Investigating Satisfaction and Loyalty of the House-Owner and the Tenant From Dual Perspectives Using Social Exchange Theory and Stimulus-Organism-Response Approach

Abstract

The dual effects are noticeable between two groups of people in influencing each other's behavior. This study investigated brand satisfaction and loyalty of electronic home appliances bought by the house-owners in tenancy tenure; and, similarly, the level of satisfaction and loyalty the house-owners showed towards the tenants' preferred brands. Data was collected from 262 house owners and 252 tenants (local and foreigners) using a paper-based questionnaire. These two samples were selected via the purposive (judgmental) sampling technique from Terengganu state, Malaysia. The hypotheses, underpinned by the social exchange theory (SET) and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory, were analyzed with the PLS-SEM (SmartPLS-v4.0) technique. The findings showed that after-sales service, brand image, and personal relationships were significant for satisfaction, and satisfaction and social media usage were significant for loyalty in both samples. However, product quality and usage experience were found to be insignificant to the satisfaction of the house owners; contrarily, they were found to be significant to the tenants' satisfaction. In addition, social media usage moderated the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty in both samples. The integration of SET and S-O-R provided substantial insight into the dynamic process of brand loyalty in purchasing and repurchasing home appliances. This study offers meaningful insights for business managers, especially brand managers, in considering dual aspects for house owners and tenants.