Research Luna De Bruyne

Abstract

Webcare, as a manifestation of digital reputation management, has become ubiquitous within the tourism industry. The significance of this online customer service communication, accessible to all, cannot be overstated. It demonstrates a commitment for guest satisfaction, thereby positively influencing the hotel's image. Consequently, it can sway prospective clients who, as bystanders, pursue this communication and subsequently opt for a specific hotel. Although recent studies suggest that guest reviews and hotel responses are influenced by cultural factors, cross-cultural analyses of hotel interactions remain limited and scarce in terms of the languages and cultures investigated. Therefore, the objective of this project is to conduct a cross-linguistic study of a multilingual corpus consisting of 80,000 hotel reviews and their corresponding responses in German, French, English (UK/US), Italian, Dutch, and Spanish (ES/MX). Specifically, this project aims to explore the cross-linguistic characteristics of hotel interactions in L1. It seeks to identify which of these characteristics are perceived as positive or negative by the bystander, who is ultimately the intended audience for these responses. The knowledge gained from this foundational research will inform the fields of pragmatics and marketing communication and present opportunities for the development of generative AI systems that can automatically craft responses tailored to the linguistic and cultural context.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: De Bruyne Luna
• Co-promoter: Boone Griet
• Co-promoter: Raedts Mariet

Research team(s)

• Centre for Computational Linguistics, Psycholinguistics and Sociolinguistics (CLiPS)

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

CLARIAH-VL+ focuses on boosting research in the Humanities and Social Sciences using digital tools and services and fostering collaborations to create an accessible cloud platform for researchers. It unifies disciplines, which share the challenge of utilising a wide range of sources and heritage from ancient manuscripts to modern digital data. The project acts as a bridge, connecting researchers in Flanders with broader European research communities. It addresses three major societal issues: environmental change, social inequality, and the complexities of migration and cultural diversity. By integrating insights from Social Sciences with a detailed analysis typical of the Humanities, and linking these to other fields like ecology and geography, CLARIAH-VL+ aims to provide comprehensive new understandings. A key aspect of CLARIAH-VL+ is its focus on transforming old and often neglected data — like weather records and population statistics — into useful information. This data is crucial for tackling pressing societal challenges. CLARIAH-VL+ commits to providing the infrastructure to use these data in practice by harnessing the capabilities of large language models and generative AI and securing the sustainability of essential research components. Through these efforts, CLARIAH-VL+ not only makes research easier, but also Humanities and Social Sciences research more relevant and impactful for society.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: Van Hulle Dirk
• Co-promoter: Daelemans Walter
• Co-promoter: De Bruyne Luna
• Co-promoter: Hacigüzeller Piraye
• Co-promoter: Jongepier Iason
• Co-promoter: Kestemont Mike
• Co-promoter: Soens Tim

Research team(s)

• Antwerp Centre for Digital humanities and literary Criticism (ACDC)

Project type(s)

• Research Project