RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENERATION Y STUDENTS’ LINK SHARING MOTIVES AND WORD-OF-MOUTH COMMUNICATION ON FACEBOOK
Abstract
Word-of-mouth (WOM) communication is acknowledged as a highly persuasive
form of consumption-related communication because of its inherent credibility.
While WOM communication is essentially beyond the control of marketers,
strategic efforts to stimulate positive WOM communication and manage the
effects of negative WOM communication are critical to an organisation’s
competitive sustainability. Online social networking sites, of which Facebook is
the largest, are especially suitable for the diffusion of electronic word-of-mouth
(eWOM) communication. Harnessing the power of Facebook to stimulate the
spread of positive eWOM communication about brands necessitates
understanding the influence of link-sharing motives on eWOM communication.
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between Generation Y
university students’ link-sharing motives of information sharing and the social
norm of link sharing, and their product information-sharing, opinion-seeking and
opinion-giving behaviour on Facebook. A self-administered questionnaire was
distributed to a convenience sample of 311 students registered at four campuses
from three South African higher education institutions - one from a
comprehensive university, two from a traditional university and one from a
university of technology. Data analysis included correlation analysis, structural
equation modelling, reliability analysis and construct validity analysis.
Confirmatory factor analysis established that the five-factor structure comprising
information-sharing and social norm link-sharing motives, and product
information-sharing, opinion-seeking and opinion-giving behaviour on Facebook
exhibited acceptable model fit and good internal-consistency reliability,
composite reliability and construct validity. The results of the path analysis
suggest the link-sharing motives of information sharing and social norm positively
influence product information-sharing behaviour on Facebook. In turn, the
findings of the study suggest that product information-sharing behaviour
positively influences opinion-seeking and opinion-giving behaviour on Facebook,and that opinion-giving behaviour also positively influences opinion-seeking
behaviour on the site.
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