Driving research from curiosity to technology Anton Bogdanovych, University of Technology Sydney e-Markets Research Group

Driving research from curiosity to Driving research from curiosity to technology technology

Anton Bogdanovych, University of Technology Sydneye-Markets Research Group

22Information Technology Research MethodsInformation Technology Research Methods

OutlineOutline

• MotivationMotivation• Research MethodologyResearch Methodology• HypothesesHypotheses• Travel Agent prosTravel Agent pros• Online booking prosOnline booking pros• 3D Electronic Institutions 3D Electronic Institutions • SummarySummary• Current StateCurrent State


3D Experience in E-Commerce3D Experience in E-Commerce

Terry M. Daugherty, Vanderbilt University, USA, 2001Terry M. Daugherty, Vanderbilt University, USA, 2001

Mot

ivat

ion


Does 3D shopping make Does 3D shopping make sense?sense?

• Has more residents than Miami

• Has bigger GNP per capita than Bulgaria

Norrath, The online world created by Sony

Virtual worlds are one of a few online businesses that make money on the Web

Edward Castronova, USA, Edward Castronova, USA, 20032003

Mot

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Project Entropia multi-user game:Project Entropia multi-user game:Virtual Island sold for 26500 USDVirtual Island sold for 26500 USD

Rights available to the purchaser of the island:- A unique castle (furniture not included) - Hunting (including native forms of wildlife) - Mining (both minerals and enmatters) - Taxation rights on hunting and mining activities on the island - Income from the sale of land lots. Five lots per month will be available for sale under the duration of one year. These 60 lots alone have an estimated market value of 300 000 PED. - Massive revenue potential

Treasure Island (6000 Acres/25 km²)

Does 3D shopping make Does 3D shopping make sense?sense?

Mot

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Shopping in 3DShopping in 3D

Mot

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What about Tourism?What about Tourism?

• A product cannot be observed or A product cannot be observed or manipulated through direct manipulated through direct experience prior to purchaseexperience prior to purchase

• Customers have to rely on indirect Customers have to rely on indirect or virtual experienceor virtual experience

• Appealing product presentation Appealing product presentation (visualization of travel destinations) (visualization of travel destinations) is a mustis a must

Mot

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Product presentation Product presentation possibilitiespossibilities

• Traditional travel agents:Traditional travel agents:- Catalogues with photos, tips, maps Catalogues with photos, tips, maps

etc.etc.

• Online Booking:Online Booking:- Web sites with catalogue-like structureWeb sites with catalogue-like structure- Interactive 3DInteractive 3D- On-demand VideosOn-demand Videos

Mot

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Research GoalsResearch Goals

• Find the best from both sides Find the best from both sides (travel agents and online booking)(travel agents and online booking)

• Facilitate customers’ decision Facilitate customers’ decision making processmaking process

• Automate the process of Automate the process of development of tourism portalsdevelopment of tourism portals

• Save human resourcesSave human resources

Mot

ivat

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Research MethodologyResearch Methodology

• Follows qualitative research inquiryFollows qualitative research inquiry• Stage 1: Hypothesis formulationStage 1: Hypothesis formulation

- Literature reviewLiterature review- Semi-structured interviews (10 PhD Semi-structured interviews (10 PhD

Students)Students)

• Stage 2: Hypothesis validationStage 2: Hypothesis validation- Travel agent interviewsTravel agent interviews- Questionnaire (132 participants)Questionnaire (132 participants)

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Interview SampleInterview Sample

• Travellers who possess ample expertise Travellers who possess ample expertise in online bookingin online booking

• Travellers who are heavy computer Travellers who are heavy computer users, very confident about internet and users, very confident about internet and IT in generalIT in general

• Travel agentsTravel agents

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Interview Results ExampleInterview Results Example• Booking with Travel Agent is like studying with a Booking with Travel Agent is like studying with a

teacher.teacher.• Online booking can be real pain if your travel plan Online booking can be real pain if your travel plan

is not simple.is not simple.• Travel agent has much more knowledge in travel Travel agent has much more knowledge in travel

issues than I do.issues than I do.• I need face-to-face communication to understand I need face-to-face communication to understand

all the detailsall the details• Sometimes I just don’t know where I want to go.Sometimes I just don’t know where I want to go.

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Survey SampleSurvey SampleR

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HypothesesHypotheses• H0: The majority of people prefer H0: The majority of people prefer

booking their international trips from a booking their international trips from a travel agent. Domestic trips are usually travel agent. Domestic trips are usually booked online.booked online.

Hyp

oth

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HypothesesHypothesesH

ypot

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• H1: Human expertise is an important H1: Human expertise is an important convenience factor that is missing in online convenience factor that is missing in online booking.booking.


HypothesesHypotheses

• H2: Social Interaction with a travel H2: Social Interaction with a travel agent is a key to a good customer agent is a key to a good customer experienceexperience

Hyp

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• H3: Travel agents satisfy impulse H3: Travel agents satisfy impulse buyers better buyers better H

ypot

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HypothesesHypotheses• H4: Collaborative booking experience H4: Collaborative booking experience

is important.is important.

Hyp

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• H5: Security and trust towards H5: Security and trust towards humans are higherhumans are higher

Hyp

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• H6: Loyalty is rewarded and H6: Loyalty is rewarded and appreciatedappreciatedH

ypot

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• H7: Detailed information about a H7: Detailed information about a trip is importanttrip is important

Hyp

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HypothesesHypotheses• H8: The way the package deals are H8: The way the package deals are

composed now is not satisfactory composed now is not satisfactory and can be done better on the Weband can be done better on the WebH

ypot

hes

es


Travel agent prosTravel agent pros

• Expertise of the travel agentsExpertise of the travel agents• Impulse decisionsImpulse decisions• Social interactionsSocial interactions• Loyalty is commonLoyalty is common• Travellers value that their Travellers value that their

preferences are rememberedpreferences are remembered

Tra

vel a

gent

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Online booking prosOnline booking pros

• ConvenienceConvenience• Comfort of the familiar home Comfort of the familiar home

environmentenvironment• Fast responsesFast responses• MultitaskingMultitasking

On

lin

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ooki

ng p

ros


3D Electronic Institutions3D Electronic Institutions

3D Virtual Worlds•Social•Consistent•Location awareness•Rational & emotional customers•Not structured interactions

Electronic Institutions•Structured Interactions•Secure•Strong methodology•Guarantees that participants adhere to the institutional rules and fulfill the obligations

3D Electronic Institutions•Social•Secure•Structured Interactions

• No methodological supportNo methodological support

3D E

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Specification of 3D Electronic InstitutionsSpecification of 3D Electronic Institutions

Common Ontology and

language Agent Roles Multi-agent Protocols Network of protocols Norms 3D

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nic

Inst

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Visualization of 3D Electronic Visualization of 3D Electronic InstitutionsInstitutions

3D E

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Runtime ArchitectureRuntime Architecture

3D E

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ExampleExample

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Summary of the StudySummary of the Study• Impulse travel, collaborative booking Impulse travel, collaborative booking

and better packaging mechanisms are and better packaging mechanisms are not present in nowadays online travel not present in nowadays online travel portalsportals

• Expertise of the travel agents should be Expertise of the travel agents should be used onlineused online

• Presentation of travel destinations can Presentation of travel destinations can be done betterbe done better

• 3D Electronic Institutions have the 3D Electronic Institutions have the potential to address the drawbacks of potential to address the drawbacks of online bookingonline booking

Con

clus

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How did the study helpHow did the study help• Proved that it is worth considering Proved that it is worth considering

tourism as an application domain tourism as an application domain and go deeper with the literature and go deeper with the literature reviewreview

• Narrowed down where to lookNarrowed down where to look

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Features of the Travel Features of the Travel ProductProduct

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• Tourism product is Tourism product is intangibleintangible in nature. in nature. (Jackson, 1997). For this reason, tourists need (Jackson, 1997). For this reason, tourists need to get as much correct information as they to get as much correct information as they can feel confident that their desires and can feel confident that their desires and expectations will be fulfilled.expectations will be fulfilled.

• It is It is remoteremote in nature with the person selling a in nature with the person selling a product possibly never having seen the product possibly never having seen the destination sold and yet being the prime destination sold and yet being the prime source of advice (Jackson, 1997). This has a source of advice (Jackson, 1997). This has a consequence that the collective intelligence consequence that the collective intelligence is required to provide customers with correct is required to provide customers with correct information about the trip.information about the trip.



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• The description of a product is always The description of a product is always subjectivesubjective (somebody’s perspective) and background related (somebody’s perspective) and background related (Gee et. al, 1997). This suggests that the more (Gee et. al, 1997). This suggests that the more real is the travel product presentation the less real is the travel product presentation the less uncertain is the customer about its characteristics.uncertain is the customer about its characteristics.

• The product is The product is delivered by many different firmsdelivered by many different firms, , which are typically different in terms of their which are typically different in terms of their functions and capabilities (Palmer & Bejou, 1995). functions and capabilities (Palmer & Bejou, 1995). For the customer this means that the more For the customer this means that the more components are present in the desired package, components are present in the desired package, the harder it is to order the package without help the harder it is to order the package without help from travel intermediaries.from travel intermediaries.



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• Few other industries link so many Few other industries link so many diversediverse and different kinds of and different kinds of products and services as the tourism products and services as the tourism industry (Edgell 1990, p.7). The list industry (Edgell 1990, p.7). The list of all travel-oriented “commodities” of all travel-oriented “commodities” is too large, so a is too large, so a catalogue is not catalogue is not feasible to producefeasible to produce (Rugg, 1973). (Rugg, 1973).


Motivations of travelersMotivations of travelers

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• sense of power (visitors demanding service and sense of power (visitors demanding service and attention)attention)

• search for romancesearch for romance• desire for cultural exchangedesire for cultural exchange• need for leisure/escapeneed for leisure/escape• desire of social contactdesire of social contact• following social trendsfollowing social trends• change from routine to new experiences, change from routine to new experiences, • satisfying curiosity and personal values (i.e. trips satisfying curiosity and personal values (i.e. trips

to places of religious significance)to places of religious significance) • Involvement with the booking experience Involvement with the booking experience


Destination characteristicsDestination characteristics

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• scenic beauty of a placescenic beauty of a place• pleasant attributes of the local peoplepleasant attributes of the local people• destination visitor imagedestination visitor image vs vs actual self-actual self-

image and ideal self-imageimage and ideal self-image• suitable accommodationssuitable accommodations• restrest• relaxationrelaxation• airfareairfare



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3D is entertaining and informative. 3D is entertaining and informative. User involvement is much higher. User involvement is much higher. The communication between The communication between

participants is chat-/multimedia-basedparticipants is chat-/multimedia-based Context of a conversation is visualized.Context of a conversation is visualized. Best possible way to observe the Best possible way to observe the

behaviour of a customer and create a behaviour of a customer and create a user profileuser profile

Implicit training of assistantsImplicit training of assistants



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Information overload can be reducedInformation overload can be reduced Support of social interactionsSupport of social interactions Group bookingGroup booking Self images are easier to discoverSelf images are easier to discover Personalized experiencePersonalized experience More objective description of the More objective description of the

destinationdestination


““World Trotter” Travel World Trotter” Travel AgencyAgency

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Booking and destination searchBooking and destination search



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Hotel Visualization ServiceHotel Visualization Service



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Destination Visualization ServiceDestination Visualization Service



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Destination Visualization ServiceDestination Visualization Service



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Shop ServiceShop Service


The Process The Process

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CuriosityShallowliteraturereview

Interview Survey

Deepliteraturereview

EvidencePrototypeCaseStudy


3D Virtual Worlds – future 3D Virtual Worlds – future trendstrends

Scanning Physical interaction behaviors Scanning Physical interaction behaviors of 3D objectsof 3D objects

Dinesh K. Pai, The University of British Columbia, 2005Dinesh K. Pai, The University of British Columbia, 2005

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ture

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3D


3D Virtual Worlds – future 3D Virtual Worlds – future trendstrends

Fast automated 3D Model ReconstructionFast automated 3D Model Reconstruction

Christian Frueh, University of California at Berkeley, 2005Christian Frueh, University of California at Berkeley, 2005

Fu

ture

of

3D

anton

Remind the audience the problems with 3D

Documents

Driving research from curiosity to technology Anton Bogdanovych, University of Technology Sydney e-Markets Research Group