict buyers’ repurchase intentions and their actual repurchases from sellers. We discuss the implications of swift guanxi in online marketplaces with the aid of CMC technologies.

This paper examines the possibility of experiential learning in a virtual space using head-mounted-display-based immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies. Experiential learning refers to learning through direct experiences in the context of learning. Realistically, experiential learning is impossible in most cases, but VR technologies allowing direct interaction with virtual environments and objects are being developed and commercialized. These technologies are predicted to enhance vividness, interactivity, presence, flow, and experientiality, and increase the expectations of the possibility of experiential learning using VR. Thus, in this study, an experiment was conducted to verify such possibility. The analysis of the experiment results showed that the tactile interactivity and presence improved with the use of enhanced interaction technologies in VR, and in terms of experientiality, the experiment participants became highly aware of the “exploratory stage,” referring to the level of experience of being exposed to an interesting site and directly touching an object in the currently enhanced VR in providing direct tactile and locomotive interactivity. Furthermore, the fact that the learning effect is also partially enhanced was discovered. Accordingly, it was determined that experiential learning using VR is possible based on the experiment results, which showed that the enhanced vividness and interactivity of VR technologies allow the users to closely recognize virtual experiences as direct experiences, and that the learning effect is enhanced. It was also determined that experiential learning in a virtual environment that is identical to an experience in reality would be made possible in the near future based on continued technological development.

Process satisfaction is one important determinant of work group collaborative system adoption, continuance, and performance. We explicate the computermediated communication (CMC) interactivity model (CMCIM) to explain and predict how interactivity enhances communication quality that results in increased process satisfaction in CMC-supported work groups. We operationalize this model in the challenging context of very large groups using extremely lean CMC. We tested it with a rigorous field experiment and analyzed the results with the latest structural equation modeling techniques. Interactivity and communication quality dramatically improved for very large groups using highly lean CMC (audience response systems) over face-to-face groups. Moreover, CMC groups had fewer negative status effects and higher process satisfaction than face-to-face groups. The practical applications of lean CMC rival theoretical applications in importance because lean CMC is relatively inexpensive and requires minimal training and support compared to other media. The results may aid large global work group continuance, satisfaction, and performance in systems, product and strategy development, and other processes in which status effects and communication issues regularly have negative influences on outcomes.

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractThe explosive growth of social media has transformed the digital marketing landscape and established social media advertising as an important factor influencing consumer behavior. This study investigates how key features of social media advertising, including interactivity, personal expectation, informativeness, hedonic value, and perceived relevance, can affect consumer engagement and then lead to purchase intention. A quantitative research design was applied, using survey data collected online in Georgia between June and August 2025 from 214 socially active consumers who regularly purchase from Temu, a leading e-commerce platform among Georgian users. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4 software to test the hypothesized relationships. The model explained 85% of the variance in purchase intention, indicating a very strong explanatory power. The findings indicate that interactivity, personal expectation, and perceived relevance have a strong positive effect on both consumer engagement and purchase intention. Informativeness and hedonic value also exert positive effects; however, their influence becomes less consistent when perceived value and satisfaction are used as moderating variables. The study concludes that marketers must design social media advertisements that are engaging, interactive, emotionally engaging, and easy to understand to enhance consumer satisfaction and perceived value, ultimately leading to higher purchase intentions. These insights provide practical guidance for businesses seeking to optimize social media advertising strategies and strengthen consumer engagement.

Interactivity is a key feature of Web sites. This article identifies the determinants that enhance user perceptions of interactivity in a communication scenario in which consumers send instant messages to an e-store. Two conceptualizations of interactivity-telepresence theory and interactivity theory-predict that different antecedents (e.g., the number of clicks, response time, message type) are important. The results of Experiment 1 indicate that message type (i.e., how personal a particular message is) is the strongest predictor of interactivity perceptions. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the effects of message type on perceived interactivity and Web site effectiveness are greater when consumers are complaining than when they are inquiring about services. The results of Experiment 2 show that as the level of message personalization increases, interactivity perceptions and site effectiveness are enhanced (linear relationship). The authors discuss the implications of the findings for theory and practice and provide directions for measuring and manipulating interactivity in further research.

Purpose This paper aims to present a mechanism that explains how followers become loyal to social media influencers. It suggests influencer interactivity as a unique feature of influencer brands and investigates how it affects influencer authenticity, emotional attachment, and thus brand loyalty. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey of 282 social media users was conducted to estimate the conceptual model. Participants were asked to respond to the survey questions based on their perceptions of a specific influencer they follow on social media. The relationships among variables were tested via structural equation modeling. Findings The findings show that influencer interactivity is positively related to influencer authenticity and emotional attachment. Influencer authenticity mediates the effect of interactivity on emotional attachment and directly affects brand trust. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that followers’ emotional attachment to influencer brands increases brand loyalty through brand trust. Originality/value This study is the first to approach influencers as a brand, rather than a brand endorser. Specifically, this study conceptualizes the influencer brand’s interactivity and finds a link between influencer interactivity and the followers’ perception of influencer authenticity. It discusses why influencer interactivity and authenticity play key roles in shaping influencer brand equity. This study contributes to both the human brands and the influencer marketing literature by proposing a model to understand how the brand equity of the influencer brand is formed.

Many firms are striving to improve their environmental positions by presenting their environmental efforts to the public. To do so, they are applying green marketing strategies to help gain competitive advantage and appeal to ecologically conscious consumers. However, not all green marketing claims accurately reflect firms' environmental conduct, and can be viewed as 'greenwashing'. Greenwashing may not only affect a company's profitability, but more importantly, result in ethical harm. Therefore, this research extends past greenwashing studies by examining additional influences on and outcomes of perceived greenwashing. To do so, we conducted two studies, an interview study with consumer product and consulting firms, as well as an experiment examining consumers interacting with a company website. For these studies, we used multiple methods, including interviews, questionnaires, and neurophysiological techniques. We found that perceived greenwashing relates not only to environmental and product perceptions, but also to consumers' happiness while interacting with the website. We also found that website interactivity relates to perceived greenwashing, environmental and product perceptions, and to the amount of interaction with the website. We conclude by discussing managerial and ethical implications for research and practice.

Educational researchers have been confronted with a multitude of definitions of task complexity and a lack of consensus on how to measure it. Using a cognitive load theory-based perspective, we argue that the task complexity that learners experience is based on element interactivity. Element interactivity can be determined by simultaneously considering the structure of the information being processed and the knowledge held in long-term memory of the person processing the information. Although the structure of information in a learning task can easily be quantified by counting the number of interacting information elements, knowledge held in long-term memory can only be estimated using teacher judgment or knowledge tests. In this paper, we describe the different perspectives on task complexity and present some concrete examples from cognitive load research on how to estimate the levels of element interactivity determining intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. The theoretical and practical implications of the cognitive load perspective of task complexity for instructional design are discussed.

PurposeThis study explores how perceived interactivity effects in Livecommerce influences consumers' shopping intentions in live stream commerce. The authors specifically examine the mediating roles of immersion and hedonic/utilitarian gratification, as well as the moderating role of product involvement in identifying the boundary conditions.Design/methodology/approachA scenario-based online survey was conducted among American consumers via Prolific.co, an online crowdsourcing platform. The final sample included 187 respondents (male, 63.1 per cent; Caucasian, 61.5 per cent).FindingsThe results indicate that perceived interactivity significantly influenced consumers' shopping intentions. Consumers' sense of immersion and hedonic/utilitarian gratification were identified as serial mediators between perceived interactivity and consumers' shopping intentions. It was also found that individuals' product involvement moderated the serial effects of perceived interactivity on consumers' shopping intentions in live stream commerce.Originality/valueThis study provides empirical evidence that perceived interactivity plays an important role in creating an effectively immersive media experience in live stream commerce, which further contributes to higher shopping intentions via perceived utilitarian and hedonic gratifications. It was also found that varying levels of product involvement can have differing effects. Managerial implications are provided.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how customers’ perceptions of brands’ social media interactivity impact customer engagement behaviors (CEBs) (e.g. customer purchases, referrals, influence and knowledge) while accounting for the moderating role of brand type and social media platform. Design/methodology/approach Two separate online surveys (Study 1 (N1) = 341, Study 2 (N2) = 183) were conducted to measure the constructs of interest. Regression analyzes tests research hypotheses; PROCESS Model 1 was used to test the moderating roles of brand type and platform. Further, the pick-a-point approach (i.e. spotlight analysis) was used to probe the interaction terms. Findings The results indicate that when customers perceive a brand to be highly interactive on social media (vs inactive), they are more willing to buy brand offerings, refer the brand in exchange for monetary incentives, inform their family and friends about the brand on social media and provide feedback and suggestions for improving the brand. Furthermore, the positive impact of perceived social media interactivity on customer purchases, referrals, influence and knowledge varies across brand and social media platform types. Research limitations/implications Online surveys using convenience samples were conducted to assess the constructs of interest. Archival data may provide an avenue for further insight. Future research may be able to track actual online customer behavior using such data. Further, researchers are encouraged to corroborate the results found here over time as the winds of social media shift to new platforms. Practical implications The results suggest that interacting on social media encourages customers to contribute to brand value directly (through purchasing) and/or indirectly (through referring, influencing and suggesting). While all brands may leverage social media activity for success, the positive impact of perceived social media interactivity on CEBs is particularly impactful for non-global 500 brands. The results also indicate that customers are more willing to add value to the brand through purchases and suggestions when they perceive the brand to be highly interactive on both social media networking sites and the brand’s website. However, they are more willing to promote this brand and influence their social networks about it only when they perceive the brand to be highly (vs less) interactive on its own website. Originality/value This study examines the novel issue of the impact of perceived social media interactivity on different CEBs while accounting for the moderating role of the brand and platform used by customers. The results provide value in better understanding the levers through which social media affects performance.