الفهرس 
Research FrameworkOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
1. Introduction
The evolution of technology made the internet an attractive platform for the socialization process that accentuates the significance of the electronic form of communication as it allows it to have a significant reach and be permanently stored (Hennig-Thurau, et al., 2004).
As a result electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) communications increased in importance as they became an important source of information regarding a product or service quality (Chevalier and Mayzlin, 2006). from a consumer’s perspective, e-WOM is characterized by high credibility, persuasiveness and relevance (Chatterjee, 2001; Bickart and Shindler, 2001; Godes and Mayzlin, 2004; Mayzlin, 2006). It is considered capable of reducing the risk and uncertainty accompanying the purchase, thereby influencing purchase intentions and the decision making process of consumers (Chatterjee, 2001).
This is understandable since e-WOM is an independent consumer-generated source of information. Its value relies on the reasoning that consumers don’t feel that brand or product recommendations are based on a commercial or marketing intent (Pongjit and Beise-Zee, 2015; Bambauer-sachse and Mangold, 2011; Brown et al., 2007). In addition, people tend to trust impartial opinions from others outside their close social circles (Duana, et al., 2008). This emphasizes the significance and influence of e-WOM as a source of information.
Over time e-WOM developed a strong influence on consumers and brands. It has been found to influence brand engagement (Chu and Kim, 2011), brand image (Jalilvand and Samiei, 2012), brand equity (Bambauer-sachse and Mangold, 2011), consumers’ attitudes and overall evaluation of the brand (Sen and Lerman, 2007). Furthermore, previous studies indicate that e-WOM can impact purchase intentions and sales, as consumers believe that the amount of e-WOM available on a brand can serve as a signal of its popularity (Chatterjee, 2001; Laczniak, et al., 2001; Park, et al., 2007; Amblee and Bui, 2011).
At the end, it can be concluded that e-WOM is an influential and credible source of information that holds various impacts on brands and consumers, thus it requires further investigation.
2. Research Problem:
Brand credibility is an important asset that requires a lot of investments in order to be developed and the presence of e-WOM as an influential source of information for consumers can be an undermining authority to those investments.
Therefore, the relationship between e-WOM and brand credibility should not be neglected. Instead it should be understood and properly managed accordingly. In order to reap positive benefits and avoid any harmful effects that might arise on consumers’ perception of brand credibility and subsequently reflect on their purchase intentions.
3. Research Objectives:
• Investigate the relationship between e-WOM and brand credibility.
• Test the relationship between e-WOM and consumer purchase intentions.
• Examine the relationship between brand credibility and consumer’s purchase intentions.
• Explore whether brand credibility acts as a mediator between e-WOM and consumer’s purchase intentions.
4. Research Hypotheses:
H1: There is a significant positive relationship between e-WOM and brand credibility
H2: There is a significant positive relationship between e-WOM and consumer’s purchase intentions
H3: There is a significant positive relationship between brand credibility and consumer’s purchase intentions
H4: There is a significant positive relationship between e-WOM and consumer’s purchase intentions mediated by brand credibility
5. Research Findings and Recommendations:
Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships and the results pointed toward the acceptance of all research hypotheses as demonstrated in the following table.