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Word-of-mouth (WOM) is a powerful phenomenon, with the potential to determine a brand’s success by influencing both purchase decisions and the consumers’ experiences. While the predominant view suggests that WOM behavior stems from satisfaction with the brand, self-presentation can also motivate people to share their experiences. This dissertation examines how the desire to convey a particular image, one of being knowledgeable about a product category, motivates and affects WOM behavior. The conceptual framework suggests that social circumstances influence when people feel the motivation to use WOM to convey an image of being knowledgeable about a product category. Relative assessments of the salient audience’s capabilities resulting in perceptions that the speaker possesses more or unique information will likely activate this self-presentation goal. This motivation leads speakers to follow a consistent and systematic pattern of changes to both the content and phrasing of their WOM messages. Specifically, speakers will mention more brands, include claims to establish their credentials, mention both the pros and cons of a brand, adopt objective language, and include more technical jargon in their messages. From the receivers’ perspective, the changes to the content and phrasing result in augmented perceptions of the speaker’s credibility, though the changes affect different dimensions of this construct (i.e., through knowledge perceptions and trustworthiness perceptions). The predicted changes also enhance receivers perceptions regarding the persuasiveness of the message. Empirical testing of the conceptual framework involves three studies, a survey and two scenario-based experiments. The conceptual framework and findings in this dissertation yield important implications for both theory and practice. / Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2013-04-25 15:07:35.356

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Word-of-mouth har länge varit ett intressant och viktigt fenomen inom marknadsföringen. Med introduktionen av Internet och den växande populariteten av sociala medier, så har word-of-mouth förändrats och är nu tillgänglig för många fler konsumenter online och världen över. Word-of-mouth som sker över Internet har fått namnet elektronisk word-of-mouth (förkortat eWOM). Denna studie har undersökt skillnader i inflytandet av olika word-of-mouth-källor, specifikt traditionell muntlig WOM och eWOM. Detta för att se om det finns några skillnader i hur konsumenter söker och tar del av WOM-information inför köpbeslut av nya produkter eller tjänster. Denna studie har också perspektivet att endast kolla på inflytandet av negativa WOM-källor och hur dessa påverkar konsumenters köpbeslut. Studien har genomförts med hjälp utav ett elektroniskt frågeformulär som distribuerats genom Högskolan i Borås studenter samt genom Facebook. Frågeformuläret består av frågor och avsnitt gällande hur viktigt WOM är för konsumenter innan köp av en tidigare oprövad produkt eller tjänst, trovärdigheten av WOM informationen, hur WOM kan ändra ens attityd samt sannolikheten att man avstår köp på grund av negativ WOM.Resultatet från frågeformuläret visar på att traditionell muntlig WOM fortfarande anses vara den bästa WOM-källan, den som används mest och anses vara den mest trovärdiga källan för WOM och fick högst poäng i alla kategorier från frågeformuläret. eWOM från ratingsidor rankades som näst bäst medan eWOM från ens Facebookvänner ansåg vara det sämsta alternativet för eWOM i alla kategorier. Slutsatsen dras därför att negativ WOM-information influerar konsumenter på olika vis beroende på vilken WOM-källa det kommer ifrån. Traditionell muntlig WOM anses vara det bästa, även om eWOM används mycket så anses det inte vara lika trovärdigt och informativt. / Word-of-mouth has been an important phenomenon in marketing for a very long time. With the introduction of the Internet and the growing popularity of social media, word-of-mouth communication has changed and is now available for consumers from all over the world with just the click of a mouse on your computer. This phenomenon has been given the name electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). This study has examined the influence of different WOM-sources, specifically traditional oral WOM and electronic WOM to see if there are any differences in how consumers search and use different WOM-information in their purchase decision. This study has also taken an approach to only look at the influence of negative word-of-mouth from different WOM-sources and their influence. To research this an electronic questionnaire has been used and distributed to student at the University of Borås and also over Facebook. The questionnaire consists of questions regarding how important looking for WOM information before a purchase it, trustworthiness of WOM, how WOM can change your attitude to a product or service and the possibility of not going through with a purchase based on information from WOM-sources.Results from the questionnaire shows that traditional oral WOM is still considered to be the best, most used and trustworthy source of WOM as it scored highest in all categories of the questionnaire. eWOM from rating sites scored second in all categories, and eWOM from Facebook friends scored lowest in all categories. It can therefore be concluded that negative WOM-information can influence consumer purchase decision in different ways, and even though eWOM is widely used it is considered to be less informative and trustworthy than traditional oral WOM.

This study describes meaning changes that have occurred in the native word stock of English. Since no existing studies are devoted solely to investigating semantic change in Old English words, this study tries to illustrate word histories through examples of usage in the past and by a discussion of causes for change.

This manuscript synthesizes the importance of the alphabetic principles of reading, building blocks of teaching reading, indicators of early reading success, and curriculum-based measures (CBM) within the Response to Intervention (RtI) process from empirical research. A review of the literature reflects contrasting views on which specific pre-reading skill is most predictive of word reading success toward the end of kindergarten and the important role of CBM in such an analysis. Therefore, my research questions analyzed (a) the correlations between letter naming, letter sounds, phonemic segmentation, and word reading fluency in kindergarten; (b) the relative predictive relation of letter names, letter sounds, and phonemic segmentation measures to word reading fluency for kindergarten students; and, (c) the relation of non-academic variables of special education status, English language learner status, attendance, free-and-reduced-meals, and NonWhite Race to word reading fluency in kindergarten. Correlation results indicated the correlation between winter word reading fluency and spring word reading fluency in kindergarten was r = .82, spring word reading and fall letter sounds was r = .57, spring word reading and winter letter sounds was r = .66, and spring word reading and spring letter sounds was r =.58. All the non-academic variables weakly correlated to spring word reading, with the exception of fall attendance percentage showing a negative to low correlation range (-0.15 to 0.11). In addition, regression results indicated that Winter Word Reading Fluency (Winter WRF) (β = .64) was predictive of Spring Word Reading. Spring Letter Sounds (Spring LS) (β = .29) also were predictive of Spring Word Reading as was Fall Letter Sounds (Fall LS) (β = .11). These results frame practical implications for reading instruction that suggest ways in which schools and districts to think about staffing, instruction, and schedules to better meet student needs in preparation for state-mandated all-day kindergarten in the fall of 2017 and beyond.

Thesis (M. A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M. Div.)--Grace Theological Seminary, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-49).

Thesis (M. Div.)--Grace Theological Seminary, 1986. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-48).