The contribution of Italian cultural blogs to heritage valorization
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7433/s99.2016.05Keywords:
cultural blogs, blogs, cultural products, social mediaAbstract
Purpose of the paper: Available studies have often reported a gap between the supply and the (potential) demand for cultural products. Ineffective communication is often mentioned as one of the main reasons for this mismatch: such communication is unidirectional and uses a technical language which is understandable only by a niche public. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether cultural blogs (in particular organizationally unaffiliated blogs acting as intermediaries between the suppliers and the consumers of cultural products) are able to assist their readers to decide which cultural products to consume. A theoretical model to describe this effect is developed and tested.
Methodology: This research is based on data collected through a survey among the readers of two Italian cultural blogs. Structural equation modelling is used to analyse the data.
Findings: The findings demonstrate that cultural blogs influence their readers’ selection and consumption of cultural products. The results also show that this effect is the result of both utilitarian and hedonic benefits provided to the reader by the cultural blog.
Research limits: The analysis is based on data collected among the readers of only two Italian cultural blogs. In addition, the sample size is limited. Further studies are needed to generalize the results.
Practical implications: The study has implications for both cultural bloggers and the organizations supplying cultural products (such as museums). For cultural bloggers, the analysis shows the importance of balancing the informative contents of their blogs with enjoyment opportunities for the readers. In addition, this study suggests that the suppliers of cultural goods should cooperate with cultural bloggers because if their products are reviewed in those blogs they will have more chances of being selected by readers.
Originality of the paper: To our knowledge, this is the first national and international scientific study to empirically test the effects of cultural blogs on readers’ behaviour.
References
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HOMER P.M. (2008), “Perceived quality and image: When all is not “rosy”“, Journal of Business Research, vol. 61, n. 7, pp. 715-723.
HSU C.L., LIN J. C.C. (2008), “Acceptance of blog usage: The roles of technology acceptance, social influence and knowledge sharing motivation”, Information and Management, vol. 45, n. 1, pp. 65-74.
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KULMALA M., MESIRANTA N., TUOMINEN P. (2013), “Organic and amplified eWOM in consumer fashion blogs”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 17, n. 1, pp. 20-37.
LI F., ZHOU N., KASHYAP R., YANG Z. (2008), “Brand trust as a second-order factor”, International Journal of Market Research, vol. 50, n. 6, pp. 817-839.
LU H., LIN J.C.C. (2002), “Predicting customer behavior in the market-space: a study of Rayport and Sviokla’s framework”, Information and Management, vol. 40, n. 1, pp. 1-10.
MARKUSEN A., WASSALL G. H., DENATALE D., COHEN R. (2008), “Defining the creative economy: Industry and occupational approaches”, Economic Development Quarterly, vol. 22, n. 1, pp. 24-45.
NOBLE S.M., GRIFFITH D.A., WEINBERGER M.G. (2005), “Consumer derived utilitarian value and channel utilization in a multi-channel retail context”, Journal of Business Research, vol. 58, n. 12, pp. 1643-1651.
OVERBY J.W., LEE E.J. (2006), “The effects of utilitarian and hedonic online shopping value on consumer preference and intentions”, Journal of Business Research, vol. 59, n. 10, pp. 1160-1166.
PARK B., AHN S., KIM H. (2010), “Blogging: mediating impacts of flow on motivational behavior”, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, vol. 4, n. 1, pp. 6-29.
PELTONIEMI M. (2015), “Cultural Industries: Product-Market Characteristics, Management Challenges and Industry Dynamics”, International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 17, n. 1, pp. 41-68.
POOKULANGARA S., HAWLEY J., XIAO G. (2011), “Explaining consumers’ channel-switching behavior using the theory of planned behavior”, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 18, n. 4, pp. 311-321.
PORNPITAKPAN C. (2004), “The persuasiveness of source credibility: A critical review of five decades’ evidence”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 34, n. 2, pp. 243-281.
PÖYRY E., PARVINEN P., MALMIVAARA T. (2013). “Can we get from liking to buying? Behavioral differences in hedonic and utilitarian Facebook usage”, Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, vol. 12, n. 4, pp. 224-235.
PREMKUMAR G., RAMAMURTHY K., LIU H.N. (2008), “Internet messaging: An examination of the impact of attitudinal, normative, and control belief systems”, Information and Management, vol. 45, n. 7, pp. 451-457.
RISPOLI M., TAMMA M. (1992), “Beni e servizi, cioè prodotti”, Sinergie, n. 29, pp. 95-113.
SHIAU W.L., LUO M.M. (2013), “Continuance intention of blog users: the impact of perceived enjoyment, habit, user involvement and blogging time”, Behaviour and Information Technology, vol. 32, n. 6, pp. 570-583.
SOLIMA L. (2008), “Visitatore, cliente, utilizzatore: nuovi profili di domanda museale e nuove traiettorie di ricerca”, in Bollo A. (Ed.) I pubblici dei musei. Conoscenza e politiche, Franco Angeli, Milano.
SOLIMA L. (2010), “Social Network: verso un nuovo paradigma per la valorizzazione della domanda culturale”, Sinergie, n. 82, pp. 42-74.
SOOKEUN B., FEINBERG R.A. (2007), “Understanding consumer acceptance of mobile technology for financial service delivery”, AMA Winter Educator’s Conference Proceedings, vol. 18, pp. 81-82.
STIGLER G.J. BECKER G.S. (1977), “De gustibus non est disputandum”, The American Economic Review, vol. 67, n. 2, pp. 76-90.
SWEETSER K.D., METZGAR E. (2007), “Communicating during crisis: Use of blogs as a relationship management tool”, Public Relations Review, vol. 33, n. 3, pp. 340-342.
THROSBY D. (1994), “The production and consumption of the arts: a view of cultural economics”, Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 32, n. 1, pp. 1-29.
VOSS K.E., SPANGENBERG E.R., GROHMANN B. (2003), “Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian dimensions of consumer attitude”, Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 40, n. 3, pp. 310-320.
AIELLO L. (Ed.) (2014), Handbook of Research on Management of Cultural Products: E-Relationship Marketing and Accessibility Perspectives: E-Relationship Marketing and Accessibility Perspectives, IGI Global, New York.
BABIN B.J., ATTAWAY J.S. (2000), “Atmospheric affect as a tool for creating value and gaining share of customer”, Journal of Business research, vol. 49, n. 2, pp. 91-99.
BAGOZZI R.P., DHOLAKIA U.M. (2002), “Intentional social action in virtual communities”, Journal of interactive marketing, vol. 16, n. 2, pp. 2-21.
BARILE S., SAVIANO M. (2012), “Dalla Gestione del Patrimonio di Beni Culturali al Governo del Sistema dei Beni Culturali”, in Golinelli G.M. (Ed.) Patrimonio culturale e creazione di valore, Verso nuovi percorsi, Cedam, Padova, pp. 97-148.
BATRA R., AHTOLA O.T. (1991), “Measuring the Hedonic and Utilitarian Sources of Consumer Attitudes”, Marketing Letters, vol. 2, n. 2, pp. 159-170.
BATRA R., HOMER P.M. (2004), “The situational impact of brand image beliefs”, Journal of Consumer Psychology, vol. 14, n. 3, pp. 318-330.
BERNOFF J., LI C. (2008), “Harnessing the power of the oh-so-social web”, MIT Sloan Management Review, vol. 49, n. 3, pp. 36.
BILGIHAN A., BARREDA A., OKUMUS F., NUSAIR K. (2016), “Consumer perception of knowledge-sharing in travel-related Online Social Networks”, Tourism Management, vol. 52, February, pp. 287-296.
BOURDIEU P. (1984), Distinction: A social critique of the judgement of taste, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
BOURGEON-RENAULT D. (2000), “Evaluating consumer behaviour in the field of arts and culture marketing”, International Journal of Arts Management, vol. 3, n. 1, pp. 4-18.
BRITO P., BARROS C. (2005), “Learning-by-Consuming and the Dynamics of the Demand and Prices of Cultural Goods”, Journal of Cultural Economics, vol. 29, n. 2, pp. 83-106.
CASALÓ L.V., FLAVIÁN C., GUINALÍU M. (2010), “Determinants of the intention to participate in firm-hosted online travel communities and effects on consumer behavioral intentions”, Tourism Management, vol. 31, n. 6, pp. 898-911.
CHAU M., XU J. (2012), “Business intelligence in blogs: Understanding consumer interactions and communities”, MIS quarterly, vol. 36, n. 4, pp. 1189-1216.
CHIANG I., HSIEH C.H. (2011), “Exploring the impacts of blog marketing on consumer”, Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, vol. 39, n. 9, pp. 1245-1250.
CHILDERS T.L., CARR C.L., PECK J., CARSON S. (2002), “Hedonic and utilitarian motivations for online retail shopping behavior”, Journal of retailing, vol. 77, n. 4, pp. 511-535.
COSENZA T.R., SOLOMON M.R., KWON W.K. (2015), “Credibility in the blogosphere: A study of measurement and influence of wine blogs as an information source”, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, vol. 14, n. 2, pp. 71-91.
DEARSTYNE B.W. (2005), “Blogs: the new information revolution?”, Information Management Journal, vol. 39, n. 5, pp. 38-44.
DEFILLIPPI R., GRABHER G., JONES C. (2007), “Introduction to paradoxes of creativity: managerial and organizational challenges in the cultural economy”, Journal of Organizational Behavior, vol. 28, n. 5, pp. 511-521.
EGGERT A., ULAGA W. (2002), “Customer perceived value: a substitute for satisfaction in business markets?”, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, vol. 17, n. 2/3, pp. 107-118.
FRANCH M. (2010), “Le frontiere manageriali per la valorizzazione della cultura e dell’arte”, Sinergie n. 82, pp. 95-107.
GORDON B., ANAND K. (2000), “Web commercials and advertising hierarchy-of-effects”, Journal of Advertising Research, vol. 40, n. 1, pp. 35-42.
HALVORSEN K., HOFFMANN J., COSTE-MANIÈRE I., STANKEVICIUTE R. (2013), “Can fashion blogs function as a marketing tool to influence consumer behavior? Evidence from Norway”, Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, vol. 4, n. 3, pp. 211-224.
HIRSCH P.M. (1972), “Processing fads and fashions: An organization-set analysis of cultural industry systems”, American Journal of Sociology, vol. 77, n. 4, pp. 639-659.
HO S.Y., BODOFF D. (2014), “The effects of web personalization on user attitude and behavior: an integration of the elaboration likelihood model and consumer search theory”, MIS quarterly, vol. 38, n. 2, pp. 497-520.
HOMER P.M. (2006), “Relationships among ad-induced affect, beliefs and attitudes”, Journal of Advertising, vol. 35, n. 1, pp. 35-51.
HOMER P.M. (2008), “Perceived quality and image: When all is not “rosy”“, Journal of Business Research, vol. 61, n. 7, pp. 715-723.
HSU C.L., LIN J. C.C. (2008), “Acceptance of blog usage: The roles of technology acceptance, social influence and knowledge sharing motivation”, Information and Management, vol. 45, n. 1, pp. 65-74.
JOHNSON T.J., KAYE B.K. (2004), “Wag the blog: How reliance on traditional media and the Internet influence credibility perceptions of weblogs among blog users”, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, vol. 81, n. 3, pp. 622-642.
JOHNSON T.J., KAYE B.K. (2009), “In blog we trust? Deciphering credibility of components of the internet among politically interested internet users”, Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 25, n. 1, pp. 175-182.
KAPLAN D. (2009), Structural equation modeling: Foundations and extensions, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
KATZ-GERRO T. (2011), “Cross-national cultural consumption research: inspirations and disillusions”, Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, vol. 51, pp. 339-360.
KULMALA M., MESIRANTA N., TUOMINEN P. (2013), “Organic and amplified eWOM in consumer fashion blogs”, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 17, n. 1, pp. 20-37.
LI F., ZHOU N., KASHYAP R., YANG Z. (2008), “Brand trust as a second-order factor”, International Journal of Market Research, vol. 50, n. 6, pp. 817-839.
LU H., LIN J.C.C. (2002), “Predicting customer behavior in the market-space: a study of Rayport and Sviokla’s framework”, Information and Management, vol. 40, n. 1, pp. 1-10.
MARKUSEN A., WASSALL G. H., DENATALE D., COHEN R. (2008), “Defining the creative economy: Industry and occupational approaches”, Economic Development Quarterly, vol. 22, n. 1, pp. 24-45.
NOBLE S.M., GRIFFITH D.A., WEINBERGER M.G. (2005), “Consumer derived utilitarian value and channel utilization in a multi-channel retail context”, Journal of Business Research, vol. 58, n. 12, pp. 1643-1651.
OVERBY J.W., LEE E.J. (2006), “The effects of utilitarian and hedonic online shopping value on consumer preference and intentions”, Journal of Business Research, vol. 59, n. 10, pp. 1160-1166.
PARK B., AHN S., KIM H. (2010), “Blogging: mediating impacts of flow on motivational behavior”, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, vol. 4, n. 1, pp. 6-29.
PELTONIEMI M. (2015), “Cultural Industries: Product-Market Characteristics, Management Challenges and Industry Dynamics”, International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 17, n. 1, pp. 41-68.
POOKULANGARA S., HAWLEY J., XIAO G. (2011), “Explaining consumers’ channel-switching behavior using the theory of planned behavior”, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 18, n. 4, pp. 311-321.
PORNPITAKPAN C. (2004), “The persuasiveness of source credibility: A critical review of five decades’ evidence”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol. 34, n. 2, pp. 243-281.
PÖYRY E., PARVINEN P., MALMIVAARA T. (2013). “Can we get from liking to buying? Behavioral differences in hedonic and utilitarian Facebook usage”, Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, vol. 12, n. 4, pp. 224-235.
PREMKUMAR G., RAMAMURTHY K., LIU H.N. (2008), “Internet messaging: An examination of the impact of attitudinal, normative, and control belief systems”, Information and Management, vol. 45, n. 7, pp. 451-457.
RISPOLI M., TAMMA M. (1992), “Beni e servizi, cioè prodotti”, Sinergie, n. 29, pp. 95-113.
SHIAU W.L., LUO M.M. (2013), “Continuance intention of blog users: the impact of perceived enjoyment, habit, user involvement and blogging time”, Behaviour and Information Technology, vol. 32, n. 6, pp. 570-583.
SOLIMA L. (2008), “Visitatore, cliente, utilizzatore: nuovi profili di domanda museale e nuove traiettorie di ricerca”, in Bollo A. (Ed.) I pubblici dei musei. Conoscenza e politiche, Franco Angeli, Milano.
SOLIMA L. (2010), “Social Network: verso un nuovo paradigma per la valorizzazione della domanda culturale”, Sinergie, n. 82, pp. 42-74.
SOOKEUN B., FEINBERG R.A. (2007), “Understanding consumer acceptance of mobile technology for financial service delivery”, AMA Winter Educator’s Conference Proceedings, vol. 18, pp. 81-82.
STIGLER G.J. BECKER G.S. (1977), “De gustibus non est disputandum”, The American Economic Review, vol. 67, n. 2, pp. 76-90.
SWEETSER K.D., METZGAR E. (2007), “Communicating during crisis: Use of blogs as a relationship management tool”, Public Relations Review, vol. 33, n. 3, pp. 340-342.
THROSBY D. (1994), “The production and consumption of the arts: a view of cultural economics”, Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 32, n. 1, pp. 1-29.
VOSS K.E., SPANGENBERG E.R., GROHMANN B. (2003), “Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian dimensions of consumer attitude”, Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 40, n. 3, pp. 310-320.
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2016-04-28
