Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted he Impact of Social Media Marketing on Purchase Intentions for Saudi Arabian Fashion Brands: The Moderating Role of Brand Trust(The University of Essex, 2024) Almakhles, Badriah; Hyerhim, KimThis study investigates the impact of social media marketing (SMM) on consumer purchasing intentions for Saudi Arabian fashion brands, with a particular focus on the role of brand trust as a moderating factor. The research aims to explore how smartphone advertising, celebrity endorsements, and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) influence purchase intentions, as well as how demographic factors such as age and gender affect these relationships. The research questions addressed are: the impact of SMM on purchase intentions, the influence of demographics, and the most effective marketing strategies. The literature highlights the growing importance of SMM in driving consumer behaviour, with brand trust being a crucial factor that enhances engagement and purchase intentions. Prior studies emphasised the roles of visually engaging advertisements, authentic endorsements, and positive eWOM in influencing consumer decisions. A quantitative research methodology was used, employing a structured questionnaire distributed to 128 respondents in Saudi Arabia. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses. Key findings revealed that smartphone advertising positively influences purchase intentions when moderated by brand trust, while celebrity endorsements showed a negative effect. The impact of eWOM was found to be significant initially but diminished when moderated by trust. Brand trust emerged as a critical factor in shaping purchase decisions, overshadowing other marketing elements such as eWOM and celebrity endorsements. The study concludes that SMM strategies should prioritize building consumer trust through transparency, authenticity, and engagement. Recommendations include optimizing smartphone advertising for engagement, reassessing celebrity endorsements for authenticity, and actively managing brand trust through responsive and transparent communication. These strategies are essential for fashion brands in Saudi Arabia to drive consumer loyalty and purchasing behaviour in an increasingly digital marketplace.6 0Item Restricted The Effectiveness of Source and Message Characteristics on Consumers' Behavioural Response to Social Media Influencers Event Marketing Posts(Bournemouth University, 2024-07-25) Alawairdhi, Fatimah; Moital, MiguelWith social media being the centre of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communication and connections, marketing strategies and initiatives have aligned with current trends. This is seen in all sectors, and the event industry is no exception. One of the strategies used is social media influencer (SMI) marketing and it continues to rise in prominence for its perceived ability in persuasive communication. This dissertation explores the effectiveness of source and message characteristics on consumer behavioural responses within the context of SMI marketing promotions for events, specifically focusing on the Riyadh Season events Boulevard World and Boulevard City. This study employs a quantitative approach, utilising an online questionnaire distributed via social media platforms to a sample of Saudi citizens. The research investigates key characteristics such as trustworthiness, likeability, message credibility, strength of delivery and richness, alongside the interpersonal factor of homophily. Different consumer responses were explored but the focus of this study is on behavioural. The study also explored theories such theory of planned behaviour (1898) and the AIDA model (1985) to understand consumer behaviour and response and to how efficiently persuade them to interact with marketing and promotional content. The choice of Saudi Arabia as the geographical focus for this research is justified by the Saudi society’s high social media usage and the significant role SMIs play in marketing within the region in addition to the surge of event the country is experiencing. The data collected revealed that message characteristics are more effective in generating a behavioural response from consumers to the event promotional content than source characteristics. Recommendations for future research include expanding the geographical scope to other Gulf regions, conducting longitudinal studies and exploring additional source and message characteristics.25 0Item Restricted The Effect of Electronic Word-Of-Mouth (eWOM) Language On Purchase Persuasion(The University of Newcastle, 2023-06-07) Alshoon, Shaher Mahmood; Vilches-Montero, Sonia; Chao, Chih-WeiContemporary Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) has seen a deep transformation regarding how messages are produced and shared using varied digital platforms. Importantly, the literature advances very few studies that examine the effect of eWOM language on information seekers. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate how the use of language in eWOM messages affects purchase persuasion. In particular, to discover how different features of language, especially language proficiency, influence the persuasive efficacy of eWOM communications. This aim is accomplished using three experimental studies, each applying a between-subject factorial design. Participants were shown fictitious Facebook comments in different contexts related to restaurants, tourist destinations, and smartphones. The purpose of Study 1 is to investigate the influence of language proficiency of eWOM messages on purchase persuasion. The chosen setting for this study is a fictitious restaurant— Borgertto Restaurant —for which fictitious clients have shared their experience using eWOM on Facebook as the social media platform. The eWOM messages were written in English and presented as if they had been posted on Facebook. Messages were written with either a High or Low level of English Language Proficiency. The findings of Study 1 demonstrated a consistent pattern, showing that language proficiency plays a crucial role in influencing purchase persuasion. The findings of Study 1 shed more light concerning the relevance of language use of eWOM messages as it confirms that written language proficiency can also influence the receivers’ level of persuasion. Study 2 replicates Study 1 while additionally investigating the mediating influence of perceived storytellers’ expertise and narrative transportation. The chosen setting for this study is a fictitious tourist destination — Golden Sands City — for which fictitious clients have shared their experience using eWOM on Facebook as the social media platform. The eWOM messages were written in English and presented as if they had been posted on Facebook. The results show that the effect of proficiency of eWOM messages was significantly mediated by storytellers’ expertise and narrative transportation. The higher the language proficiency, the higher the perceived expertise of the storyteller. In turn, storyteller expertise positively affects persuasion. Further, when language proficiency increases, the receiver’s narrative transportation increases, which in turn leads to an increased purchase persuasion. When customers experience high levels of narrative transportation, they are more likely to mentally transport themselves into the story, imagining the scenarios and connecting with the emotions conveyed. Study 3 investigates the moderating role of emotional intensity and language congruence on the relationship between eWOM language and the mediators. Study 3 is a replication of study 1 and 2 with the following changes: the chosen setting for this study is a fictitious mobile phone brand — Smart Phone X22 — for which fictitious clients have shared their experience with the phone using eWOM on Facebook as the social media platform. The eWOM messages were written in English and presented as if they had been posted on Facebook. Messages were written in either a high or low level of English language proficiency. Language congruence was measured by asking participants if they were either native or non-native English speakers. The results of Study 3 confirm a significant moderating effect of emotional intensity and language congruence on the effect that language proficiency exerts on the perception of the endorser’s expertise and narrative transportation. The findings support the proposed moderated mediation model and confirms the influence of emotions experienced by native and non-native English speakers while processing eWOM messages. The results obtained from these studies offer valuable information to marketing researchers, marketers and practitioners. They provide a deeper understanding of the impact of language proficiency in driving purchase persuasion of eWOM messages, highlighting the need for tailored and targeted communication approaches. The findings also emphasise the significance of linguistic alignment in capturing consumers' attention and fostering positive behavioural responses towards products or services. Each of the three experimental studies confirmed the role of eWOM language proficiency in affecting purchase persuasion. The study derives valuable theoretical insights and practical implications for marketing practitioners, informing about the importance of eWOM language to persuade digital information seekers who resort to social media. In summary, the language used in eWOM messaging has significant effects on purchase persuasion. Knowing how language can be utilised to influence customer behaviour will help marketers, influencers and companies design more successful eWOM messages.24 0Item Restricted The influence of Social Media on customer decision-making process: A Study on Restaurants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-28) Alenezi, Omaima; Cox, PeterThe rising prevalence of social media applications has significantly amplified the influence of online communication, particularly when it comes to recommending or advising against dining at specific restaurants. This study investigates the impact of online user-generated reviews on customer behavior and decision-making in Riyadh's restaurant industry, aiming to fill a research gap in this area within Saudi Arabia. Given the growing prominence of online reviews, understanding their power on customer choices is crucial for restaurants to remain competitive. This research employs theories like the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), impulse buying behavior, communication process theory, electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) credibility, and the theory of reasoned action to formulate five hypotheses and gain insights into the effect of comments on customers. Data was gathered from 184 participants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, through a 19-question survey featuring closed-ended questions with response scales, influential ratings, and binary options (yes/no). This methodology yielded primary quantitative data, which underwent statistical analysis to uncover patterns and relationships. Chi-squared test was applied to validate the hypotheses, and the findings were briefly presented through charts and tables. The study's outcomes highlight the significant influence of comments on social media platforms in shaping customer decision-making processes specifically in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.58 0