We would like to invite you to participate in Management Engineering(ME) Seminar.

1. When: February 21st (Thursday), 16:00~17:20
2. Where: Supex Building, Lecture Room 101
3. Speaker: Prof. Hyeokkoo Eric Kwon (Nanyang Technological University)
4. Topic: Digital Self-Regulation: The Impact of Using an Online Health Application on Personal Weight Management
5. Research field: IT Management
* Lecture will be delivered in Korean.
* Seminar materials: Abstract

Abstract:
We examined the efficacy of using an online health application (PC-based website or mobile app) for personal weight management by applying a hidden Markov model to the analysis of panel data on customers enrolled in a weight loss program that delivers services through offline and online channels. The model allows us to capture the impact of digital tracking on the dynamics of intrinsic motivations, or self-regulation states, as individuals endeavor to achieve their desired weight reduction objectives, while controlling for direct treatments and individual heterogeneity that affect weight loss. Results show that two self-regulation states (weak and strong) are optimal avenues through which to describe the dynamics in the data. We find that if users in the weak state adopt the mobile health app every day, they have a 26.9% chance of transitioning into the strong state where the weight loss probability is up to35.2% higher than the weak state. The use of a mobile app is considerably more effective than the adoption of a PC channel in influencing users’ self-regulation states. Individuals who do not use either type of online service fail to transition from the weak to the strong state of self-regulation. Overall, the intensive use of the mobile app increases the probability of successful weight loss by 5.2%. Relatively easy direct treatments, such as reducing caloric intake and relying on passive electronic assistance, are more effective in the weak self-regulation state, whereas strenuous interventions, such as exercise, are more helpful in the strong state. Our analysis sheds light on the role of digital tracking via an online health application in the management of a chronic condition and presents valuable practical and policy implications.