பொருளாதாரம் மற்றும் மேலாண்மை அறிவியல் சர்வதேச இதழ்

Word of Mouth: A Literature Review

Abstract

Supratim Kundu and CR Sundara Rajan

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand, summarize and highlight the current research work in the area of word-of-mouth (WOM) along with the existing gaps in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach: This study is a qualitative analysis of 20 research articles from peer-reviewed sources covering a span of 14 years from 2002 till 2016 addressing WOM, its antecedents, the effects and its role in the overall larger context. Findings: WOM strongly impacts consumer behavioral attitudes. Tie strength, stickiness, loyalty, monetary influence can moderate the WOM influence. However it remains to be seen the how various personality traits gets affected.
Practical implications: The findings of this review may help potential marketers to understand WOM and its intricacies and follow the best approach to maximize the WOM effect.
Originality/value: Given the limited amount of the literature focused, this paper summarized the existing work so that researchers and organizations can use this knowledge and focus on their WOM activities. It also highlights the research opportunities for scholars interested in pursuing further studies in this area.