In this exploratory investigation, we examine changes associated with joining a nominal online group on longer-term behavior of lenders on the leading peer-to-peer microcredit site Kiva.org. Using a random sample of 5,000 Kiva lenders and exploiting a naturalistic field experimental manipulation...

The operations management discipline has made substantial progress developing analytical models to help firms make tactical and strategic decisions (e.g., inventory control, assortment planning). The application of these models to real contexts requires several inputs, such as an estimate of the...

We report the results of a longitudinal field study, conducted in cooperation with two restaurants, to examine the degree to which participating on a Facebook fan page affects customer behaviors. We assessed customers’ baseline levels of visit frequency and spending. The restaurants then set...

Many firms increasingly offer community venues to their customers to facilitate social interactions amongst them. Prior studies have shown that community participants have high engagement and loyalty toward the firm, and provide useful feedback and referrals. However, it is not clear whether...