Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... 1
Part I
Literature review .................................................................................................................... 2
1.1.
Trust ........................................................................................................................................ 2
1.2.
Ulivieri’s trust development theory ........................................................................................ 3
1.3.
Website trust cues ................................................................................................................... 5
Part II
Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 6
2.1.
Philosophy of Science ............................................................................................................. 6
2.2.
Research Strategy and Method ............................................................................................... 9
Part III ................................................................................................................................................... 11
3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 11
3.1.1.
Problem formulation ......................................................................................................... 12
3.2. Methodology reflection .............................................................................................................. 12
3.3. Theory reflection ........................................................................................................................ 12
3.4. Analysis...................................................................................................................................... 13
3.4.1. Trust .................................................................................................................................... 13
3.4.2. Trust development theory ................................................................................................... 15
3.4.3. Website trust cues ............................................................................................................... 18
3.5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 20
Part IV ................................................................................................................................................... 22
4.1.
4.1.1.
Portfolio experience reflection .......................................................................................... 22
Internship experience reflection .................................................................................... 22
Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 25
Interview guide ................................................................................................................................. 25
Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................................................ 26
Example of a transcription ................................................................................................................ 26
Appendix 3 ............................................................................................................................................ 31
Screenshots of IACN’s website used for this research is provided below. ....................................... 31
Appendix 4 ............................................................................................................................................ 32
Excel chart with the matrix for the analysis. ..................................................................................... 32
Appendix 5 ............................................................................................................................................ 33
IACN’s (2013) description article written for a press release........................................................... 33
Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................... 33
1
Part I
Literature review
This portfolio aims to find out Romanian consumers opinions regarding the website of the
International Airport Cluj-Napoca (IACN) from Romania. The trustworthiness aspect of this
website will be researched in order to find out if the earlier mentioned site is trustworthy or
not in the eyes of the Romanian consumers. In addition to this, an in depth understanding
regarding the reasons given by the Romanian consumers as to what makes IACN’s website
trustworthy or not will be looked at as well, in order to see if a pattern among the given
answers begins to arise. In the case a specific pattern would emerge, the results would be of
use for the IACN as this way the website would be refined in order to meet consumers’ needs
and demands.
This part of the portfolio will have as focus the literature review, where theories regarding
online trust will be discussed in order to help provide a base with which to answer the
problem formulation of the present research. Moreover, an academic overview and the
researcher’s outlook of the discussions found regarding the chosen theories will be provided.
However, it has to be kept in mind that the concept of trust is somewhat ample (McKnight, et
al. 2002 in Arsal, 2008). Having said this, the focus of this project links to one particular
domain within the fields of trust, that being trust within a tourism website, namely an
airport’s website.
1.1.
Trust
‘Trust is emerging as a key element of success in the online environment. Although
considerable research on trust in the offline world has been performed, to date empirical
study of online trust has been limited’ (Corritore et al., 2003), especially when referring to a
tourism context, in the present case IACN’s website, making it more appealing for the
researcher. Moreover, it can be added that in consumers’ minds the success of a website is
created by several elements and these elements increased in importance as ‘website and
Internet technologies become more established and dependable’ (Corritore et al., 2003). Key
among these factors is trust (Cheskin Research and Studio Archetype/Sapient, 1999;
Jarvenpaa et al., 1999; Marcella, 1999; Sisson, 2000 in Corritore et al., 2003).
According to Hill & O‟Hara (2005) trust is hard to define and this statement became apparent
among the interviewees as they had difficulties defining the term and also, as it will be seen
in the discussion below.
2
In addition to the above, ‘the problem with trust as a concept is that it does not have a
universally accepted definition yet’ (Barber, 1983, Das and Teng, 2004, Kee and Knox, 1970,
McKnight and Chervany, 2002 and Rosseau et al., 1998 in Ardion et al. 2010). ‘From the
profusion of trust definitions, a two-way stream of trust conceptualization emerges. The first
centers on trust as an expectation regarding the behaviour of an interaction partner (Barber,
1983, Koller, 1988, Luhmann, 1979 and Rotter, 1967, Deutsch, 1973), whereas the second
couples trust with acceptance of and exposure to vulnerability’ (Doney et al., 1998, Mayer et
al., 1995, Rosseau et al., 1998 and Zand, 1972 in Ardion et al., 2010). It can be argued that
trust is perceived in two ways: as an expectation and as an acceptance of and exposure to
vulnerability, as seen in the latter definition from above.
Furthermore, it can be noted that as well as trust, ‘defining online trust is inherently difficult’
(Husted, 1998 in Corritore et al., 2003). However, Corritore et al. (2003) having as basis their
understandings of online trust, which is grounded in the offline trust definitions, as can be
seen above, attempted to ‘provide an approach to online trust akin to that in the offline
literature’ (Rempel et al., 1985; Lewicki & Bunker, 1995 and Lewicki and Bunker (1996) in
Corritore et al., 2003). This means that, Corritore’s et al. (2003) definition of online trust
regarding a website is seen as ‘an attitude of confident expectation in an online situation of
risk that one's vulnerabilities will not be exploited’ (Corritore et al., 2003), which is similar
with the above mentioned definitions of offline trust.
1.2. Ulivieri’s trust development theory
Firstly, it can be stated that trust is crucial due to the fact that it is at the core of each evolving
relationship, it being within the online or offline world. Secondly, according to Ulivieri
(2005) there are several elements which contribute to individuals trust enhancement towards
web-technology. These elements will be described below.
One aspect, which Ulivieri’s theory criticizes, is ‘the misconception concerning high security
and how it can be considered to be equal to trust in technological contexts’ (Ulivieri, 2005).
With the above, Ulivieri means that ‘trust is not linear and is based on several elements such
as consumer experience, present relationship and reputation rather than just security features’
(Ulivieri, 2005). It can be further noted that it is likely that the perceptions generated by an
object or person could emphasize certain trust factors rather than the object/person per say.
‘When it comes to trust towards technology, one major trust indicator is the individual’s
sense of comprehension’ (Ulivieri, 2005). According to Ulivieri, the phenomenon is based
on the presumption that if the technical background of an object (website) is understood, then
3
the individual realizes its usefulness and in this case, if the website can be trusted or not. In
other words ‘comprehension can be traded against experience in order to create trust’
(Ulivieri, 2005).
Experiences are essential in this process as based on experiences, individuals create certain
mental models, which are then used as references whenever a decision has to be taken
(Ulivieri, 2005). It can be further added that these mental models change and evolve
throughout life as they are constructed on the basis of each experience individuals have. As a
consequence, it can be argued that individuals rely on these mental models because they are
based on reality, reason why they find it trustworthy (Ulivieri, 2005).
Individuals’ beliefs have a significant power in terms of developing trust and whenever
individuals have a strong belief, that belief is often considered to be true and therefore
trustworthy (Ulivieri, 2005). With this in mind, Ulivieri argues that once an individual can
link a website, in this case, with individuals’ beliefs, trust is easier to build as individuals are
guided by beliefs thought their experiences. He further notes that ‘trust, which can be linked
with beliefs, tends to have such a high level of credibility, that it is more powerful than actual
experiences’ (Ulivieri 2005).
Furthermore, Ulivieri’s theory brings into the discussion the ‘over-help’ factors which create
a confidence and therefore a trust sensation. The ‘over-help’ factors represent, in this case,
the features of a website, which give the feeling of comfort and being taken care of while
reviewing the website (Ulivieri, 2005).
Moreover, another trust building features is represented by reputation (Ulivieri, 2005;
McKnight, Choudhury, & Kacmar, 2002 in Arsal, 2008). The past behavior of IACN and its
website can be considered a trustworthiness proof and once reputation is build, it remains and
can be regarded as a decisive trust factor even though certain consumers did not have a
personal experience, in this case, with IACN’s website, as reputation can be transferred
among other consumers too (Ulivieri, 2005).
Moreover, another factor which increases the appeal of creating a relation is the appearance
of a website. Ulivieri argues that individuals often ‘judge a book by its cover’ (Ulivieri, 2005;
Fogg, 2001). which is what the interviewees did with IACN’s website. The level of quality
and reliability is linked to appearance, which consequently points to the positive attributes
encountered within the website, enhancing the creation of trust (Ulivieri, 2005).
4
Eventually, familiarity is essential to trust creation. Trust evolves gradually and once
individuals are familiar with a situation, that situation automatically becomes more accessible
than it was in the beginning (Ulivieri, 2005).
1.3. Website trust cues
This section will be briefly presented as more details will be found within Part III, in the
Analysis where the gathered data will better emphasize the website cues and a more detailed
discussion will be provided.
Website cues refer to the features which are directly related with websites in terms of
trustworthiness. However, it has to be mentioned the fact that even though little to no
research has been undertaken regarding tourism websites per say, especially airport websites,
the used theories for this research would be those having a more general nature in terms of
websites, namely website cues.
By looking at the first impressions of Romanian consumers in regards to what makes a
website trustworthy, the interest line goes into the direction of evaluating the features that
actually make a website trustworthy. In regards to this, B.J. Fogg states that ‘people quickly
evaluate a site by visual design alone’ (Fogg, 2001). With this in mind, the discussion goes
further to Nielsen (1999) who listed the following aspects regarding the visual design: design
quality,
disclosures
and
transparency,
content
accuracy,
and
third-party
links,
recommendations and testimonials (WebGeekly) as key to building trust. Moreover, Nielsen
(1999) argues that there are four features of the websites design which could influence its
overall trustworthiness, as seen below:

Design quality- encompassing aspects such as professional appearance, clear
navigation, which show respect to the consumer. Typos or difficult navigation show
disregard for users (Nielsen, 1999, Stanford et al. 2002, Webcredible, 2007).

Up-front disclosure for all aspects regarding customer relationship, such as revealing
immediately all purchasing charges rather than waiting until the order is placed.

Comprehensive, correct, and current content and product selection are considered
to be significant as this shows that effort is being put within the site (Nielsen, 1999;
Shelat and Egger, 2002). However, information mixed in with ads tends to have a
negative effect on the user (Fogg et al., 2001b; Jenkins et al., 2003).

Connected to the rest of the Web containing links in and out the website. This
shows that the site has good links with for instance third-party sites, such as
5
Facebook, Twitter, which would indicate to consumers that the main site is not
‘afraid’ to link to other sites as if they would ‘hide’ something (Nielsen, 1999).
Further on, other authors such as Barone (2010) mention similar features as Nielsen (1999) in
terms of website trust. Other examples of these features or ‘cues’ as some authors call them
include (Corritore, Kracher, & Wiedenbeck, 2003) the following, as can be seen below:
•
Ease of navigation (Cheskin Research and Studio Archetype/Sapient, 1999;
Nielsen et al., 2000; WebGeekly)
•
Good use of visual design elements (Kim and Moon, 1997)
•
Professional images of products (Nielsen et al., 2000)
•
Freedom from small grammatical and typographical errors (Nielsen et al.,
2000; Fogg et al., 2001b)
•
An overall professional look of the website (Cheskin Research and Studio
Archetype/Sapient, 1999; Nielsen et al., 2000; Fogg et al., 2001b; Webcredible;
WebGeekly)
•
Ease of searching (Nielsen et al., 2000; WebGeekly) and
•
Ease of carrying out transactions (Lohse and Spiller, 1998; Nielsen et al., 2000).
Having the above in mind, it can be argued that similar features are mentioned, noticing
however that the key word in the above is ease of use. The discussed features will be
elaborated and compared with the answers of the interviewees within the Analysis chapter.
However, it can be said that quite a few of the above features were brought into the
discussion by the interviewees.
Part II
2.1.
Methodology
Philosophy of Science
Philosophy of Science is an essential part within a study as it introduces the reader into the
paradigm stance of the researcher, which shows how all the aspects of this project were
conducted.
The concept of paradigm is defined by Guba (1990) as “a basic set of beliefs that guides
action, whether of the everyday garden variety or action taken in connection with disciplined
inquiry” (Guba, 1990). With this in mind, it can be stated that the researcher’s paradigm
inclines to the concepts presented by the constructivist paradigm. The constructivist paradigm
“asserts that social phenomena and their meanings are continually being accomplished by
6
social actors. It implies that social phenomena and categories are not only produced through
social interaction but that they are in a constant state of revision” (Bryman, 2006).
In addition, in order to better understand the constructivist paradigm, Guba (1990) proposes
the following summary. As seen below, the summary has the form of questions, which by
answering them would give more meaning to the overall paradigm comprehension:
the nature of the “Knowable”? Or, what is the nature of “reality”?
and the known (or Knowable)?
For answering the first question, the researcher takes a relativist stance, meaning that reality
is seen as a set of multiple mental constructions differing from individual to individual
(Guba, 1990). In the context of this study, each interviewee has their own truth and sees the
reality filtered through their own perceptions and life experiences, meaning that each person
could see IACN’s website in a different way.
In regards to the second question, the researcher takes a subjectivist position, as through
subjectivity, individuals’ constructions can be unlocked (Guba, 1990). Moreover, by being
subjectivist, the researcher is entitled to personal opinions and viewpoints. With this in mind,
it can be said that the present study is based on the combination of the researcher’s own
constructions and perceptions of the subject matter, together with the constructions and
perceptions of both the first and second hand data (Guba, 1990). It can be further added that
the end result of this study is influenced by the researcher’s and the respondents’ beliefs,
values, and perceptions (Outhwaite, 1985).
As for the third question, the researcher looks at the variety of existing constructions trying to
reach a consensus by following a process influenced by two sides, namely the hermeneutics
and dialectics (Guba, 1990). The researcher starts by looking at the hermeneutic side, where
the researcher describes the various individuals’ constructions (this includes the researcher’s,
interviewees’ and academic authors’ constructions) as accurately as possible. This is followed
by the researcher looking at the dialectic side, which consists of ‘comparing and contrasting
these existing individual constructions’ (Guba, 1990) and afterwards confronting these
constructions with other individuals’ constructions so as eventually a common sense would
be reached (Guba, 1990).
7
In addition to the above, the hermeneutic circle is applied by researchers in order to get a
more complete understanding of the subject matter (Gadamer, 2004). The main idea is that
the movement back and forth between the researcher’s constructions and the used academic
material, is represented by a circle and this emphasizes the process undertaken by the
researcher, which goes all around the material and frequently returns to all relevant material
used, in order to acquire a whole comprehension of the topic (Outhwaite, 1985; Alvesson &
Skolberg, 2008). In other words, the researcher had their own pre-understandings, which by
circulating between the part and the whole transformed into new understandings, implicitly
reached new knowledge.
Furthermore, the concept of double – hermeneutics is introduced by Giddens’ (Outhwaite,
1985), which essentially has the same focus as the single hermeneutic circle. However, an
extra aspect brought by the double-hermeneutic circle is the so called ‘inner circle’ which
refers to the interviewees and other involved actors as being part of the investigation process.
Their paradigms and constructions have equal importance and need to be understood in the
same way as the academic sources, by having the back and forth movement between the
researcher’s constructions and the interviewees’ constructions.
One example where the double hermeneutic circles became apparent was the knowledge
creation process within this study. Having carried out initial research, and gaining a more
advanced pre understanding of the subject, interviews are conducted, where the interviewees’
and researcher’s constructions are merged together. This in turn is followed by the interaction
between the resulting merged construction and the researcher’s understanding and
interpretation of the academic material. Here a back and forth movement between the
interviewees’ answers and the available academic material is seen (Mills et al., 2009).
Nevertheless, there are few aspects regarding the constructivism paradigm, which need to be
considered, as can be seen below:
 Constructivists are relativists, meaning that the academic material found should not be
used in other contexts by other researchers, as the data is ‘truthful’ and valid only
under the constructions within which the researcher/author has written that specific
study (Phillips, 1995). Regardless of the above, the found academic material will be
used within the study of Romanian consumers’ perceptions regarding IACN’s website
trustworthiness, both as a base for the analysis and theory, as the academic material
was the most relevant and appropriate in relation to this study.
8
 The concept of self-refutation, meaning that ‘no one is right and no one is wrong’ as
the ‘truth’ is valid within each individual construction (Phillips, 1995). For instance,
as our interviewees’ constructions are based on their own understandings, experiences
and ways of seeing the world, it is probable that what interviewee 1 considers being
trustworthy, interviewee 3 might not consider the same and vice-versa. Having
acknowledged the above, the researcher attempts to see if similar or different patterns
can arise in the answers given by the interviewees as to what makes IACN’s website
trustworthy.
2.2.
Research Strategy and Method
In the beginning of this study, both the interviewees and the researcher had a similar general
level of pre-understanding regarding a website’s trustworthiness. This means that neither the
interviewees nor the researcher were aware of the features that could make a website
trustworthy or not.
For the purpose of this research, the chosen interviewees are regular internet users as it is
essential to have internet contact since perceptions and interpretations of websites are
researched.
Further on, when looking at the available academic material, it was noticed that there is a lack
of studies within the trustworthiness of an airport’s website, especially within the specific
context of Romanian consumers. As a consequence, the decision of gathering first hand data
was taken in order to have a base for the analysis afterwards.
With the above in mind, having a lack of specific information regarding airport websites, for
this study, existing theories having a more diverse nature, which are not directly related to
airport websites will be used.
The data collection method will be to conduct 4 individual interviews only with Romanian
consumers. The chosen interviewees are students. Students were chosen primarily due to the
fact that students nowadays grow in a society heavily dependent on internet (Lori et al.) and
they are well informed users of anonymous electronic word of mouth (Bailey, 2005).
Further on, the interview questions are linked to the main objective of this study: to see if
Romanian consumers find IACN’s website trustworthy and also, to have a deeper
understanding of the reasons given by Romanian consumers as to what makes IACN’s
website trustworthy or not.
9
The chosen research method for this study is the qualitative method, since “qualitative
research is based on a relativistic, constructivist ontology that posits that there is no objective
reality” (Krauss, 2005), which corresponds to the philosophy of science stance inherent
within this research as well. In addition to this, it can be further noted that individuals’
perceptions and interpretations cannot be put into numbers and statistics, firstly due to the
complex nature of trust and secondly due to the researcher’s philosophy of science stance,
saying that each person is different having different constructions, which cannot be
generalized in terms of other contexts. Thus, the quantitative research method is not
appropriate for this study.
The semi-structured interviews were chosen for data collection. Some of the reasons why the
semi-structured interviews were chosen can be seen below:
•
In depth questioning, which will allow the interviewees to provide more detailed
answers and hopefully, the needed data will be gathered (Kvale, 1996).
•
Topics of interest for the researcher can be pursued (Kvale, 1996).
•
The posed questions are more like guidelines and the interviewer can deviate from the
questions, compared with the structured interviews were the interview framework has
to be respected (Santiago, 2009).
•
The atmosphere created is relaxed and comfortable for the interviewee, as the
interview is similar to a conversation. As a consequence, the interviewees would be
more open to share their opinions and the gathered data would be more detailed
compared with the structured interviewees were a feeling of being interrogated might
arise, which would eventually influence the given answers too, as frustration might
appear (Santiago, 2009; Lindlof and Taylor, 2002).
Some of Kvale’s (1996) techniques were applied within the interviews in order to
minimize the level of misunderstandings. Kvale (1996) proposes seven stages for
conducting in depth interviews. The following aspects of the seven stages were used:
in the beginning of each interview, all the interviewees were informed about the main
purpose of this research and a brief introduction was given; permission for tape
recording was asked; each of the tape recordings were transcribed creating a verbatim
text, which was used afterwards for the analysis (Kvale, 1996).
•
New points of view can be further approach (Lindlof and Taylor, 2002).
•
This study is exploratory as there is not much information about Romanian
consumers’ perceptions in terms of an airport’s website trustworthiness.
10
Each interview was tape recorded and then transcribed in order to assure the accuracy of the
interviews. The interviews were conducted in English with Romanian consumers, who were
fluent in English, due to the fact that both the researcher and the interviewees felt more
comfortable with the usage of English. The interpretation and analysis of the interviews can
be found in Part III of this portfolio.
Last but not least, the ethical consideration of this study is based on the protection of the
interviewee’s privacy, keeping their names confidential.
Part III
3.1. Introduction
Concepts such as trust, credibility, security, and risk are mentioned by both Beck (1992) and
Giddens (1991) who state that the previously specified are relatively new factors which have
risen within the modern society, which is now regarded as a risk society, as both authors call
this emerging type of society.
Due to the modernization of the society, risks appeared (Beck, 1992; Giddens, 1991).
Moreover, it introduced new risks which the previous generations have not had to face (Beck,
1992; Giddens, 1991). It can be argued that modernization occurs when new ‘horizons’ open
for the society ‘with the keys of techno-scientific development’ (Beck, 1992). Examples of
this can be seen with the cyberspace world. Since it has opened for consumers, the number of
internet users has increased since the year 2000 by 566.4%, numbering now around 2.4
billion users (Internet World Stats, 2012). In other words, ‘the concept of risk becomes
fundamental to the way both lay actors and technical specialists organize the social world’
(Giddens, 1991).
According to Beck (1992), within the risk field, where the online environment could be
included, trust has been seen ‘as being crucial for ten years or more’ (Beck, 1992). This
statement could point to the idea that trust is important within risk society and institutions
should take into account the trust aspect by trying to bring forward and show consumers that
their products/services could be trusted by having as a basis a solid self-presentation (Beck,
1992). Giddens (1991) goes further and states that at its most ‘trust is directly linked to
achieving security’ (Giddens, 1991), which Ulivieri (2005) disagrees with within his trust
development theory. (See Part I).
11
With consumers having to trust a website instead of a direct person when purchasing or
informing themselves, certain questions arise: how do consumers regard websites? Do
consumers trust websites? What are consumers looking at when reviewing a website; do they
look at something in specific or not? This statement is put forward by Beck, who states that
the concept of trust was tried to be implemented by institutions through ‘adaptation of
procedures and self-presenting in order to secure or repair credibility’ (Beck, 1992).
The above can be directly linked with the purpose of this project, meaning that the results of
this study could be of use for the IACN as this way the website would be looked into more
carefully and if considered, the website would be refined so as the site would meet
consumers’ needs and demands, especially since ‘in circumstances of uncertainty and
multiple choice, the notions of trust and risk have particular application’ (Giddens, 1991).
Based on this, the problem formulation can be found below.
3.1.1. Problem formulation
What are Romanian consumers opinions regarding IACN’s website? Do they find it
trustworthy and if so, what are the reasons given by the Romanian consumers as to what
makes IACN’s website trustworthy?
3.2. Methodology reflection
The methodological stance taken within this portfolio is that of constructivism (See Part II) as
the researcher believes that each individual is different basing their constructions on their
personal experiences, understandings, perceptions and ways of seeing the world. Having
acknowledged this, it can be further argued that no one is wrong and no one is right as what
they assert is valid under their constructions (Phillips, 1995).
4 semi-structured interviews with Romanian consumers, namely students (two males and two
females) will be conducted in order to gather the needed data.
3.3. Theory reflection
Ulivieri’s theory is relevant for this study as it touches trust from the online environment
perspective and it shows the steps that need to be considered in order to develop a trust
relation within the web-technology, where the actual relation is developed between a website
and a consumer. The website cues were chosen due to the fact that they represent the actual
features of a site, which consumers regard and link to the idea of trustworthiness, such as
professional appearance, used colors, and links to third parties (such as Facebook or Twitter).
12
3.4. Analysis
The analysis of the collected data via the use of interviews can be found below. The attempt
is to find out Romanian consumers’ opinions regarding IACN’s website, specifically IACN’s
website trustworthiness aspect. Also the reasons why Romanian consumers find IACN’s
website trustworthy or not will be further elaborated, in order to get a in depth understanding.
Last but not least, the analysis attempts to see if there are any differences or similarities
within the given answers regarding the aspect of trustworthiness.
3.4.1. Trust
Corritore’s et al. (2003) assertion regarding trust being ‘a key element of success in the online
environment’ (Corritore’s et al., 2003) was emphasized by the four interviewees as they all
regard trust as being an aspect worth taking into account when navigating on websites.
However, interviewee 2 noted that ‘it depends at what you are looking at. (...)’ (I2), meaning
that: ‘If the things are important to you, then trust is also really important. In other cases it
might not be so important if there is trust or not.’ (I2)
The above assertion can be closely linked to the idea pointed out by interviewees 2, 3 and 4,
regarding the researched website, referring to the fact that IACN’s website is only an
informational website, reason why the interviewees do not consider trust or security as being
something essential when reviewing IACN’s website as they ‘do not have anything to lose’
(I2, 3, 4). However, when asked if their stance would change once money, namely
purchasing/making transactions, are involved, interviewee 2, 3 and 4 immediately changed
their opinions regarding the way they perceive the site, stating that when money are involved
they would make sure that the website is trustworthy, meaning that more attention would be
given to the site as: ‘Yes (…) it’s all about money’ (I3). Interviewee 3 goes even further and
states that:
‘That’s the thing about trustworthiness, I wouldn’t use that term for an informational
website, because I don’t have to pay for anything so I can’t lose anything by visiting it.’ (I3)
The above assertion could directly point to the idea that IACN’s website is disregarded by the
4 interviewees as they do not take the site into account since the site is only an informational
site and it does not provide a booking/purchasing service for instance, since this would be one
of the reasons the interviewees would visit an airport’s site (I1, 2, 3, 4). This idea can be put
forward since it emphasizes the actual purpose of this project, where IACN could become
aware of the few issues that have arisen within this research. By changing these issues, the
website would become more beneficial for both parties: the airport and consumers.
13
In addition to this, the security aspect can be brought into the discussion as well, as when
money is involved, all the interviewees want to feel safe. Apparently in this specific situation,
they all seem to regard security as being the most important element, having the same
importance as trust. Interestingly Ulivieri criticizes the idea that security is at the same level
of trust, as there are other elements which form trust, namely a trust relationship:
‘it helps to have a secure website where you can be sure when sending money to buy (...)’ (I2)
‘Yes, I’d definitely connect the two of them. In order for a website to be trustworthy it has to
offer me some kind of security.’ (I1)
From the above it seems that for the interviewees, security is the most significant factor in
their trust development, essentially due to the financial aspect, as when money are not
implied, they would not even think about the security aspect, as could be seen above. This
further shows that two different attitudes appear which develop accordingly to the given
situations. Despite the above, the interviewees are aware that there are other elements which
contribute to a trust development relationship, as will be seen below.
Going further, as Hill & O‟Hara (2005) state that trust is hard to define, the interviewees
faced the same issue, when they were asked to define this term. However, two of the
interviewees regard trust as seen below, showing that individuals interpret trust differently, as
the below does not directly coincide with the other interpretations presented within Part I:
‘It’s a really hard word (…) but trust is a quality that not many possess.’ (I1)
‘Something that is true and serious.’ (I4)
In addition, it can be said that interviewees 1, 2 and 4 also linked trust with the idea of
meeting expectations (Barber, 1983, Koller, 1988, Luhmann, 1979 and Rotter, 1967;
Deutsch, 1973), while none of the interviewees connected trust directly with the idea of
exposure to vulnerability. However, only in the situation when money is involved, they
indirectly expressed this idea through their assertions without even being aware of the
substrate of their assertions (Doney et al., 1998, Mayer et al., 1995, Rosseau et al., 1998 and
Zand, 1972 in Ardion et.al., 2010). Interviewee 2 stated underlining the previous idea: ‘I
don’t think that I have ever really been exposed in such a way so I do not really know how to
comment about that.’ (I2), while in the same time, later on he stated that he wants to feel safe
on a site when purchasing.
14
3.4.2. Trust development theory
One of the first things all the interviewees did, were to connect trust with security, however
only when money is involved, as seen above, being one aspect that Ulivieri criticizes. Even
though the interviewees made this connection, Ulivieri’s line of thought referring to trust
being not linear, became apparent within the data collected, as the interviewees mentioned
other factors which could influence the development of a trust relation as will be seen below.
In addition to this, Ulivieri also mentioned that the perceptions generated by an object could
have a stronger influence and could emphasize certain trust factors rather than the object
itself. This statement was put forward by interviewee 3, who stated that:
‘The appearance, because that’s the first thing that you see on a website, so if that first image
doesn’t inspire certain self-confidence about using it, I don’t think I’ll use it.‘ (I3)
From the above statement it is clear that interviewee 3, would not use and consequently find a
site trustworthy, due to the perceptions generated by that website when reviewing it. This
idea can be further linked to individuals’ beliefs, which represents another element of
Ulivieri’s theory. Ulivieri argues that strong beliefs can be traded for experiences, as seen in
the previous statement. In other words, if interviewee 3 believes that IACN’s website does
not have a proper appearance inspiring him confidence to use the site, then this belief would
automatically reflect within his perception of IACN’s website that would consequently lead
him to consider IACN’s website as being unworthy of his attention. Even though interviewee
3 would have experience with using other websites, due to his personal belief, interviewee 3
would regard his belief rather than the previous experiences. It can be further added that the
interviewees have a strong belief when they assert that IACN’s website is only an
informational website. As a consequence, they would not use the site and in the same time,
nothing ‘bad’ would happen, as they do not have anything to lose by reviewing it.
Another element presented by Ulivieri’s (2005) theory is individual’s sense of
comprehension, in this case, of a website’s technical background. The four interviewees did
not mention this element as being part of their trust development. As a consequence, it can be
argued that the chosen interviewees might not have been aware of any technical details of a
website as they have no background within this domain. This means that the technical aspects
of a site have little to no influence on their opinion in terms of trust enhancement.
With the above in mind, we can look into the element of familiarity, as can been seen from
the statement below:
15
‘There are sites which I am used to, on which I go on a regular basis and I do not really
have trust issue, but if I would have to go on a website on which I haven’t been to, I would
probably have a hard time doing the transaction or booking or stuff like that. (…) I am not
very trustful with the internet usually. ‘(I1)
From above, it is apparent that for interviewee 1 the familiarity aspect is crucial in trust
development, seeing that being accustomed with a site could even decrease the concern for
feeling secure. Going further, when asked, how a trust relation would develop, the
interviewees mentioned familiarity as being essential, which could point to the idea that this
is an important factor taken into account by all.
Moreover, experiences are the basis of mental models, which are considered reliable due to
the fact that these mental models are based on reality, consequently being trustworthy
(Ulivieri, 2005). Connecting this statement with IACN’s website, it can be said that the
interviewees rarely check tourism websites, namely airport websites. Consequently, IACN’s
website is not used by the chosen interviewees. The interviewees even mention that they
prefer using other sites rather than an airport’s website as they find the needed information on
other more complex sites. It can be argued that the mental models formed by the interviewees
are linked to the idea that they find the needed information elsewhere.
In addition, when noticing that IACN’s website is just an informational site, the following
opinions arisen, which immediately created mental models, as seen below:
‘That is definitely a minus for them. Why should you make a website of an airport if you
cannot book tickets? They should definitely change that.
In general you just expect (…) if you are searching for an airport, you expect that you can
also buy tickets.’ (I4)
‘Then I’m not sure if I would use it, because on the other websites you have the possibility to
compare prices for your flight, so just seeing at what time I have the flight, then it’s
pointless.’ (I3)
From the above, it can be argued that these mental models could impede the interviewees to
use IACN’s website as they would not be able to utilize the needed services, which points out
again to the purpose of this research, where the results could be of use for both consumers
and IACN.
16
Further on, another element found within the data collected is ‘over-help’ factor, which is
considered to give a confidence sensation, a feeling of being taken care of, consequently a
trust sensation, as suggested below:
‘The first time I look at contact page… to see if they have a real name; if there is someone
you can contact in case something goes wrong.‘(I1-2)
It is apparent that for interviewee 1 and 2 ‘over-help’ factors are essential within their trust
enhancement, as they would first look at the aspects that would make them feel confident. In
addition, all the interviewees mentioned that the accessibility, the ease of use and the
simplicity of IACN’s website, are of help as they have everything they need at hand being
less time consuming. These elements could also be regarded as ‘help’ factors.
Even though the interviewees did not mentioned reputation as being an element in their trust
creation relationship, this factor is still regarded as a trustworthy proof, as according to
interviewee 4: ‘I think it depends on the brand like big companies would not do anything
wrong.’ (I4), showing that she would rely in a way on the reputation aspect.
Furthermore, appearance is a crucial element of a website as this could appeal consumers.
However, only interviewee 3 mentioned that appearance would increase a website’s
trustworthiness, while the rest did not mention this aspect, which could mean that they do not
take it into account in their trust development relation. Nevertheless, all the interviewees
mentioned that IACN’s website does not look professional in their eyes, but this aspect has
nothing to do with the website’s trustworthiness, meaning that they would not regard
appearance in their process of trust enhancement since appearance is not a decisive factor.
Going deeper, in terms of appearance a contradiction in the given answers was noticed. This
assertion is apparent and clear within interviewee’s 3 answers where he first says that
appearance is important for a website, being a factor that would increase the site’s
trustworthiness. However, when asked directly about IACN’s appearance, he answers that the
website does not look professional: ‘let’s say 70% professional’ (I3), further stating that the
unprofessional look does not affect the site’s trustworthiness. This could point to the idea that
perhaps for interviewee 3 appearance is considered mostly when other types of site are
regarded, namely sites where money is involved, as he simply disregards this factor once he
reviews IACN’s website. As previously seen, all the interviewees disregard IACN’s website
due to the fact that it is just an informational site. However, they are all aware of the aspects
that need to be taken into account when reviewing a website and they even search for what
17
they are interested in, in order to see if the website could be trustworthy or not, as was seen
within the analysis. In the same time, when the aspect of ‘having nothing to lose’ towards
IACN’s site is considered, it can be said that they are careless about IACN’s site due to the
previously mentioned.
Eventually, it can be stated that all the interviewees named few of Ulivieri’s trust
development elements, having however slight variations and importance levels, even stating
that in order to develop trust, first a relation has to establish, where trust would gradually
grow, as Ulivieri noted too.
3.4.3. Website trust cues
The actual features of a website that are directly linked to the trustworthiness aspect were
identified by the interviewees when reviewing IACN’s website. The interviewees identified
similar features with the ones presented by academics within the theory part. The cues named
by the interviewees will be discussed separately below.
One of the most present features was user friendly- easy to use and navigate (Cheskin
Research and Studio Archetype/Sapient, 1999; Nielsen et al., 2000), which can be considered
a strong asset for IACN’s website since all the interviewees were content with the website
having these cues so well developed as ‘it is quick’ (I2, 3);‘you don’t waste a lot of time’ (I3).
In regards to the professional appearance (Cheskin Research and Studio Archetype/Sapient,
1999; Nielsen et al., 2000; Fogg et al., 2001b) it seems that none of the interviewees consider
IACN’s website as being professional as:
‘Usually when I am on a site I don’t like to see so many colors. I was looking at professional
websites and they usually have they logo and the website is made in the same colors as the
logo.‘ (I1-3)
‘It’s all flashy and with a lot of commercials. (…) let’s say 70% professional.’ (I3)
Even though the interviewees do not regard IACN’s website as being professional, except
however interviewee 3, they noted that the unprofessional aspect of a site has nothing do to
with the trustworthiness aspect. Hence, interviewee 3 added that a good design and a
professional look would increase the trustworthiness. The given answers might be influenced
by the fact that they were directly asked about IACN’s appearance, meaning that in another
context their answers would differ, as when money is involved the situation changes and also
the interviewees are aware of how a professional site should look like as seen in the above
18
assertion. As previously mentioned, a contradiction in terms of the interpretation of the
professionalism aspect of IACN’s site was identified.
Moreover, the feature of being visually pleasing to the eye (pictures and colors) (Kim and
Moon, 1997; Nielsen et al., 2000) was discussed as well, since apparently IACN’s website
has an issue with the used colors as they have used, according to all the interviewees, too
many colors, which however does not necessarily have an effect on the trustworthiness aspect
of the site. However, interviewee 4 notes that: ‘they use good colors’ (I4), meaning that she is
content with the overall usage of colors, showing that individuals interpret differently same
matter (A screen shot of the discussed issue about colors can be found within Appendix 3).
The following most mentioned characteristic was the aspect in regards to proving
information about the company as well as contact and address details (an ‘About’ page)
(Lisa Barone, 2010; Nielsen et al., 2000) which seems to be essential for interviewees 1 and 2
as this way not only trust will be enhanced, but also the feeling of being taken care of would
emerge, making the interviewees feeling more comfortable.
Even though only interviewee 2 was interested in the aspect of checking if the site is up to
date (Lisa Barone, 2010), this shows that individuals regard differently the website cues
basing on their personal constructions and needs. Another aspect mentioned only by
interviewee 1 is the up-front disclosure (Nielsen, 1999), who argues that this aspect should
be present from the beginning of the purchasing process as this way the trustworthiness
would be increased in her eyes. Again the idea of money appears, which suggests that for
interviewee 1 at least, this cue is essential in order to have trust within a website.
Another common feature is the fact that IACN’s website has links to third-party sites (such
as social media networks like Facebook and Twitter) (Lisa Barone, 2010; Nielsen et al.,
2000). This is considered to be a plus by all the interviewees as this way they are able to see
other individuals’ opinions reading IACN’s website, which might affect the trustworthiness
aspect depending on the reviews and individuals’ opinions/perceptions. It can be further
added that for interviewee 1 and 4, recommendations would be also useful and considered in
their trust enhancement. In addition, a positive aspect, mentioned by interviewees 1 and 3,
which definitely increases the trustworthiness of IACN’s website, is the direct link to the city
county as this shows that ‘they are going on the same hand with the public authorities.’ (I3)
Nevertheless, it was noticed that the four interviewees did not mention any cue as decreasing
the trustworthiness of the site, even when they were directly asked, which could mean that if
19
a website accomplishes their demands in terms of trust cues, they would automatically trust
that website based on that fulfillment. In addition, even when they were asked if the
information mixed with ads would have a negative impact, their answer was negative.
Interviewee 2, 3 and 4 only mentioned that the used ads within IACN’s website should be
placed differently as interviewee 2 and 3 could get distracted because of them from their
main purpose on the site, and interviewee 4 does not like the positioning of the ads. In other
words, according to interviewee 2, 3 and 4, IACN could consider the organization of the
website’s layout. Despite this, none of the interviewees regard the ads as being an element
which could decrease the trustworthiness aspect.
Having the above in mind, it can be stated that, according to the four interviewees, IACN’s
website fulfills the criteria described by various academics to some extent though. Despite
this, interviewee 1, 2 and 4 consider IACN’s website trustworthy, while interviewee 3
considers it only 70% trustworthy. Going further, interviewee 3 assertion could point another
contradiction as interviewee 3 is aware of the fact that IACN’s site is an informational site
and he even states that he has nothing to lose by visiting it, he still asserts that he only finds
the site 70% trustworthy. In other words, if he states that he has nothing to lose by reviewing
it, and the unprofessional aspect has nothing to do with the trustworthiness aspect, then why
would he rate the site as being only 70% trustworthy? It might be due to his previous
assertions in terms of the perceptions generated by a website to a person, where he said that
these perceptions are important for him. It could also be the rated 70% professional aspect of
the site, where he unconsciously connects the two factors without being aware: the
professional aspect and trustworthiness.
All in all, the initial impressions of the interviewees are mainly positive having a few
exceptions as could be seen throughout the analysis and which could by refined by IACN by
taking into account the results of this study.
3.5. Conclusion
Looking back at the research questions, it can be argued that IACN’s website is considered to
be trustworthy by the interviewees, even though interviewee 3 said that he considers the
website 70% trustworthy. A deeper understanding in the reasons given by Romanian
consumers as to what makes IACN’s website trustworthy or not was reached, which should
be considered by IACN in the future. An example of deeper understanding could be the most
mentioned cues by the interviewees when reviewing the site:
20
•
User friendly- easy to use and navigate (Cheskin Research and Studio
Archetype/Sapient, 1999; Nielsen et al., 2000)
•
Information about the company as well as contact and address details (an
‘About’ page) (Lisa Barone, 2010; Nielsen et al., 2000)
•
Links to third-party sites (such as social media networks like Facebook and Twitter)
(Lisa Barone, 2010; Nielsen et al., 2000).
•
An overall professional look of the website (Cheskin Research and Studio
Archetype/Sapient, 1999; Nielsen et al., 2000; Fogg et al., 2001b; Webcredible;
WebGeekly)
Furthermore, an initial path in the answers given by the interviewees was noticed, as the
majority mentioned similar features regarding the trustworthiness aspect of the site, as could
be seen in the analysis. Some of the mentioned features were regarding aspects such as ease
of use, links to third parties (I 1, 2, 3, 4), having stated the name of the county within the site
(I1, 3), and the website providing contact information (I1, 2).
However, slight differences appeared as well, since not each interviewee regarded the same
features as a cue pointing to the trustworthiness aspect, as each particular interviewee
prioritizes and regards diverse cues distinctly, since various needs have to first be fulfilled.
Such examples were seen in regards to the professional appearance (I3), reputation and
recommendations (I 1 and 4); up front disclosure (I 1), and eventually the website being up to
date (I 2).
All in all it can be concluded that the website cues, mentioned within the analysis part, are the
most regarded aspects by the four interviewees as being contributors to IACN’s website
trustworthiness. This further shows that the academic material found and used (being
however of a more general nature) could be applied within the context of an airport’s website,
namely IACN’s website, as could be seen within this study.
21
Part IV
4.1.
Portfolio experience reflection
I would say that portfolio writing is very similar with project writing, as they both have as
basis the same concept. This means that personally, I used the same technique when writing
both type of papers. However, I have to mention that the usage of the new writing technique portfolio- was slightly confusing in the beginning due to the somewhat different structure
compared with the structure of a project. I would further add that this new structure limits the
researcher in the writing process of each part and it is very possible that due to this aspect, the
level of the portfolio to be lower than if the project concept would have been applied, as more
space would have been allocated and more details would have been presented within each
part.
4.1.1. Internship experience reflection
A. Brief description of the internship organization
I have performed my internship in Romania, namely in Cluj-Napoca at the International
Airport Cluj-Napoca in the marketing department as a marketing expert reviewer. As a
consequence, I have chosen to base my research on IACN’s website. Moreover, discussions
with the co-workers and the head of the marketing department, plus the researcher’s personal
review of the website lead the interest towards this topic.
A brief description of the International Airport Cluj-Napoca can be seen below:

‘Cluj-Napoca International Airport is part of the modern regional airports in Europe,
being the second largest airport in Romania in terms of passenger traffic and the first
regional airport of the country. It is also the first airport in the category of
subordinated to the County Councils from Romania.

Cluj-Napoca International Airport offers the biggest air passengers’ potential market
in Romania as shown by previous historical air traffic data and our forecasts.

The destinations offered by Cluj-Napoca’s International Airport to passengers are
varied, given fact that there are up to 19 domestic and international destinations’
(IACN, 2013).
B. Performed work tasks within AICN
During the three months of my stay at the airport I was mostly dealing with tasks such as:
1. helping organizing different events such as launching the new runway
2. providing/ working with, my co-workers with ideas for different marketing
campaigns, for the airport’s monthly flyers/events and the airport’s banners for new
destinations, etc.
22
3. researching and analyzing new possible flight routes/airport collaborations
4. research and questionnaire regarding the passenger profile of IACN
5. questionnaire in order to find out consumer’s satisfaction level of the airport
6. possible partnerships/collaborations with travel agencies/community/other businesses
7. airport inside work such as motorization and analyzing the prices of different airlines
8. different ideas/reports for several subject matters and writing articles/press releases
Mainly it was team work, but I also had individual tasks as for example number 3, 4, 5, 6 and
7, as can be seen above. I can also add that the director, my supervisor and my colleagues
were interested in my opinions as they are aware of the fact that things are done differently in
Denmark and I came there with a different perspective over things.
C. Insight into the social and cultural outcome of the internship experience
The social aspect of this experience can be considered to be the fact that I met individuals
with whom I had a different social relation, meaning that the type of relation was at a
professional level. This new relation gave me the opportunity to learn and experience new
things and also to face new challenges, which I have not faced prior to my internship. In other
words, I experienced a real work environment together with real employees in the real world.
In addition to this, I can also note that my ex-colleagues were next to me and guided me in
this new experience and they tried to be as helpful as possible.
As for the cultural aspect, gradually, the employees introduced me into the airport’s
organizational culture and I adapted and finally integrated. I enjoyed this experience from all
points of view, especially due to my colleagues. Moreover, they shared many of their
experiences within AICN, which helped me to better understand the company’s
organizational culture- the way things are done within IACN. Also, during my stay at
IACN’s, together with the employees, I could make an idea about the sub-cultures formed
within the company. It can be said that the majority of the employees were following the
same line regarding the company’s organizational culture, sharing the same values, beliefs
and norms, while in the same time they were having their own opinions, values, and beliefs,
without interfering or harming in any way the organizational culture.
However, in addition to the above it could be said that there were two groups within the subcultures: the dominant group and the lesser group. The dominant group was sharing the basic
values and beliefs of the corporate culture, while the lesser group could be said that had a
counterculture influence, being mainly disturbed by the airport’s management style.
Compared with the dominant sub-culture, the small group of counterculture was not reacting
23
and addressing directly the management regarding the fact that they do not share the same
values and beliefs of the corporate culture, but to the head of that certain department and the
other co-workers. In addition to this, I can further note that I could identify ‘snakes’ and ‘big
egos’ individuals, as Kotter (1996) named them. Both the employees and the management
should be aware of these individuals since these individuals could harm the organizational
culture. As a consequence of previously mentioned, it can be argued that even the airport’s
image could be touch by the influence of these type of individuals, but silence is practiced
within the airport.
Further on, it should be mentioned that I had several discussions with the employees of IACN
and one thing that they are not pleased with is the management style, being the authoritarian
style. They would rather prefer to have implemented a democratic management style, as it
would be more efficient for the company. As a consequence, the employees would have
ownership and things would work faster rather than always asking the head of marketing
followed by the director, for each thing that has to be done and then waiting for response and
when the head of marketing approved the work, the director would have to approve it too
once more. I can state that the management style even affected me in a way, as they limited
my ideas by playing safe; they did not want to risk and be innovative.
Being a student in Denmark for 5 years now and being used with Danish culture I can say
that I was a bit surprised when I saw the way things work in a real company and in another
country. I can also say that I was always using things I have learnt at AAU. For example
when we were having discussions/working about/on their website or when we were working
on promoting the airport I was bringing the studied theory within Market communication
class. Also, regarding how an article should be written in a professional way and how the
sources should be, which I learned at the Applied methods class. Even Change management
was mentioned when I suggested few changes so the employees would be more efficient. All
in all I can say that most of the times I applied what I studied at AAU and it was helpful in all
situations.
24
Appendix 1
Interview guide
The 4 conducted interviews will be provided on a CD.
Interview guide
Age
Gender
Occupation
Nationality
Are you a regular user of the internet?
Are you a user of tourism websites? If not, why? If yes, which websites?
Do you usually use an airport’s official website? If so, why/ if not, why?
What do you think about airports’ websites, in general?
What does trust mean to you? How would you define trust?
Is trust an issue when looking at sites? How can trust be developed in your opinion?
What do you think makes a site trustworthy?
When looking at IACN’s website, how do you find it? What do you think about it at first
sight?
Do you find it trustworthy? If so/ if not, why? What would have a negative influence upon its
trustworthiness?
3rd parties sites- security marks- grammar-reputation-content-ads
Would the trustworthiness aspect be considered more/ would it be more relevant when having
to purchase something online rather than when only having to look at an informational
website?
Are there any specific features of this website that you are looking at/ searching for when
reviewing a website, in this case IACN’s website?
25
When viewing the website, do you look at something in specific? Is there something that
would increase its trustworthiness just when looking at it? If so, what?
Do you think that security is or should be an essential feature of an airport’s website?
Do you by any chance connect an airport per say, implicitly an airport’s website with
security- in the sense that, it being an airport’s website, it has to have a higher security than
other websites and you expect this?
How do you know if a website is trustworthy or not? Do you know?
What features within the site do you like/dislike? Do you think these features add to its
overall trustworthiness?
Do you look at colors when reviewing a website? Would colors influence your decision to
stay on the site, also its overall trustworthiness? For ex. When looking at IACN’s website,
what can you say regarding the previously mentioned aspects?
Is it important for you the website’s aspect? To look clean, easy to navigate, professional?
Would this make you stay and trust that specific website?
All in all, do you think IACN’s website is trustworthy? If so, why?
Appendix 2
Example of a transcription
All transcriptions are included on a CD.
Interviewee 3
A: is it ok that I am recording you?
B: yes.
A: Age, Gender, Occupation, Nationality
B: 20, male, student, Romanian.
A: Are you a regular user of the internet?
B: yes.
A: Are you a user of tourism websites? Why not?
B: not really, because I don’t have any trips to plan in the near future.
26
A: Do you usually use an airport’s official website? Why not?
B: no, because I use a website which incorporates all the other airports websites in order to
find cheaper price for my flight.
A: you said that you never used airport websites.. so.. you don’t have an opinion about
airport’s websites right? Or?
B: I could have.
A: Do you have an opinion about airports’ websites, in general?
B: I think airport website are a good place to find flights that are particular for a region. So, if
I want to travel to places in Denmark, I can search for flights directly from Aalborg to
Copenhagen.
A: What does trust mean to you? How would you define trust in general?
B: the ability to make sure that you can be safe around something or someone and be
yourself.
A: so you would connect it to the idea of security? This happens also in the case when you
are online using website? You share the same opinion, right?
B: yes. yes.
A: would you also maybe regard trust as an expectation from something or someone, or as
exposure to vulnerability?
B: well, I don’t expect trust from someone that I just met, that’s the thing about being social
first, and after you get to know the person you can develop trust for that person.
A: so a relationship has to be developed prior the trust?
B: yes.
A: what do you think makes a website trustworthy in general? What features?
B: firstly the design, the appearance, because that’s the first thing that you see on a website,
so if that first image doesn’t inspire certain self-confidence about using it, I don’t think I’ll
use it.
A: if we are looking now at the IACN’s website, what do you think about it? Your first
impressions about the site?
B: it’s good that for a Romanian website let’s say, it has the possibility to choose language,
so that’s a good thing. Also, they have a search bar where you can easy search for what you
are looking for. Other than that, it’s a good thing that they had the section for searching
flights directly on the first page so you don’t have to waste time for searching for it.
A minus point is that they have a lot of commercials so that would (…)
27
A: decrease the trustworthiness?
B: not really, but they would distract me from my purpose on the website.
A: so what are the features that make this website trustworthy by looking at it? Do what you
would normally do on a website.
B: can you buy flights?
A: no, you cannot. It’s more like informational website. What do you think about this?
B: then I’m not sure if I would use it, because on the other websites you have the possibility
to compare prices for your flight, so just seeing at what time I have the flight, then it’s
pointless as a solution at this moment. But let’s say that I’m in a hurry and I’m at the airport
and I want to search fast for my flight then yes, maybe I would use it (…) so not entering
other sites, searching for flights and scrolling after mine, so I would just go directly here.
A: so, do you think that due to the fact that it’s only an informational site, it diminishes the
interest in it?
B: well, I wouldn’t say that because I see here that they have also informational pages about
Cluj Napoca.
A: so you would use the site for that?
B: let’s say I’m a tourist and I want to come to Cluj Napoca to do business or whatever, then
(…) other than Wikipedia, I’d use the website to find out more about the city.
A: but would this thing –that it’s an informational site- would it affect the way you perceive
it? You would not think about the website’s trustworthiness? You wouldn’t be so aware of
like… looking for features maybe to insure your trustworthiness towards the website because
it’s only informational?
But would you change your opinion in the case that you would do some transactions and stuff
like this?
B: that’s the thing about trustworthiness, I wouldn’t use that term for an informational
website, because I don’t have to pay for anything so I can’t lose anything by visiting it.
A: but then we you can lose something everything changes? You regard it in a different way?
B: yes. it’s all about money.
A: could you tell me other website features that you are looking at? But as you said, you
don’t consider it necessary to look for features because it’s just an informational website, but
let’s just look at it as it is (…)
B: it is a good thing that they have also the ability to choose from a wide range of choose
companies offering transport or car rentals, so you wouldn’t be stuck at the airport’s entrance
after you had your flight, so you can easily search here for a telephone nr. and contact
information about different companies. Also, I can see that they have all the shops, cafeteria,
restaurants here.
28
A: so the information is at hand easy to find accessible?
B: yes. but I cannot seem to find a map of the airport so that would be another minus point.
Let’s say I am in a rush and I check the website to see where I can find the gate for ex. or
where I have to check in, and I don’t have the time to check this when I arrive, so I’d like to
have a map in order to make my way easier.
A: how about the appearance? Do you think it looks professional?
B: well, it’s all flashy and with a lot of commercials. They could work a little bit on their
logo, because it’s a little bit static and it doesn’t say anything in particular about the airport.
Just the name and an airplane (…) it’s not appealing.
A: but how about the overall look of the website? Do you find it professional? And as you
said the professional aspect of a site would increase its trustworthiness?
B: let’s say 70% professional. Yes.
A: you see that there are third parties links such as Facebook, Twitter. What do you think
about that?
B: it’s a good thing that they promote themselves through social media so that can easily
Tweet or post on Facebook news about what changed.
A: do you think these links have something with the trustworthiness aspect?
B: let’s say we are speaking about a big airport (…) you could easily track on Twitter if it’s
verified for example, so that would increase the degree of trustworthiness.
A: and you would do that in your process?
B: yes. let’s say I don’t manage to find a flight on any other website and I decide to seach for
a particular airport website and buy my ticket from there. So in order to see that it’s the actual
real site and not the fake one, it would be useful to check these sites.
A: how about the contents of the site and reputation? Are these aspects taken into account
where you are looking at the website and trustworthiness aspect?
B: it’s good that they have links to different authorities from the city so that would increase
the degree of trustworthiness- that they are going on the same hand with the public
authorities.
A: you said that the ads do not influence at all the trustworthiness?
B: no.
A: how about colours? Do they affect the way you perceive the website and the
trustworthiness? The used colours within this site.
B: leaving out the ads (…) I don’t think that professional means using a lot of colours so they
should use one- a dominant one. Let’s say that they have the interior of the airport grey or
blue- that would be a good idea to implement in the website so that they will have a brand
identity and to make it more to have a feeling of togetherness- to be one unit so as you will
know that you are in the right place.
29
A: would these many colours confuse you regarding the aspect that you just mentioned or it
doesn’t matter for you that they have so many colours on the site?
B: it could be confusing. Let’s say that I want to search for.. when my flight leaves so if they
display it in a blue colour, then it would blend with the other blue colour, so this way it would
not catch my eye. Let’s say it would be a good idea to put the important things in a different
visual identity apart from the layout of the site.
A: but would the colours increase or decrease the trustworthiness of the site in your eyes?
B: no, I don’t think the colour has anything to do with trustworthiness.
A: so what else do you think it has to do with trustworthiness except what you mentioned
earlier?
B: ads, which would decrease it because they get money for the ads. This would be a minus.
A: something else that would increase or decrease the trustworthiness in your eyes?
B: no, I don’t think so.
A: so there is nothing you dislike?
B: no, apart from the ads. I don’t see the point of the questionnaire here (on the site). One
doesn’t notice it and I’d rather prefer to have it like … when you buy a flight, to appear after
that and ask if you’d like to participate in the questionnaire.
A: so they should be more careful at the arranging and organization of the information?
B: yes.
A: so what do you think now after you reviewed the site? Would you rate it as trustworthy?
Would you use it?
B: as I said, I don’t have anything to lose so why not? yes.
As I said, I find it 70% trustworthy.
30
Appendix 3
Screenshots of IACN’s website used for this research is provided below.
31
Appendix 4
Excel chart with the matrix for the analysis.
The matrix can be found within the CD.
32
Appendix 5
IACN’s (2013) description article written for a press release.
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