{"title":"When employees become streamers: the mediating power of friendship and self-congruity","authors":"Ting Zhang, Bin Li, Nan Hua, Pei Zhang","doi":"10.1108/jhtt-05-2023-0128","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Purpose\nThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of employee live streamers on consumers' purchase behaviors and brand image, as well as to understand the mediating roles of friendship and self-congruity.\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nA framework was proposed to explain the influence of employee live streamers' qualities on consumers' behaviors and brand image through the mediators of friendship and self-congruity. Primary data was collected from 225 valid survey responses in China, and the PLS-SEM analysis was employed to test the statistical significance of the hypothesized relationships.\n\nFindings\nThe study found that four qualities of employee live streamers – trustworthiness, attractiveness, responsiveness and expertise – had significant effects on consumers' purchase behaviors and brand image through the mediators of self-congruity and friendship.\n\nOriginality/value\nThis research provides valuable insights into the varying roles of employee live streamers in consumers' decision-making and brand image formation. It offers a theoretical basis for scholars to understand the factors of PSI (parasocial interaction) between consumers and an employee streamer, contributing to the growing body of literature on live streaming and consumer behavior.\n","PeriodicalId":51611,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jhtt-05-2023-0128","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HOSPITALITY, LEISURE, SPORT & TOURISM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of employee live streamers on consumers' purchase behaviors and brand image, as well as to understand the mediating roles of friendship and self-congruity.
Design/methodology/approach
A framework was proposed to explain the influence of employee live streamers' qualities on consumers' behaviors and brand image through the mediators of friendship and self-congruity. Primary data was collected from 225 valid survey responses in China, and the PLS-SEM analysis was employed to test the statistical significance of the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
The study found that four qualities of employee live streamers – trustworthiness, attractiveness, responsiveness and expertise – had significant effects on consumers' purchase behaviors and brand image through the mediators of self-congruity and friendship.
Originality/value
This research provides valuable insights into the varying roles of employee live streamers in consumers' decision-making and brand image formation. It offers a theoretical basis for scholars to understand the factors of PSI (parasocial interaction) between consumers and an employee streamer, contributing to the growing body of literature on live streaming and consumer behavior.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology is the only journal dedicated solely for research in technology and e-business in tourism and hospitality. It is a bridge between academia and industry through the intellectual exchange of ideas, trends and paradigmatic changes in the fields of hospitality, IT and e-business. It covers: -E-Marketplaces, electronic distribution channels, or e-Intermediaries -Internet or e-commerce business models -Self service technologies -E-Procurement -Social dynamics of e-communication -Relationship Development and Retention -E-governance -Security of transactions -Mobile/Wireless technologies in commerce -IT control and preparation for disaster -Virtual reality applications -Word of Mouth. -Cross-Cultural differences in IT use -GPS and Location-based services -Biometric applications -Business intelligence visualization -Radio Frequency Identification applications -Service-Oriented Architecture of business systems -Technology in New Product Development