TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wang, Nan
A1  - Xie, Wenxuan
A1  - Tiberius, Victor
A1  - Qiu, Yong
T1  - Accelerating new product diffusion
T2  - Journal of retailing and consumer services
N2  - In social networks or, more specifically, online communities on tech-products, opinion leaders are important sources of advice for other consumers in the adoption and diffusion of new products. However, possibilities for potential users to exert their influence on opinion leadership are ignored. This study determines whether and how lead users may serve as opinion leaders in social networks and advise other consumers in the adoption and diffusion of new products. Our survey with 308 users in the Xiaomi and Huawei communities suggests that higher lead userness is positively and significantly associated with the likelihood of opinion giving and passing. Product-possessing innovativeness has a higher impact compared with information-possessing innovativeness. Product involvement does not enhance the effect of information-possessing innovativeness. The findings provide a better understanding of the formation of opinion leadership in social networks for an accelerated diffusion of new products.
KW  - lead userness
KW  - opinion leadership
KW  - domain-specific innovativeness
KW  - new product diffusion
KW  - product involvement
Y1  - 2023
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/60860
SN  - 0969-6989
VL  - 72
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  -