Do recommendations matter? social networks, trust, and product adoption

Social network analysis allows researchers to capture the dynamics of social interactions, which may influence the impact of word of mouth advertising. This research seeks to combine a regression analysis of stated willingness to try a new food product with social network analysis. The goal of this article is to determine if variables that represent different aspects of group structure can better explain why some participants choose to adopt new food products while others do not. Our findings indicate that social network variables are a significant influence on a person's willingness to listen to a recommendation from someone else within their social network. Both the subject and the recommender's position in the network are influential. Additionally, the characteristics that impact willingness to listen to the recommendation vary depending on the food product studied. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.