A US scholar and researcher, Ayodele James Akinola, PhD, has explained that Complaint Discourse, his current research interest, is very essential to the making of effective digital communication and bridging cultural gaps.
Akinola, a research associate at the Institute for Policy, Ethics, and Culture (IPEC) at Michigan Technological University, USA, made the disclosure on Thursday in an interview with the Nation Newspaper
He noted: “Complaint discourse involves analysis of the issues of service quality and reputation, customer empowerment, social harmony and understanding toward improving complaint management strategies in the service industry, enhancing customer satisfaction, and fostering a more inclusive and culturally aware society, thus contributing significantly to business growth and the cultural diversity.
“The study is very essential to the making of effective digital communication and bridging cultural gaps. My research highlights the significance of cultural sensitivity (that is the recognition that cultural dissimilarities can significantly shape people’s experiences, behaviours, and viewpoints) and customization by leveraging the affordances of digital technologies (digital humanities) in studying customer complaints.”
According to Akinola, the exploration of complaint or online reviews as a form of communication can be considered a niche area in academic research, the significance and potential influence of the study cannot be ignored, particularly in the context of evolving digital platforms and consumer interactions.
“The goal is to understand how these digital platforms act as conduits for social commentary and critique, contributing to broader discourses of social justice and giving marginalized voices a platform.
“In other words, I am not merely concerned about the operational aspects of tourism and hospitality entities but rather about understanding the humanistic elements that these digital interactions reveal, especially in the context of complaint as a genre of discourse.” Akinola said.
