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- Title
Analysis of Referral Networks in Marketing: Methods and Illustration.
- Authors
Reingen, Peter H.; Kernan, Jerome B.
- Abstract
Though many marketers--particularly those in the service sector--depend on word of mouth (WOM) for referrals, the traditional sample survey methodology used in previous WOM research does not explicate the interpersonal nature of informal communication. The authors propose network analysis as an alternative method for research on referral behavior. The sampling, data-gathering, and analytic aspects of referral network analysis are described in general terms and illustrated with a case study which, in addition to yielding interesting descriptive information about a service marketer's referral network, affords a test of the strength-of-ties hypothesis in influencing referral flows.
- Subjects
BUSINESS referrals; NETWORK analysis (Planning); OPERATIONS research; MARKETING research; INDUSTRIAL engineering; MARKETING strategy; PRODUCTION scheduling; NETWORK analysis (Communication); WORD of mouth advertising; INTERPERSONAL relations
- Publication
Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), 1986, Vol 23, Issue 4, p370
- ISSN
0022-2437
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/3151813