DefinePK

Abstract

This study explores the impact of social influence (SI) and Electronic Word of Mouth (EWOM) on the effectiveness of digital marketing approaches, in determining the decision-making of prospective customers. The integration of three management theories has been evaluated in the tourism sector of Pakistan. Using an empirical approach, quantitative data were collected through surveys, involving 269 tourists, employing closed-ended questions. These tourists were selected using judgmental sampling. To reduce the element of poor generalizability, a sufficiently large sample of the tourists have been taken. Moreover, they are approached through diverse opinions. The collected responses were evaluated by the statistical technique of structural equation modeling and the application of Smart PLS 4. The findings expose significant moderating as well as mediating effects of both SI and EWOM between digital marketing and the customer decisions. This research holds societal value by equipping tourism and hospitality businesses with the knowledge to create distinctive and effective marketing drives. It will ultimately enhance customer association and satisfaction. The tested intervention of SI and EWOM in the framework of digital marketing offers practicable insights for the businesses, assisting them to adapt their marketing efforts to diverse consumer profiles. This research is specifically focused on the tourism sector of Pakistan. It will contribute to broader discussions on the behavior of buyers in digital age. The novelty of this research is to pinpoint how the three theories (the theory of social influence, social contagion theory, and the technology acceptance model) simultaneously come into play. The integration of these theories in the tourism sector of Pakistan has not been studied earlier as per the researcher’s knowledge. It adds the implications of SI and EWOM in the original technology acceptance model.