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2 BACKGROUND
2.1 eWOM via Twitter
The investigation of Twitter eWOM is timely and
necessary. The most prominent output of the
processes of interaction and communication is the
flow of messages between users, which spread in the
form of eWOM. eWOM has been defined as “a
statement made by potential actual or former
customers about a producer or a company which is
made available to a multitude of people and
institutions via the internet” (Hennig-Thurau et al.,
2004:39)
Shared opinions and reactions are passed
electronically from person to person, thus creating a
mechanism that impacts consumers’ decision
making. This mechanism is effective, especially due
to the memory features of Twitter (Jones et al.,
2009) which allows eWOM to be accessed at any
moment, as eWOM is visible not only online but
also offline with high accessibility and forwarding
capabilities through mobile devices (Hennig-Thurau,
et al., 2010).
eWOM has a multitude of features which are
appropriate for business purposes. One distinctive
feature is that companies have no control over
eWOM once unleashed online coupled with hybrid
interpersonal mass communication channels (Jansen,
et al., 2009). It is driven by online interactivity of
consumers seeking, giving, and passing opinions and
information, which reinforces credibility and
reliability (Chu and Kim, 2011). Twitter offers
eWOM anonymity and limitless geographical reach.
Another feature is endogenous to Twitter, where
eWOM plays a dual role as the informant precursor
and the recommender outcome. It thrives on the
push-push-pull communication with positive
feedback mechanism creating a ripple effect (Huang,
et al., 2009) that is not matched by any other
communication channel in terms of speed. A high
number of positive eWOM messages will influence
more purchases, which in turn will restart the whole
cycle on a larger scale (Duan et al., 2008).
These features offer companies unprecedented
chances to monitor eWOM´s spreading scale, and,
for purposes of researching the behaviour of re-
senders, it gives companies the opportunity to have a
physical look at the written comments of consumers
electronically documented (Huang et al., 2009).
2.2 Customer Motivations and
Intentions
Customers are the key players in Twitter. They are
part of the majority of the Twitter environment, the
receivers who act as the real engines to stimulate
eWOM. Those are the ones that the company strives
to please while aiming toward getting closer to them.
Thus, to build relationships with them is crucial and
this requires understanding their behaviours and
motivations in engaging with Twitter (Hanna et al.,
2011).
Many scholars have investigated consumer
behaviours in eWOM, from seeking eWOM,
providing eWOM and passing on eWOM The
research model used in this study (see Figure 1) built
upon the work of Hennig-Thurau et al., (2004),
which in turn is the outcome of previous WOM
models. Also, the work of Goldsmith and Horowitz
(2006) is adapted to the model.
Our model is built on four “utility types” or
reasons for users to provide eWOM messages. The
Focus-Related Utility encompasses the individual
motivation to add value to online community with
user input; Consumption Utility revolves around the
consumption of other user inputs and gaining
external opinions; Approval Utility deals with formal
and informal praising for user contributions and thus
feeds own satisfaction of peer approvals;
Homeostase Utility is built on balance theory which
states that individuals try to restore the balance once
its original state has been changed, i.e. equilibrium
changes with satisfaction or dissatisfaction which, in
turn, drive people to express their emotions and
revert to their equilibrium state.
Hennig-Thurau et al., (2004) have identified
eight factors that influence consumer motivation in
composing eWOM messages. The economic
incentives factor does not apply to the Twitter
environment and thus was eliminated from the
study. However, the remaining factors are all tightly
related to the reasons of why customers use Twitter
as a preferred eWOM format.
Concern for Other Consumers, Helping the
Company, and Social Benefits fall under Focus-
Related Utility. Advice Seeking belongs to
Consumption Utility; Extraversion/Positive Self-
Enhancement falls under Approval Utility and
Venting Negative Feelings is related to Homeostase
Utility.
One extra factor, the exertion of (Collective)
Power over Companies), which falls under Focus-
Related Utility has been extracted from the platform
assistance factor which focuses on operator
ELECTRONICWORD-OF-MOUTHVIATWITTER-CustomereWOMMotivationsandIntentions
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