Short answer
Designers and businesses need to recognize that online reviews are active forces that shape organizational reality, not just passive reflections of customer opinion.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Organization Science (2013)
- Method
- Practice-based research, qualitative analysis
- Evidence
- Strong effect
The shift to online user-generated content for evaluating services significantly alters organizational practices and outcomes in the hospitality sector. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2013 study published in Organization Science. Using Practice-based research, qualitative analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and businesses need to recognize that online reviews are active forces that shape organizational reality, not just passive reflections of customer opinion.
User-Generated Online Valuations Reshape Hospitality Industry Practices
The shift to online user-generated content for evaluating services significantly alters organizational practices and outcomes in the hospitality sector.
Organization Science · 2013
Key Findings
- 01Online valuation practices differ significantly in their production and outcomes.
- 02The materiality of online valuations actively shapes and reconfigures organizational practices.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers and businesses need to recognize that online reviews are active forces that shape organizational reality, not just passive reflections of customer opinion.
How to apply
Analyze the specific online valuation systems used for your product or service and observe how they influence internal workflows and external perceptions. Consider how to design feedback loops that are both informative and constructive.
Project actions
- 01When researching user feedback, look beyond just the sentiment (positive/negative) to understand how the feedback is structured and how it's used by the organization.
- 02Consider the 'materiality' of digital feedback – how the platform, the format of the review, and the way it's displayed all influence its impact.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a nuanced understanding of how online feedback functions beyond simple data.
- +Offers a theoretical lens (practice-based) to analyze complex interactions.
Limitations
The specific platforms and industry studied may not fully represent all online valuation contexts. The performative effects can be complex and difficult to isolate.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of the study provides rich insights but may have limitations in generalizability. The practice-based lens offers a robust framework for analysis.
Think critically
How might the design of an online review platform itself influence the 'performativity' of user feedback and its subsequent impact on an organization?
Design Principles
"Digital feedback mechanisms are performative and materially shape organizational practices."
Understanding how online reviews and ratings influence consumer perception and organizational operations is crucial for businesses. Designers and strategists can leverage this insight to shape user engagement and manage brand reputation in the digital space.
What This Means for Your Design
When customers leave reviews online, it doesn't just tell the company what they think; it actually changes how the company does business.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify investigating how user-generated content on platforms like review sites or social media influences the design and operation of a product or service.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This study by Orlikowski and Scott (2013) demonstrates that user-generated online valuations, such as reviews on travel sites, are not merely passive feedback but actively reconfigure organizational practices. This performative aspect means that the design and implementation of online evaluation systems can significantly influence how businesses operate and respond to market demands.
Source
Organization Science
What Happens When Evaluation Goes Online? Exploring Apparatuses of Valuation in the Travel Sector
journal · 2013
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about user-generated online valuations reshape hospitality industry practices?
- Designers and businesses need to recognize that online reviews are active forces that shape organizational reality, not just passive reflections of customer opinion. Evidence: Organization Science (2013).
- Why does "User-Generated Online Valuations Reshape Hospitality Industry Practices" matter for design?
- Understanding how online reviews and ratings influence consumer perception and organizational operations is crucial for businesses. Designers and strategists can leverage this insight to shape user engagement and manage brand reputation in the digital space.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers and businesses need to recognize that online reviews are active forces that shape organizational reality, not just passive reflections of customer opinion.
- What were the main findings?
- Online valuation practices differ significantly in their production and outcomes.. The materiality of online valuations actively shapes and reconfigures organizational practices.
- What research method was used?
- Practice-based research, qualitative analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2013 journal from Organization Science.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Analyze the specific online valuation systems used for your product or service and observe how they influence internal workflows and external perceptions. Consider how to design feedback loops that are both informative and constructive.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused on specific hotel valuation schemes, and findings may not be universally applicable to all service industries or all types of online evaluation.