Understanding the importance that consumers attach to social media sharing (ISMS): Scale development and validation

Dedeo?lu, Bekir Bora; Taheri, Babak; Okumus, Fevzi; Gannon, Martin

Abstract

In response to the increasing ubiquity of social media platforms, improved consumer choice, and technological progress, the importance of consumer-generated content (CGC) continues to grow for organizations marketing their destinations, products, and services to tourists. Yet, despite the importance tourists place on CGC and information shared via social media, there remains a lack of academic focus in this area. To address this gap, we use a rigorous multi-step scale development procedure to create a scale centered on understanding the importance consumers attach to social media sharing (ISMS) from a tourists' perspective. Studies conducted across different contexts (Turkey and Scotland), comprising 1183 participants, were used to validate the newly developed ISMS scale. The scale indicates internal consistency and reliability, alongside construct and predictive validity. Directions for future research and the practical implications of the newly developed ISMS scale are discussed by way of conclusion.

Citation

Dedeoğlu, B. B., Taheri, B., Okumus, F., & Gannon, M. (2020). Understanding the importance that consumers attach to social media sharing (ISMS): Scale development and validation. Tourism Management, 76, Article 103954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.103954

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 18, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Jul 24, 2019
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Deposit Date: Jul 18, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 25, 2021
• Journal: Tourism Management
• Print ISSN: 0261-5177
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 76
• Article Number: 103954
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.103954
• Keywords: Consumer-generated content (CGC); social media; tourism; CGC types; importance of CGC; participant sharing; non-participant sharing
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1975339
• Contract Date: Jul 18, 2019