The dynamics of use and adoption of information on various online review platforms remain elusive and complex, indicating the importance of more research on electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and online consumer reviews (OCRs). Existing theoretical models do not fully explicate the role of the influential factors and their interrelations in information adoption. This research offers a more holistic model of information adoption. The Information Adoption Model (IAM) and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) are utilised as the theoretical foundations for the conceptual model while examining the factors that influence consumers' perceptions of and information adoption decisions from Independent and E-merchants' websites. Information usefulness is employed as a mediator. This research examines various COPs (consumer opinion platforms) by categorising consumers into four groups on the basis of their engagement behaviour and investigating their information adoption decisions. The research undertook quantitative methodology and conducted a survey on 635 respondents from Thailand. All hypotheses were developed and tested using data collected via an online questionnaire and were analysed with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), with multigroup analysis techniques. Additionally, the research used two step cluster analysis and identified four groups of consumers on the basis of their engagement behaviour Quicker, Explorer, Confidant and Passionate. The findings are 1) A positively significant relationship between information usefulness and information adoption has been approved 2) Consumer adopt different information adoption criteria for different types of COPs 3) Consumers' assessment of different factors of OCRs varies due to the difference in the level of online engagement. The results offer useful implications for marketers by identifying and analysing the criteria that consumers adopt from specific platforms and underlining the effect of the level of consumer engagement on information adoption of OCRs.

Mobile service operators are struggling to build strong relationship with their customers. The Saudi Market is described as a highly regulated and competitive sector. Consequently, it is essential that mobile service operators re-evaluate the level of their service quality and understand its critical factors that influence customer eWOM and switching intention through emotional and cognitive responses. According to the literature review, there is a need for studies on customer behaviour to demonstrate whether customer responses are prominent indicators of how customers feel. In addition, there is a lack of empirical study and theoretical modelling of the relationships between customers' emotional response and constructs based on other service experience. The main aim in this research is the investigating customer intentions influenced by service quality using the mediation of emotional and cognitive responses in Saudi Arabia. This research develops a theoretical framework that integrates a set of cognitive and emotional response (pleasure and arousal) to examine the influence of service quality on customer intention by using theory of reasoned action (TRA) and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R), merged into one framework. Therefore, hypotheses are developed to test the relationship between the framework variables. This research adapts a quantitative methodology along with the positivist philosophical approach to investigate hypothetical relationships within the conceptual framework. This research used online surveys completed by mobile and social media users, including a survey with 601 responses out of 621. To analyse and validate the data, this study applies the structure equation model by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) AMOS V. 23. The result indicates that there are significant relationships between service quality dimensions and emotional response (pleasure and arousal). Moreover, subjective norms have a significant relationship with customer intention and emotional response. In addition, emotional response has, both directly and indirectly, a significant relationship with customer intention. The overall results of this research indicate that both the effect of service quality on eWOM and switching intention were mediated by customer attitude and by the pleasure and arousal emotional responses. These research outcomes yield several theoretical and practical implications. A key limitation of this research is its data collection by using a quantitative research approach and cross-sectional methodology; consequently, the data collection was done solely in the KSA.

Consumers are increasingly engaging with brands on social networking sites (SNS) through activities such as sharing, commenting, liking and recommending products or brands to other consumers. These types of recommendations are referred to as electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM) and are proven to have a significant influence on consumers’ purchasing decisions. Previous research has investigated motives for traditional WOM and motives for eWOM on opinion platforms. This study proposes that eWOM on SNSs is a combination of traditional WOM and eWOM on opinion platforms. By using a sample of 154 Swedish Facebook users, this study explores why consumers engage in positive eWOM communication on SNSs. This is done by testing 6 validated motives that are identified in previous research in the new context. The resulting analysis suggests that consumers’ need for social interaction and desire to express positive emotions are the primary drivers behind engagement in positive eWOM communication on SNSs. The findings confirm that eWOM on SNSs contains elements of both traditional WOM and eWOM on opinion platforms and should thus be considered as a unique context where eWOM takes place.

The rapid penetration of the Internet and the prevalence of various social media facilitated by new technologies provide new opportunities for how marketing techniques are developed and refined. The creation of viral marketing has been driven by technological innovations and cultural changes. Responding to marketing trends and catering to consumers’ psychological demands and behavioral changes, viral marketing represents the latest online customer-centric marketing (Shukla, 2010). Extending the advertising effects of word-of-mouth (WOM) communication and Internet marketing, viral marketing has demonstrated considerable success and utility in a promotional phase and development process of a product and/or service. This study intends to illustrate the benefits and challenges of viral marketing. The effects and concerns with the adoption of viral marketing are reinforced by previous research and findings from marketer and consumer focus groups. This thesis will contribute to building a theoretical and empirical foundation for viral marketing research and professional practice.

The rapid penetration of the Internet and the prevalence of various social media facilitated by new technologies provide new opportunities for how marketing techniques are developed and refined. The creation of viral marketing has been driven by technological innovations and cultural changes. Responding to marketing trends and catering to consumers’ psychological demands and behavioral changes, viral marketing represents the latest online customer-centric marketing (Shukla, 2010). Extending the advertising effects of word-of-mouth (WOM) communication and Internet marketing, viral marketing has demonstrated considerable success and utility in a promotional phase and development process of a product and/or service. This study intends to illustrate the benefits and challenges of viral marketing. The effects and concerns with the adoption of viral marketing are reinforced by previous research and findings from marketer and consumer focus groups. This thesis will contribute to building a theoretical and empirical foundation for viral marketing research and professional practice.

Researchers, companies and managers have for a long time accepted word-of-mouth as being a crucial marketing activity, since it is extremely effective in shaping consumers’ attitudes and behaviour. Nowadays, the Internet has become a major part of many peoples’ daily lives, and social networking sites attract millions of individuals from all around the world. Because of this, word-of-mouth has shifted to the digitalized world and a new term has been developed, namely electronic word-of-mouth. Electronic word-of-mouth has been recognized to generate the same benefits to companies as word-of-mouth. Due to the growth of the Internet and social networking sites, electronic word-of-mouth has the power to reach more people and is therefore perceived as more influential. This makes electronic word-of-mouth along with social networking sites, two concepts to acknowledge. Thus, for companies to make the most out of them, they need to gain the necessary knowledge.  The purpose of this research is to analyse how consumers are affected by electronic word-of-mouth through social networking sites.   In the specific area, a research gap was noticed, namely, how electronic word-of-mouth through social networking sites affects consumers’ product perceptions and purchase intentions. Based on this gap, six hypotheses and a research model were conducted. The empirical data was collected via questionnaire, where the majority of the respondents were within the target group, which was students, aged 18-24.   It was revealed through the results, that electronic word-of-mouth through social networking sites has a direct positive effect on both consumers’ product perceptions and purchase intentions. In addition, age and gender were found to have a moderating effect on the relation between electronic word-of-mouth through social networking sites and product perceptions, as well as purchase intentions. Finally, it is argued that managers should take electronic word-of-mouth through social networking sites into consideration, and adopt it in their marketing tactics.

This thesis aims to look closer upon how hotels manage electronic Word of Mouth and suggests potential strategies. Focus is being put on online guest reviews and the researchintends to study the impact of online reviews in the hospitality industry as well as defining the possibilities and challenges. The aim is not to make generalizations for the entire industry, but to be a suggestion for how to manage online reviews. Case studies have been performed withsix different hotels with different characteristics, to be able to answer the research questions. In order to provide an understanding of the topic, theories concerning e-Word of Mouth marketing, has been chosen. The traditional Word of Mouth and electronic Word of Mouth isdefined and the possibilities/challenges are explained. Theories on management of online reviews are also presented in the thesis. The empirical research has shown that e-Word of Mouth is still a new phenomenon in the hospitality industry. However most respondents agree on the influence of online recommendations which make it important to monitor and track them. The main possibility of managing online reviews is the chance of increased revenues and the ability to create brand awareness. It helps hotels to understand the needs of their customers. However challenges of sincerity and the big amount of information that is needed to control, are problematic. The research has shown that only few respondents work actively with some type of e-Word of Mouth. These results have provided the thesis with suggestions on management of online reviews.

Antalet bloggar växer och läsarantalet för bloggar likaså, framför allt har en ökning märkts hos unga kvinnor (Findahl, 2011). Att bloggläsandet har ökat medför att läsaren sätter sig själv i en situation där de kan utsättas för påverkan, både i form av bloggtext samt reklam i form av annonser. Frågan är om det nya bloggfenomenet nu kommer att ta över som en ny marknadsföringskanal gentemot de traditionella annonsreklamerna. Kommer de personliga blogginläggen att påverka mer än traditionell reklam? Syftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka om unga kvinnor upplever att deras köpintentioner påverkas av bloggar. Genom att undersöka om ett specifikt blogginlägg har en uppfattad påverkan på unga kvinnor och deras upplevda köpintentioner jämfört med en annons, ämnar vi att öka förståelsen för bloggar och makten bakom datorskärmen. För att uppfylla syftet behandlades följande två hypoteser; 1.    Unga kvinnors bloggvanor uppfattas ha en påverkan på dem och deras upplevda köpintentioner. 2.    Blogginlägget har en större uppfattad påverkan på unga kvinnors upplevda köpintentioner jämfört med annonsen För att undersöka detta tilldelades respondenterna slumpmässigt två olika enkäter vid undersökningstill-fällena. Den ena enkäten mätte den uppfattade påverkan av ett produktinriktat blogginlägg, den andra av en annons. Respondenterna är utvalda med hjälp av ett bekvämlighetsurval och består av 128 unga kvinnor som går sista året på gymnasiet. Undersökningen har bedrivits under skoltid på fyra av de största gymnasieskolorna i Jönköping. Datamaterialet som samlades in från enkätundersökningen matades sedan in i ett program för statistikbehandling, SPSS. Dessa grupper jämfördes sedan statistiskt för att kunna antingen förkasta eller acceptera hypoteserna. Resultatet av undersökningen visar att respondenterna upplever att deras köpintentioner blir påverkade av deras vanor av bloggar. Det visar även att sambandet mellan deras bloggvanor och upplevda köpintentioner är positivt. De vars bloggvanor är mer frekventa har också större intentioner att handla något som de har läst om i ett blogginlägg. De upplever också att deras köpintentioner påverkas mer av ett blogginlägg än av en annons. Skillnaden är dock liten. / Blogs are increasing in popularity, especially among young women, both when it comes to writing blogs and reading them (Findahl, 2011). As a consequence, readers are putting themselves in a situation where they are being exposed to influence. The question arisen from this is whether blogs should be given more attention and if companies should consider them part of their marketing strategies. Will the personal blog posts have a greater effect on consumers compared to traditional advertising? The purpose of this study is therefore to investigate if young women perceive that their purchase intentions are influenced by blogs. By investigating if a specific blog post has a perceived influence on young women and their purchase intentions compared to an advert, we aim to increase the understanding within the subject of blogs and to recognize the power on the other side of the computer screen. In order to fulfill the purpose, following hypothesis were addressed: 1.    Young women’s experiences of blogs are perceived to have an influence on them and their per-ceived purchase intentions. 2.    The blog post has a greater influence on young women and their perceived purchase intentions compared to the advert. The respondents were randomly allocated two different surveys where one measured the respondent’s perceived influence from blog posts and the other measured the respondent’s perceived influence from an advert. The sample was conducted by the use of convenience sampling and consisted of 128 young women who all are attending their last year in high school in the four largest schools in Jönköping. In order to receive statistical results, the collected data from the surveys were entered in a statistics program called SPSS. The groups were then compared in order to establish if the hypotheses would be rejected or accepted. The results from the study show that the respondents experience that their purchase intentions are influ-enced by blogs. Furthermore, there is a positive correlation between their blog experiences and their per-ceived purchase intentions; those who are more frequent in their use of blogs, have more intentions to buy something that they have read about on blogs. They also experienced that their purchase intentions are influenced more by the blog post than the advert. The difference is small though.

Since the limitations for the presentation of information on the internet, shopping online makes consumers feel cognitive dissonance more easily compared with traditional shopping. While experiencing cognitive dissonance after shopping, consumers would search and browse the internet for word-of mouth in order to rationalize their purchase behavior. However, there seems little research for the impact on consumers¡¦ feelings by online word-of-mouth during post-purchase. Therefore, this study is going to be focused on the influence of searching online word-of-mouth on consumer post-purchase cognitive dissonance level, consumer attitudes and intention s to spread negative word-of-mouth. This study is adopted an experiment to understand the effect of reading wording-of-mouth on consumers. The degree of consumer cognitive dissonance is measured by the comparison between the difference of consumer expectation and their feelings in actual products. The word-of-mouth design is applied to content analysis to understand the actual word-of-mouth and thus this is resulted in an online word-of-mouth contented ¡§more negative messages and less positive ones¡¨. According to this research, there is no significant difference between cognitive dissonance and consumer attitude after reading the word-of-mouth in the high degree of cognitive dissonance case; nevertheless, the intention to spread negative word-of-mouth would be significantly decreased. On the other hand, in the low degree of cognitive dissonance case, after reading word-of-mouth, cognitive dissonance would be significantly increased, and consumer attitude could be significantly decreased and negative word-of-mouth intention will significantly increase.

Background: To understand the consumers’ motivation to write online reviews is of importance, especially for companies since a large number of reviews have a positive influence on sales. Previous research has been done regarding what motivate consumers to provide user generated content, online word of mouth and also, to some extent, online reviews. However, these studies have primarily been adopted in a quantitative manner. To explore, from customers’ own perspective, the motivation to write online reviews is therefore valuable to add depth to the existing literature. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore customers’ motivation to write online reviews. Research question: What factors motivate customers to write online reviews? Methodology: The design of the research is a case study where the data collection method was conducted by semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: The result of this study shows that customers’ motivation to write online reviews is due to a variety of situations. The customers are motivated to write to enhance their selfimage, helping both customers and companies, and in some situations to even harm companies. Also, customers were motivated to write to obtain economical incentives. The features of the platform are important, where easiness and the opportunity to be anonymous were preferred.