IS Research Seminar (25 February 2009): Val Hooper

NOTICE OF RESEARCH SEMINAR
No: 2009.4

Date: Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Time: 12h30-14h00
Venue: The Gallery, Centre for African Studies, Oppenheimer Institute Building
Speaker: Val Hooper

Topic: The Rugby Player and the Handbag: Extending a Model of the Factors of Influence in Online Auctions

ABSTRACT

Research into the determinants of online auction prices has tended to group them into buyer factors, seller factors and site factors. A case is presented which records how a $30 handbag was sold for $22,750 in an online auction shortly after a national sport final. Analysis of the case indicates additional factors which can exert a considerable influence on the final auction price. A model is proposed which depicts five groups of factors impacting the final price: buyer factors, seller factors, site factors which are expanded to include timing of the “action”, and site brand strength; product factors which include product features, brand strength, and brand extension/association; and promotion, which includes media publicity. While not all factors will impact on every auction, due consideration should be accorded each of them.

SPEAKER

Val Hooper is currently a Senior Lecturer in Information Systems at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). She has been lecturing for nearly two decades in diverse areas including Information Systems Management; Electronic Commerce; Brand Management; Economics; Strategic Management; Marketing Management; and Research Methodology. She has also practiced widely as a management/IS/marketing consultant with clients emanating from a range of industries including industrial engineering, agricultural engineering, clothing retail, fast moving consumer goods, a university consortium, a national health research council, and the tobacco industry. Val holds qualifications in Psychology and Librarianship from Stellenbosch University, and in Management from Pretoria University. Her PhD in Information Systems was received from Victoria University of Wellington. During 2006-2007 she was Director of Undergraduate Programmes of the School of Information Management of VUW, in the latter part of 2007 Acting Head of School, and from mid-2009 she will be Director of Research of the School.

A finger lunch and refreshments will be provided. To RSVP and for further information on the seminar please call 650 4242 or email: linda.magodla@uct.ac.za