Symposia & Conferences
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Item The Role of Electronic Word of Mouth in Shaping Purchase Intentions: Insights from the Sri Lankan Skincare Industry(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Fonseka, W. M. S. A.; Bandara, B. S. S. U.This study examines the impact of Electronic Word of Mouth (E-WOM) on purchase intention in the Sri Lankan skincare industry, emphasizing the mediating role of brand credibility. E-WOM, a rapidly expanding form of digital communication, has become a key determinant of consumer behavior, particularly in industries where trust and authenticity are critical, such as skincare. This research investigates the core dimensions of E-WOM—credibility, quality, and intensity—and their influence on consumer decision-making processes. Addressing a significant gap in the literature, the study explores the interplay between E-WOM and brand credibility within an emerging market characterized by distinct cultural and economic factors. A quantitative research approach was adopted, utilizing structured questionnaires distributed to 380 respondents in Sri Lanka’s Western Province. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to assess and validate the relationships between E-WOM, brand credibility, and purchase intention. Findings reveal that E-WOM significantly influences purchase intention, with brand credibility playing a crucial mediating role. High-quality, frequently shared, and credible E-WOM enhances brand credibility, fostering consumer trust and increasing the likelihood of purchase. The study highlights that Sri Lankan consumers place greater trust in peer-generated content over traditional advertising, which is often perceived as less reliable. Additionally, the study underscores the evolving digital landscape in Sri Lanka, where consumers prioritize peer recommendations and shared experiences over brand-driven narratives. This shift makes E-WOM a powerful tool for marketers seeking to enhance consumer engagement and brand loyalty. The results emphasize the potential of E-WOM-driven strategies to build strong consumer-brand relationships in a market increasingly transitioning to digital-first communication models. Despite its contributions, the study acknowledges several limitations. The focus on the skincare industry and a single geographic region (Western Province, Sri Lanka) may limit the generalizability of findings to other industries and regions. Furthermore, external factors such as economic fluctuations, regulatory changes, and competitive market dynamics were not considered, which could influence the observed relationships. Additionally, the reliance on quantitative methods may restrict in-depth consumer insights that could have been obtained through qualitative exploration. Future research could broaden the scope by incorporating other industries, geographical regions, and mixed-method approaches to deepen the understanding of E-WOM’s impact across diverse consumer segments. The study makes important theoretical and practical contributions. Theoretically, it reinforces the role of brand credibility as a mediating factor between E-WOM and purchase intention, extending existing literature on digital marketing and consumer behavior within an emerging market context. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for marketers, highlighting the importance of fostering credible, high-quality E-WOM through strategic digital engagement and consumer feedback management. Marketers are encouraged to cultivate online environments that facilitate authentic peer interactions, ensuring that consumer trust is consistently reinforced. This study also sets the stage for future research on platform-specific E-WOM dynamics, demographic variations, and longitudinal trends. A deeper understanding of how E-WOM shapes consumer behavior will help marketers refine their digital marketing strategies, enhancing brand-consumer relationships and sustainable business growth in the skincare industry and beyond.Item The Impact of Agile Marketing on Brand Attachment: Examining the Mediating Role of Brand Trust with Special Reference to Skincare Products among Gen Z Consumers in the Western Province, Sri Lanka(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Siyambalapitiya, H. J. C.; Gunawardane, W. A. D. N. R.This study explores the influence of agile marketing techniques on brand attachment among Generation Z consumers in Sri Lanka's Western Province, with a particular emphasis on skincare products. It investigates the mediating role of brand trust in influencing the relationship between agile marketing practices and brand attachment. This research, therefore, seeks to add to the literature on marketing agility and brand dynamics by looking at how trust-based agile marketing strategies impact consumer-brand relationships, with particular attention to the Gen Z consumer, who has been at the center of changing consumer behavior and preferences for brands. The results of this study are intended to offer practical insights into how brands can utilize agile marketing strategies to establish trust and nurture stronger emotional bonds with their consumers.This study is a quantitative research effort that adopts a positivist philosophy, emphasizing objective analysis to measure the relationships among agile marketing, brand trust, and brand attachment among Generation Z consumers in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Theoretically, it contributes to the assertion that agile marketing is a decisive factor in evoking brand trust and attachment, mainly in Generation Z consumers. Most importantly, it was able to fill the gap in knowledge as regards how agile marketing is related to brand attachment by identification of brand trust as a pivotal mediator. The findings also contribute toward the principles of relationship marketing by depicting that adaptive marketing strategies may work like dynamic tools to increase the emotional attachment of consumers.Item Impact of YouTube Content Credibility on the Skincare Industry in Sri Lanka: Expertise as a Moderator(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Navodanee, W. U.; Udara, S. W. I.YouTube emerged as the world's most used video content sharing platform, with over 1.9 billion monthly active users. In Sri Lanka, it has become a popular social media platform among content creators, particularly in the skincare industry. This study examines the impact of YouTube content creators’ credibility on consumer purchase intention within Sri Lanka’s skincare industry, with a specific focus on creator expertise as a moderating factor. The study conceptualises credibility through four core dimensions: trustworthiness, attractiveness, information quality, and entertainment value. While previous research has extensively examined content creator credibility, the moderating role of expertise has received limited attention. Consumers frequently rely on YouTube content creators to make purchasing decisions, but not all creators possess expertise in skincare. This discrepancy can lead to confusion about credibility, high engagement but low conversion rates, and potential damage to brand trust. Addressing this gap, the study provides insights into the interplay between credibility, expertise, and consumer purchase intention in Sri Lanka. A quantitative approach with a deductive methodology was employed in this research. Primary data were collected from 362 individuals over the age of 12 who actively engage with skincare-related content on YouTube. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS, and five hypotheses were tested to examine the relationship between content creator credibility and consumer purchase intention, with expertise assessed as a moderating variable. The findings indicate that trustworthiness, information quality, and entertainment value significantly influence consumer purchase intention, while attractiveness does not have a direct effect. Moreover, contrary to existing literature, creator expertise did not moderate the relationship between credibility and purchase intention. This suggests that Sri Lankan consumers prioritise trust and engaging content over the perceived expertise of content creators. The results further highlight that consumers tend to trust everyday content creators or familiar figures more than recognised experts, making them more susceptible to influence from relatable and accessible sources. The scope of this study is limited to the skincare industry and YouTube and does not explore platforms such as Instagram, which can have a large impact on purchase intention. Additionally, the findings are specific to the Sri Lankan market and may not be globally generalisable due to cultural nuances and differences in consumer behaviour. The study also relied on self-reported data, which may introduce biases, and only examined one moderate variable, potentially overlooking other significant factors. This research makes valuable theoretical and practical contributions. It underscores the importance of credibility dimensions, particularly trustworthiness, information quality, and entertainment value, in shaping consumer purchase intention within the Sri Lankan context. Marketers can leverage these insights to develop more effective influencer marketing strategies by prioritising authentic, engaging, and informative content rather than focusing solely on creator expertise or attractiveness. Content creators, in turn, should emphasie delivering accurate, high quality information while fostering strong engagement with their audiences. Future research could explore additional moderating variables such as source credibility, demographic influences, and cultural differences, providing a more comprehensive understanding of content creator influence on consumer behaviour. This study lays the groundwork for further investigations into the evolving role of expertise in digital marketing.