Details of Research Outputs

Introduction

Tourism and hospitality product reviews are particularly important to customers (Li et al., 2019), affecting business profitability and product sales (Wang et al., 2021; Yost et al., 2021). In this regard, businesses are involved in the manipulation of online reviews to influence customers’ decision process, either by posting deceptive positive reviews of their own products or fabricating negative reviews for competitors (Ho et al., 2017; Luca & Zervas, 2016; Xu et al., 2020). The problem is even more severe for restaurants (Luca & Zervas, 2016). Common practice was observed for some restaurant owners to post undeserved positive reviews for themselves, as several review sites do not require self-verification information from users (Gössling et al., 2018). However, the online review manipulation behavior remained insufficiently understood, especially in the restaurant context. To fill in the current research gaps, grounded on the problem behavior theory (Jessor & Jessor, 1977), this study develops a comprehensive framework to understand the review manipulation behavior from consumers, business managers, and review platforms' perspectives.

Methods

Based on the constructivist grounded theory and an inductive reasoning approach, data was collected, analyzed, and interpreted for this qualitative study. There were 40 participants in the final sample, including customers with a variety of backgrounds, restaurant managers, and employees of online review sites. A three-stage coding process (open coding/line-by-line coding, axial coding, selective coding) was conducted to analyze emerging ideas sequentially. A constant comparative method (Charmaz, 1995) was used to check and determine further needs for data collection on a rolling basis. The problem-behavior theory developed by Jessor and Jessor (1977) was applied as a theoretical foundation to explain the embedded meanings of the findings.

Findings/Discussion/Implications

The problem-behavior theory suggests that all behavior is a result of individual-environmental interactions (Jessor & Jessor, 1977). Problematic behaviors, such as review manipulation behaviors in this study, can be explained by considering individual and environmental factors (Au et al., 2021). A tripartite view of review manipulation includes twelve causes, various types of manipulation behaviors, as well as ten responses/coping strategies was identified. This study contributes to the existing knowledge body on online review manipulation.