Post-decision Stages Research Articles

Information search behavior among Chinese self-drive tourists in the smartphone era

PurposeThe Chinese economy has grown rapidly over the past decade, making self-drive tours more affordable among Chinese tourists. Thus, self-driving tours using online tourism-related information have also been popular. This study aims to investigate information search behaviors among different segments of Chinese self-drive tourists under the influence of contemporary mobile internet technologies and compares the results with prior related studies from a global standpoint.Design/methodology/approachThis paper investigates the relationships between tourist demographics and information search behavior in Mainland China based on a quantitative method. This study collected 228 surveys from users with self-drive tour experience. This study also conducted a series of online interviews to explore the potential barriers when self-drive tourists search for information.FindingsThe results showed variances within pre-decision and post-decision stages between different age groups, social classes and experience levels. Preference for up-to-date information and contemporary platforms were also observed.Originality/valueResearch paucity exists on self-drive tourists’ information search behavior, using data collected from Mainland Chinese tourists using mobile devices. The findings offer insights to industry practitioners, such as travel agencies and liaison websites, for refining their services to meet the information needs of Chinese self-drive tourists through more comprehensive marketing strategies.

A meta‐analysis of change in applicants' perceptions of fairness

AbstractUsing an event‐triggered multi‐stage framework, this random‐effects meta‐analysis examined the changes in applicants' perceptions of fairness between consecutive stages and throughout the entire personnel selection process. We integrated findings of studies with at least two measurement points, resulting in 45 effect sizes (overall N = 3,038). Trajectories of perceptions of fairness decreased nonlinearly across the process, with a steeper decrease for people who held high levels of initial fairness expectations. Unjust treatment produced a decrease in perceptions of fairness from pretest to posttest and an increase from posttest to postdecision. Furthermore, the length of the time interval moderated the changes in fairness perceptions between the posttest and postdecision stage. Practical implications and an agenda for future research are discussed.

CONSUMERS’ KNOWLEDGE, MAXIMIZING TENDENCIES, AND POST-DECISION INFORMATION SEARCH

ABSTRACT Nowadays consumers have more previous knowledge about products and services before making decisions. This study sheds light on the effects of consumers’ previous knowledge on post-decision information search. Previous studies argue that cognitive dissonance and feelings of regret or dissatisfaction elicit this search. However, we show through one experimental and two correlational studies that this view is incomplete. Our findings indicate that knowledgeable consumers search for more information at the post-decision stage, even when the decision cannot be modified. This main effect is stronger (weaker) for maximizers (satisficers). Also, cognitive dissonance affects the post-decision information search behavior. Therefore, we suggest a new variable, consumers’ previous knowledge, for consideration in the post-decision information search model.

La restitución de tierras en Colombia y la reparación transformadora en la construcción de paz: la experiencia en Santander desde la aplicación y efectividad de los fallos judiciales

La restitución de tierras abandonadas o despojadas en el contexto de un conflicto armado, es una medida de reparación prevista en la Ley de Víctimas y Restitución de Tierras de 1448/2011. En Santander, los jueces de tierras han dictado 55 sentencias hasta diciembre de 2016. Este artículo tiene como objeto analizar el estado de la cuestión de la restitución en el departamento, concretamente la aplicación y efectividad de la ley, a través de un análisis descriptivo e interpretativo de los fallos judiciales y la etapa post-fallo. Para ello, dada la complejidad del problema a investigar se han consultado diversidad de fuentes: normativa y jurisprudencia nacional e internacional, informes y estadísticas oficiales, bases de datos e investigaciones de organizaciones de derechos humanos, prensa y bibliografía de contexto. Asimismo, se han realizado entrevistas a diversos actores del proceso de restitución de tierras y visitas a predios restituidos. Si bien los jueces y magistrados de tierras aplican mayoritariamente lo establecido en la ley, hay algunas dificultades en la implementación de las órdenes dictadas que limitan una reparación efectiva y transformadora de las víctimas. La flexibilidad de la política pública de restitución de tierras, permite que este proceso en construcción pueda superar los escollos señalados en el texto, por el mantenimiento de la competencia de los jueces en la etapa posterior al fallo hasta que se garantice la reparación efectiva o la tendencia a aplicar la medida subsidiaria de compensar con un bien equivalente, en lugar de ordenar la entrega material del bien reclamado.

The study on firm acceptance of cloud service introduction from the innovation diffusion theory

This study combines the technology acceptance model and innovation diffusion theory and probes the acceptance of cloud computing services introduced in firms through the use of pre-decision, in-decision and post-decision stages. Based on this framework, the researcher attempts to identify whether the different stages of cloud service introduction will be influenced by cost, security, service continuity/completeness, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and compatibility. This study treats the information technology industry, in which there is an urgent demand for information applications, as the subject. Using a literature review and expert interviews, a questionnaire scale is constructed, and the researcher then conducts a questionnaire survey. According to the research findings, obtained using the process-oriented innovation diffusion theory and the technology acceptance model, cloud service cost, security and service continuity/completeness will influence the stages of cloud service introduction in the information technology industry.

Differential Effects of Irrelevant Emotional Context on Regret and Rejoice: A Behavioural Economic Investigation of Decision Making under Risk

This study investigates the role of incidental emotion and probability on two aspects of decision making: decision time and post-choice satisfaction (regret and rejoice). We used a modified regret paradigm in which people made choices in the context of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant emotional International Affective Picture System (IAPS) pictures present throughout the decision making and post-decision stages. Both pleasant and unpleasant emotional contexts led to a slower decision time compared to neutral context. With respect to post-choice feeling, participants experienced more regret after losing and less rejoice after winning in unpleasant compared to pleasant and neutral contexts. Further, we observed decreased regret rating from low to high risk conditions in the pleasant context. The regret rating was also observed to be more in the unpleasant compared to the neutral and pleasant contexts during low and high risk conditions, respectively. The results suggest that incidental emotions present during decision making do influence both decision time and post-choice ratings. These results imply that decision making theories need to consider incidental emotional context to explain decision making. We also discuss similarities and differences when incidental emotions are present during decision making with incidental emotions that are present prior to decision making.

Contemporary insights to the dynamic pre-trip information sourcing behaviour

Prior to their trips, leisure travellers search for information, both in the pre- and the post-decision stages. Previous studies on leisure travel decision making have documented how personal characteristics and perceived risk influence pre-trip information sourcing, but not detailed their effects on information sources used before and after a purchase decision is made. This study explores the role of traveller characteristics and the mediating effects of perceived risk on the choice of pre-trip information sources used by Finnish leisure travellers. The findings disclose a dynamic structure of information sources used before and after purchase decision contingent on risk perception. In particular, risk-averse travellers make increased use of television (commercials, news and TV travel shows), radio and family as information sources in a post-decision stage. For practice, these findings imply that tourism and hospitality marketers benefit from effective destination marketing strategies spanning an optimal mix of information channels.

Desirability or Feasibility

Making decisions for the self and providing advice to others are common in daily life. The current research examines the differences in weight that people attach to desirability and feasibility when deciding for themselves versus others. Based on construal level theory, we propose that in a decision-making process, individuals who decide for others tend to focus more on desirability than on feasibility compared with those who decide for themselves. Across five experiments, the predicted self-other differences were observed in preference in the decision stage (Experiments 1a and 1b), information seeking in the predecision stage (Experiment 2), and information recall in the postdecision stage (Experiments 3a and 3b). These findings show that decision behaviors are determined by the decision target (i.e., for whom such decisions are made).

Postdecision-State-Based Approximate Dynamic Programming for Robust Predictive Control of Constrained Stochastic Processes

This article proposes the use of approximate dynamic programming (ADP) based on the “postdecision state” as a computationally efficient tool for the systematic handling of uncertainty in the context of stochastic process control. The need to handle uncertainties systematically, which is unmet by current advanced process control methodologies, such as model predictive control (MPC), is highlighted through two classes of problems that are commonly encountered in process control. These are (i) scenarios where processes, made to operate near constraint boundaries for economic reasons, exhibit frequent excursions into the infeasible region as a result of exogenous disturbances and (ii) situations where there exists significant interaction between state or parameter estimation and control such that the often employed assumptions of certainty equivalence or separation fail to hold. Most previous works on ADP, as specialized for process control problems, are better suited for deterministic problems. For stochastic problems, such as those treated in this work, the postdecision stage formulation confers immediate practical benefits since it allows the efficient use of off-the-shelf optimization solvers found in all MPC technology.

Reviewing design stage of environmental impact assessment follow-up: looking at the open cast coal mines in India

Since the introduction of the environmental impact assessment notification of 1994, there has been considerable research related to EIA procedures in India. Research has emphasized predominantly ‘developing appropriate regulations’ and ‘institutional procedures necessary to implement them’. As follow-up is usually associated with post-decision stages in EIA, a sound design stage is crucial for laying down its foundations. This paper explores follow-up considerations during the pre-decision stage of open cast coal mines in India and demonstrates the challenges posed within the Indian context. In doing so, the outcome of EIA reviews undertaken by the expert committee and the EIA reports are reviewed. It even goes a step further by relating the follow-up design stage in India to international principles of best practices of EIA follow-up.

Knowledge-information autopoietic cycle: towards the wisdom systems

Decision-making processes are characterised by purposeful coordination of interrelated activities of pre-decision, decision and post-decision stages. In this sense, human decision-making processes require explicit knowledge generation, enhancement and renewal. So far the areas of decision-making have remained mostly free of knowledge and knowledge management, process orientation and autopoiesis and self-producing cycles in general. Yet, in this paper we move further ahead. The transition from information to knowledge is still going on and much remains to be accomplished, but the next transition - from knowledge to wisdom - is already taking shape. We formulate clear, unambiguous and pragmatic definitions and distinctions of knowledge and information, establish simple and natural measures of the value of knowledge and describe the knowledge-Information autopoietic cycle A-C-I-S and its circulatory nature in managing knowledge of the enterprise. Then we elaborate on the future evolution of knowledge management by discussing the outlines of wisdom, wisdom systems and the contours of the Wise Enterprise.

Practitioner perspectives on the role of science in environmental impact assessment.

A large body of literature addresses the role of science in environmental impact assessment (EIA) but less attention has been given to the views of practitioners themselves. In this research a survey of 31 EIA practitioners in Western Australia was undertaken to determine their perceptions of the quality and importance of science in EIA. The survey results are compared with previous theoretical, empirical, and survey studies of the role of science in EIA. Interview questions addressed the role of science in impact prediction, monitoring activities, mitigation and management, and EIA decision-making. It was clear from the interviews that many practitioners are satisfied with the quality of science currently used in EIA, but do not believe that it is given sufficient importance in the process. The quality and importance of science in the predecision stages of EIA was rated higher than in the postdecision stages. While science was perceived to provide the basis for baseline data collection, impact prediction, and mitigation design, it was seen to be less important during decision-making and ongoing project management. Science was seen to be just one input to decision-makers along with other factors such as sociopolitical and economic considerations. While time and budget constraints were seen to limit the scientific integrity of EIA activities, pressure from the public and regulatory authorities increased it. Improving the scientific component of EIA will require consideration of all these factors, not just the technical issues.

Environmental impact assessment follow-up: good practice and future directions — findings from a workshop at the IAIA 2000 conference

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) follow- up refers to the activities undertaken during the post-decision stages of the process to monitor, evaluate, manage and communicate the environmental outcomes that occur in order to provide for some follow-up to the environmental impact statement. This article presents the key findings of a workshop on EIA follow-up conducted at IAIA'00 Back to the Future, the 20th Annual Meeting of the International Association for Impact Assessment held in Hong Kong, 19-23 June 2000.

FORUM: Exploring the EIA/Environmental Management Relationship.

/ An important measure of the effectiveness of environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the extent to which it achieves its goals for environmental protection and management. To determine this requires an examination of environmental outcomes for projects that have undergone EIA. The utility of the predecision stages of EIA in influencing environmental decisions has been well documented by others. It is argued here that EIA can also play a useful role in providing for ongoing adaptive environmental management. The hypothesis of this research is that EIA does influence environmental management activities and outcomes for development projects and that this influence occurs during three stages based on the principal approval decision point-predecision, postdecision, and transitional stages. This hypothesis was tested with respect to six case studies in Western Australia (WA). The majority of management actions were proposed during the predecision stage along with the formulation of impact predictions, although significant environmental management activities were established during the other stages of the EIA process. New management actions were implemented during the postdecision stage in response to the occurrence of unexpected impacts. Adaptive management activities were initiated during the transitional stage of EIA through the setting of environmental objectives in the predecision stage that left scope for a flexible approach to be adopted for achieving these objectives. During project assessment in WA, strong emphasis is placed on the need for ongoing monitoring and management programs. The implementation of these programs was found to be central to successful achievement of project and environmental performance objectives. The case studies demonstrate that a strong relationship exists between EIA and ongoing environmental management performance in WA.KEY WORDS: Environmental impact assessment; Ongoing management; Effectiveness; Audithttp://link.springer-ny.com/link/service/journals/00267/bibs/24n3p281.html

The Influence of Involvement on Consumer Choice Process for Financial Institutions

Abstract This article empirically supports the conceptual notion that level of involvement influences the decision process. A population sample is partitioned a priori into high and low involvement segments based on their responses in the presearch, search/acquisition and postdecision stages of Houston and Rothschild's response involvement paradigm. Empirical results indicate that high involvement decision makers make choices by considering all attributes in a simultaneous compensatory manner. Conversely, low involvement decision makers make choices by considering the attributes in a sequential (one-at-a-time) manner. Diagnostic information is provided to help the researcher identify the attributes that most influence an individual's choice of primary financial institution.