Xiaoyan Liu , Piaoran Ren , Xingyang Lv , Shaobo Li
{"title":"Service Experience and Customers’ eWOM Behavior on Social Media Platforms: The Role of Platform Symmetry","authors":"Xiaoyan Liu , Piaoran Ren , Xingyang Lv , Shaobo Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103735","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Empirical evidence has demonstrated that customers often share diverse, and sometimes even conflicting, eWOM information on various social platforms, bringing new challenges to eWOM management. Based on the platform symmetry theory, this work explores how customers’ positive or negative service experience alters their choice of social platforms for eWOM communications. Using five studies, across restaurant and hotel services, we find that customers tend to share positive eWOM on symmetrical social platforms (e.g., WeChat) but negative eWOM on asymmetrical social platforms (e.g., TikTok, Weibo). Self-enhancement and emotion regulation motivations mediate the impact of service experiences on customers’ social platform preferences. Such an effect, however, is attenuated when the service is hedonic (vs. utilitarian) by nature. This work expands the existing literature on eWOM sharing and social platforms within the hospitality industry and offers valuable insights for service providers regarding effective eWOM management in the social media era.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48444,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Hospitality Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Hospitality Management","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278431924000471","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Empirical evidence has demonstrated that customers often share diverse, and sometimes even conflicting, eWOM information on various social platforms, bringing new challenges to eWOM management. Based on the platform symmetry theory, this work explores how customers’ positive or negative service experience alters their choice of social platforms for eWOM communications. Using five studies, across restaurant and hotel services, we find that customers tend to share positive eWOM on symmetrical social platforms (e.g., WeChat) but negative eWOM on asymmetrical social platforms (e.g., TikTok, Weibo). Self-enhancement and emotion regulation motivations mediate the impact of service experiences on customers’ social platform preferences. Such an effect, however, is attenuated when the service is hedonic (vs. utilitarian) by nature. This work expands the existing literature on eWOM sharing and social platforms within the hospitality industry and offers valuable insights for service providers regarding effective eWOM management in the social media era.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Hospitality Management serves as a platform for discussing significant trends and advancements in various disciplines related to the hospitality industry. The publication covers a wide range of topics, including human resources management, consumer behavior and marketing, business forecasting and applied economics, operational management, strategic management, financial management, planning and design, information technology and e-commerce, training and development, technological developments, and national and international legislation.
In addition to covering these topics, the journal features research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and analyses of business practices within the hospitality industry. It aims to provide readers with valuable insights and knowledge in order to advance research and improve practices in the field.
The journal is also indexed and abstracted in various databases, including the Journal of Travel Research, PIRA, Academic Journal Guide, Documentation Touristique, Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Abstracts, Lodging and Restaurant Index, Scopus, CIRET, and the Social Sciences Citation Index. This ensures that the journal's content is widely accessible and discoverable by researchers and practitioners in the hospitality field.