Online discussion groups as social networks:an empirical investigation of word-of-mouth on the internet

Alexandre Steyer, Renaud Garcia-Bardidia and Pascale Quester

While consumer behavior researchers have long studied word-of-mouth and diffusion of information among reference groups, the emergence of the internet has recently provided the means to empirically establish just how this process takes place, as well as who contributes to it.
  

Online Discussion Groups as Social Networks:An Empirical Investigation of Word-of-Mouth on the Internet

Alexandre SteyerPRISM – Université Paris I- Pantheon-Sorbonne

Renaud Garcia-BardidiaGREFIGE- IUT Epinal Université Nancy 2

Pascale QuesterFACIREM The University of Adelaide

INTRODUCTION

Social networks play an important part in the diffusion of information among consumers, a process widely referred to as 'word-of-mouth'. How individuals relate to each other within a given market will influence whether information is shared and diffused, often ultimately determining the adoption of innovations by consumers (Goldenberg, Libai, and Muller 2001). The key role played by opinion leaders in this...

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