Cross-decision social effects in product adoption and defection decisions

2022

JPBM

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of opinion leadership on individuals’ susceptibility to social influence, which eventually affects their adoption behavior and assess how these relationships vary with gender in new product adoption. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected based on a survey of young consumers regarding the adoption of new consumer electronics. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling and multiple sample analyses. Findings The study finds that opinion leaders are more sensitive to influence from others when the mechanism of status competition is at work. Although consumers who are more susceptible to normative influence tend to adopt new products later than others, those who are more susceptible to status competition are more likely to adopt earlier. The results also provide evidence for gender differences. Female leaders are more susceptible to status competition, whereas male leaders are less sensitive to informational influence. The effects of susceptibility to normative influence and status competition on adoption behavior are stronger for female than for male consumers. Originality/value The overall structural model predicts an interesting relationship between individual influence and susceptibility, as well as the effects of these factors on adoption behavior. This study also provides deeper insights into the dynamics of the social influence mechanisms at work for each gender in new product adoption.

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Status competition occurs because of status considerations, such that not adopting a new product may result in competitive or status disadvantages (Landsman and Nitzan, 2020; Muller and Peres, 2019; Nejad et al , 2014).…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influencing and being influenced: effects of individual influence and susceptibility on new product adoption

2022

JPBM

“…2.2 Social influence mechanisms in new product diffusion Social influence signifies an individual adjusting his or her attitudes or behavior to the attitudes or behavior of others based on their interactions in the social system (Leenders, 2002). Social influence and new product diffusion research has proposed the following four mechanisms that may drive new product adoption (Iyengar et al, 2011a;Landsman and Nitzan, 2020;Muller and Peres, 2019;Peres et al, 2010;Van den Bulte and Lilien, 2001).…”

Section: Ejm 555mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Susceptibility to normative influence (SNI) is defined as the tendency of a person to comply with the expectations of peers to avoid punishments or get rewards (Bearden et al, 1989;Burnkrant and Cousineau, 1975;Deutsch and Gerard, 1955). Susceptibility to status competition (SSC) suggests an individual's intention to adopt a new product because of status or competitive concerns (Burt, 1987;Landsman and Nitzan, 2020;Van den Bulte and Lilien, 2001). Network externalities occur when the utility of adopting a new product for a consumer increases as more network neighbors adopt the product.…”

Section: Ejm 555mentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumer susceptibility to social influence in new product diffusion networks: how does network location matter?

2020

EJM

Purpose This study aims to empirically investigate how susceptibility to social influence in new product adoption varies with one’s structural location in a social network. Design/methodology/approach The social network data were collected based on a sociometric network survey with 589 undergraduate students. Social network analysis and ordinary least squares regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Findings This study finds that consumers with high degree centrality (i.e. hubs) who have a large number of connections to others and consumers with high betweenness centrality (i.e. bridges) who connect otherwise distant groups in social networks are both less sensitive to informational influence from others. More importantly, the authors find evidence that consumers with moderate levels of degree/betweenness centrality are more susceptible to normative influence and status competition than those with low or high degree/betweenness centrality. The inverse-U patterns in the above relations are consistent with middle-status conformity and anxiety. Research limitations/implications This research complements social influence and new product diffusion research by documenting important contingencies (i.e. network locations) in consumer susceptibility to different types of social influence from a social network perspective. Practical implications The findings will assist marketers to leverage social influence by activating relevant social ties with effective messages in their network marketing strategies. Originality/value This research provides a better understanding of the mechanisms driving susceptibility to social influence in new product diffusion.

“…As for susceptibility to interpersonal influence, there are two main types, namely, informational social influence (ISI) and normative social influence (NSI). ISI refers to the tendency to obtain information from others in terms of either searching for information from others or observational learning of others' behavior, whereas NSI is defined as the desire to conform to the expectations of others to avoid punishments or get rewards (Bearden et al, 1989;Landsman and Nitzan, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaders that bind: the role of network position and network density in opinion leaders' responsiveness to social influence

2021

APJML

PurposeThe purpose of this present study is to investigate how opinion leaders' responsiveness to social influence varies with network positions (i.e. degree centrality and brokerage) and network density in new product diffusion networks.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected data based on a sociometric network survey. Hierarchical moderated regression and hierarchical linear modeling analyses were used to test the moderating effects of degree centrality, brokerage and density on the relationship between opinion leadership and susceptibility to social influence.FindingsThis study documents the significant moderating roles of network positions and network density in the relationship between individual influence (i.e. opinion leadership) and susceptibility to social influence. Interestingly, this study shows that the significant moderating effects of degree centrality and brokerage hold for opinion leaders' responsiveness to informational social influence, whereas that of network density holds for opinion leaders' responsiveness to normative social influence.Research limitations/implicationsThis research sheds light on the network structural characteristics under which opinion leaders would be differentially responsive to social influence (i.e. informational and normative influence) from others.Practical implicationsThis research provides marketing managers with insights into leveraging social influence by activating opinion leaders through existing network ties in new product diffusion networks.Originality/valueAlthough opinion leaders are generally less susceptible to social influence from others than nonleaders, this research finds that, under certain network conditions, opinion leaders would be equally responsive to social influence from their peers.