RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELECTRONIC WORD OF MOUTH AND BRAND EQUITY: A CASE STUDY OF HOTEL INDUSTRY IN VIETNAM

Abstract

This study aims to: (1) Determine the antecedents of eWOM; (2) examine the relationships between antecedents and eWOM under the effect of a moderator (gender); (3) examine the impact of eWOM on brand equity in the hotel industry. An online survey is conducted to collect data from domestic tourists who have stayed in hotels in Viet Nam, and they have interactions on social platforms. With a return of 247 questionnaires are valid. CB-SEM was used to test hypotheses. The results show that the research hypotheses are accepted, except the relationship between trust and eWOM (H2) is rejected. Finally, specific theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Keywords: Electronic word of mouth, Brand equity, Gender, CB-SEM