Chapter 3 Research Methodology
4.2 Reliabilities
The reliabilities of all constructs in this research were tested with Cronbach’s
alpha. Table 10 shows all reliabilities as all above .7 across all factors which means
the high internal consistency of each item of the same factor.
Table 10 Reliability Statistic
Factors Cronbach’s alpha N of items
Perceived Quality(1) 0.927 5
Perceived Quality(2) 0.925 5
Perceived Knowledge 0.885 6
Self-Esteem 0.834 10
4.3 Analysis of Result
After confirming all checks and the reliability of the scales, ANOVA was
applied to test the hypotheses.
4.3.1 Effects of the Self-Esteem
To examine whether there were effects of Self-Esteem on information receiver’s
Perceived Quality and information searching, MANOVA was used here. H1a
speculated that the high Self-Esteem about information receiver was less affected on
Perceived Quality than the low Self-Esteem about information receiver. H1b
speculated that the higher Self-Esteem about information receiver less actively
searches information.
The MANOVA showed significant main effects for Self-Esteem (F=5.90,
significant main effects on information searching (F=0.001, p=0.971). It appears that
the level of information searching was not dependent on an individual’s level of
Self-Esteem. H1b which proposes that the higher Self-Esteem about information
receiver less actively searches information were not supported. See Figure 4 and 5 for
two graph of the hypothesis.
Figure 4 Main effect of Self-Esteem (1)
Figure 5 Main effect of Self-Esteem (2 )
4.3.2 Effects of the Knowledge
To examine whether there were effects of receiver’s knowledge on information
receiver’s Perceived Quality and information searching, MANOVA was used here.
H2a speculated that the high knowledge with information receiver was less affected
on Perceived Quality than the low knowledge with information receiver. H2b
speculated that the higher knowledge with information receiver less actively searches
information.
The MANOVA showed significant main effects for knowledge (F=13.040,
p=0.0001) on Perceived Quality. H2a was supported. None of the knowledge variable
had significant main effects on information searching (F=1.774, p=0.185). It appears
that the level of information searching was not dependent on an individual’s level of
knowledge. H1b which proposes that the higher knowledge with information receiver
less actively searches information were not supported. See Figure 6 and 7 for two
graph of the hypothesis.
Figure 6 Main effect of knowledge (1)
4.3.3 Interaction between Self-Esteem and Knowledge
In this section an attempt was made to demonstrate whether there was an
interaction effect between Self-Esteem and the level of knowledge on Perceived
Quality and level of information sought. H3a assumed that the Self-Esteem was a
moderate variable which influence the effect of knowledge on the WOM.
H3b assumed that the Self-Esteem was a moderate variable which influence the effect
of knowledge on the level of information sought. This research used MANOVA to
test H3a and H3b. Table 11 and Table 12 give the descriptive statistics of variance of
perceived quality and level of information sought respectively.
Table 11 Descriptive Statistics(Variance of Perceived Quality)
Self-Esteem
Low High Mean (Std. Deviation) N Mean (Std. Deviation) N
Low knowledge 1.2163(.89799) 49 1.1953(.96460) 43 High knowledge 1.0343(.79036) 35 .3933(.54452) 30
Table 12 Descriptive Statistics(Level of information sought)
Self-Esteem
Low High Mean (Std. Deviation) N Mean (Std. Deviation) N
Low knowledge 5.3265(.77427) 49 5.2326(.89542 43
High knowledge 5.0286(1.07062) 35 5.1333(.97320 30
Table 13 MANOVA
Source Dependent Variable
Type III Sum of
Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Corrected Model Variance of perceived quality 14.991(a) 3 4.997 7.104 .000
Level of information sought 1.991(b) 3 .664 .788 .502
Intercept Variance of perceived quality 139.626 1 139.626 198.496 .000
Level of information sought 4067.109 1 4067.109 4827.971 .000
knowledge Variance of perceived quality 9.173 1 9.173 13.040 .000
Level of information sought 1.494 1 1.494 1.774 .185
Selfesteem Variance of perceived quality 4.150 1 4.150 5.900 .016
Level of information sought .001 1 .001 .001 .971
knowledge * Selfesteem Variance of perceived quality 3.641 1 3.641 5.176 .024
Level of information sought .374 1 .374 .444 .506
Error Variance of perceived quality 107.624 153 .703
Level of information sought 128.888 153 .842
Total Variance of perceived quality 283.640 157
Level of information sought 4372.000 157
Corrected Total Variance of perceived quality 122.615 156
Level of information sought 130.879 156
a R Squared = .122 (Adjusted R Squared = .105) b R Squared = .015 (Adjusted R Squared = -.004)
Table 14 shows that there was interaction effect on variance of perceived quality
(F = 5.176, p=0.024) and Table 15 shows that there was no interaction effect on level
of information sought (F =0.444, p=0.506). Thus hypotheses 3a were supported but 3b
aren’t. The results were more clearly shown on Figure 8 and Figure 9.
Table 14 ANOVA of Variance of Perceived Quality
Source
Corrected Model 14.991(a) 3 4.997 7.104 .000
Intercept 139.626 1 139.626 198.496 .000
knowledge 9.173 1 9.173 13.040 .000
Selfesteem 4.150 1 4.150 5.900 .016
knowledge * Selfesteem 3.641 1 3.641 5.176 .024
Error 107.624 153 .703
Total 283.640 157
Corrected Total 122.615 156
a R Squared = .122 (Adjusted R Squared = .105)
Table 15 ANOVA of Level of Information Sought
Source
Intercept 4067.109 1 4067.109 4827.971 .000
knowledge 1.494 1 1.494 1.774 .185
Selfesteem .001 1 .001 .001 .971
knowledge * Selfesteem .374 1 .374 .444 .506
Error 128.888 153 .842
Total 4372.000 157
Corrected Total 130.879 156
a R Squared = .015 (Adjusted R Squared = -.004)
Figure 8 Interaction effects (1)
Figure 9 Interaction effects (2)
High Self‐Esteem Low Self‐Esteem
High Self‐Esteem Low Self‐Esteem
4.3.4 Effect of the cell
According to different cell, this research would like to know the result which was
relatively compared with the four different cells. The study posit that the consumer
who have higher knowledge and higher Self-Esteem have the less influence of WOM
than others. The cell was designed on Table 16. T test was used here. The cell 4 has
significant different with cell 2. To highly knowledgeable receiver, the personality of
higher self-esteem, the less the influence of the WOM was on the receiver’s perceived
quality. H4 was supported. The results were shown on Table 18.
Table 16 Cell Design
Self-Esteem
Knowledge
Low High
Low 1 2
High 3 4
Table 17 Group Statistics
cell N Mean
Std.
Deviation
Std. Error Mean Variance of
Perceived Quality
2.00 35 1.0343 .79036 .13360
4.00 30 .3933 .54452 .09942
Table 18 Independent Samples Test Levene's Test for
Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means
F Sig. t df
Sig.
(2-tailed)
Mean Difference
Std. Error Difference
95% Confidence Interval of the Difference
Upper Lower Variance of
Perceived Quality
Equal variances
assumed 5.465 .023 3.743 63 .000 .64095 .17123 .29878 .98312
Equal variances not
assumed 3.849 60.376 .000 .64095 .16653 .30789 .97401
Chapter 5 Discussion and Future Research
5.1 Discussion and Results
The results of this study indicated that hypothesis 1a holds, which means that
people with higher self-esteem would cause less influence due to the sender’s WOM
on the receiver’s perceived quality, since that people with higher self-esteem are
generally more confident with their ability (Anton et al., 2008). The hypothesis 1b
does not hold, which mean that the information searching is not influenced by
self-esteem. It the higher self-esteem doesn’t want to seek information through others.
They still search information depend their ability.
Besides, the hypothesis 2a also holds, which mean that highly knowledgeable
consumers are less likely to rely on information when making judgments, since they
considered that they have enough knowledge to make judgment. The hypothesis 2b
does not hold. It is possible that knowledge also helps the individual reducing the
cognitive cost of searching information and increasing the benefit of obtaining it
(Bansal and Voyer, 2000).
Furthermore, H3a and H4 are supported. It is inconsistent with the previous
perception upon the highly knowledgeable consumers. The study discovered that
self-esteem played the moderating role which influences the persuasion effect of
knowledge. The significant interaction suggests that the effect of WOM is moderated
by self-esteem. Highly knowledgeable consumers with high self-esteem are less likely
to rely on WOM information when making judgments than consumers with high
knowledge and low self-esteem. The H3b does not hold, which means it had not only
main effect but also interaction effect on level of information sought.
5.2 Implication
According to the forgoing argument, the effect of knowledge on the persuasion effect
was argued by many scholars. The study finds out a variable which influence the
outcome of the research. To high knowledge consumers, the condition was dissimilar,
the result was dissimilar.
The implications of this study were that personality can help companies to
understand what kind people can be affected easily. However, results can be different
for different kinds of people across difference personality. If the companies can obtain
easily the material of personality characteristic in the future, they will consider
formulating strategy through it. When making market segment, they can use different
strategy according to different personality. They can easily find out the human who
were likely persuaded and then give them WOM.
It was important regarding information searching whatever the level of
knowledge. The companies must make the populace easy to obtain their information
and reduce cost of information searching.
5.3 Limitation
One of limitations in this study was the type of respondents used. All of
participants were students, and most of them were under 25 years old, which was not
a reflection of the real demographics of a society. Younger people may have different
perceptions about Word-of-Mouth from people at older ages.
Second, the common method bias was possible to exist. The second
questionnaire regarding statement of WOM refers to the fact that items may convey
hidden cues as to how to respond to them. This research measured customer Perceived
Quality after WOM given, which may lead participants to believe that they will need
to reduce their attitude.
Third, the study attempted to make all participants contacted with WOM more
involved in the face to face. However, as the questionnaire was used to collect
samples, it was possible that the situation was not truth. Participants did not
concentrate on the experiments during the process. If participants could contact with
WOM through face to face, the situation may be improved. But it also costs more
time.
Furthermore, the study manipulated the negative WOM. It can’t be observed
what the result would be through positive WOM, because the negative WOM has
bigger strong influence than positive WOM according to past research.
5.4 Future Research
In order to establish the real feelings of WOM and to enhance the interaction
between information sender and receiver, future research could consider the receiver
contacting the information sender face to face. Therefore, information sender offers
them the different comment in term of their different judgments. If the receiver has a
negative judgment, they will give them positive commend, and vice versa.
Maybe there were some personalities that could influence persuasion of WOM
except self-esteem. Future research could attempt to discover other personalities
which could influence persuasion of WOM.
The research focused on effect of WOM in the product industry. However,
service industries were studied by other scholars. It was, therefore, suggested that the
researches into the WOM of service industry would be appropriate and valuable.
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Appendix 1 Research Questionnaire (First)
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Appendix 2 Research Questionnaire (Second)
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