Apologies for cross-posting.
Dear Colleagues and Students,
INFORMS Service Science Online Forum Series - Episode 10 features our next speaker Prof. Dorothee Honhon (Naveen Jindal School of Management, UT Dallas) who will present her compelling research on how LGBTQ+ safety cues shape service provider selection on digital platforms, with important implications for inclusivity, platform design, and service operations.
See you online for Episode 10 via this Zoom link, where inclusivity meets service science!
Speaker: Prof. Dorothee Honhon, Naveen Jindal School of Management, UT Dallas
Moderator: Prof. Muge Yayla-Kullu, UT San Antonio
Topic: Raising the Rainbow Flag: Impact of LGBTQ+ Safety Cues on Service Provider Selection
By Priyank Arora, Mert Cetin, and Dorothee Honhon.
Abstract: In today's service economy, clients increasingly select service providers (SPs) through digital platforms that highlight server attributes and personal identifiers, including inclusivity signals, e.g., LGBTQ+ safety cues. We examine how the presence of such cues impacts client decisions when selecting SPs. We conducted a large-scale controlled experiment across three categories of SPs: primary care doctors, course instructors, and fitness trainers. Participants ranked quality-related attributes (experience, communication, compassion) and then made selections among hypothetical SPs, some of whom displayed a rainbow flag-a widely recognized LGBTQ+ safety cue. We find that, on average, SPs displaying the flag were 16.4% less likely to be selected, a statistically significant effect. However, this aggregate effect masks important heterogeneity: LGBTQ+ participants showed a positive preference for SPs displaying the flag; whereas, the flag's negative effect was more pronounced for men vs. women. In terms of age, younger participants perceive the flag more positively; however, further analysis suggests that this is likely driven by a higher LGBTQ+ identification among them. Moreover, individuals with higher LGBTQ+ awareness or greater openness-to-experience scores responded more favorably to the flag. Our findings underscore the nuanced trade-offs involved in signaling LGBTQ+ inclusivity within service settings. Although displaying such safety cues in the SP selection process can enhance trust and comfort for LGBTQ+ clients, they can deter some non-LGBTQ+ clients, particularly those who are older, male or less familiar with LGBTQ+ concepts. As such, managers should carefully consider the demographic and ideological composition of their clientele when deciding on implementing such cues.
Time: March 23, 2026, Monday, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Central Time
Zoom link: https://utsa.zoom.us/j/98121024984
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For more information, see our website https://sites.google.com/view/service-science-online-forum/, and our YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCn8oCTLj5JEeIiA3_ATZp8gtlkWJCRpO. Join our mail list to get the information about new episodes of Service Science Online Forum: https://forms.gle/k5L52JZbW8kpLYrf7.
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Renyu Zhang
Associate Professor
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
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