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What Do Online Complainers Want? An Examination of the Justice Motivations and the Moral Implications of Vigilante and Reparation Schemas

Author

Listed:
  • Yany Grégoire

    (HEC Montréal)

  • Renaud Legoux

    (HEC Montréal)

  • Thomas M. Tripp

    (Washington State University)

  • Marie-Louise Radanielina-Hita

    (HEC Montréal)

  • Jeffrey Joireman

    (Washington State University)

  • Jeffrey D. Rotman

    (Deakin University)

Abstract

This research aims to understand how two basic schemas—vigilante and reparation—influence online public complaining. Drawing on two experiments, a longitudinal field study and content analysis of online complaints, the current research makes three core contributions. First, we show that for similar service failures, each schema is associated with different justice motivations (i.e., in terms of recovery, revenge, and protection of others), which have different moral implications for consumers. Second, vigilante and reparation complainers write complaints in a different manner and are drawn to different online platforms; this information is helpful to identify complainers using each schema. Third, the schemas moderate the process leading to different post-complaint benefits (i.e., resolution and positive affect). Specifically, perseverance has a greater effect on obtaining a resolution for reparation complainers compared to vigilantes. Additionally, whereas a recovery leads to an increase in positive affect for reparation complainers, vigilantes experience a high level of positive affect simply by posting their complaint (regardless of the resolution). The theoretical, ethical, and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Yany Grégoire & Renaud Legoux & Thomas M. Tripp & Marie-Louise Radanielina-Hita & Jeffrey Joireman & Jeffrey D. Rotman, 2019. "What Do Online Complainers Want? An Examination of the Justice Motivations and the Moral Implications of Vigilante and Reparation Schemas," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 167-188, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:160:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-018-3850-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-3850-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joireman, Jeff & Grégoire, Yany & Devezer, Berna & Tripp, Thomas M., 2013. "When do customers offer firms a “second chance” following a double deviation? The impact of inferred firm motives on customer revenge and reconciliation," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 89(3), pages 315-337.
    2. Laurie Barclay & David Whiteside & Karl Aquino, 2014. "To Avenge or Not to Avenge? Exploring the Interactive Effects of Moral Identity and the Negative Reciprocity Norm," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(1), pages 15-28, April.
    3. Grégoire, Yany & Salle, Audrey & Tripp, Thomas M., 2015. "Managing social media crises with your customers: The good, the bad, and the ugly," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 173-182.
    4. Paolo Antonetti & Stan Maklan, 2016. "An Extended Model of Moral Outrage at Corporate Social Irresponsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(3), pages 429-444, May.
    5. James C. Ward & Amy L. Ostrom, 2006. "Complaining to the Masses: The Role of Protest Framing in Customer-Created Complaint Web Sites," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 33(2), pages 220-230, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ali Tezer & Matthew Philp & Anshu Suri, 2024. "The greenguard effect: When and why consumers react less negatively following green product failures," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 52(5), pages 1513-1530, October.
    2. Philp, Matthew & Ashworth, Laurence, 2020. "I should have known better!: When firm-caused failure leads to self-image concerns and reduces negative word-of-mouth," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 283-293.
    3. Ku, Hsuan-Hsuan & Shang, Rong-An & Fu, Yi-Fan, 2021. "Social learning effects of complaint handling on social media: Self-construal as a moderator," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    4. Béal, Mathieu & Suri, Anshu & Nguyen, Nguyen & Grégoire, Yany & Sénécal, Sylvain, 2022. "Is service recovery of equal importance for private vs public complainers?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 392-400.

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