ABSTRACT
The global nature of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) indicates that an understanding is also needed of how cultural values moderate the effects of eWOM on consumer product evaluation. This chapter reviews the literature on the role of cultural values in eWOM, and provides directions for future academic research on eWOM by offering managerial implications for online marketing communications. Cultural values have also been found to influence the nature of online communication, but there is little empirical research that has examined the impact of culture on the eWOM process. Because internet users from different cultures may use different channels and methods to disseminate messages, eWOM is expected to relate to international contexts and cultural values. The complex nature of culture's influence on eWOM and consumer decision-making requires continuous attention from researchers and practitioners. From a practical perspective, the cultural differences observed in eWOM would provide meaningful insights that help global advertisers adopt different strategies to better target consumers across cultures.
