China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Risk Communication in Theory and Practice
Published in Susanna Hornig PriestCRC, Nanotechnology and the Public, 2017
Arguably, while market research designed to support product sales most often seeks to understand consumer behavior on the individual level, diffusion theory and related social theories of risk are most powerful when they are applied at the cultural or societal level. This is because diffusion is an inherently social (that is, collective) process, a process that takes place only in groups as information about new technologies and products diffuses through social networks. This theory first became well known among applied social researchers for its value in agricultural extension work, providing a useful explanation of why farmers may or may not adopt a particular new agricultural technology. This same idea has also been used by archaeologists to trace the spread of a new type of arrowhead or other tool among prehistoric humans, across both time and geography. Individuals are particularly influenced by respected others (in an agricultural context, a neighbor who is a successful farmer or a local community leader) in a process known as opinion leadership (Katz and Lazarsfeld 2006), a process probably as important now as it was 10,000 or more years ago.
The impact of digital influencers’ characteristics on purchase intention of fashion products
Published in Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 2022
Marina Alexandra Gomes, Susana Marques, Álvaro Dias
Digital influencers, as opinion leaders, can be very relevant sources of advice for other consumers (Casaló et al., 2020), who fall in the concept of opinion leadership as they influence and share information with the consumer (Bertrandias & Goldsmith, 2006). Consumers’ need for uniqueness appears to be positively related to fashion opinion leadership (Bertrandias & Goldsmith, 2006; Goldsmith & Clark, 2008). Opinion leaders can choose original and new products, which are more likely to be appealing for consumers. Consequently, the influence of fashion opinion leaders on consumers has changed the idea of what the consumers would originally choose (Bertrandias & Goldsmith, 2006) Moreover, this influence has also led consumers to consider opinion leaders as sources of information and advice about fashion products (Goldsmith & Clark, 2008). Based on the opinion leadership theory, several dimensions emerge as antecedents for influencing and sharing information.
Nice to be a fashion blogger, hard to be influential: An analysis based on personal characteristics, knowledge criteria, and social factors
Published in Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 2018
Patricia SanMiguel, Teresa Sádaba
Four basic methods have been used in the surveys to identify opinion leadership: sociometric techniques (asking respondents from whom they get advice and from whom they seek advice or information in some given topic area); interviews with key informants (requiring the use of informed individuals in a social system to designate opinion leaders in a topic area); and observation and self-designation techniques (relying on the respondent to evaluate his own influence, depending on the report of the person who has presumably influenced another) (Jove, 2011; King & Summers, 1970; Vernette, 2004). This study is based on the so-called self-designation methodology—that is to say, the survey respondents and the degree of influence they have over others are assessed. However, this method has certain limitations (Wiedmann, Hennigs, & Langner, 2010): Individuals might evaluate and overestimate themselves more positively than others do. For the purposes of this study, we followed the methodological steps indicated below.
Brand loyalty through love for a brand’s Facebook page: Roles of motivations and personal traits
Published in Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 2022
Opinion leadership and opinion seeking are two distinct personal traits that explain inter-personal influences in decision making. Opinion leadership is the personal trait of being influential in other consumers’ decision-making processes, while opinion seeking is the personal trait of searching for others’ opinions and being influenced by others’ opinions (Flynn et al., 1996). Both traits can co-exist although there tends to be a dominant trait in one’s mind. Opinion leadership and seeking behaviours can be observed in online SNSs. Understanding consumers’ opinion leadership and seeking traits in SNSs is critical for marketers because it allows marketers to know who the influential consumers are and how marketing messages flow and persuade consumers through word-of-mouth or peer-to-peer communications on SNSs (Rose & Kim, 2011). Consumers with strong opinion leadership traits are more likely to express their opinions on brands or products, share product- or brand-related information, and discuss their brand or product experiences with others (Kucukemiroglu & Kara, 2015; Phelps et al., 2004). On the other hand, consumers with greater opinion-seeking traits are more likely to use the Internet to fulfil the need to belong to their reference group who share similar interests and commonalities with them (Kucukemiroglu & Kara, 2015). It is not uncommon in the online SNS context that opinion leaders are also heavy opinion seekers; they frequently post, share, forward, and chat on SNSs (thus leading other SNS users’ opinions) while also frequently reading and liking others’ SNS posts (thus seeking other SNS users’ opinions) as a means to grow their own influence base.