JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES, SOCIAL SCIENCES AND BUSINESS

A Single Case Study on How Customer Reviews Shape Brand Trust and Ordering Decision in Fast-Food Delivery Applications

Reamuel R. Bañados — 2026-08-28

This qualitative single-case study explored how online customer reviews influence brand trust and ordering decisions among users of fast-food delivery applications. Data were collected through in-depth focus group discussions with active users of fast-food delivery applications and were analyzed thematically. Five interrelated themes emerged from the findings: (1) Convenience as an Entry Point to Digital Food Consumption, which identified convenience as the primary motivator for adopting food delivery applications; (2) Online Reviews as Cognitive Shortcuts in Restaurant Evaluation and Decision Filters, which revealed that consumers use reviews to simplify restaurant selection and reduce information overload; (3) Trust Formation and Erosion Through Review Consistency, which demonstrated that review credibility, authenticity, consistency, and business responsiveness shape consumers’ trust in restaurants and delivery platforms; (4) Risk Aversion and Defensive Decision-Making Behavior, which showed that previous negative experiences increase perceived risk and strengthen consumers’ reliance on online reviews as a protective mechanism; and (5) Interaction of Reviews with Economic Incentives and Visual Validation, which highlighted that reviews are evaluated alongside promotional offers, pricing, customer-uploaded photographs, service quality, and delivery performance before consumers finalize purchasing decisions. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that online customer reviews function not only as sources of social proof but also as mechanisms for trust development, perceived risk reduction, and informed decision-making within digital food delivery environments. The study concludes that transparent review systems, authentic customer-generated content, consistent service quality, and responsive customer engagement are essential to strengthening brand trust and encouraging repeat purchasing.

Multisectoral Determinants of Orphan Welfare: A Structured Narrative Review

Emil Arca — 2026-08-28

Research on orphan welfare remains fragmented across public policy, social work, public health, education, and psychology, limiting multidisciplinary synthesis of the determinants of child well-being. This study synthesized evidence on orphan welfare and social protection to examine the relationships among governance, care systems, education, health, and community support. A structured narrative review (SNR) was conducted using literature retrieved from Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and the Philippine E-Journal. Studies published between January 2016 and June 2026 were screened using predefined eligibility criteria, appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP), and synthesized through thematic framework synthesis. The search retrieved 320 records; duplicates were removed manually, after which twenty-three studies met the final inclusion criteria. The synthesis identified six themes: Macro-policy and finance, structural care systems, state welfare systems, educational barriers, health and nutrition, and community initiatives. The findings indicate that governance capacity, care quality, policy implementation, educational access, health conditions, and community participation function as interdependent determinants of orphan welfare. Fragmentation across these domains constrains policy implementation and service coordination. The review proposes a Multisectoral Determinants of Orphan Welfare Framework that synthesizes governance, care systems, education, health, and community participation into a unified analytical model for multidisciplinary research and evidence-based orphan welfare policymaking, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Social Media Platform Utilization and Perceived Business Growth Among Food Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)

Mark Anthony N. Polinar — 2026-08-28

Food Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Cebu City, Philippines, face increasing pressure to adopt digital platforms, yet evidence on how such utilization relates to perceived growth remains limited. This study examined associations between social media platform utilization and perceived business growth among food MSMEs, focusing on four dimensions: social media marketing, online selling, online payment systems, and customer communication. The study used a descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional design and included 100 registered food MSME owners selected through simple random sampling. The researchers collected data using an adapted questionnaire validated by experts and pilot-tested for reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.93). Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank-order correlation were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that respondents reported high levels of utilization across all four dimensions (social media marketing (M = 4.98, SD = 0.921), online selling (M = 4.75, SD = 0.976), online payment systems (M = 5.10, SD = 0.982), and customer communication (M = 4.86, SD = 0.897)) as well as high perceived business growth (M = 4.97, SD = 0.798). Correlation analysis revealed statistically significant positive associations between each dimension and perceived business growth, with customer communication showing the strongest relationship (ρ = .729, p < .001). While these findings highlight important linkages between digital engagement and MSME owners’ perceptions of growth, the study’s cross-sectional, observational design precludes causal inference. Future research should consider longitudinal designs and control for potential confounding variables such as firm size, age, and resources to clarify the direction and mechanisms of these relationships.