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Understanding the Potential Influence of WeChat Engagement on Bonding Capital, Bridging Capital, and Electronic Word-of-Mouth Intention

Author

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  • Hua Pang

    (School of New Media and Communication, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
    College of Management and Economics, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China)

  • Jingying Wang

    (College of Management and Economics, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China)

  • Xiang Hu

    (Department of Psychology, University of Constance, 78464 Constance, Germany)

Abstract

As the most prevalent social media platform in mainland China, WeChat enables interpersonal communication among users and serves as an innovative marketing platform for enterprises to interact with consumers. Although numerous studies have investigated the antecedents of electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM), WeChat users’ specific behaviors still receive limited academic attention. Drawing from social capital theory and social exchange theory, this article develops a model to systematically explore three differentiated types of WeChat behaviors and their association with users’ social capital and e-WOM intention. The conceptual model is explicitly evaluated by utilizing web-based data gathered from 271 young people. Obtained results demonstrate the path effects indicating that: (1) WeChat use behaviors such as seeking, sharing, and liking can positively influence bonding social capital, while only the impacts of sharing and liking on bridging social capital are significant; (2) bonding and bridging social capital are both significant predictors of e-WOM intention, and bonding social capital is the more influential of the two; (3) bonding social capital partially mediates the effect of seeking on e-WOM intention. These findings are eloquent for researchers and operators to further grasp the increasing importance of WeChat adoption and social capital on young generations’ e-WOM intention in the evolving digital age.

Suggested Citation

  • Hua Pang & Jingying Wang & Xiang Hu, 2021. "Understanding the Potential Influence of WeChat Engagement on Bonding Capital, Bridging Capital, and Electronic Word-of-Mouth Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:15:p:8489-:d:604238
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Pang, Hua & Qiao, Yuxin & Zhang, Kaige, 2024. "Modeling pathway linking mobile social media intensity to attitude towards electronic word-of-mouth and engagement: The significant role of social trust and perceived homophily," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    2. Pang, Hua & Ruan, Yang, 2023. "Determining influences of information irrelevance, information overload and communication overload on WeChat discontinuance intention: The moderating role of exhaustion," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
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