Word of Mouth Research Group

The WOM research group draws together academics with interest and expertise in the field of word of mouth communication. We focus on this emergent area of marketing, drawing on the international reputations of its members. Our research findings are disseminated through top international journals, and via international and national conferences.

Members of the WOM research group have been successful in securing both internal research grants and external research grants (such as Academy of Marketing) to pursue research in word of mouth.

Research has focused extensively on the impact of word of mouth (WOM) on consumers' purchase intentions and their loyalty to the firm. In addition, we are investigating the psychological drivers of WOM behaviour.

Studies have considered WOM behaviour among different consumer groups in a range of product sectors. Ongoing projects focus on understanding both offline and online consumer conversations. Specifically, we are investigating the drivers and impact of online/offline consumer conversations, and the moderating role of consumer knowledge; homophily, narcissism and regulatory mode to name a few variables.

Project collaborators include academics based in the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Libya and Spain.

Our aims

  • Encourage collaboration with fellow researchers in other institutions
  • Engage with practitioners
  • Consolidate Kingston's reputation for WOM research

Recent and ongoing research projects

Relative impact of positive and negative WOM

Reflexive impact of WOM on the sender

Psychological drivers of implicit and explicit WOM

The role of WOM in encouraging brand uptake

WOM and the older consumer

Referral success and failure under PWOM and NWOM conditions

Associates

  • Professor Robert East (Emeritus)
  • Dr Hongfei Liu (Southampton Business School),
  • Dr Kamran Razmdoost (ESCP Business School),
  • Professor Jenni Romaniuk (University of South Australia)
  • Bijal Dodwani (Senior PhD student)