FACTORS OF ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH AND THE EXTENT

TO WHICH THEY INFLUENCE PURCHASE DECISIONS

AMONG HNU BSBA STUDENTS

An Undergraduate Thesis Proposal Presented to the Faculty

of the College of Business and Accountancy
Holy Name University
Tagbilaran City, Philippines

by

Javate, Sherry Rose B.

Licos, Beverlie S.
Naranjo, Farah Mae

May 2023
 ii

APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis entitled “FACTORS OF ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH

AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY INFLUENCE PURCHASE DECISIONS
AMONG HNU BSBA STUDENTS”, prepared and submitted by SHERRY ROSE
B. JAVATE, BEVERLIE S. LICOS, and FARAH MAE NARANJO, in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration major in Marketing Management, has been examined and
recommended for acceptance and approval for the Oral Examination.

PROF. ELI ADEL I. PAGUE, LPT, MBA

Content and Technical Adviser
Faculty, College of Business and Accountancy

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of ____________.

ATTY. ERNESTO O. GOLOSINO, DBA, CMITAP

Chairman
Program Head, Business Administration Department

DR. FLORITA D. ACERO, CPA

Member
Program Head, Accountancy

DR. LEOMAR B. VIRADOR, CPA, CMA, CMITAP

Member
Faculty, College of Business and Accountancy
 iii

ACCEPTANCE SHEET

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

degree Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing
Management.

ATTY. ERNESTO O. GOLOSINO, DBA, CMITAP

Program Head, Business Administration Department
May 2023

DR. JEMMA J. JAY, Rph., CPA

Dean, College of Business and Accountancy
May 2023
 iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researchers want to express their heartfelt appreciation to the

Almighty Father for His mercy and for providing them with good health,

knowledge, strength, and the ability to persevere, understand, and learn, all of

which contributed to the successful completion of this study. Likewise, heartfelt

gratitude is extended to the following individuals who made this study a reality:

To Dr. Precillano E. Echavia, the researchers' class adviser, for his

patience and assistance throughout the research process. 

To Prof. Eli Adel I. Pague, LPT, MBA, the researchers' technical adviser,

for sharing his knowledge of technicalities and grammar complexities.

To Dr. Fe R. Janiola, the researchers' statistician, for assisting the

researchers with statistical data treatment and for her unwavering support and

encouragement for this study.

To the panelists headed by Atty. Ernesto O. Golosino, DBA, CMITAP,

for their insightful suggestions and recommendations that aided the study's

improvement. 

To the respondents, thank you for your time and cooperation in

developing the research instrument and participating in this research journey.

To everyone who was not mentioned but made a significant contribution

in one way or another to the realization of this research, the researchers could

not find a more appropriate word than "thank you so much."

The Researchers
 v

DEDICATION

We dedicate this humble work to our Almighty Father in gratitude for

enlightening us and all the blessings, mercy, and success He has bestowed on

us.

To our parents for their moral support, financial assistance, emotional

support, and guidance.

To our technical and class advisers for their encouraging words of wisdom

that helped us get one step closer to our goals.

The Researchers
 vi

Name of Researchers : Javate, Sherry Rose B.

Licos, Beverlie S.
Naranjo, Farah Mae

Research Title : FACTORS OF ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-

MOUTH AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH
THEY INFLUENCE PURCHASE DECISIONS
AMONG HNU BSBA STUDENTS

Date Defended : April 2, 2023

Technical Adviser : Prof. Eli Adel I. Pague, LPT, MBA

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to determine the factors of electronic word-of-

mouth (eWOM) and their extent of influence on purchase decisions among Holy
Name University's BSBA students. The research utilizes a quantitative approach
with a survey questionnaire as the primary data collection tool.
The results reveal the importance of understanding these factors in
harnessing eWOM to promote their products or services effectively. Findings
revealed that electronic word-of-mouth is an essential component of electronic
commerce activity, especially since consumers are inclined to utilize it to derive
the necessary information they will need for their purchasing decision-making
process, thereby influencing their eventual consuming behaviors and actions.
Overall, this research provides valuable insights for business owners,
students, and future researchers on effectively utilizing eWOM upon its effect on
purchasing decisions and exploring consumer behavior within the context of the
online realm.
 vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Title Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Approval Sheet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

Acceptance Sheet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Acknowledgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

Dedication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Abstract. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

Table of Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

List of Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

CHAPTER

I. THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Theoretical Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Significance of the Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Scope and Limitations of the Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

 viii

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Research Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Research Participants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Research Instruments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Research Procedures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Treatment of Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

II. PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

OF DATA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

III. SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

REFERENCES

APPENDICES

Appendix A. Weighted Mean Results

Appendix B. Research Questionnaire

Appendix C. HNU Ethical Review Board Feedback and Clearance

Appendix D. Curriculum Vitae

 ix

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE

1 Respondents’ Profile in Terms of Age and Sex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

2 Respondents’ Profile in Terms of Year Level and Socio-Economic

Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

3 Respondents’ Profile in Terms of Social Media Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

4 Respondents’ Identified Driving Factor of Electronic Word-of-Mouth . 28

5 Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of
Source Credibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

6 Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of
Source Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

7 Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of
Source Similarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

8 Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of
Information Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

9 Respondents’ Reported Frequency of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Numerous factors influence a consumer's purchase decisions, and

multiple factors must be considered before making a final decision. Technological

advancements allow individuals to share information regardless of geographical

location and timing restrictions (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). An old study by Safko

and Brake, 2009 pointed out that "social media is a practice that occurs among

the identified population, who gather virtually, share information, knowledge, and

post-purchase feedback.” In today’s era, the rapid growth of social media

resulted in online consumers giving rise to electronic word-of-mouth, also known

as “eWOM”.

Electronic word-of-mouth employs product/service reviews, blogs,

recommendations, and others, on numerous online websites and platforms. Any

information about a product or service that is accessible to anyone in the world,

which is established in internet-mediated platforms, indicates eWOM information

(Rahaman et al., 2022). According to Statista Research Department (2021),

eighty-six percent of internet users/online are between 18 and 24. In addition,

according to Abubakar and Ilkan (2006), electronic word-of-mouth has been the
 2

most influential source of information on the Web. That being the case, eWOM

information has been perceived as a dominant medium in influencing an

individual’s purchase decisions (Rahaman et al., 2022).

With this, the researchers aim to identify and investigate the factors of

electronic word-of-mouth as well as the extent to which these factors influence

purchase decisions among HNU BSBA students.

Theoretical Background

Parallel to constant technological advancement, an increase in the

prevalence of digitalization, or the phenomenon describing the conversion from

traditional to online means of interaction, whether the information or material

resources in society, is evident (Chin, 2020). Consequently, this condition

resulted in cascading changes in the individual and collective parts of the

civilization, encompassing the economic dimension, with shifts in consumer

behavior being the primary demonstration (Chapadgaonkar, 2020). 

The emergence of the following trends characterizes this arrangement: the

integration of omni-marketing channels, the inclination to digital marketing, the

development of the "value for money" perspective, and the expansion of the

scope of the force of word of mouth. Such a case is magnified by the COVID-19

pandemic, considering that the digital world became the alternative platform of

exchange to ensure health, safety, and security in the face of the virus, thereby

concentrating almost all commercial activities within this medium (McKinsey &

Company, 2020). 
 3

Correspondingly, given the ubiquitous usage of social media in line with

the phenomenon mentioned earlier and the changes in customer demand,

businesses have become more focused on the execution of pursuits that aim to

establish connections with the online market. In contrast, online consumers have

become more critical in their decisions and judgments, as seen by how they

maximize social media platforms and treat them as real-life documentation that

can supplement their knowledge regarding specific products and services (De

Valck & Rosario, 2020). This practice is denoted by the employment of electronic

word-of-mouth, also abbreviated as eWOM. 

Based on the article of Chu (2021), electronic word-of-mouth refers to the

concept that arose during the mid-1990s, the time when the Internet's benefits

were made apparent to the public with the assistance of the World Wide Web,

which acts as the access mode of interconnection. Specifically, electronic word-

of-mouth is denoted to be any statement made by consumers on the Internet

regarding particular products or brands that are accessible and available to the

whole online community, which can influence the consumer behaviors of the

audience. From this, one can see the crucial role that electronic word-of-mouth

plays in marketing, communication, and advertising in businesses, much more in

sales and management in electronic commerce. 

To support these assertions, the researchers cite the article of Huete-

Alcocer (2017) entitled "A Literature Review of Word of Mouth and Electronic

Word-of-Mouth: Implications for Consumer Behavior." Through this investigation,

one can derive the true nature of word of mouth, which is to exchange
 4

information about products and services for reference relative to future

purchasing and availing decisions, especially since consumers tend to stand by

their co-consumers, given the mentality that they both desire to acquire good

products and services, rather than believe in the marketing of companies whose

aims they know are to promote their brand than to be truthful of its worthiness. 

In addition, one can also differentiate its traditional approach from the

electronic concept. Accordingly, the core distinction between the two is identified

to be asynchronous effort and openness of the latter contrary to the need for on-

hand transmission and privateness of the former, thereby underlining the

relevance of the current undertaking, especially since the scope of influence of

the electronic word-of-mouth is more extensive than its antecedent. 

On that account, this study aims to determine the factors that people

consider when interacting with electronic word-of-mouth and assess their extent

of influence on the purchasing decisions of Bachelor of Science in Business

Administration students of Holy Name University. For this exploration to have a

solid foundation for parametrical definition, conceptualization, and interpretation,

the researchers employ the Framework of Persuasive eWOM Messages in

Social Media that was developed by Shasha Teng, Kok Wei Khong, Wei Wei

Goh, and Alain Yee Loong Chong in 2014 to be (Teng et al., 2014). 

Within this model, one can identify argument quality, source credibility,

source attractiveness, source perception, and source style as the main

components of a persuasive electronic word-of-mouth message. Specifically,

argument quality refers to the persuasive capacity of the information and its
 5

extent of usefulness as perceived by the audience. On the other hand, source

credibility refers to how trustworthy the giver of the information is. Subsequently,

source attractiveness refers to the appearance of the presentation of the

information source. Meanwhile, source perception refers to how people perceive

the source within their subjective standards of desirability and belief. Finally,

source style refers to how a source presents its cause. 

Analogous to this, the assurance of the persuasive quality of these

messages predicts people's acceptance of the information and their eventual

intention to use them, leading to an electronic word-of-mouth-influenced

consuming behavior.

Even with the assumed influence of electronic word-of-mouth on

consumer psychology and behavior, one must recognize the moderating role of a

person's socio-demographic profile in their perceptual development and enacted

activities under the mentioned context. For example, the study by Rai (2019)

entitled "The Effect of Demographic Factors on Consumer Purchase Intention in

Buying Television Set in Kathmandu Valley: An Empirical Study" examined the

variables of gender, age, and education level through survey questionnaire-

derived data that were subjected to Independent Samples T-Test and Analysis of

Variance Test.

Here, they found that people's educational attainment significantly

influences their purchase intentions after their uptake of electronic word-of-

mouth, mainly since those with higher levels of knowledge are surmised to be
 6

more critical and analytical in their endeavors, lessening chances for the

conduction of uninformed and emotionally-dependent judgments.

Simultaneously, in their article entitled "E-WOM Review Adoption:

Consumers' Demographic Profile Influence on Green Purchase Intention," Rahim

et al. (2017) investigated whether there is a significant difference between

gender, age, income, educational background, and occupation in consumers'

electronic word-of-mouth adoption and purchase intention. By employment of

Descriptive Analysis, Independent Samples T-Test, and Analysis of Variance, the

authors found that gender impacts the consuming behaviors of people, contrary

to the findings of Rai (2019). 

Such a case may be due to contextual differences, thereby justifying the

inclusion of the first research question presented in the study that aims to know

the age, sex, year level, socio-economic status, and social media utilization of

the respondents, mainly since the setting of investigation is limited to the locale

of the Holy Name University in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. In line with the

demonstration mentioned above, the domain of social media utilization is

rationalized by the article of Prasad et al. (2017) entitled "Social Media Usage,

Electronic Word-of-Mouth and Purchase-Decision Involvement." After the

subjection of 252 survey questionnaire responses to Structural Equation

Modeling, the authors found that social media usage positively affects electronic

word-of-mouth interaction and purchase decision involvement.

This conclusion is backed up by the conjecture that the more exposed

people are to the ways of the online world, the more they will be connecting with
 7

electronic word-of-mouth due to increased familiarity with the agents that are

participating, making them more vulnerable to its influence in terms of purchase

decisions. Due to the said information, the current researchers aim to determine

the frequency of social media utilization by the respondents. These socio-

demographic characteristics are essential to determine whether the study data is

equally distributed and can represent the population.

Going back to the theoretical underpinning mentioned earlier, the researchers will

establish the same factors as the parameters of the investigation of the study.

However, given that similarities between the enumerated notion are observed,

they will be summarized as the following: source credibility, source style as the

encompassing category for source attractiveness and style, source similarity as

an allusion to source perception and homophily, and information quality to clarify

argument quality. 

Subsequently, from these factors, the researchers will determine which

among them is the primary concern or consideration of people when interacting

with electronic word-of-mouth, as presented in the second research question.

This effort is expected to yield results illustrating how much of the population is

driven by any indicated factors. By anchoring on these things, the researchers

present the following objective and hypothesis in line with the statement of the

problem:

         Research Objective 1: To identify the determining factor that predicts the

likelihood of the respondents engaging with electronic word-of-mouth.

 8

Research Hypothesis 1: Information Quality is the determining factor that

predicts the likelihood of the respondents to engage with the electronic word-of-

mouth.

Because of this, a comprehensive definition and background for these

factors are provided to supplement the knowledge regarding their association

with electronic word-of-mouth and purchase decisions. First, according to Lundin

(2021) in her study entitled "The Impact of Trust in eWOM Through Dimensions

of Source Credibility Towards Purchase Intention of a Hotel Stay," source

credibility refers to how trustworthy the originator of the information is. This

quality may be based on an array of factors, including currency, relevance,

authority, accuracy, and purpose, which refers to the date of publication, context

suitability, the background of the originator, reflective portrayal, and objective of

dissemination, respectively. 

Under the context of electronic word-of-mouth, perceived credibility

predicts information adoption and application activities. The more confidence

people have in the significance of the information, the more likely they will follow

its points in their prospective behaviors (Ismagilova et al., 2020).

Correspondingly, in their study entitled "Impact of eWOM Credibility on Purchase

Intention Mediated by eWOM Adoption," Munawar et al. (2021) emphasized

source credibility as a factor of electronic word-of-mouth influences

approximately 34% of people's consuming activities as directed by their purchase

intention. 
 9

A manifestation of this can be observed in how higher trust levels towards

the online reviews that people encounter make them susceptible to conditioning

following the message of the review. If it is positive, then people will be more

likely to purchase and recommend the product or service to others. On the other

hand, if it is negative, people will be less likely to purchase the product or service

and more likely to convince others not to avail it. By anchoring on these things,

the researchers present the following objective and hypothesis in line with the

statement of the problem:

Research Objective 2: To determine the influence of electronic word-of-

mouth on the respondents' purchasing decisions regarding source credibility.

Research Hypothesis 2: Source credibility significantly influences

electronic word-of-mouth's effect on the respondents' purchasing decisions.

Second, parallel to what is stated earlier that the term "source style" refers

to the overall appearance and presentation of the electronic word-of-mouth

manifestation, Madhusanka et al. (2020) portrayed it to be the use of multimedia

elements with textual information in their study entitled "The Impact of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Brand Evaluation Leading to Brand Attachment: A

Comparative Study on Consumer Electronics and Cosmetic Brans in Sri Lanka."

Due to people's inherent preference for visual materials, the incorporation of

various ways of illustration makes the source more appealing to the people,

thereby inducing a form of inclination to belief, eventually leading to increased

adoption and knowledge retention cases (Saleem & Ellahi, 2017). 

 10

These findings are underlined by the research of Martawilaga &

Purwanegara (2016) entitled "Information Acceptance of Electronic Words of

Mouth (eWOM) and Purchase Intention Through Haul Videos Youtube," which

maximized 350 sample respondents, all of which are active internet users,

women, and are aged 16 to 35 years old. Here, the authors stated that source

style and attractiveness positively influence the information acceptance of

electronic word-of-mouth and consumers' purchase intention. By anchoring on

these things, the researchers present the following objective and hypothesis in

line with the statement of the problem:

Research Objective 3: To determine the level of influence of electronic

word-of-mouth on the respondents' purchasing decisions regarding source style.

Research Hypothesis 3: Source style significantly influences electronic

word-of-mouth's effect on the respondents' purchasing decisions.

Third, following sociological perspectives, one can define homophily to be

the tendency of people to interact and come together with individuals of similar

backgrounds as them, which may include any of the following: appearance, age,

gender, culture, race, religious values, and the like (Sohaib et al., 2020). That is

why the researchers of the present exploration altered the terminology from

"homophily" to "similarity" for the public's understanding. 

Subsequently, in their study entitled "How Social Factors Drive Electronic

Word-of-mouth on Social Networking Sites," Sohaib et al. (2020) provided the

hypothesis stating that homophily positively influences electronic word-of-mouth

in social networking services. These social networking sites point to WeChat,

 11

Weibo, and QQ, given that the locale is in China. At the same time, the

manifestation of the influence can be seen in opinion-giving, seeking, and

passing, considering that similarity breeds familiarity, increasing chances for

communication and establishing relationships. 

With this condition, consumers are assumed to be more likely to believe

and stand by the product and service reviews of people like them. In the end,

findings from 397 survey respondents subjected to confirmatory factor analysis

and structural equation modeling solidified the earlier-mentioned conjecture.

Therefore, source homophily or similarity can be considered vital positive

precursors of electronic word-of-mouth in social networking.

These results are supported by Filieri et al. (2023), whose research

concentrated upon vloggers that utilize product reviews and service experiences

to disseminate the electronic word-of-mouth, for they found source homophily to

directly influence behavioral intention, primarily due to its role in the actualization

of consumer-to-consumer contact and conversations, regardless of the type of

product being reviewed in the electronic word-of-mouth manifestation. 

Specifically, McLaughlin (2012) highlighted how the principle of homophily

reinforces people's perceived desirability and likeability of a specific source, both

of which are critical determinants of persuasion, as underlying positive

conceptions towards a particular entity make people more prone to believing that

it is credible and therefore must be adopted. As a result, it is deduced that source

similarity influences customers' purchase decisions in the face of electronic word-

 12

of-mouth. By anchoring on these things, the researchers present the following

objective and hypothesis in line with the statement of the problem:

Research Objective 4: To determine the level of influence of electronic

word-of-mouth on the respondents' purchasing decisions regarding source

similarity.

Research Hypothesis 4: Source similarity significantly influences

electronic word-of-mouth's effect on the respondents' purchasing decisions.

Lastly, information quality, as defined by Shuang (2013) in his study

entitled "Effects of Information Quality and Source Credibility on eWOM Adoption

in Context of Virtual Community," refers to the combination of the following

qualities of detail: reliability, interactivity, relevance, guidance, vividness, and

appropriateness of amount. Although several attributions may also be applied to

the earlier discussion for source credibility, a distinction between source and

content is identified with the current section focusing on factual information rather

than its origins.

In the practical setting, through survey questionnaire dissemination,

Descriptive Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Statistical Modeling,

Independent Samples T-Test, And Multiple Regression Analysis, Ip (2019)

ascertained the significant positive role of argument or information quality on the

perception of consumers and their eventual behavioral intention. This finding is

explained due to individuals' perceived value of the electronic word-of-mouth

manifestation. Hence, the greater the quality of the information by standards of

consumer knowledge necessitation and comprehensiveness of product or

 13

service review, the greater the chance for people to use the said information for

their decision-making process regarding purchase and consumption. 

To expound, Hussain et al. (2020) indicated information quality to be

based upon the criteria of transparency, completeness, timeliness, consistency,

and the like in both micro and macro scales within the comments sections. In

other words, if the reviews of the people towards a specific product or service are

relatively the same and are informative, then consumers will be more likely to

believe the message of the electronic word-of-mouth manifestation and follow

them during the decision-making process accordingly. This arrangement is due

to their addressal to consumers' concern for uncertainty, insufficiency of

information, and need for more precision in the discussion. By anchoring on

these things, the researchers present the following objective and hypothesis in

line with the statement of the problem:

Research Objective 5: To determine the influence of electronic word-of-

mouth on the respondents' purchasing decisions regarding information quality.

Research Hypothesis 5: Information quality significantly influences

electronic word-of-mouth's effect on the respondents' purchasing decisions.

By synthesizing all of this related literature and studies regarding source

credibility, source style, source similarity, and information quality as factors of

electronic word-of-mouth effectiveness and interaction, one can substantiate the

researchers' act of integrating them in the third research question. This case is

because although previous studies have already been conducted to determine

their role, function, and extent of influence on purchasing decisions, no research

 14

has still been conducted in the Philippine setting, particularly involving Bachelor

of Science in Business Administration Students of the Holy Name University.

Additionally, the researchers give reason to the objective of the fourth

research question, which is to find out how often the force of electronic word-of-

mouth influences the respondents' purchasing decisions. Based on the article of

Millwood (2021), purchasing decisions are significantly related to the consumer

decision-making processes, as the latter encompasses the former, with it

referring to the multi-stage sequence of events entailing awareness, identification

of needs, information collection for the satisfaction of the said needs,

determination of prospective sustainers, pre-evaluation of options and

alternatives, the actualization of a purchase decision, post-evaluation of the

purchase, and repurchase consideration. 

In line with this, purchase decisions are hinged upon objective and

subjective evaluations (Millwood, 2021). The first denotes the product and

service features, functionality, ease of use, accessibility, and price. Meanwhile,

the second one denotes the consumer's attitudes, opinions, and feelings towards

a brand or their service or product as determined by their own experience or

other consumers' input towards the brand, product, or service, which may be

derived from news, personal communication, or online discussions. 

By applying the points of the earlier concepts, one can explicate the

relationship between electronic word-of-mouth and purchase decisions, where

the former influences the latter, as seen by how consumers take the essence of

the objective and subjective evaluations from the manifestations of electronic

 15

word-of-mouth. An example would be a vlogger's enumeration of the features of

a particular cellphone model, which is the objective dimension, and their ending

rating for it in terms of monetary value, buying experience, and the like, which is

the subjective dimension.

Furthermore, these data are consolidated by the study of Perkasa et al.

(2020) entitled "The Effect of Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM), Product

Quality, and Price on Purchase Decisions." Following the descriptive,

associative, and causal research design, the authors used purposive sampling to

collect Xiaomi consumers and mobile phone holders as survey questionnaire

respondents. With the Structural Equation Modelling in SmartPLS 3.0, they found

that electronic word-of-mouth positively affects people's purchasing decisions. To

put it differently, consumers utilize online reviews, discussions, posts, and forums

about various brands' products and services when considering whether to make

a purchase.

Finally, in their study entitled "An Examination of the Factors Affecting

Consumer's Purchase Decision in the Malaysian Retail Market," Hanaysha

(2018) aimed to assess the impact of perceived value on people's purchasing

decisions. Through the quantitative research design undertaking survey

questionnaire responses from 278 retail customers, all of which were subjected

to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 19 and Structural Equation

Modeling on Analysis of a Moment Structures, the authors found that perceived

value positively affects the purchase decision of customers. 

 16

In the context of the present investigation, this perception of value can be

shaped by the electronic word-of-mouth that talks about the advantages,

disadvantages, or both of particular products and services as seen and

experienced by past, present, and future customers. Subsequently, its attributes

of source credibility, source style, source similarity, and information quality

influence the extent of its impact on the perspective and thinking of the people.

By anchoring on these things, the researchers present the following objective

and hypothesis in line with the statement of the problem:

Research Objective 6: To determine how often the force of electronic

word-of-mouth influences the respondents' purchasing decisions.

Research Hypothesis 6: Electronic word-of-mouth often influences the

respondents' purchasing decisions.

Hence, the investigation of the recurrence of the influence of the

mentioned variables on purchasing decisions is essential to understand the

consuming behaviors of people, their relationship with their environment, how

customers can be more aware and informed of their decisions, and how

businesses can maximize electronic word-of-mouth for their benefit in terms of

profitability, marketing, and branding.

From this, the significance of this undertaking is emphasized, given that it

will contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the consuming behavior and

psychology of students in the said inclusion criteria, considering the course

materials provided for them during their educational journey. Accordingly, a plan

of action aiming to modify and improve the academic curriculum of the Business
 17

Administration Department and related programs at Holy Name University can be

proposed deriving from the findings of this research. By doing such, it is expected

that the students will be shaped to become a more critical version of consumers

and a more effective version of business managers in the face of electronic word-

of-mouth.

THE PROBLEM

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the core factors that influence people's uptake

of the force of electronic word-of-mouth. Moreover, it also aims to evaluate the

extent of influence on the purchasing decisions of students taking the Bachelor of

Science in Business Administration program at Holy Name University. In line with

this, the researchers aim to answer the following questions:

1. What are the respondents' socio-demographic profiles in terms of:

a. Age;

b. Sex;

c. Year Level;

d. Socio-Economic Status; and

e. Social Media Utilization?

 18

2. What is the determining factor that predicts the likelihood of the

respondents engaging with electronic word-of-mouth?

3. What is the level of extent of influence of electronic word-of-mouth on the

respondents' purchasing decisions in terms of:

a. Source Credibility;

b. Source Style;

c. Source Similarity; and

d. Information Quality?

4. How often does the force of the electronic word-of-mouth influence the

respondents' purchasing decisions?

Significance of the Study

This study is deemed significant for its contribution to the business

industry, especially the following people or entities involved in the said activity:

students, upcoming/struggling business owners, and future researchers.

Business Owners: This study aspires to be exceptionally informative to

the existing/upcoming business owners, especially in achieving and maintaining

a successful business venture and keeping up its business operations.

Future Researchers: The study's findings may be used by researchers

for future research so that if they were to conduct a study related to the topic,

they could refer to it.

Students: This study will help students become business owners and give

them ideas on using word-of-mouth marketing, especially in influencing

 19

consumers' purchasing decisions. The ideas made through this topic will also be

utilized in building or starting a business relationship between consumers and the

business and cultivating it into a successful one, as there is a possibility that they

will choose to take into the business field someday.

Scope and Limitations

This study assessed the factors of eWOM and their influence on purchase

decisions. The scope of the study included fifty (50) respondents from the

population of Holy Name University's BSBA students, as they were the study's

chosen respondents. The researchers used a modified survey questionnaire to

collect essential data. To lessen the possibility of COVID-19 transmission, the

researchers avoided direct contact with participants, instead, opting for digital

communication methods like online surveys or Google Forms sent via

Messenger. Recent studies and research were used as references to determine

the impact of eWOM factors on purchase decisions. The study is strictly limited to

eWOM factors and their level of influence on purchase decisions among HNU

BSBA students.

Research Methodology
 20

Research Design

This research aimed to determine the factors of electronic word-of-mouth

and the extent to which they influence purchase decisions among HNU BSBA

students. The study utilized a quantitative research design that allowed the

researchers to investigate these factors of eWOM upon its effect on purchasing

decisions. The primary data collection method employed the descriptive survey-

type questionnaire as the primary data collection tool. The administration and

distribution of a modified research questionnaire were via Google Forms to 50

purposely selected respondents contacted through Messenger. The research

participants were given up to a week to complete the quick survey, which took 5

to 10 minutes, or until all required information was gathered.

Research Environment

Holy Name University, formerly Holy Name College, was Bohol's first

Catholic university in Bohol - Tagbilaran City more than fifty years ago. Holy

Name College started as the first Catholic school of higher learning in Bohol.

Holy Name University is at Janssen Heights, J. A. Clarin Street, Dampas District

6300 Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines.

College of Business and Accountancy is one of the departments in Holy

Name University. When the college received its first government recognition in

June 1955, it was known as the College of Commerce (COC). The CBA currently

has three relatively large departments: accounting, business administration, and

 21

tourism and hospitality management. In terms of the student population, it is the

largest college of Holy Name University.

Research Participants

This study used a purposive sampling method because the selection of

respondents were students who fit the criteria and were the most knowledgeable

about the eWOM factors that influence their purchase decisions. The researchers

chose the BSBA students aged 18-25 of Holy Name University, S.Y. 2021-2022,

as their respondents because the Generation Z population is high on internet

users. This research is entirely voluntary, and participants can withdraw at any

time.

The researchers will include subjects in the study who are students aged

18-25 years old, are studying in Holy Name University taking up BSBA program,

are frequent users of social media, and are patrons of online shopping. On the

other hand, the researchers will exclude subjects in the study who are students

aged below 18 or above 25 years old, are not studying in Holy Name University

and not taking up BSBA program, are infrequent users of social media, and not

patrons of online shopping.

Overall, the participants will play a crucial role in the success of this

research project, and their insights will be valuable in advancing the knowledge

of electronic word-of-mouth and its influence on purchase decisions among

BSBA students. These criteria were established to ensure that the study
 22

participants are representative of the population of interest and to minimize the

impact of confounding variables on the study results.

Research Instrument

The researchers used a modified survey questionnaire for this study. The

first modified survey questionnaire was based on Daowd et al.’s (2021) EWOM

Factors Purchase Intention Questionnaire, and the second was based on

Fanoberova and Kuczkowska’s (2016) Online Purchase Intention Questionnaire.

The survey questionnaire was divided into four parts. The first part was

about the respondents’ demographic profile. The second part was about the

factors that determine the likelihood of the respondents engaging with electronic

word-of-mouth. The third part was about how much source information, source

style, source similarity, and information quality affect the consuming behavior of

the respondents using Likert Scale with one being “strongly disagree” and five

“strongly agree.” The fourth and last part was about how frequently an individual

enacts upon purchasing activities after engagement with electronic word-of-

mouth sources with answers to one “never,” and five “always.”

Research Procedure

Given the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, researchers chose an online

data collection medium and implemented health protocols to ensure respondents'

safety. In selecting the sample, potential participants were identified through their
 23

social media accounts and based on a legally requested master list of BSBA

students from the Dean's office, which the researchers provided with a signed

letter requesting the list.

After the approval of the Dean, an online survey questionnaire

administered through a web-based questionnaire platform (Google Forms) was

distributed online through Messenger. After collecting the data, descriptive

statistics were used to analyze the demographic profile of the respondents and

the distribution of their responses to the survey questions.

Furthermore, the researchers respected the respondents' decision to

withdraw from the study and looked for a replacement using the same eligibility

criteria. The researchers adhered to the Data Privacy Act of 2012, also known as

R.A. 10173, and reassured participants that no personally identifiable information

shared or saved, such as names, ages, or email addresses. The researchers

ensured that the study would be carried out without any commercial or financial

interests that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. They

confirmed that no monetary or other material compensation would be given to

survey participants.

Finally, the researchers ensured the study was conducted ethically and

per proper guidelines to protect the participant's privacy and confidentiality.

Statistical Treatment

To identify the respondents’ profile in terms of age, sex, year level, socio-

economic status, and social media utilization, the factor that predicts the
 24

respondents engaging with eWOM, and the force of eWOM influencing

respondents’ purchasing decisions, the percentage was used:

Percentage (%) = f/n x 100

Where:

P = Percentage

f = Frequency of the category

n = Total number of respondents

To determine the level of extent of factors of eWOM influencing

respondents’ intention to purchase, the weighted mean formula was used:

µ = Σ fx
---------------
N
Where:

µ = weighted mean

Σ = summation

f = frequency of responses under each scale

x = weight assigned to each scale

N = number of respondents

The computed weighted mean was interpreted using the following scale:

Weighted Scale Numerical Value Description

5 4.21 – 5.00 Strongly Agree

4 3.41 – 4.20 Agree

3 2.61 – 3.40 Neutral

2 1.81 – 2.60 Disagree

 25

1 1.00 – 1.80 Strongly Disagree

 CHAPTER II

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents, analyzes, and interprets data from the preceding

study of selected BSBA students. The researchers organized the information in

this chapter according to the problems addressed in this study.

Table 1. Respondents’ Profile in Terms of Age and Sex

Male Female
Age Frequenc
Frequency Percentage Percentage
y
20-
10 67 23 66
21
18-
2 13 5 14
19
22-
2 13 5 14
23
24-
1 7 2 6
25
Total 15 100 35 100

Table 1 above shows the age and sex distribution of the respondents, with

the former category ranging from 18 to 25 years old, as the latter is divided into

males and females. Accordingly, it was found that 66% of the respondents, or 33

out of 50, are aged 20 to 21 years old, with 10 of them being male and 23 being

female. Meanwhile, 70%, or 35 out of 50, are female. This condition is supported

by the study of Rahim et al. (2017), where participants were primarily female

(68.4%) and aged 21 to 30 years old (74.2%). Although a significant extension

 27

can be observed with how the intervals are established, it is undeniable that both

past and present studies imply that Generation Z participates the most in social

media and online shopping endeavors. Subsequently, Pradhana and Sastiono

(2019) rationalized the gender skewness with their findings indicating how

women are more inclined to engage with the electronic commerce domain and

with electronic word-of-mouth manifestations. From such, one can infer how the

study results may be influenced by these concentrations considering how the

stated demographics determine the difference in lifestyle conditions, making

them more applicable for the said groups whose responses became the majority.

Table 2. Respondents’ Profile in Terms of Year Level and

Socio-Economic Class

Socio-Economic Status and Year Lower Middle Upper

Level f % f % f %
th
4 year 5 36 20 63 2 50
3rd year 5 36 6 19 1 25
2nd year 2 14 3 9 1 25
1st year 2 14 3 9 - -
Total 14 100 32 100 4 100

Table 2 demonstrates the socio-economic status of the respondents

following the categories of lower, middle, and upper classes while indicating their

year level from 1st to 4th year, given that the scope of the investigation is

students of the Holy Name University, taking up Bachelor of Science in Business

Administration. In line with this, the researchers found that 64% of the

respondents, or 32 out of 50, belong to the middle-class level, which is supported

by Janio Asia (2019) as they clarified that the influx of middle-class income
 28

earners in the electronic commerce platform is attributed to the exclusivity of

deals in the said medium, cost-effectiveness of products and services offered,

and the benefits of convenience. On the other hand, the researchers found that

around 54% of the respondents were 4th-year students, thereby directing the

study results to represent individuals with this educational level. It is a crucial

point to consider, especially since Rai (2019) found a significant difference

between the purchase intention of individuals of varying educational level

attainments.

Table 3. Respondents’ Profile in Terms of Social Media Use

Every Every
Social Every Every two
Everyday three four Total
Media other day days
days days
Use
f % f % f % f % F %
More than
14 30 - 14
13 hours
7-9 hours 11 23 - 11
10-12
9 19 - 9
hours
4-6 hours 9 19 - 9
1-3 hours 4 9 3 100 7
Total 47 100 3 50

Table 3 above portrays the frequency of social media use by the

respondents during the day and the week. Simultaneously, the researchers found

that 94% of the respondents, or 47 out of 50, use social media daily, with the

remaining three people using it every other day for 1 to 3 hours. Specifically, 30%

of those using it daily, accounting for 14 out of 47 people, use social media for

over 13 hours. Contrarily, 23%, or 11 out of 47, use it for 7 to 9 hours. Hence, the
 29

majority of the respondents are active users of social media. The delineation of

this arrangement proves to be a crucial component of the investigation of how

electronic word-of-mouth influences purchasing decisions, given that Prasad et

al. (2017) indicated that the more people use social media, the more they are

exposed to market information like electronic word-of-mouth, thereby shaping

their capacity to make sound purchasing decisions.

Table 4. Respondents’ Identified Driving Factor of Electronic Word-of-

Mouth

Question Percentage (%)

What is the primary Information Identifying
Credibility Quality of
reason why you Presentation with the
of Source Information
choose to engage in Style Source
electronic word-of-
mouth (e.g., reviews)
36% 12% 8% 44%
during the pre-
purchase process?

Table 4 presents the self-reported core consideration of the respondents

when interacting with electronic word-of-mouth before purchasing or availing of

products and services. The researchers found that 44% of the respondents, or 22

out of 50, looked at the quality of information of the reviews, ratings, vlogs, and

the like that are related to electronic commerce knowledge. This case is followed

by the source's credibility, information presentation style, and identification with

the source. With this, the researchers were able to actualize the first objective

and test the first hypothesis, leading to the acceptance of the assumption that

information quality is the determining factor that predicts the likelihood of the

respondents engaging with electronic word-of-mouth. Analogous to this, one can

 30

solidify this discovery through the research of Shuang (2013), which expounded

upon the attributions of information quality, which not only overlaps the other

indicated factors but also satisfies the needs of the audience, as those that

interact with the electronic word-of-mouth are primarily looking for advice on

whether they will buy a particular product and service or not in terms of an array

of customer standards.

Table 5. Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of
Source Credibility

Weighted Qualitative
Indicators
Mean Interpretation
1. The level of expertise or professionality of
the source influences my purchasing 4.00 Agree
decisions.
2. The source’s attitudes and opinions towards
the information influences my purchasing 3.90 Agree
decisions.
3. The level of popularity and familiarity of the
source influences my purchasing decisions.
3.84 Agree
The level of popularity and familiarity of the
source influences my purchasing decisions
4. The volume of information included in the
4.14 Agree
source influences my purchasing decisions.
Grand Mean 3.97 Agree

Table 5 indicates the respondents' self-reported view of the extent of

influence of the source credibility factor of electronic word-of-mouth on their

purchasing decisions. Here the greatest quantitative denotation of 4.14, equating

to "agree" in qualitative terms, was observed in the fourth item stating, "The

volume of information included in the source influences my purchasing

decisions." Therefore, one can say that a review or any electronic word-of-mouth
 31

manifestation that is saturated with evidence, leading to the appearance of its

significant volume, reinforces the respondents' perceived credibility or

trustworthiness of the information, which eventually influences their consuming

behaviors, regardless of the positivity or negativity of the content (Ismagilova et

al., 2020). Such is the case, especially since all respondents are currently in

tertiary education and belong to the generation of digital natives, with the majority

concentrated on the graduating year. As a result, the researchers infer that they

are more critical in their view of the world as their media and information literacy

are also optimized to their nurturing environment. Overall, the factor of source

credibility gained a grand mean of 3.97, equating to a qualitative category of

"agree," thereby leading to the interpretation that sources credibility significantly

influences electronic word-of-mouth's effect on the respondents' purchasing

decisions, parallel to the second stated hypothesis.

Table 6. Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of
Source Style

Weighted Qualitative
Indicators
Mean Interpretation
1. The visual information, be it photo or
video, included in the source influences my 4.04 Agree
purchase decisions.
2. The attributes of the website, like outline,
colors, patterns, and style, influences my 3.66 Agree
purchase decisions.
3. The source’s use of language influences
3.68 Agree
my purchase decisions.
4. The position that the source is taking
3.62 Agree
influences my purchase decisions.
Grand Mean 3.97 Agree
 32

Table 6 indicates the respondents’ self-reported view of the extent of

influence of the source style factor of electronic word-of-mouth on their

purchasing decisions. Here the greatest quantitative denotation of 4.04, equating

to “agree” in qualitative terms, was observed in the first item stating, “The visual

information, be it photo or video, included in the source influences my purchase

decisions.” Therefore, applying diverse techniques for information display

determines the perceived style attractiveness of electronic word-of-mouth.

Simultaneously, this perception also predicts whether the audience will interact

with the material while shaping their preconceived notions regarding it, thereby

influencing the electronic word-of-mouth’s effectiveness in convincing customers

to buy or not to buy certain products and services (Madhusanka et al., 2020).

This case is made more evident by how the data demographic tilted towards

women, as Hissong (2020) underscored how women tend to be more creative

and evaluative of aesthetics than men. Overall, the factor of source style gained

a grand mean of 3.97, equating to a qualitative category of “agree,” thereby

accepting the third hypothesis: “Source style significantly influences electronic

word-of-mouth’s effect on the respondents’ purchasing decisions.”

Table 7. Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of
Source Similarity

Weighted Qualitative
Indicators
Mean Interpretation
1. The characteristics of the source, 3.56 Agree
particularly in terms of age, education level,
 33

and other demographic variables, influence

my purchase decisions.
2. I feel that I can relate with the poster of the
online review, and that influences my 3.66 Agree
purchase decisions.
3. Vloggers, streamers, idols, and similar
influencers that have similar interests as me, 3.48 Agree
influence my purchase decisions.
4. Reviews of people in similar social
networking groups, organizations, or
3.88 Agree
institutions as me, influence my purchase
decisions.
Grand Mean 3.645 Agree

Table 7 indicates the respondents' self-reported view of the extent of

influence of the source similarity factor of electronic word-of-mouth on their

purchasing decisions. Here the greatest quantitative denotation of 3.88, equating

to "agree" in qualitative terms, was observed in the fourth item stating, "Reviews

of people in similar social networking groups, organizations, or institutions as me,

influence my purchase decisions." Therefore, knowing the background of the

source of the electronic word-of-mouth manifestation paves the way for

comparing one's own, which is associated with the social nature of people that

compels the gravitation to like-minded individuals. Consequently, in the context

of electronic commerce, this opinionated encounter originating from a similar

person makes the mind biased into believing it, thinking that since one and

another is the same, their evaluations of the product or service will also be the

same, leading to either the decision to purchase or not (McLaughlin, 2012).

Through consideration of the sex demographic of the respondents, the

researchers relate the study of Gallen & Wasserman (2022), which proved that in

their search for information, females tend to approach other females, rather than
 34

their male counterparts, to the current undertaking, especially since 70% of the

sample are female, resulting to the findings mentioned. Overall, the factor of

source similarity gained a grand mean of 3.645, equating to a qualitative

category of "agree," thereby leading to the interpretation that source similarity

significantly influences electronic word-of-mouth's effect on the respondents'

purchasing decisions, parallel to the fourth stated hypothesis.

Table 8. Respondents’ Reported Level of Extent of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions in Terms of Information
Quality

Weighted Qualitative
Indicators
Mean Interpretation
1. The relevance of the information provided
by the source influences my purchase 4.44 Strongly Agree
decisions.
2. The currency or the date of publication of
the information provided by the source 4.36 Strongly Agree
influences my purchase decisions.
3. The number of votes/reactions that an
information source has influences my 4.40 Strongly Agree
purchase decisions.
4. The depth of information integrated in the
4.52 Strongly Agree
source influences my purchase decisions.
Grand Mean 4.43 Strongly Agree

Table 8 indicates the respondents' self-reported view of the extent of

influence of the information quality factor of electronic word-of-mouth on their

purchasing decisions. Here the greatest quantitative denotation of 4.52, equating

to "strongly agree" in qualitative terms, was observed in the fourth item stating,

"The depth of information integrated in the source influences my purchase

 35

decisions." Therefore, one can say that the more comprehensive the electronic

word-of-mouth manifestation is, particularly in terms of the discussion of

customer experience satisfaction, price worthiness, product functionality, and the

like, the more likely consumers will be encouraged to read it and consider it for

their purchasing decision process, eventually influencing the actual decision (Ip,

2019; Lynch, 2016). Overall, the factor of information quality gained a grand

mean of 4.43, equating to a qualitative category of "strongly agree," thereby

allowing the acceptance of the fifth research hypothesis with the supplementation

of a greater extent. Hence, information quality strongly influences electronic

word-of-mouth's effect on the respondents' purchasing decisions. Concerning

Table 4, where it was indicated that the majority of the respondents (44%)

prioritize information quality as the characteristic of an electronic word-of-mouth

manifestation that they are looking for, one can see that the degree of agreement

in terms of influence as indicated by the respondents are also the most

significant in information quality (4.43), as compared to source credibility (3.97),

source style (3.97), source similarity (3.645).

Table 9. Respondents’ Reported Frequency of Influence of Electronic

Word-of-Mouth on Their Purchasing Decisions

Question Frequency (f)

How often do you search for Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always
online product information (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
before purchasing it? 0 1 5 14 30

Table 9 shows how often electronic word-of-mouth influences the

respondents' purchasing decisions. From this, the researchers found that 60% of
 36

the total respondents, or 30 out of 50, always search for online product

information before purchase, with only 2% rarely doing so, thereby establishing

the said response to be an outlier, which can be related to the 6% that uses

social media every other day for 1 to 3 hours a day who might not be used into

maximizing online platforms for their everyday pursuits, contrary to those active

users whose lives are strongly tied to digital technology. On that account, the

28% and 60% of the sample that employs electronic word-of-mouth's information

often and always, respectively, during the pre-purchase process may be

attributed to the 64% that belongs to the middle class and the 8% that belongs to

the upper-class, following the perspective that in order to use social media,

individuals need the two main elements of device and internet, which are

considered costly. Daoudi (2021) supports these results, given that in his study

entitled "Influence of Electronic Word-of-Mouth on Consumer Behavior," he found

that approximately 77% of internet users have reported themselves to be

influenced by electronic word-of-mouth manifestations, such as online comments

and messages during the pre-purchasing decision-making process.

 CHAPTER III

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter has summarized the data presented, interpreted, and

analyzed in the preceding chapter. Furthermore, this chapter will summarize the

key findings from the retrieved data to draw conclusions and make

recommendations.

Summary

This study aimed to determine the core factors that influence people's

uptake of the force of electronic word-of-mouth. Moreover, it also aimed to

evaluate the extent of influence on the purchasing decisions of students taking

the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program at Holy Name

University. In line with this, the researchers aimed to answer the following

questions:

1. What are the respondents' socio-demographic profiles in terms of:

a. Age;

b. Sex;

c. Year Level;

d. Socio-Economic Status; and

e. Social Media Utilization?

 38

2. What is the determining factor that predicts the likelihood of the

respondents engaging with electronic word-of-mouth?

3. What is the level of extent of influence of electronic word-of-mouth on

the respondents' purchasing decisions in terms of:

a. Source Credibility;

b. Source Style;

c. Source Similarity; and

d. Information Quality?

5. How often does the force of the electronic word-of-mouth influence the

respondents' purchasing decisions?

Findings

The main points of the results of the study are enumerated as follows

relative to the statement of the problem:

1. Socio-Demographic Profile of the Respondents

Out of the total 50 respondents, the researchers found that 66% are 20

to 21 years old, 70% are female, 30% are male, 54% are 4th-year

students, 64% belong to the middle class, and 94% use social media

daily, with 30% of them using it for more than 13 hours.

2. Determining Factor of Electronic Word-of-Mouth Interaction

Out of the total 50 respondents, the researchers found that the reason

44% of the respondents why engaged with electronic word-of-mouth

during the pre-purchase process was because of its quality of

 39

information, 36% rationalized the credibility of the source, 12% for

information presentation style, and 8% for their feelings of identification

with the source.

3. Extent of Influence of Electronic Word-of-Mouth Factors on

Purchasing Decision

The researchers found that source credibility, source style, and source

similarity of the electronic word-of-mouth manifestation significantly

influence people's purchasing decisions as the respondents agreed to

its impact, as reflected in the values of 3.97, 3.97, and 3.645,

respectively. Correspondingly, the researchers found that information

quality has a strong significant influence on people's purchasing

decisions as the respondents strongly agreed to its impact, as reflected

in the overall mean of 4.43.

4. Frequency of Influence of Electronic Word-of-Mouth on

Purchasing Decision

Out of the 50 total respondents, the researchers found that 60%

always search for online product information before purchasing it. At

the same time, 28% often maximize electronic word-of-mouth during

the pre-purchase process. Lastly, only 10% do it sometimes, while 2%

do it rarely.

Conclusions
 40

The researchers conclude that information quality is the core factor

determining whether online consumers will interact with an electronic word-of-

mouth manifestation. Moreover, it is also the definitive element that predicts the

influence of the said electronic commerce force on consumers' purchasing

decisions. Accordingly, this case is followed by source credibility, style, and

similarity, respectively, as denoted by the percentage of responses. Nonetheless,

in terms of the extent of influence, although the same order is observed, the

researchers note source credibility and source style to have similar extents of

influence based on the degree of agreement of the sample. Finally, the

investigation found that electronic word-of-mouth is an essential component of

electronic commerce activity, especially since consumers are significantly

inclined to utilize it to derive the necessary information that they will need for their

purchasing decision-making process, thereby influencing their eventual

consuming behaviors and actions. Such a case presents numerous practical and

theoretical implications for actualizing the varying business operations of

ventures concerning customer relations, sales, marketing, advertising, and profit

maximization relative to cost minimization. In addition, it also makes consumers

aware of how their behaviors and actions are influenced by the social aspect of

living, making them more likely to consider and re-examine their thoughts before

execution.

Recommendations
 41

Given the scope and limitations of this study, the researchers enumerate the

following suggestions for application by business owners, students, and future

researchers.

1. Business Owners: The researchers recommend the generation,

administration, and amplification of the force of electronic word-of-mouth

in social media platforms to positively influence consumers' decision-

making process related to product and service patronization. Specifically,

business owners are suggested to enact efforts that will make customers

enrich the quality of information they provide in their comments or reviews

without compromising the organic value of the communication. Following

such, the researchers also propose the allocation of budget to improve

the dashboard of the brand, where consumers can share their

experiences and thoughts regarding the products and services available

in such a way that it will uphold credibility and suitability while still

appealing to the audience.

2. Students: The researchers suggest the development of the academic

curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

department of the Holy Name University to make students more aware

and critical as they navigate through the digital world, particularly of

electronic commerce. Moreover, the researchers also recommend that

the students explore consumer behavior within the context of the online

realm to increase their depth of understanding of the phenomenon for

future reference in their career progression or business establishment.

 42

3. Future Researchers: The researchers recommend an increased sample

size for future studies for generalizability and accuracy purposes.

Likewise, it is also suggested that the scope of the investigation is

expanded in terms of age, educational course, and locale of origin,

especially since the influence of electronic word-of-mouth in this study is

constrained by the condition by which the respondents belong to the

Generation Z and are studying business administration in the Holy Name

University. Furthermore, the definition of products and services that can

serve as the basis of the purchasing decision domain can also be

incorporated to maintain the reflective nature of the study of social

realities. Subsequently, the adoption of other research designs and

statistical methods like the correlational approach and Structural Equation

Modeling may also be applied to eliminate bias and increase the

understanding of the causational arrangement of the phenomenon.

 43

REFERENCES
 44

Abubakar, A. M., & Ilkan, M. (2016). Impact of online WOM on destination trust
and intention to travel: A medical tourism perspective. Journal of
Destination Marketing & Management, 5(3), 192-201.

Chapadgaonkar, I. (2020, August 10). How has Digitization Changed Consumer

Behaviour?

Chin, V. L. W. (2020, April 2). The Rise of Digitalization | Monteloeder.

Monteloeder.

Chu, S.-C. (2021, September 22). Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM). Oxford

Bibliographies.

Daoudi, M. (2021). Influence of Electronic Word of Mouth on Consumer

Behavior. Revue Internationale Du Marketing et Management Stratégique,
3(2).

De Valck, K., & Rosario, A. B. (2020, January 24). Electronic Word of Mouth:
What Marketers Need to Know. HEC Paris.

Filieri, R., Acikgoz, F., & Du, H. (2023). Electronic word-of-mouth from video
bloggers: The role of content quality and source homophily across hedonic
and utilitarian products. Journal of Business Research, 160, 113774.

Gallen, Y., & Wasserman, M. (2022, June 15). Does Information Affect
Homophily? Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of
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Hanaysha, J. R. (2018). An examination of the factors affecting consumer’s

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2(1), 7–23.

Hissong, S. (2020, March 6). Finally, Research Suggests Female Artists Are
More Creative Than Men. Rolling Stone.

Huete-Alcocer, N. (2017). A Literature Review of Word of Mouth and Electronic

Word of Mouth: Implications for Consumer Behavior. Frontiers in
Psychology, 8(1256), 1–4.
 45

Hussain, S., Song, X., & Niu, B. (2020). Consumers’ Motivational Involvement in
eWOM for Information Adoption: The Mediating Role of Organizational
Motives. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(2019).

Ip, L. W. (2019). The Influences of Electronic Word-Of-Mouth, Argument Quality,

and Source Credibility on Consumers’ Perceptions and Intentions on
Online Travel Agencies [ProQuest Dissertations, Universidade de
Coimbra].

Ismagilova, E., Slade, E. L., Rana, N. P., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2020). The Effect of
Electronic Word of Mouth Communications on Intention to Buy: A Meta-
Analysis. Information Systems Frontiers, 22(5), 1203–1226.

Janio Asia. (2019, July 29). WHO ARE THE PHILIPPINES’ ONLINE
SHOPPERS? Janio Asia.

Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges
and opportunities of Social Media. Business horizons, 53(1), 59-68.

Lundin, H. (2021). The Impact of Trust in eWOM Through Dimensions of Source

Credibility Towards Purchase Intention of a Hotel Stay [Bachelor Thesis,
Luleå University of Technology].

Lynch, B. M. (2016, February 19). Study finds our desire for “like-minded others”
is hard-wired. The University of Kansas.

Madhusanka, J. D. T., Weerasiri, R. A. S., & Karunarathne, W. V. A. D. (2020).

The Impact of Electronic Word of Mouth on Brand Evaluation Leading to
Brand Attachment: A Comparative Study on Consumer Electronics and
Cosmetic Brands in Sri Lanka. Kelaniya Journal of Management, 9(2), 1–
20.

Martawilaga, A. I., & Purwanegara, M. S. (2016). Information Acceptance Of

Electronic Words Of Mouth (Ewom) And Purchase Intention Through Haul
Videos Youtube. Journal of Business and Management, 5(5), 651–660.

McKinsey & Company. (2020, October 5). How COVID-19 Has Pushed
Companies Over the Technology Tipping Point—And Transformed
Business Forever. McKinsey & Company.

McLaughlin, C. M. (2012). Preference for homophily, credibility, and the word-of-

mouth process [Doctoral Thesis, Michigan State University].

Millwood, A. (2021, July 22). Understanding the Consumer Decision Making

Process. Yotpo.
 46

Munawar, S., Ahmad, N., & Abro, Q. (2021). Impact of eWOM Credibility on
Purchase Intention mediated by eWOM Adoption. KASBIT Business
Journal, 14(2), 84–99.

Perkasa, D. H., Suhendar, I. A., Randyantini, V., & M, E. A. (2020). The Effect of
Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM), Product Quality, and Price on
Purchase Decisions. Dinasti International Journal of Education
Management and Social Science, 1(5), 695–706.

Pradhana, F., & Sastiono, P. (2019). Gender Differences in Online Shopping:

Are Men More Shopaholic Online? 123–128.

Prasad, S., Gupta, I. C., & Totala, N. K. (2017). Social media usage, electronic
word of mouth and purchase-decision involvement. Asia-Pacific Journal of
Business Administration, 9(2), 134–145.

Rahaman, M. A., Hassan, H. K., Asheq, A. A., & Islam, K. A. (2022). The
interplay between eWOM information and purchase intention on social
media: Through the lens of IAM and TAM theory. PloS one, 17(9),
e0272926.

Rahim, R. A., Sulaiman, Z., Chin, T. A., & Ariff, M. S. B. M. (2017). E-WOM
Review Adoption: Consumers’ Demographic Profile Influence on Green
Purchase Intention. IOP Conference Series Materials Science and
Engineering, 215(1), 1–6.

Rai, B. (2019). The Effect of Demographic Factors on Consumer Purchase

intention in Buying Television Set in Kathmandu Valley: An Empirical
Study. Pravaha, 25(1), 23–32.

Saleem, A., & Ellahi, A. (2017). Influence of Electronic Word of Mouth on

Purchase Intention of Fashion Products on Social Networking Websites.
Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Sciences, 2017, 597–622.

Shuang, Y. (2013). Effects Of Information Quality and Source Credibility on

EWOM Adoption in Context of Virtual Community. 2013 International
Conference on Management Science and Engineering 20th Annual
Conference Proceedings, 194–200.

Sohaib, M., Hui, P., Akram, U., & Majeed, A. (2020). How Social Factors Drive
Electronic Word-of-Mouth on Social Networking Sites? 574–585.

Statista. (2021). Share of internet users in the Philippines as of March 2019, by

age group. Statista Research Department.
 47

Teng, S., Khong, K. W., Goh, W. W., & Chong, A. (2014). Examining the
antecedents of persuasive eWOM messages in social media. Online
Information Review, 38(6), 746–768.

APPENDICES
 48

Appendix A
Weighted Mean Results

Descriptive Statistics

N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation

Source Credibility1 50 1.00 5.00 4.0000 1.04978

2 50 1.00 5.00 3.9000 .95298

3 50 1.00 5.00 3.8400 .99714

4 50 1.00 5.00 4.1400 .92604

Source Style1 50 1.00 5.00 4.0400 1.02936

2 50 1.00 5.00 3.6600 .93917

3 50 1.00 5.00 3.6800 .93547

4 50 1.00 5.00 3.6200 .92339

Source Similarity1 50 1.00 5.00 3.5600 .99304

2 50 1.00 5.00 3.6600 .98167

3 50 1.00 5.00 3.4800 1.11098

4 50 1.00 5.00 3.8800 1.00285

Information Qaulity1 50 1.00 5.00 4.4400 .97227

2 50 1.00 5.00 4.3600 .94242

3 50 1.00 5.00 4.4000 1.03016

4 50 1.00 5.00 4.5200 .90891

Valid N (listwise) 50
 49

Cover Letter

Dear Respondents,

Warm greetings!

We, the researchers of Holy Name University's College of Business and

Accountancy, are conducting an online survey and inviting you to participate in
the research study by completing the following survey. The study that we are
currently writing is entitled FACTORS OF ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH
AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY INFLUENCE PURCHASE DECISIONS
AMONG HNU BSBA STUDENTS. The said study is a prerequisite for graduation
with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Marketing
Management.
In accordance with RA 10173 or Data Privacy Act of 2012, your
participation in this study will be greatly appreciated and will help in the
completion of our research. Rest assured that all information obtained from this
study is highly confidential and will only be used for research purposes.

Thank you and God Bless!

Sincerely yours,
 50

The Researchers

Javate, Sherry Rose B.

Licos, Beverlie S.

Naranjo, Farah Mae

Appendix B
Research Questionnaire

PART I: DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

Direction: Kindly fill out all the information needed in the space provided.
Age: ________________________
Sex: ________________________
Year Level: ________________________
Socio-Economic Status: ________________________
Social Media Use (in a day): ☐ 1-3 hours
☐ 4-6 hours
☐ 7-9 hours
☐ 10-12 hours
☐ More than 13 hours
Social Media Use (in a week): ☐ Everyday
☐ Every other day
☐ Every two days
☐ Every three days
☐ Every four days

PART II: QUESTIONNAIRE ON ELECTRONIC WORD OF MOUTH FACTORS

Direction: This modified questionnaire, based on Daowd et al.'s (2021) eWOM
Factors Purchase Intention Questionnaire, will seek to determine the public's
prioritized aspect of electronic word of mouth that makes them compelled to
engage with it. The primary purpose of these questions is to know what factors
determine the likelihood of the respondents engaging with electronic word of
 51

mouth. Kindly mark or check the box that corresponds to your answer: the
credibility of the source, information presentation style, identification with the
source, and quality of information.

Information Identifying
ELECTRONIC WORD-OF- Credibility Quality of
Presentation with the
MOUTH FACTORS of Source Information
Style Source

1. What is the primary

reason why you choose
to engage in electronic
word of mouth (e.g.,
reviews) during the pre-
purchase process?

PART III: QUESTIONNAIRE ON FACTORS’ EXTENT OF INFLUENCE

Direction: This modified questionnaire, based on Daowd et al.'s (2021) eWOM
Factors Purchase Intention Questionnaire, will seek to determine the extent of
influence of electronic word of mouth factors towards people's purchasing
decisions. The primary purpose of this question is to know how much source
credibility, source style, source similarity, and information quality affect the
consuming behavior of the public. Kindly mark or check the box corresponding to
your answer, with one being strongly disagree and five strongly agree.

Agreement
SOURCE Strongly Strongly
CREDIBILITY Disagree Neutral Agree
Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)

1. The level of
expertise or
professionality of
the source 1 2 3 4 5
influences my
purchasing
decisions.

2. The source’s 1 2 3 4 5
attitudes and
 52

opinions towards
the information
influences my
purchasing
decisions.

3. The level of
popularity and
familiarity of the 1 2 3 4 5
source influences
my purchasing
decisions.

4. The volume of
information
included in the 1 2 3 4 5
source influences
my purchasing
decisions.

Agreement

SOURCE STYLE Strongly Strongly

Disagree Neutral Agree
Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)

1. The visual
information, be it
photo or video,
included in the 1 2 3 4 5
source influences
my purchase
decisions.

2. The attributes of
the website, like
outline, colors,
patterns, and style, 1 2 3 4 5
influences my
purchase
decisions.

3. The source’s 1 2 3 4 5
 53

use of language
influences my
purchase
decisions.

4. The position
that the source is
taking influences 1 2 3 4 5
my purchase
decisions.

Agreement
SOURCE Strongly Strongly
SIMILARITY Disagree Neutral Agree
Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)

1. The
characteristics of
the source,
particularly in
terms of age,
education level, 1 2 3 4 5
and other
demographic
variables,
influence my
purchase
decisions.

2. I feel that I can

relate with the
poster of the
online review, and 1 2 3 4 5
that influences my
purchase
decisions.

3. Vloggers, 1 2 3 4 5
streamers, idols,
and similar
influencers that
have similar
 54

interests as me
influence my
purchase
decisions.

4. Reviews of
people in similar
social networking
groups,
organizations, or 1 2 3 4 5
institutions as me
influence my
purchase
decisions.

Agreement
INFORMATION Strongly Strongly
QUALITY Disagree Neutral Agree
Disagree Agree
(2) (3) (4)
(1) (5)

1. The relevance
of the information
provided by the
1 2 3 4 5
source influences
my purchase
decisions.

2. The currency or
the date of
publication of the
information
1 2 3 4 5
provided by the
source influences
my purchase
decisions.

3. The number of 1 2 3 4 5
votes/reactions
that an information
 55

source has
influences my
purchase
decisions.

4. The depth of
information
integrated in the
1 2 3 4 5
source influences
my purchase
decisions.

PART IV: QUESTIONNAIRE ON EWOM’S FREQUENCY OF INFLUENCE ON

PURCHASING DECISIONS
Direction: This modified questionnaire, which is based on Fanoberova & Kuczkowska's
(2016) Online Purchase Intention Questionnaire, will determine the frequency of
influence of electronic word of mouth on a person's purchasing decisions. The main goal
of these questions is to evaluate how frequently an individual enacts upon purchasing
activities after engagement with electronic word-of-mouth sources. Kindly mark or check
the box corresponding to your answer, with one being never, and five being always.

EWOM’S Frequency
FREQUENCY OF
INFLUENCE ON
PURCHASING Rarely Sometimes Often Always
Never (1)
DECISIONS (2) (3) (4) (5)

1. How often do
you search for
online product
information before
purchasing it?
 56

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!

Appendix C
Ethical Review Board Feedback and Clearance

11 November 2022

Licos et al
Undergraduate Researchers
College of Business and
Accountancy Holy Name
University

Dear Ms. Licos:

Thank you for submitting your protocol proposal, Factors of EWOM and the Extent to
Which it Influence Purchase Decisions Among HNU BSBA Students, for ethical clearance.

We reviewed your application, and there are some points which the Reviewers would
like for you to address. The following points below are the main concerns of the
Reviewers regarding your research study. The Reviewers also provide suggestions. Its
discussion with your adviser is encouraged.

Action/s taken/
Comments/Suggestions to be
Issues Response/s
Discussed with your Adviser
 Please rewrite: The method  The researchers have
of design…. Should be; The already rewritten the
research design involves method of design.
the distribution of a
Research
research survey
Environment (page
questionnaire through the
12)
use of google forms.
 In its chronology, Holy  The researchers have
Name College should come already made the
 57

first before Divine Word necessary revision.

College of Tagbilaran.
Please make the needed
revision.
 Inclusion /Exclusion criteria  The researchers have
should be presented in a already changed the
narrative format and not two criteria into a
numbered. narrative format.
 Your study cited the  The researchers
utilization of HNU-BSBA chose ages 18 to 25
students as respondents as the respondents
Research Participants but in your inclusion because the study’s
(page 12) criteria, it was specifically inclusion criteria
mentioned that included active
respondents are internet users and it
Generation Z students isupportted by the
aging from 18-24. Are these data of internet
Gen Z students’ users/online of
representative of HNU- Statista Research
BSBA students? Department (2021).
 What is your determinant  Students who are
on students who preferred infrequent social
to shop in media users are the
malls/commercial ones who prefer to
establishments rather shop in physical
shopping online? stores.
 Your study did not indicate  The researchers have
these ethical already indicated
considerations; voluntary these ethical
participation and considerations in
withdrawal of participants, their study.
informed consent,
anonymity of respondents,
and confidentiality of
information and results
communication. (data
privacy.)
 58

 Kindly make resolution on  The researchers have

RESEARCH this statement: The updated their research
PROCEDURES (page respondents will meet the procedure. The
14) research questionnaire in a researchers have also
matter of minutes and be mentioned in the
given time to complete it. paper that an online
Seems, this is erroneously survey questionnaire
crafted (pls edit). Does it (Google Forms) will be
also mean that you will distributed online
distribute the survey through Messenger.
instrument face to face
when you mentioned it will
be sent through google
form?

 SUGGESTION: Please  The researchers’ TA

consult your TA to possibly have already
discuss refinements on this responded and made
item in your study refinements on this
specifically on sentence item.
construction and clarity.

Sincerely yours,

Maria Isabel Abucejo, MIT, MBA

Holy Name University-Ethics Review Board
 59

11 November 2022

Licos et al
Undergraduate Researchers
College of Business and Accountancy
Holy Name University

Dear Ms. Licos:

APPROVED with Minor Modifications

The HNU-ERB, after its deliberation, approved with minor modifications your proposal
entitled Factors of EWOM and the Extent to Which it Influence Purchase Decisions
Among HNU BSBA Students, effective November 11, 2022.

Details of Approval with Minor Modifications

Reference No: HNU-ERB_November2022-115

Validity: November 11, 2022 – November 10, 2023

The HNU-ERB provided you with the points for clarification and recommendations on
how to address it. The raised concerns were pertinent to your submitted protocol. In
this regard, we highly recommend that you include in your appendix the
communications between you and the HNU-ERB. It is to enable other stakeholders of
your study to know the extent of your effort in ensuring your study's research ethics
and integrity.

The following must be observed in compliance with the approval of the ethical
clearance.

1. The ethical clearance is valid for one year. At the end of this period, you are
required to submit a FINAL REPORT on the project, whether it is completed,
abandoned, discontinued, or not completed for any reasons.
2. However, if at the end of the effectivity period and the project is still ongoing,
you must submit, instead, an application for the renewal of the ethical
clearance.
3. Please notify the HNU-ERB in writing if there are any alterations in the project.
4. In the event of any adverse effects or unforeseen circumstances that may affect
the ethical acceptability of the project, notify the ERB immediately.
5. Attach all HNU-ERB communications.
6. You are responsible for the ethical conduct of the research at all times.
 60

We wish you all the success in your endeavors.

Sincerely yours,

Maria Isabel Abucejo, MIT, MBA

Holy Name University-Ethics Review Board
 HOLY NAME UNIVERSITY
Janssen Heights, Dampas District, 6300 Tagbilaran City
Telephone Nos. (038) 412-3432, -412-3764, 4113630
Fax No. (038) 412-3387
Website: http://www.hnu.ph

September 24, 2022

PROF. MA. ISABEL R. ABUCEJO

Chairperson, Ethics Review Board
Holy Name University

Dear Professor Abucejo:

Warm Greetings!

Humbly submitting herewith for Ethical Review, our proposed study on:
FACTORS OF ELECTRONIC WORD-OF-MOUTH AND THE EXTENT TO
WHICH THEY INFLUENCE PURCHASE DECISIONS AMONG HNU BSBA
STUDENTS by Beverlie Licos et al.
Thank you for your passion and dedication in reviewing our study which we
believed can help in its improvement and refinement.
More power and God bless.

Truly yours,

BEVERLIS S. LICOS NOTED: DR. PRECILLANO E.

ECHAVIA
Group Leader Content/Technical Adviser
 Protocol Packet: Submission Checklist

ITEM NO. MANDATORY DOCUMENTS YES NO NA

1 Cover Letter √
2 Research Protocol Application Form √
3 Protocol Review Assessment Form √
4 Informed Consent Form (ICF) Checklist √
5 Study Protocol √
6. Informed Consent Form in English and Local √
Dialect
7 Research participants recruitment procedure √
(if applicable)
8 Curriculum Vitae of Study Members √
9 Document Receipt Form √
10 Site Profile √

HNU-ERB Code:
 Protocol Title: FACTORS OF EWOM AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT INFLUENCE
PURCHASE DECISIONS AMONG HNU BSBA STUDENTS

Date of Submission: September 24, 2022

1
Type of Study (Basic Research, Basic Research, Survey
Survey, Clinical Trial, etc):
Expected number of participants: 100

Principal Investigator (Lead Researcher)

Full Name: Beverlie S. Licos
Address: P6 Upper Salazar St. Ubujan
2
Position: Student
Email address: [email protected]
Contact #: 09192232148

Declaration To be Signed by the Principal Investigator

 I am aware of the ethical aspects of this research project.

 I undertake to commit and submit the “Progress Report Form” to the

HNU-ERB.

 I will ensure that changes in approved research protocols are reported

promptly and are not initiated without approval by the HNU-ERB,
except when necessary to eliminate apparent immediate hazards to the
participant.

 I will ensure that all adverse or unforeseen problems arising from the
research project are timely reported to the HNU-ERB.

 I will undertake to provide notification when the study is complete and

if it fails to start or is abandoned.
Signature: BEVERLIE S. LICOS Date: September 24, 2022
Research Protocol Application Form

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

HNU-ERB Admin Staff
Center for Research and Publications
Bates Bldg., Janssen Heights, Dampas Dist.,
Tagbilaran, Bohol
(038) 5017731 loc.107/5010125 loc 211
[email protected]

PROTOCOL REVIEW ASSESSMENT POINTS

Please indicate in the space provided below

whether or not the specified assessment point is
addressed by your study protocol. To facilitate the
TO THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR evaluation of the assessment point, indicate the
page and paragraph where this information can be
found.

Please evaluate how the assessment points

outlined below have been appropriately
addressed by the study protocol, as Applicable by
confirming the submitted information and putting
TO THE PRIMARY REVIEWER your comments in the space provided under
“REVIEWER COMMENTS.” Finalize your review by
indicating your conclusions under
“RECOMMENDED ACTION” and signing in space
provided for the primary reviewer.

To be filled by the Applicant

ASSESSMENT POINTS Indicate if the Page and REVIEWER’S
protocol paragraph COMMENTS
contains where it is
specified found
assessment
point
YES NO
SCIENTIFIC DESIGN
1 Objectives √ Page: 8
2 Literature review √ Page: 3-7
3 Research Design √ Page: 11
Paragraph:
1
4 Sampling Design √ Page: 10
5 Sample Size √ Page: 10
6 Statistical Treatment √ Page: 14
7 Inclusion criteria √ Page: 12
8 Exclusion criteria √ Page: 12
9 Withdrawal criteria √
CONDUCT OF THE STUDY
1 Specimen handling √
2 Researchers’ qualification (CV) √ Page: 24-
 26
3 Suitability of site √
4 Duration √
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
1 Conflict of Interest √
2 Confidentiality and privacy √
3 Informed Consent Process √ Page: 19
4 Recruitment √
5 Vulnerability √
6 Assent √
7 Risks √
8 Benefits √
9 Incentives and Compensations √

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
APPROVAL
MINOR MODIFICATIONS
MAJOR MODIFICATIONS
DISAPPROVAL
JUSTIFICATION FOR
RECOMMENDATION

PRIMARY REVIEWER:
________________________ _________________
Signature over Printed Name Date

PANEL SECRETARY
________________________ _________________
Signature over Printed Name Date

PANEL CHAIR
________________________ _________________
Signature over Printed Name Date

Informed Consent Assessment Form

TO THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR Please indicate in the space provided below
 whether or not the specified element is addressed
by the Informed Consent Form (ICF). TO facilitate
the evaluation of the assessment point, indicate
the page and paragraph where the information
can be found.

Please evaluate how the elements outlined below

have been appropriately addressed by the
Informed Consent Form (ICF), as applicable by
confirming the submitted information and putting
your comments in the space provided under
“REVIEWER COMMENTS.” In your comments,
TO THE PRIMARY REVIEWER ensure that vulnerability, recruitment process,
and process of obtaining informed consent are
always assessed in the context of the study
protocol and the participant. Finalize your review
by indicating your conclusions under
“RECOMMENDED ACTION” and signing in space
provided for the primary reviewer.

To be filled by the Applicant

ASSESSMENT POINTS Indicate if the Page and REVIEWER’S
protocol paragraph COMMENTS
contains where it is
specified found
assessment
point
YES NO
1 Statement of the purpose √ Page: 2
of the study. Paragraph:
3
2 Statement on who can √ Page: 11
participate in the study Paragraph:
3
3 Inclusion Criteria √ Page: 12
Paragraph:
1
4 Exclusion Criteria √ Page: 12
Paragraph:
2
5 Withdrawal Criteria √
6 Statement concerning the √ Page: 10
expected number of
participants in your study.
7 Statement about the √ Page: 11
location where the Paragraph:
research will take place. 2
8 Statement about the data √ Page: 13
collection procedure. Paragraph:
 2
9 Statement concerning the √ Page: 13
amount of time Paragraph:
participants needed to 2
take part in the study
10 Statement about when will √
participant’s participation
ends.
11 Statement about the √
responsibilities of the
participant.
12 Statement about the √
voluntary participation in
the study.
13 Statement if the √
participants belong or
considered and identified
as vulnerable.
14 Statement pertinent to the √
assent to take part in the
study. (if participants are
minors or under special
circumstances requiring
guardians or legally
authorized representative)
15 Statement concerning √
risks and how researchers
will protect participants
from these risks.
16 Statement about the √
benefits of participating
17 Direct benefits √
18 Indirect benefits √
19 Scientific Community √
benefits
20 Societal benefits √
21 Statement about √
management of new
information that may
influence the willingness
of the participant to
continue participating in
the study.
22 Statement pertaining to √
participant’s decision to
opt out of the research
23 Statement about √
compensation, token, or
gift to be given to the
 participant.
24 Statement concerning the √ Page 19:
protection of the Paragraph:
participant’s information 2
and data

Appendix D
CURRICULUM VITAE
BEVERLIE S. LICOS
Upper Salazar, Ubujan, Tagbilaran, City
09192232148

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Age : 23
Birthdate : September 29, 2000
Birthplace : Badiang, Anda, Bohol
Citizenship : Filipino
Sex : Female
Religion : Roman Catholic
Civil Status : Single
E-mail address : [email protected]

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Tertiary : Holy Name University

BSBA major in Marketing Management
Janssen Heights, Dampas District Tagbilaran City, Bohol
2019-2023

Secondary : Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School

CPG North Ave. Tagbilaran City, Bohol
2013-2019

Primary : Ubujan Elementary School

Ubujan,Tagbilaran City, Bohol
2007-2013
 SHERRY ROSE B. JAVATE
CPG North Ave. Tagbilaran
09999249340

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Age : 23
Birthdate : September 15, 2000
Birthplace : Cebu City, Cebu
Citizenship : Filipino
Sex : Female
Religion : Roman Catholic
Civil Status : Single
E-mail address : [email protected]

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Tertiary : Holy Name University

BSBA major in Marketing Management
Janssen Heights, Dampas District Tagbilaran City,
Bohol 2019-2023

Senior HS : University of Bohol

Dr. Cecilio Putong Street Tagbilaran City, Bohol
2018-2019
Junior HS : Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School
CPG North Ave.Tagbilaran City
2012-2018

Primary : Tagbilaran Grace Christian School

Tagbilaran City, Bohol
2006-2012
 FARAH MAE NARANJO
Poblacion Occidental, Valencia, Bohol
09702219738

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Age : 22
Birthdate : February 08, 2001
Birthplace : Cebu City, Cebu
Citizenship : Filipino
Sex : Female
Religion : Baptist
Civil Status : Single
E-mail address : [email protected]

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Tertiary : Holy Name University

BSBA major in Marketing Management
Janssen Heights, Dampas District Tagbilaran City, Bohol
2019-2024

Senior HS : Holy Name University

Janssen Heights, Dampas District Tagbilaran City, Bohol
2017-2019

Junior HS : Valencia Technical Vocational High School

Poblacion Oriental, Valencia, Bohol
2013-2017

Primary : Valencia Central Elementary School

Poblacion Oriental, Valencia, Bohol
2007-2013