WHO ARE THE INFLUENTIALS? THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OPINION LEADERSHIP AND NEW PRODUCT ADOPTION

Abstract: This study examines innovativeness and self-construal as antecedents to selfreported and sociometric opinion leadership, both of which may affect new product adoption. In addition, innovativeness is proposed to be associated with new product adoption. First, this thesis shows that self-reported and sociometric measures of opinion leadership tap into different constructs. This current thesis proposes that sociometric measures reflect opinion leadership better. In addition, sociometric opinion leaders are true experts (Iyengar et al. 2011). Second, this study examines the relationships among innovativeness, self-construal, opinion leadership and new product adoption in order to clarify the relationships among these concepts. Thus, this study provides a unique framework to explain how opinion leaders should be identified.