Impression Management in the Sharing Economy: Understanding the Effect of Response Strategy to Negative Reviews

Olga Abramova, Hanna Krasnova, Tetiana Shavanova, Andrea Fuhrer and Peter Buxmann

Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, 2016, vol. 70, issue 1, 58-73

Abstract: Recognizing the harmful effect of negative reviews on the reputation of the hosts as well as a subjective nature of the travel experience judgements, accommodation sharing platforms, like Airbnb, have introduced the response option, empowering hosts with the voice to deny, present an excuse, or at least apologize for the subject of the criticism. However, the effects of different response strategies on the impression of guests regarding the host and, above all, guests’ willingness to rent a specific accommodation in the sharing setting remain unclear. To fill this gap, this study focuses on understanding the impact of different response strategies utilizing experimental methods. Our investigation shows that when the subject of complaint is controllable by a host, only the “confession / apology” strategy can improve the impression of guests regarding the host and enhance guests’ willingness to rent, compared to the absence of response. However, when the subject of criticism is beyond the control of the host, both “confession / apology” and “excuse” have positive influence on the impression and also guests’ willingness to rent. At the same time, “denial” strategy appears ineffective in both controllable and uncontrollable contexts we tested.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.5771/0042-059X-2016-1-58

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Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice is currently edited by Prof. Dr. Artur Baldauf, Universität Bern, Prof. Dr. Manfred Bruhn, Universität Basel, Prof. Dr. Pascal Gantenbein, Universität Basel (geschäftsführend), Prof. Dr. Markus Gmür, Universität Fribourg, Prof. Dr. Klaus Möller, Universität St. Gallen, Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens, Universität St. Gallen, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Margit Osterloh, Universität Zürich, Prof. Dr. Dieter Pfaff, Universität Zürich and Prof. Dr. Martin Wallmeier, Universität Fribourg

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