• Journal of Information Management
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.109-134
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• 2012

This study, focusing on process of online Word-of-Mouth(oWOM) adoption in applications market which is a major issue of recent mobile industry, tried to empirically analyze how main characteristics of oWOM affect trust and process of oWOM adoption. To do this, based on understanding about applications market and precedent studies on online communication and Elaboration Likelihood Model(ELM), I developed the research model and proposed seven hypotheses. The subjects were smart phone users who ever used review in mobile applications market. The study method was questionnaire survey. As a result, trust in review was suggested as prerequisite for consumers to accept on-line review in mobile applications market. And it was empirically proved that for the customers to feel trust, these are necessary - positive assessment on argument quality, vividness of delivered explanation, and neutrality of message. The theoretical implications of this study are that based on studies on oWOM, factors affecting trust in review were explored in the environment of mobile applications market with less judgement clues for decision making compared to other on-line media and then, these factors were conceptualized. From the practical view, this study suggested implication on what attributes companies or developers can strategically utilize while investigating prerequisites of oWOM adoption.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.81-89
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• 2017

Purpose - Universities are fostering the development of closer relationships with students due to the increase in competition among universities. Universities are placing greater emphasis on relationship quality as a source of competitive advantage. Thus relationship marketing has become an important strategic theme in higher education. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of faculty trustworthiness on relationship building process in the context of relationship marketing. For this study, faculty trustworthiness is divided into competence, benevolence, and integrity. And relationship development variables are composed of satisfaction, commitment, positive WOM, and negative WOM. Research design, data, and methodology - To empirically evaluate the proposed research model, this study was carried out using the survey with undergraduate students who were taking business courses. The 270 questionnaires were asked, and a total of 245 respondents provided complete and usable data. The sample consisted of 143 males(58.4%) and 102 females(41.6%). The variables of proposed model were measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The structural equation modeling analysis was used for the hypothesis test. Results - The overall fit of the model was acceptable(χ²=579.7(df=264, P=0.00), GFI=0.935, NFI=0.949, CFI=0.956, RMR=0.040). The results supported 6 hypotheses except for

and

. First, competence and benevolence were positively related to satisfaction, while integrity was not significant. A key result of the analysis was that benevolence has the strongest effect on satisfaction. Second, satisfaction had a positive impact on commitment and positive WOM but didn't significantly affect negative WOM. Third, commitment significantly enhanced positive WOM and reduced negative WOM. Conclusions - This study emphasizes the role of faculty trustworthiness based on a long-term relationship. And the findings suggest that the dimensions of faculty trustworthiness have differing effects on satisfaction. In particular, benevolence is found to be the most important factor. This study provides university managers with the following managerial implications. In order to increase the satisfaction of the students, university managers should focus on the faculty's competence and benevolence. Also, it is important that university managers take a relationship approach to maximize WOM effect.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.131-154
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• 2013

New internet technologies have created a revolutionary new platform which allows consumers to make decision about product price and quality quickly and provides information about themselves through the transcript of online reviews. By expressing their feelings toward products or services on virtual opinion platforms, users extend their influence into cyberspace as electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM). Existing research indicates that an impact of eWOM on the consumer decision process is influential. For both academic researchers and practitioners, investigating this phenomenon of information sharing in online website is essential given the increasing number of consumers using them as sources of purchase decisions. It is worthwhile to examine the extent to which opinion seekers are willing to accept and adopt online reviews and which factors encourage adoption. Discerning the most motivating aspects of information adoption in particular, could help electronic marketers better promote their brand and presence on the internet. The objectives of this study are to investigate how online WOM influences a persons' purchase decision by discovering which factors encourage information adoption. Especially focused on the self-efficacy, this research investigates how self-efficacy affects on information usefulness and adoption of online information. Although people are exposed to same review or comment about product or service, some accept the reviews while others do not. We notice that accepting online reviews mainly depends on the person's preference or personal characteristics. This study empirically examines this issue by using cognitive dissonance theory. Specifically, in the movie industry, we address few questions-is always positive WOM generating positive effect? What if the movie isn't the person's favorite genre? What if the person who is very self-assertive so doesn't take other's opinion easily? In these cases of cognitive dissonance, is always WOM generating same result? While many studies have focused on one direct of WOM which indicates positive (or negative) informative reviews or comments generate positive (or negative) results and more (or less) profits, this study investigates not only directional properties of WOM but also how people change their opinion towards product or service positive to negative, negative to positive through the online WOM. An experiment was conducted quantitatively by using a sample of 168 users who have experience within the online movie review site, 'Naver Movie'. Users were required to complete a survey regarding reviews and comments taken from the real movie page. The data reflected user's perceptions of online WOM information that determined users' adoption level. Analysis results provide empirical support for the proposed theoretical perspective. When user can't agree with the opinion of online WOM information, in other words, when cognitive dissonance between online WOM information and users' preference occurs, perceived self-efficacy significantly decreases customers' perception of usefulness. And this perception of usefulness plays an important role in determining users' intention to adopt online WOM information. Most of researches have been concentrated on characteristics of online WOM itself such as quality or vividness of information, credibility of source and direction of online WOM, etc. for describing effect of online WOM, but our results suggest that users' personal character (e.g., self-efficacy) plays decisive role for acceptance of online WOM information. Higher self-efficacy means lower possibility to accept the information that represents counter opinion because of cognitive dissonance, whereas the people that have lower self-efficacy are willing to accept the online WOM information as true and refer to purchase decision. This study suggests a model for understanding role of direction of online WOM information. Also, our result implicates the importance of online review supervision and personalized information service by confirming switching opinion negative to positive is more difficult than positive to negative through the online WOM information. This implication would help marketers to manage online reviews of their products or services.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.993-1003
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• 2021

The contribution made by the tourism sector is strategic enough to provide job opportunities and increase the state's foreign exchange which will be followed by development in the information and technology sectors. The population of this study includes all domestic tourists who visit the Batu City Angkut Museum over 17 years of age and who have obtained information via eWOM from other tourists. Based on the measurement, a minimum of 160 respondents must be selected as the research sample. Non-probability sampling techniques are used to select samples. Social media had been used by companies to provide information, services, and products related to tourism, and it was utilized by tourists to share information about their traveling experiences. Nowadays, tourists have become more selective and critical in selecting their destinations as they have become good observant in finding adequate information about certain destinations before deciding to visit the place. This reaction can be influenced by positive eWOM communication, positive image, and trust given to certain tourist destinations. Therefore, improving the number of visits requires the management of certain tourism service companies to apply proper marketing strategy and provide various advantages and best service quality to attract more visitors and give satisfaction to visitors.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.97-114
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• 2019

The relationship quality and recovery of service failures perceived by consumers play an essential role in affecting the service provider's image and sales in terms of the highly involved service industry. In particular, implementation of successful relationship marketing strategies and effective recovery of service failures provide greater satisfaction for customers expecting customized services and reinforce the relationships between the companies and consumers. Based on these previous studies, this research conducted to find out the causal relationship between the variables influencing service recovery expectations and word of mouth(WOM) by approaching the severity of service failures from the perspective of relationship marketing and attribution theory. For the empirical analysis of this research, we conducted a questionnaire surveys of 360 service users of beauty salons, who have experienced in high-involvement services, and utilized 333 questionnaires for the final analysis. The hypothesis was experimented using the Structural Equation Model(SEM), and the results are as follows. First, we identified that the higher the customer perceived the severity of the service failure, the lower the quality of the relationship. Second, we verified that service users observed service failure as a temporary and uncontrollable factor as they distinguished service quality as higher. Third, the hypothesis that customers recognize service failures as a temporary one has a positive impact on service recovery expectation level is determined through empirical analysis. Forth, it was figured out that the higher the perceived quality of the relationship with the service provider, the higher the service recovery level expected by the consumers. At the same time, the hypothesis that optimism for service recovery expectation affects positive word of mouth has been verified. The results of this study help develop the customer-oriented business model of the service companies. Furthermore, the academic significance in that it suggested a new direction for the research of high-involvement service marketing.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.188-198
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• 2010

This study attempts to examine the influence that negative WOM (NWOM) has in an online context. It specifically focuses on the impact of the service failure description and the perceived intention of the communication provider on consumer evaluations of firm competence, attitude toward the firm, positive word of mouth and behavioral intentions. Studies of communication persuasiveness focus on "who says what; to whom; in which channel; with what effect (Chiu 2007)." In this research study, we examine electronic web posting, particularly focusing on two aspects of "what": the level of service failure communicated and perceived intention of the individual posting. It stands to reason electronic NWOM that appears to be trying to damage a product’s or firm's reputation will be viewed as more biased and will thus be considered as less credible. According to attribution theory, people search for the causes of events especially those that are negative and unexpected (Weiner 2006). Hennig-Thurau and Walsh (2003) state "since the reader has only limited knowledge and trust of the author of an online articulation the quality of the contribution could be expected to serve as a potent moderator of the articulation-behavior relationship. We therefore posit the following hypotheses: H1. Subjects exposed to electronic NWOM describing a high level of service failure will provide lower scores on measures of (a) firm competence, (b) attitude toward the firm, (c) positive word of mouth, and (d) behavioral intention than will subjects exposed to electronic NWOM describing a low level of service failure. H2. Subjects exposed to electronic NWOM with a warning intent will provide lower scores on measures of (a) firm competence, (b) attitude toward the firm, (c) positive word of mouth, and (d) behavioral intention than will subjects exposed to electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. H3. Level of service failure in electronic NWOM will interact with the perceived intention of the electronic NWOM, such that there will be a decrease in mean response on measures of (a) firm competence, (b) attitude toward the firm, (c) positive word of mouth, and (d) behavioral intention from electronic NWOM with a warning intent to a vengeful intent. The main study involved a2 (service failure severity) x2 (NWOM with warning versus vengeful intent) factorial experiment. Stimuli were presented to subjects online using a mock online web posting. The scenario described a service failure associated with non-acceptance of a gift card in a brick-and-mortar retail establishment. A national sample was recruited through an online research firm. A total of 113 subjects participated in the study. A total of 104 surveys were analyzed. The scenario was perceived to be realistic with 92.3% giving the scenario a greater than average response. Manipulations were satisfactory. Measures were pre-tested and validated. Items were analyzed and found reliable and valid. MANOVA results found the multivariate interaction was not significant, allowing our interpretation to proceed to the main effects. Significant main effects were found for post intent and service failure severity. The post intent main effect was attributable to attitude toward the firm, positive word of mouth and behavioral intention. The service failure severity main effect was attributable to all four dependent variables: firm competence, attitude toward the firm, positive word of mouth and behavioral intention. Specifically, firm competence for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower than electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Attitude toward the firm for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower than electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Positive word of mouth for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower than electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Behavioral intention for electronic NWOM describing high severity of service failure was lower for electronic NWOM describing low severity of service failure. Therefore, H1a, H1b, H1c and H1d were all supported. In addition, attitude toward the firm for electronic NWOM with a warning intent was lower than electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. Positive word of mouth for electronic NWOM with a warning intent was lower than electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. Behavioral intention for electronic NWOM with a warning intent was lower than electronic NWOM with a vengeful intent. Thus, H2b, H2c and H2d were supported. However, H2a was not supported though results were in the hypothesized direction. Otherwise, there was no significant multivariate service failure severity by post intent interaction, nor was there a significant univariate service failure severity by post intent interaction for any of the three hypothesized variables. Thus, H3 was not supported for any of the four hypothesized variables. This study has research and managerial implications. The findings of this study support prior research that service failure severity impacts consumer perceptions, attitude, positive word of mouth and behavioral intentions (Weun et al. 2004). Of further relevance, this response is evidenced in the online context, suggesting the need for firms to engage in serious focused service recovery efforts. With respect to perceived intention of electronic NWOM, the findings support prior research suggesting reader's attributions of the intentions of a source influence the strength of its impact on perceptions, attitude, positive word of mouth and behavioral intentions. The implication for managers suggests while consumers do find online communications to be credible and influential, not all communications are weighted the same. A benefit of electronic WOM, even when it may be potentially damaging, is it can be monitored for potential problems and additionally offers the possibility of redress.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-25
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• 2010

Motion pictures are so typical experience goods that consumers tend to look for more credible information. Hence, movie audiences consider movie viewers' reviews more important than the information provided by the film distributor. Recently many portal sites allow consumers to post their reviews and opinions so that other people check the number of consumer reviews and scores before going to the theater. There are a few previous researches studying the electronic word of mouth(eWOM) effect in the movie industry. They found that the volume of eWOM influenced the revenue of the movie significantly but the valence of eWOM did not affect it much (Liu 2006). The goal of our research is also to investigate the eWOM effects in general. But our research is different from the previous studies in several aspects. First, we study the eWOM effect in Korean movie industry. In other words, we would like to check whether we can generalize the results of the previous research across countries. The similar econometric models are applied to Korean movie data that include 746,282 consumer reviews on 439 movies. Our results show that both the valence(RATING) and the volume(LNMSG) of the eWOM influence weekly movie revenues. This result is different from the previous research findings that the volume only influences the revenue. We conjectured that the difference of self construal between Asian and American culture may explain this difference (Kitayama 1991). Asians including Koreans have more interdependent self construal than American, so that they are easily affected by other people's thought and suggestion. Hence, the valence of the eWOM affects Koreans' choice of the movie. Second, we find the critical defect of the previous eWOM models and, hence, attempt to correct it. The previous eWOM model assumes that the volume of eWOM (LNMSG) is an independent variable affecting the movie revenue (LNREV). However, the revenue can influence the volume of the eWOM. We think that treating the volume of eWOM as an independent variable a priori is too restrictive. In order to remedy this problem, we employed a simultaneous equation in which the movie revenue and the volume of the eWOM can affect each other. That is, our eWOM model assumes that the revenue (LNREV) and the volume of eWOM (LNMSG) have endogenous relationship where they influence each other. The results from this simultaneous equation model showed that the movie revenue and the eWOM volume interact each other. The movie revenue influences the eWOM volume for the entire 8 weeks. The reverse effect is more complex. Both the volume and the valence of eWOM affect the revenue in the first week, but only the volume affect the revenue for the rest of the weeks. In the first week, consumers may be curious about the movie and look for various kinds of information they can trust, so that they use the both the quantity and quality of consumer reviews. But from the second week, the quality of the eWOM only affects the movie revenue, implying that the review ratings are more important than the number of reviews. Third, our results show that the ratings by professional critics (CRATING) had negative effect to the weekly movie revenue (LNREV). Professional critics often give low ratings to the blockbuster movies that do not have much cinematic quality. Experienced audiences who watch the movie for fun do not trust the professionals' ratings and, hence, tend to go for the low-rated movies by them. In summary, applied to the Korean movie ratings data and employing a simultaneous model, our results are different from the previous eWOM studies: 1) Koreans (or Asians) care about the others' evaluation quality more than quantity, 2) The volume of eWOM is not the cause but the result of the revenue, 3) Professional reviews can give the negative effect to the movie revenue.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.424-435
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• 2017

Because services are delivered through the behaviors of people, it is very difficult to do the quality control and services failures are often happened. If services failures are not recovered by appropriate methods, customers make the negative word-of-mouth communications and have the negative intention to repurchase. The service recovery paradox demonstrates the importance of service recovery after the service failures. The purpose of this study is to investigate the antecedents of customer satisfaction of service recovery(CS), and its consequences of the CS. Independent variables of CS are distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice, and dependent variables of CS are negative word of mouth communication and intention to repurchase. Data are collected using the scenario method. Research model and hypotheses are tested empirically using the statistical packages such as SPSS and AMOS.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.136-144
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• 2011

The Purpose of this research was to identify the factors have influenced Word-of-mouth with a personal Innovativeness in using QR code and to get an advertising & marketing side implication. For this, researcher examined a SEM (structural equating model) methodology of the route from the study on the influencing factors the QR code user's pre and post acceptance behavior and applied the examined variables, existing Expanded TAM, TRAM, PAM which is a contribution points. As a result of this study, first, it was confirmed that the personal innovativeness affected user's perceived usefulness, joyfulness, use intention, and satisfaction. Second, it was confirmed that innovativeness affected perceived usefulness, use intention and this route connected to WOM, in other side, it was discussed that innovativeness affected joyfulness, satisfaction and this route connected to WOM. The above result means that 'joyfulness', 'satisfaction' are important elements, in terms of marketing aspect, for the companies to take an advantage of QR Code as a means of advertising. It should be understood that users don't spend their time on the service having no joy as quality of life improves. After all, it means that uninteresting QR Code isn't suitable for mediums of advertising.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.581-590
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• 2014

This study investigates the impact of tweets on box office revenue. Specifically, the study focuses on the times when tweets were written by examining the impact of pre- and post-consumption tweets on box office revenue; an examination that is based on Expectation Confirmation Theory. The study also investigates the impact of intention tweets versus subjective tweets and the impact of negative tweets on box office revenue. Targeting 120 movies released in the US between February and August 2012, this study collected tweet information on a daily basis from two weeks before the opening until the closing and box office revenue information. The results indicate that the disconfirmation that occurs in relation to the total number of pre-consumption tweets for a movie has a negative impact on box office revenue. This premise suggests that the formation of higher expectations of a movie does not always result in positive results in situations where tweets on perceived movie quality after watching spread rapidly. This study also reveals that intention tweets have stronger effects on box office revenue than subjective tweets.