Yes / The aim of this research is to synthesise findings from existing studies on the characteristics of source credibility of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) communications in a single model by using meta-analysis. Findings from 20 research papers show that source expertise, trustworthiness, and homophily significantly influence perceived eWOM usefulness and credibility, intention to purchase, and information adoption. The results of this study add to existing knowledge of the influence of source characteristics on consumer behaviour, which will advance our understanding of information processing. Marketers can use the findings of this meta-analysis to enhance their marketing activities.

No / Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) significantly affects the consumer decision-making process. A number of studies investigated why consumers provide eWOM communications. Existing literature has contradicting factors regarding factors affect eWOM providing behaviour. This study aims to evaluate factors affecting eWOM providing behaviour by performing a systematic review and weight analysis of existing research outputs. Based on the result of weight analysis it was found that the best predictors of eWOM providing behaviour are involvement, self-enhancement, and trust in web eWOM services. Scholars can use the results of this study when making decisions regarding the inclusion of factors in their research. Practitioners can pay more attention to the best predictors.

Internet memes increase in popularity every year as more people join social media platforms. This has not gone unnoticed by companies that are growing marketing communications in the relatively new field of meme marketing. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and evaluate company-posted memes with the content, form, and stance framework to identify common elements used by posts that have a high degree of consumer engagement. The method used for this study was netnography, hence the study is a qualitative study used for analyzing data on social media. The data was collected by using established criteria, following this, a qualitative and interpretive analysis was used to identify common elements within the content, form, and stance framework, which the findings are based upon.  The main findings of the empirical research were that Internet memes successfully generate consumer engagement by using varied and unique content that is enjoyable to users. Using video or picture format, along with sounds, captions, and preexisting meme templates. The findings regarding the stance of posts were that Internet memes positively affect consumer engagement by being comedic, relatable, or ironic, utilizing unserious tones and context-based communication. Internet memes that generate high degrees of consumer engagement have connections to the company's product offering, this final element was observed in every Internet meme collected for this study.

A market maven is a highly social consumer who engages in many discussions regarding the marketplace and has a broad general knowledge of several products throughout the marketplace. They are eager to share the knowledge with other consumers and are often sought by other consumers for their information. It has been said that the behavior of market mavens is influenced by three different motives. The first is the obligation to share information, meaning some individuals feel that it is his or her duty to become knowledgeable and more discerning consumers. A second motive could be that of pleasure in sharing information. The final possible motive is the desire to help others. What drives market mavens to gather and disseminate product information? Are their motives truly selfless in nature? I contend that market mavens’ motives are not as altruistic in nature as prior research seems to suggest. Instead, in the present research, I suggest that a deeper and more selfish personal need to form and maintain a specific social identity may be attended to through market maven behavior. Perhaps the individual performing these marketing deeds is actually seeking approval and reassurance though his or her brand purchases and their resulting knowledge of products throughout the marketplace. The research in this thesis will act to uncover possible selfish and internally focused motives of marketing mavens.

This qualitative study explores how viral skincare content on TikTok shapes consumption among female Generation Z. In-depth interviews were conducted with females aged 18-24 to understand their engagement with skincare trends on TikTok. The study highlights TikTok’s role as a search engine for Generation Z females seeking product recommendations, particularly in skincare. It examines how TikTok influences buying behavior and purchasing decisions through algorithms, which curate personalized content that directs users towards specific categories. Influencer promotions and user-generated content on the For You page (FYP) significantly shape viewers' preferences and skincare routines. The respondents indicated a tendency to adopt and trust trends seen on TikTok, leading to increased consumption and higher demand for viral products. However, there was also concern about the platform’s addictive nature and the difficulty in distinguishing genuine recommendations from paid promotions. This research concludes that TikTok’s algorithms, together with user-generated content, have a powerful impact on Generation Z females. These insights can be strategically used by marketers to target Generation Z, emphasizing the need for authentic and genuine content to gain consumer trust. Overall, this study highlights TikTok's significant role in contemporary consumerism and contributes to understanding digital consumption patterns among Generation Z females.

Sammanfattning Titel: Hur influencer marknadsföring på TikTok påverkar gymnasieelevers köpbeteende - En kvalitativ studie Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Johanna Nylander Backolars och Mimmi Östergren Handledare: Alice Schmuck Datum: 2024 - Maj Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur gymnasieelevers köpbeteende påverkas av influencer marknadsföring på TikTok. Metod: I denna studie har en kvalitativ forskningsmetod använts, där det genomförts semistrukturerade intervjuer med 16 respondenter. Respondenterna är användare av TikTok och inom åldersspannet för studiens avgränsning. För att tolka den insamlade datan har en tematisk analys genomförts. Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att gymnasieelevers köpbeteende påverkas av influencer marknadsföring på TikTok. Rekommendationer från andra konsumenter, även kallat elektronisk word-of-mouth, har visat sig ha en väsentlig inverkan på köpbeteendet. Dessutom påverkas gymnasieelevers köpbeteende undermedvetet av olika trender i sin omgivning. Trovärdighet, expertis och upplevd likhet hos influencers identifieras som viktiga faktorer i en influencers förmåga att övertyga konsumenter till att genomföra ett köp. Resultatet visar även att större influencers, makro- och meso- influencers, är mer trovärdiga informationskällor samt att de har en större övertalningsförmåga. Examensarbetets bidrag: Denna studie bidrar till en djupare förståelse för hur unga konsumenter i Generation Z på TikTok upplever influencer marknadsföring och hur det påverkar deras köpbeslut, samt hur trovärdigheten kan skilja sig mellan olika stora influencers. Förslag till vidare forskning: För att få en djupare förståelse för hur influencer marknadsföring påverkar unga konsumenter skulle ett förslag till framtida forskning vara att undersöka personer som är ännu yngre, då TikTok-användare utgörs av mycket barn och ungdomar. Det skulle även vara intressant att studera trovärdighet utifrån ett genusperspektiv, eller om influencer marknadsföringens påverkan skiljer sig mellan olika plattformar. Nyckelord: Influencer marketing, TikTok, Purchase behavior, E-word of mouth, Generation Z / Abstract Title: How influencer marketing on TikTok affects high school students' purchase behavior - A qualitative study Level: Bachelor’s degree thesis in business administration Author: Johanna Nylander Backolars and Mimmi Östergren Supervisor: Alice Schmuck Date: 2024 - May Aim: The purpose of the study is to investigate how high school students' purchasing behavior is affected by influencer marketing on TikTok. Method: In this study, a qualitative research approach was used, where semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 respondents. The respondents are users of TikTok and within the age range for the study's delineation. In order to interpret the collected data, a thematic analysis has been carried out. Results and conclusions: The study's results show that high school students' purchasing behavior is influenced by influencer marketing on TikTok. Recommendations from other consumers, also called electronic word-of-mouth, have been shown to have a significant impact on purchasing behavior. In addition, high school students' purchasing behavior is subconsciously influenced by various trends in their environment. Credibility, expertise and perceived similarity of influencers are identified as important factors in an influencer's ability to convince consumers to make a purchase. The result also shows that larger influencers, macro- and meso-influencers, are more credible sources of information and that they have a greater power of persuasion. Contribution of the thesis: This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how young consumers in Generation Z on TikTok experience influencer marketing and how it affects purchase decisions, as well as how the credibility can differ between different major influencers. Suggestions for further research: In order to gain a deeper understanding of how influencer marketing affects young consumers, a suggestion for future research would therefore be to examine people who are even younger, as TikTok users are made up of a lot of children and young people. It would also be interesting to study credibility from a gender perspective, or whether the impact of influencer marketing differs between different platforms. Keywords: Influencer marketing, TikTok, Purchase behavior, E-word of mouth, Generation Z

In today's dynamic marketplace, understanding consumer behavior has become increasingly complex, especially regarding high-involvement purchases. Nevertheless, it is just as important for both theorists and practitioners to understand. It is known that word-of-mouth (WOM) is one of the most influential factors in consumer behavior during the consumer decision journey (CDJ). Despite this, there is currently a lack of understanding regarding how consumers use WOM during the CDJ and whether different types of WOM are used in different ways. Researchers have asked for more research in the field for over a decade. The research gaps in the literature and the demand for an increased understanding within the literature laid the foundation for this study and the research question: How and why do consumers make use of different types of word-of-mouth during the consumer decision journey within high-involvement purchases? In addition to the research question, the study also aims to expand the understanding of why consumers use WOM during the CDJ. To further investigate the research question and purpose, we performed a qualitative study where we conducted semi-structured interviews with six consumers. The collected data was analyzed through an inductive content analysis which resulted in a data structure consisting of 18 first order concepts, seven second order themes, and four aggregate dimensions. The study's data structure formed the basis for the inductive bottom-up theorizing, which culminated in a theoretical model where consumer's use of WOM is integrated into the CDJ. The model visualizes how it can be assumed a typical consumer uses different types of WOM throughout the different phases of the CDJ, as well as the consumer's motives behind their use of WOM. The empirical findings emphasize that consumers seek different attributes in the type of WOM during various phases of the CDJ, whereupon they use different types of WOM based on various motives. We managed to identify six different motives for consumers' use of WOM, and these motives relate to the different phases in the CDJ. These findings, among others, are included in the model. The study's theoretical model contains several new unique findings that extend today's existing understanding of consumers' use of WOM which has resulted in theoretical, practical and societal contributions. The study contributes to closing the research gaps and enabling further research in the field of literature.

In an era of intense competition, banks must prioritize the establishment of enduring customer connections by implementing efficient service recovery measures. Nevertheless, because of the inherent human factor involved in the delivery of banking services, even the most outstanding institutions cannot ensure flawless service that consistently satisfies every customer's requirement. Service failures are unavoidable, as humans are susceptible to errors. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend how to effectively execute service recovery procedures to minimize the repercussions of service failures. Hence, banks are facing a huge difficulty in developing service recovery strategies that can improve consumer satisfaction, behavioral intentions, and relationship quality in the event of service outages. However, scholars have given it little attention. As a result, this study aims to fill the existing gap in the literature by examining the impact of service recovery strategies and customers' perceptions of recovery justice on post-recovery satisfaction, customers' emotions, relationship quality, and their behavioral intentions, including repurchase intentions and word-of-mouth. Furthermore, it examines how the severity of service failure influences the impact of this approach. This study utilizes a quantitative methodology that is based on a survey approach. The proposed strategy was implemented in the banking industry in Egypt and Spain, with an online questionnaire distributed to customers of Egyptian and Spanish banks who had encountered service problems and failure within the previous year. As a result, from Egypt, a total of 517 samples were gathered, whereas from Spain, 500 samples were collected. The data were analyzed using Smart PLS 4 for structural equation modeling. The study found notable cross-cultural disparities between the Egyptian and Spanish samples in terms of the influence of service recovery strategies on perceived recovery justice. Nevertheless, no significant effect was noted in the impact of recovery justice on customer positive emotions, as consistent results were seen in both countries. On the other hand, there were noticeable differences in how recovery justice affected negative feelings and post-recovery satisfaction. Moreover, the influence of post-recovery satisfaction on consumer trust, affective commitment, and behavioral intentions, such as intentions to repurchase and engage in word-of-mouth, did not show significant variations across different cultures. Furthermore, the impact of the severity of service failure on the relationship between recovery justice and emotions showed noteworthy differences between the two cultural groups. Hence, these findings emphasize the significance of taking cultural nuances into account when creating and executing service recovery techniques. Thus, this is because customers' interpretations and reactions may vary depending on cultural circumstances, which might impact the effectiveness of these efforts. The current study has yielded valuable insights for academics by utilizing the same model on two distinct samples (Egypt and Spain). Consequently, it has shed light on how social and cultural disparities among banking customers in various countries, even within the same European region or the Middle East, can significantly impact their behavior after a service failure.

Idag finns hög konkurrens på marknaden och detta gör att det är svårt för varumärken att bli sedda av sin kund. Dagens konsument rör sig mellan olika kanaler och kommunikationen från företag måste uppdateras och anpassas efter konsumentens beteende. Det är avgörande för företag att engagera sina kunder för att bli uppmärksammade. Konsumenter kommunicerar åsikter sinsemellan i form av electronic word of mouth (eWOM) som påverkar företaget. Komplexitet kan ligga i att veta vilka kanaler som är bäst utifrån sina förutsättningar. Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie är att undersöka vad små och medelstora e-handelsföretag (SMeF) har för förutsättningar till kommunikation digitalt och fysiskt. Vidare ämnar studien att undersöka hur en kombination av olika kanaler kan användas för att göra företaget synligt genom bruset på marknaden. Insamlad empiri består av åtta semi-strukturerade intervjuer med specifikt utvalda respondenter genom ett målstyrt urval och, till viss del, kedjeurval. Respondenterna valdes ut för att representera flera erfarenheter ur ett företagsperspektiv. Shannon och Weavers (1949) kommunikationsmodell med sändare, verktyg, brus och mottagare utvecklas till en analysmodell för ämnet. SMeF förutsättningar undersöks samt att fysisk närvaro kan skapa en interaktiv miljö för företaget och kunden att mötas i. Digitala verktyg kan vara ett kostnadseffektivt sätt nå ut till konsumenten. Dessa kan bilda en enad kundupplevelse genom omnikanaler. Slutsatsen av studien är att SMeF kan nå nu ut genom bruset genom att använda verktyg utefter en fokuserad omnikanalmodell. Strategiskt utvalda kanaler kan ge SMeF effektiv kommunikation som når genom bruset till kunden. Denna studie är skriven på svenska. / The high market competition today makes it difficult for brands to be seen by their customers. The consumer is drifting between channels and the way companies communicate has to be updated and adapted to this behaviour. It is crucial for companies to engage their customers in order to get noticed. Consumers also communicate opinions among themselves in the form of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) affecting the company. There is a complexity into which channels are best amended to face these circumstances. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate small and medium-sized e-commerce enterprises (SMeE) potential to communicate through digital and physical platforms. Furthermore, the study aims to examine how a combination of different channels can be used to make the company visible through the noise of competitors. Collected empirical data consists of eight semi-structured interviews with respondents specifically selected through purposive sampling and, to some extent, snowball sampling. The respondents were selected to represent several practises from a business perspective. Shannon and Weaver's (1949) model of communication consist of transmitter, tools, noise and receiver and is used as an analysing tool. The SMeE opportunities are explored as well as if a physical presence can create an interactive environment for the company and the customer. Digital tools can be a cost-effective way for SMeE to reach out to the consumer. These can in turn form a unified customer experience in creating an omnichannel. The conclusion of the study is that SMeE can reach through the noise by focusing the tools across an omnichannel model. Strategically selected channels can provide SMeE effective communication that penetrates the noise and reach the customer. This study is written in swedish.

<p><strong>Författare:   Alexander Falck, </strong><em>Ekonomprogrammet inriktning marknadsföring</em><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Sebastian Ivarsson, </strong><em>Enterprise</em><em> and Business Development<strong></strong></em></p><p><strong>Handledare:                      Kåre Skållerud</strong></p><p><strong>Examinator:                      Frederic Bill</strong></p><p><strong>Titel:</strong> Att marknadsföra döden: en jämförande studie mellan tjänstemarknadsteori kontra begravningsbyråers arbetssätt.</p><p><strong>Bakgrund och problemdiskussion: </strong>Produkter och tjänster marknadsförs på olika sätt, för att marknadsföra tjänster så har den ursprungliga marknadsföringsmixen från Kotler utökats med ytterligare tre delar för att beskriva det som är viktigt i tjänstemarknadsföringen. Begravningsbyråer befinner sig idag i en efterfrågesituation som kallas negativ efterfrågan. Negativ efterfrågan innebär att kunden inte vill veta av företagens produkter. Denna situation skapar frågetecken till hur begravningsbyråer egentligen marknadsför sig då kunden inte är intresserade av företagets produkter. Vid vår förberedande forskning visade det sig att det hade författats väldigt lite på området. Vi valde därför att ta reda på hur begravningsbyråer marknadsför sig utifrån tjänstemarknadsteorin.</p><p><strong>Problemformulering: </strong>Hur marknadsför sig begravningsbyråer sett ur tjänstemarknadsföringsmixen?</p><p><strong>Syfte: </strong>Att få en förståelse av hur begravningsbranschen marknadsför sina tjänster.</p><p><strong>Metod: </strong>Metoden i denna studie är kvalitativ, för att förklara ämnet på en djupare nivå. I studien används fallstudier. Fallstudierna har gjorts hos tre begravningsbyråer, vi har även utfört två telefonintervjuer med en reklambyrå och ett branschförbund för att komplimentera materialet från begravningsbyråerna. Studien avgränsas till fyra delar i den utökade tjänstemarknadsföringsmixen; process, personer, påtagliga bevis samt påverkan. Vi har även valt att anonymisera alla deltagare i denna studie.</p><p><strong>Slutsats: </strong>Begravningsbyråer arbetssätt skiljer sig inte markant mot teorin när det gäller process, personer och påtagliga bevis, det skiljer sig däremot markant när det gäller påverkan.</p><p><strong>Nyckelord: </strong>Begravningsbranschen, Marknadsföring, Marknadsföringsmix, Negativ efterfrågan, Personer, Process, Påtagliga bevis, Påverkan, Tjänster, Word of Mouth</p>