Consumers have become much more sensitive to the opinions of others than in the past. Criticism and praise of products based on previous experience are essential for consumers to make decisions. With the increasing spread of the Internet, social media, and mobile phones, traditional word of mouth has been replaced by electronic word of mouth. Information quality and source credibility play a key role among them. The present study has examined the relationship between information quality and source credibility on the information adoption by the customer through the information usefulness in the framework of the information adoption model. In order to achieve the objectives of the research, a sample of 274 questionnaires of consumers who had at least one online shopping experience was examined. Excel, SPSS, and smart-pls software were used for statistical analysis and hypothesis testing. Five hypotheses have been tested based on the theoretical model derived from the research literature. The results show that the higher the information quality (more vital), the higher the level of information usefulness, and the higher the perceived source credibility, the higher the degree of usefulness of the information. In addition, the information the consumer perceives as applicable significantly positively affects information adoption. On the other hand, the moderating variable of the nature of the website did not affect the relationship between information quality, source credibility, and information adoption. The findings of this study can be influential in the development of relevant research and consumer behavior in online communities.IntroductionCommunication platforms are transitioning from physical spaces to digital spaces. The Internet has fundamentally changed the framework of traditional business. For billions of people, new media technology has become a part of everyday life. This research intends to look at how the information quality and source credibility on the information adoption by the customer through the information usefulness and moderating website nature role on the users' willingness or information adoption by consumers. In this study, the information adoption model is used from the perspective of Shannon's (1948) communication model. Deciding on information adoption is an important aspect that comes from digesting the information provided in the exchange of recommended marketing information and thus using it in making an informed purchase decision. Use the information adoption model. This study explains how electronic word of mouth can influence the consumer's perception of usefulness and subsequent acceptance of the message due to the information quality, the argument, and source credibility. MethodologyThe present study is applied research according to the mentioned purpose and is descriptive in data collection. The tool used in the present study is a questionnaire. A random sampling method is available. Moreover, the target research population, based on the research purpose and background, from among all citizens living in Tehran who have at least once experienced online shopping for personal products such as smart watches, mobile phones, glasses, jewelry, clothes, and cosmetic products in one of these websites: Digikala, Dersa, Digi Mode, Digi Style, and Boutique in the last three years they were selected. Two hundred seventy-four valid questionnaires were analyzed. The questionnaire used in this research consists of two independent variables of information quality, which include five dimensions: Information accuracy, information relevance, information completeness, information understandability, and value-added information, and source credibility, which includes three dimensions of Information quantity, product ranking, and review consistency and the mediating variable of information usefulness and the moderating variable website nature and the dependent variable Information adoption were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. In order to validate the content, a questionnaire was given to the professors, and the intended corrections were applied. Path analysis was done using SPSS and PLS software in the data analysis. FindingsThe significant results of the path coefficients showed that the hypotheses were confirmed except for two cases (hypotheses 4 and 5) in the research. The present research is described below to confirm the hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 (H1): Information quality positively affects information usefulness. According to the statistical analysis, the obtained result shows a strong direct relationship between information quality and usefulness. Hypothesis 2 (H2): source credibility positively affects information usefulness. According to the statistical analysis, the obtained result indicates a positive and significant relationship between the source credibility and information usefulness. Hypothesis 3 (H3): Information usefulness positively affects information adoption by users. According to the statistical analysis, the obtained result indicates a positive and significant relationship between information usefulness and adoption. Hypothesis 4 (H4): The website's nature (independent/commercial) does not moderate the relationship between information quality and usefulness. Also, Hypothesis 5 (H5) shows that: website nature (independent/commercial) does not moderate the relationship between source credibility and information usefulness. Hypothesis 6 (H6): The source credibility positively affects information adoption by users through the mediating variable information usefulness. According to the statistical analysis, the obtained result indicates a positive and significant relationship between the source credibility on information adoption through the information usefulness. Hypothesis 7 (H7): information quality positively affects information adoption by users through the mediating variable information usefulness. ConclusionToday, electronic word of mouth shapes consumers' understanding of products and services. Online comments have become more critical and widespread for consumers' purchasing decisions. However, as false reviews on websites are on the rise, it has become critical for consumers to assess the source's credibility and the source's trust sufficiently. Information quality is crucial for the information adoption process. It shows that higher information quality makes the process of identifying the consumer's understanding and increases the information trust shorter so information can be used more effectively since high-quality information content covers vital areas of products and services, the more valid the review information, the more objective the review experience and the better its effects. On the other hand, consumers use signs such as the level of source expertise and the source reliability to evaluate the information usefulness provided. Therefore, in the field of electronic word of mouth, the expertise of the communication source and its reliability is vital for the consumer when evaluating the information usefulness. Also, information usefulness significantly affects information adoption. This finding shows that perceived information usefulness is vital for consumers because, regardless of the type and website nature or platform from which they receive information, the information usefulness encourages them to accept information.
Abstract One of the main and modern concepts in relation to today's consumers is that they can be easily harmed by the purchase, acquisition, or disposal of goods and services, or be abused or deceived. Each of these causes cause harm to consumers and in some cases creates a sense of victim for them. Psychologists can analyze consumers' movements, attitudes, perceptions, expectations, right or wrong decisions, and the intention to buy or possibly repurchase goods or services. The category of harm to consumers with a sense of perceived victim is one of the most important and at the same time neglected concepts in the field of consumer-related literature. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to identify the types of damage to the consumer. In this qualitative research, relying on the database theory and using semi-structured interviews, the extracted data were coded in three levels (i.e. open, central, and selective), and Atlas TI software was used for data analysis. Based on the codes obtained from the interviews, and after the theoretical saturation of the interviews with 15 consumers who considered themselves victims, 300 subcategories, 14 categories, and 11 themes were extracted. The results indicated that economic conditions as underlying or intervening factors, individual conditions and social conditions as causal factors, emotional conditions and emotional consumption as central factors, and mental confusion as well as communication confusion as two strategic factors that led to harming the consumer. This creates personal, legal, and civil consequences. Introduction One of the main concepts in relation to today's consumers is that they can easily suffer damage from purchases, or be abused or deceived. Each of these cases causes harm to the consumer and in some cases, creates a feeling of being a victim. Sometimes the damage is due to the ignorance or lack of knowledge of the consumer who notices these damages after consumption. Therefore, the consumer has been abused, deceived, or cheated by the provider of goods and services and suffered and experiences various damages. Different conditions are the bases of different damages for the consumer, which neither the consumer is unaware of the damages of consumption, nor the provider of goods and services intends to abuse or deceive. Victimized consumers experience bitter or at least unpleasant experiences that can have negative consequences for their families. In the present study, various examples of consumer damage are identified. Methodology This study aims to identify types of victimized consumers using a grounded theory approach. Based on this, after saturated interviews, 15 people were selected as a sample of participants in this section by snowball sampling. After determining and agreeing on the selected codes, 300 subcategories, 41 categories, and 11 content themes were extracted from the participants in the interview. Findings In the current research, based on the participants' point of view, causal factors were categorized into two concepts: individual and social conditions. Individual conditions have six categories of insistence on consumption, psychological conditions, the psychological pressure of others, stubbornness, mental disorders, and loose elements. Social conditions have seven categories of product necessity, trust in others, trust in brands, and recommendations of sellers. The advice of others is a fraud, and the consumer is a victim of the environment and government policies. Contextual or intervening factors are identified with three concepts of economic conditions, advertising, and advertising effects. Also, based on the participants' point of view, two concepts of emotional conditions and emotional consumption were identified as central factors. Conclusion According to the results of this research and the knowledge of the typology of the victim consumer, it is possible to inform the consumers about the correct purchase strategies and provide them with the necessary warnings to avoid harm. For example, it is suggested that people avoid rushing to buy and make sudden purchases and consult with others before making a purchase in order to make a successful purchase. If possible, if they have no experience in shopping, they should try to do the shopping in a group with people who have the expertise and check all aspects of a product or service completely. .
Despite the importance of social media marketing in many organizations, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), scattered and limited studies have been done to evaluate its performance. Therefore, the present study attempts to develop a comprehensive framework for evaluating the performance of social media marketing in SMEs using the well-known management of the balanced scorecard (BSC). This study is an applied-development study in terms of purpose and mixed-methods in terms of data collection. In order to achieve the research goal, in the first step, the qualitative method via interviewing with experts as well as a comprehensive literature review was applied and the indicators of the proposed framework were extracted. In the second step, a questionnaire was developed for the validation and weighting of dimensions and indicators. Besides, an evaluation of academic experts, experienced marketing managers in the field of social media marketing, and senior managers of small and medium enterprises was done. The findings of the study showed that the financial dimension with a weight of 0.257 was the first priority. The customer dimension with a weight of 0.255 was the second priority. The learning and growth dimension with a weight of 0.250 was the third priority, and then the internal business processes dimension with a weight of 0.236 was the last priority. The developed framework can be used as a tool to measure the strengths and weaknesses of social media marketing performance projects in organizations, especially SMEs. Introduction With the expansion of cyberspace and the emergence of social media, the use of media space has been recognized as a common experience for corporate communication with customers and the exchange of information. In the past decade, social media has had tremendous success. Nowadays, implementing some form of online marketing through social media is very important for all businesses. Despite the importance of social media marketing in many organizations, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), scattered and limited studies have been done to evaluate its performance. Therefore, the present study attempts to develop a comprehensive framework for evaluating the performance of social media marketing in SMEs using the well-known management of the balanced scorecard (BSC). Methodology This research has been conducted using a mixed-methods approach in three phases as below: In the first phase, a comprehensive literature review was conducted among the past studies on this field to identify the indicators and dimensions that were mentioned in the previous studies for assessing the performance evaluation of social media marketing. In the second phase, through a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with ten experts to identify and extract the indicators and dimensions of social media marketing performance evaluation in SMEs. Judgment sampling was applied for sample selection. In the third phase, the research approach was quantitative, and a questionnaire based on the indicators and dimensions extracted from the earlier phases was used. The Likert scale was utilized to collect the perception of the respondents on the questionnaire items. For this phase, about 39 samples were collected. In this study, interviews were conducted using a semi-structured exploratory approach to collect the data. Two criteria of credibility and reliability were used to validate the present study. To achieve these two criteria, the following steps were followed: Credibility: for this purpose, the participant feedback method was employed, in which six interviewees were asked to provide feedback on the interviews conducted and the analyses obtained. This helped to obtain the agreement of the interviewees. Reliability: to do this, all details of the interviews were recorded, and notes at every step of the research were taken. Voice recording and oral data writing were performed in all interviews. In order to calculate the interview reliability, the two coders (evaluators) agreement method was used. The researcher, along with the research fellow, coded the three interviews. The percentage of agreement within the results as a measure of reliability was 0.8, which is more than the acceptable level of 0.6. Also, to determine the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated by SPSS software. The alpha coefficients of the studied variables were higher than the threshold value of 0.7. Therefore, it can be said that the questionnaire was valid. To analyze the data obtained from interviews, the content analysis method, which is the most common approach for analyzing data in the social sciences, was utilized in this research. The data gathered via questionnaires were analyzed using the sign test to confirm or reject the research indices, and the weighted average method was used to measure and rank the research indices via SPSS software. Findings After the code and indicators were identified for each interviewee in the first step, 65 indicators were extracted. It was found that 7 indicators are related to the financial dimension. Twenty-six indicators are related to the customer dimension, and 17 indicators are related to the internal business processes dimension. In addition, 15 indicators are related to the dimension of learning and growth. Also, with the results of the indicators obtained during the research, it was found that many indicators have been extracted from the study and review of the content of other studies by citing sources, and some indicators are just the result of interviews with experts in the field of social media in the executive and academic field. This part of the indicators, in turn, refers to the innovative aspect of the current research. Conclusion The top indicators identified in this study are as follows: the financial dimension (0.257), the customer dimension (0.255), the learning and growth dimension (0.250), and the internal business processes dimension (0.236). Also, with the results of the indicators calculated during the research, it was found that many indicators have been extracted from the study and a review of the literature content of other studies by mentioning the sources. And some indicators are just the result of interviews with experts in the domain of social media in executive and academic fields. This type of indicators, in turn, refers to the innovative aspect of the current research. The developed framework can be used as a tool to measure the strengths and weaknesses of social media marketing performance projects in organizations, especially SMEs. This research has some limitations. First, the proposed framework is presented at the theoretical level and has not been used in practice. It is suggested to use the case study method to evaluate the selected company in terms of social media marketing performance. The second limitation of this research is that the mutual effects of the identified dimensions have not been considered in the framework. Therefore, it is suggested to investigate the mutual effects of dimensions and indicators using quantitative modeling methods such as DEMATEL in future studies. Third, the proposed framework generally provides a performance evaluation framework regardless of the media type. Therefore, it is suggested that future researchers identify social media marketing performance evaluation indicators according to the type of media used by the company.
The purpose of the present study is to present a comprehensive model of factors affecting brand co-creation in the social media brand community. In this research, random sampling was used and a questionnaire was completed and collected from 384 students of Mazandaran University who were members of at least one social media. Structural equation modeling and Imus software were used to analyze the data. The results of the research showed that the variables of customer participation in the brand community of social media and social support have a positive and significant effect on the mediating variable of communication quality, and the quality of communication has a positive and significant effect on brand co-creation. On the other hand, social support and customer participation in the social media brand community have a significant positive effect on brand loyalty, and brand loyalty has a positive and significant effect on the dependent variable of brand co-creation. Moreover, there is no significant relationship between the quality of communication and loyalty. The innovation of this research is the design of a new model by considering the variables that were not considered in the previous models. The findings provide new insights for managers to review the various characteristics of their brand community, with an emphasis on increasing two-way communication. IntroductionCo-creation is a management initiative or a type of economic strategy that is used to bring together different stakeholders (for example, a company and a group of customers) with the aim of jointly producing a result that has value for both parties (Rajab Ali Baglo, 2016). Companies have many ways to co-create with their customers, an example of which is product improvement, process improvement, marketing content, implementing and launching solutions, and brand management. For example, the Converse Shoe Company encourages its fans to get a chance to be featured on the brand’s social network channels by sharing how to pair the brand’s shoes with their clothes. The Converse Company, with the campaign "What is yours?" "You made", praised the work of his fans and, in return, the fans felt that they were valuable and that their work was appreciated. The shoes were featured in various campaigns of this brand, and the name and signature of the "creator" of each pair of shoes were shown on it. It could be said that co-creation makes companies provide more appropriate goods and services to consumers and can encourage them to participate more (Nadim et al., 2020).Although there are many studies about brand and co-creation in general, few studies have been done in the field of brand co-creation in the social media brand community. Virtual co-creation is an emerging phenomenon that has not been studied much, especially in Iran, which is about a decade old. Therefore, with regard to more and more companies and customers turning to virtual space and the valuable opportunities available in this space, the need for more research in the field of co-creation in social media brand communities and the factors affecting it is necessary. The aim of the present study is to address this research gap. This goal is pursued by explaining the role of brand loyalty and the quality of brand co-creation communication in social media brand communities and preparing and testing a comprehensive model that describes the factors influencing brand co-creation in social media brand communities. MethodologyThis research is included in the descriptive and survey research group. The statistical population of this research is Mazandaran University students who were members of at least one social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Since the aim of the study was not in a specific field, the available random sampling method was used. Morgan's table was used for sampling according to the size of the population, which is the students of Mazandaran University. Based on the fact that the size of the community is high (approximately 13,000 people), then the minimum sample size was calculated as 373 people based on Morgan's table. For more accuracy, the sample size of the study was 384 people. In this research, a standard questionnaire was used to collect the data. The questionnaire of the current research was taken from the articles ‘Examining Brand Co-Creation in Social Media Brand Communities: Using the Stimulus-Organization-Response Paradigm’ (Kamboj et al., 2018) and ‘Brand Co-Creation through Social Business Information Sharing: The Role of Social Media’ (Tajveidi et al., 2018). Analysis of the model has been done by means of structural equations using Imus software to test the hypotheses. The measurement and structural models were checked based on different criteria and the necessary corrections were made to improve the fit of the model. FindingsDemographic findings state that out of a total of 384 people, 66% of the respondents were women and 34% were men. Moreover, 70.05% of the respondents were between 18-24 years old, 24.74% were 25-30 years old, and 5.21% of the other respondents were 30 years old and above. Also, the most membership in social media was Instagram with 326 respondents. Other social media were YouTube (124 people), Facebook (45 people), Twitter (42 people), and LinkedIn (22 people). In addition to the above media, 41 of the respondents were members of other media such as WhatsApp. In the inferential data analysis section, we first checked the precondition of the normality of the data distribution and evaluated the factor loading of the questions, and after confirmation, we checked the fit of the model. Various fit indices were used to check the fit of the research model. Then, these indicators were summarized along with the acceptance level of each factor. According to the appropriate value of the fit indices, the research model can be considered suitable and the hypotheses can be tested. ConclusionBased on the findings of this research, it can be said that social support in social media brand communities leads to communication quality. In fact, social support can increase commitment, trust, and satisfaction. Another finding of this research is that social support in social media brand communities has a significant positive effect on brand loyalty.In this study, there is a relationship between brand community communication quality and brand loyalty, but this relationship was not confirmed. As a result of this relationship, it was removed from the final model. Another finding of the current research is that customer participation in social media brand communities leads to communication quality. Also, the results showed that customer participation in social media brand communities leads to brand loyalty. In this research, the relationship between communication quality and brand co-creation has been confirmed. Another finding of the study is that brand loyalty is significantly related to brand co-creation.Overall, the findings provide new insights for managers to review the various characteristics of their brand community, with an emphasis on increasing two-way communication. These findings include various implications for marketing, brand management, and managers. This study shows that customer participation in social media brand communities has a significant impact on the quality of communication, brand loyalty, and, in turn, brand co-creation. Also, social support in brand communities affects the quality of communication and brand loyalty, and in turn, brand co-creation.
Abstract Designing a new brand alone is not enough and what measures can be taken to strengthen it is also of great importance. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to design a model for empowering Iranian brands with an emphasis on open innovation approach in the home appliances industry. The present study can be objectively categorized as an applied one and is conducted through a mixed methodology (qualitative-quantitative). Interviews and questionnaires were used as data collection tools in qualitative and quantitative sections, respectively, and their validity and reliability were evaluated as desirable. Having reviewed the related literature and research background, semi-structured interview protocols were prepared to gather data. The participants were selected among scientific and executive professionals involved in the home appliances industry using the snowball sampling method. Also, the statistical sample of the research in the quantitative part consisted of 386 customers of home appliances in Tehran. To analyze the data in the qualitative section, grounded theory was applied benefitting from MAXQDA software, while in the quantitative part, factor analysis (FA) was used. The findings of the research revealed that the factors focusing on the supply and demand chain strengthen the brand of Iranian home appliances. This study also introduces mental, communicative, and adaptive strategies which, themselves, are affected by intervening (human and organizational factors) and contextual (macro and micro factors) conditions. Moreover, implementing these strategies may have some consequences related to customers, societies, and organizations. Data analysis of quantitative section findings after applying grounded theory led to making a final model based on the factor analysis methodology. Introduction One of the benefits of a strong brand is its impact on reducing marketing costs (Agmeka et al., 2019). Experience has indicated that even during recession periods, strong brands face fewer problems in the field of sales reduction than similar products which are not considered famous brands (Azham & Ahmad, 2020). Academic and management schools of thought jointly agree that the power of a brand leads to profitability and acts as a competitive advantage in the industry (Bianchi, 2014). Although a powerful brand can have a relatively long life in normal conditions, due to the changes and developments in the environment, of which technology is perhaps one of the most important factors, it gradually enters the decline stage. Therefore, the managers and owners of economic organizations and businesses that operate in an increasingly competitive environment face a constant challenge that is maintaining well-known brands and preventing their lifespan from shortening. The issue of maintaining the brand, strengthening it and continuing its life has been raised because building a new brand alone is not enough, and how it should be maintained and what measures can be taken to strengthen it, have also particular importance. Although brand strengthening is important for all goods and services and improves their value (Kleih et al., 2023), the need to strengthen the brand in order to achieve marketing goals for some industries and businesses, including home appliance industries, is more than non-durable consumer goods and some products which are simple and ordinary. This requires providing a model as a guide for managers and researchers so that this vital industry of the country can be pushed towards brand strengthening in the national and international arena, and a wide effort can be made in line with the growth of this industry. Therefore, the answer to this question is vital: what is the appropriate model for strengthening the Iranian home appliance brands with an emphasis on open innovation? Methodology The current research is applied in terms of purpose. In terms of research method and type of data, it is a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) design. Due to the impossibility of coordination with a number of experts to attend the joint meeting at the same time and the lack of knowledge of the researcher about the level of knowledge and mentality of domestic experts regarding new issues in strengthening the brand of home appliances with an open innovation approach, the interview method was chosen. Because a semi-structured interview was used instead of a structured interview in this research, the interview protocol includes predetermined open questions that allowed the interviewer to assess and clarify the topics during the interview. The sampling method in the qualitative part is purposeful snowball sampling and the statistical population of this research in the qualitative part is made up of experts in marketing and senior managers of home appliance manufacturing companies, sellers, and managers of the home appliance association in Tehran. The number of selected participants to conduct in-depth interviews is 6 scientific experts and 9 practical experts. The statistical population of this research in the quantitative part also consists of all the buyers of Iranian household appliances in the city of Tehran. Considering that the statistical population of the research in this section is unlimited, the size of the research sample in the quantitative section was considered to be 386 people based on the Cochrane relationship. In order to select the research sample for answering, the available sampling method was used. The process of information analysis in the grounded theory approach is based on three stages of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The results of confirmatory factor analysis and average variance extracted have been used to analyze the internal structure of the questionnaire and determine its validity. Findings According to the results of the qualitative part, the factors affecting the supply side include paying attention to price quality, foundation based on knowledge and technology, and organizational agility. And focusing on the demand side, including after-sales services, encouraging dealers and sales centers, and the use of effective marketing practices and social responsibility creates a phenomenon such as strengthening the home appliance brand with an innovative approach. According to the model, in order to strengthen the brand of home appliances, mental strategies (brand redefinition and storytelling), communication strategies (emotional brand and brand development) and adaptation strategies (brand heritage strengthening and brand audit) should be used. Also, in order to strengthen the brand of household appliances with an open innovation approach, attention should be paid to the context factors. Macro factors (economic, cultural, social, political and legal factors, industry characteristics, and competition) and micro factors (costs related to strengthening the brand and product line compatibility) are among the effective context factors. Also, some factors and variables interfere with strengthening the home appliance brand with an open innovation approach. In other words, they facilitate or hinder the strengthening of the brand of these products. Some factors were among the obstacles and facilitators of brand strengthening including human factors (expert and knowledgeable stakeholders, expert employees, and top management attitude) and organizational factors (organizational culture, organizational learning, age, and size of the organization). Conclusion Considering the results of the study, strengthening the brand of home appliances will also have consequences related to customers and the society (creating purchase intention in customers, brand preference, improving customers' perceptions and attitudes, positive word of mouth advertising, increasing customer satisfaction, and loyalty and prevention of goods smuggling) and the consequences related to the organization (increasing profitability and organizational stability, creating a good reputation and image, improving brand value, increasing employee motivation, and reducing the market share temporarily). Data analysis of quantitative section findings after applying grounded theory led to making a final model based on factor analysis.
