To make informed buying decisions, online consumers increasingly turn to online product review systems, or electronic word-of-mouth systems (EWOMSs). Previous studies suggest that EWOMS designs can determine consumer behavior. Even some tiny changes, such as background color or picture, can greatly affect consumers’ buying behavior. Hence, it is critical to investigate how designs of EWOMS influence online consumers’ buying behavior. This research develops a theoretical model of the effects of EWOMS designs on consumer purchase behavior. We conducted a study using experiments to test and validate the proposed theoretical model. Our findings indicate that online purchase behavior within EWOMSs can be enhanced by three conditions. First, perceived value should be enhanced by a design that ensures that the first review encountered by consumers is positive. Second, confidence in judgment about value should be increased by displaying the most helpful reviews first. Last, consumers’ emotional states should be enhanced by using a design that facilitates the processing of reviews. Such a design could further positively impact consumers’ confidence. This research not only enhances our understanding of the effects of EWOMS designs but it also contributes to consumer behavior research by studying the effects of confidence in judgment about value. In addition, this research makes important contributions to ecommerce companies, online consumers, and policy makers. / published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Jan. 15, 2009). PDF text: vi, 114 p. : ill. ; 3 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3315881. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Duke University, 2009.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2007. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-73). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Australia, 2006.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Full text release at OhioLINK's ETD Center delayed at author's request

Cui, Xizhen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 35-46). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; some questionnaires in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) --- p.i / ABSTRACT (CHINESE) --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.iv / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Overview --- p.5 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Attitude Polarization and Dissatisfaction Aggravation --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Attitude Polarization --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Explanations of Attitude Polarization --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Attitude Polarization and Consumer Dissatisfaction --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2 --- Downward Comparison and Dissatisfaction Alleviation --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Downward Comparison --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Downward Comparison and Dissatisfaction Alleviation --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Content of Negative WOM and Research Hypotheses --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- The Evaluative Focus of Attitude Polarization Research --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- The Experiential Focus of Downward Comparison Research --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Hypotheses --- p.14 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- EXPERIMENTS --- p.16 / Chapter 3.1 --- Experiment 1 --- p.16 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Participants and Design --- p.16 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Procedure --- p.17 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Manipulations --- p.18 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Dependent Variable --- p.19 / Chapter 3.1.5 --- Results --- p.19 / Chapter 3.1.6 --- Post Hoc Analysis --- p.21 / Chapter 3.1.7 --- Discussion --- p.22 / Chapter 3.2 --- Experiment 2 --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Overview --- p.23 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Participants and Design --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Procedure --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Results --- p.25 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Discussion --- p.29 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- GENERAL DISCUSSION --- p.30 / Chapter 4.1 --- Theoretical Contribution --- p.30 / Chapter 4.2 --- Managerial Implications --- p.32 / Chapter 4.3 --- Limitations and Future Research --- p.33 / REFERENCES --- p.35 / APPENDIX / Chapter I --- Questionnaire for Experiment 1 --- p.47 / Chapter II --- Questionnaire for Experiment 2 --- p.52 / Chapter III --- Samples of Thoughts for Experiment 2 --- p.59 / LIST OF TABLES / CHAPTER THREE / EXPERIMENT 1 / Table 1: Study 1 AD Means Across Two Groups --- p.20 / Table 2: Study 1 AD Gender Difference in Alleviation Condition --- p.21 / EXPERIMENT 2 / Table 3: Study 2 Hypothesized Predictions Across Four Groups --- p.24 / Table 4: Study 2 AD Means Across Two Groups --- p.26 / Table 5: Study 2 AD Means Across Four Groups --- p.27

Embora o construto intenção de recompra venha sendo estudado por diversos pesquisadores, existem alguns desafios sobre o conhecimento das relações entre os seus construtos determinantes ou antecedentes. Assim, para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa, foi analisada a influência do valor percebido, do comprometimento afetivo, do comprometimento normativo e da propaganda boca a boca positiva sobre a intenção de recompra de smartphones de uma determinada marca (marca líder do mercado mundial). Para tanto, foi realizado o levantamento teórico que aborda a intenção de recompra, bem como a compreensão e análise dos construtos contemplados na pesquisa. Posteriormente, foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa, por meio da implementação de uma survey. A análise dos resultados foi feita através de estatísticas multivariadas, utilizando-se a técnica da Modelagem de Equações Estruturais para se observar e analisar os elementos que compõem o objeto em estudo, além da realização do teste das hipóteses levantadas. A amostra foi composta por 283 consumidores de telefones celulares smartphones. Os resultados evidenciaram que o valor percebido pelos consumidores influencia positivamente o comprometimento afetivo e o comprometimento normativo; que o valor percebido pelos consumidores não influencia positivamente a propaganda boca a boca positiva; que o comprometimento afetivo do consumidor influencia positivamente a propaganda boca a boca positiva; que o comprometimento afetivo do consumidor influencia positivamente a intenção de recompra; que o comprometimento normativo influencia positivamente a intenção de recompra; e que a propaganda boca a boca positiva influencia positivamente a intenção de recompra de um produto desta mesma marca. Portanto, este estudo fornece uma maior compreensão das relações dos construtos determinantes ou antecedentes da intenção de recompra, incluindo em um mesmo modelo teórico diferentes construtos que antes não haviam se relacionados. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2015-10-29T10:49:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Vinicius Zanchet de Lima.pdf: 918111 bytes, checksum: 6725f13f97477624a61513e930670b96 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-10-29T10:49:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Vinicius Zanchet de Lima.pdf: 918111 bytes, checksum: 6725f13f97477624a61513e930670b96 (MD5) / Although the construct repurchase intention are being studied by many researchers, there are some challenges on the knowledge of the relationships between the determinants constructs or antecedents. For the development of this research, was analyze the influence of perceived value, the affective commitment, normative commitment and positive word of mouth marketing about the intention of repurchasing smartphones of a particular brand (world market leader brand). For this, we carried out the theoretical research that approaches the repurchase intention, as well as the understanding and analysis of the constructs included in the research. After that, was implemented a quantitative search using a survey as method. The analysis of the results was made through multivariate statistics, using the technique of Structural Equation Modeling to observe and analyze the components of the object under study, in addition to testing the mentioned hypotheses. The sample consisted of 283 consumers of mobile phones smartphones. The results showed that the perceived value positively influences the affective commitment and normative commitment; that the perceived value by consumers not positively influences positive word of mouth; that the affective commitment positively influences the word of mouth positive; that the affective commitment positively influences the repurchase intention; that the normative commitment positively influences the repurchase intention; and that the word of mouth positive positively influences the repurchase intention a product of the same brand. Therefore, this study provides a greater understanding of the relationships of the determinants constructs or antecedents of intention to repurchase, including in the same theoretical model different constructs that previously had not related.

Embora o construto intenção de recompra venha sendo estudado por diversos pesquisadores, existem alguns desafios sobre o conhecimento das relações entre os seus construtos determinantes ou antecedentes. Assim, para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa, foi analisada a influência do valor percebido, do comprometimento afetivo, do comprometimento normativo e da propaganda boca a boca positiva sobre a intenção de recompra de smartphones de uma determinada marca (marca líder do mercado mundial). Para tanto, foi realizado o levantamento teórico que aborda a intenção de recompra, bem como a compreensão e análise dos construtos contemplados na pesquisa. Posteriormente, foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa, por meio da implementação de uma survey. A análise dos resultados foi feita através de estatísticas multivariadas, utilizando-se a técnica da Modelagem de Equações Estruturais para se observar e analisar os elementos que compõem o objeto em estudo, além da realização do teste das hipóteses levantadas. A amostra foi composta por 283 consumidores de telefones celulares smartphones. Os resultados evidenciaram que o valor percebido pelos consumidores influencia positivamente o comprometimento afetivo e o comprometimento normativo; que o valor percebido pelos consumidores não influencia positivamente a propaganda boca a boca positiva; que o comprometimento afetivo do consumidor influencia positivamente a propaganda boca a boca positiva; que o comprometimento afetivo do consumidor influencia positivamente a intenção de recompra; que o comprometimento normativo influencia positivamente a intenção de recompra; e que a propaganda boca a boca positiva influencia positivamente a intenção de recompra de um produto desta mesma marca. Portanto, este estudo fornece uma maior compreensão das relações dos construtos determinantes ou antecedentes da intenção de recompra, incluindo em um mesmo modelo teórico diferentes construtos que antes não haviam se relacionados. / Although the construct repurchase intention are being studied by many researchers, there are some challenges on the knowledge of the relationships between the determinants constructs or antecedents. For the development of this research, was analyze the influence of perceived value, the affective commitment, normative commitment and positive word of mouth marketing about the intention of repurchasing smartphones of a particular brand (world market leader brand). For this, we carried out the theoretical research that approaches the repurchase intention, as well as the understanding and analysis of the constructs included in the research. After that, was implemented a quantitative search using a survey as method. The analysis of the results was made through multivariate statistics, using the technique of Structural Equation Modeling to observe and analyze the components of the object under study, in addition to testing the mentioned hypotheses. The sample consisted of 283 consumers of mobile phones smartphones. The results showed that the perceived value positively influences the affective commitment and normative commitment; that the perceived value by consumers not positively influences positive word of mouth; that the affective commitment positively influences the word of mouth positive; that the affective commitment positively influences the repurchase intention; that the normative commitment positively influences the repurchase intention; and that the word of mouth positive positively influences the repurchase intention a product of the same brand. Therefore, this study provides a greater understanding of the relationships of the determinants constructs or antecedents of intention to repurchase, including in the same theoretical model different constructs that previously had not related.