The Value of Managed Word of Mouth Programs
The Value of Managed Word of Mouth Programs
Study by Dr. Walter Carl for Northeastern University
In 2005, Dr. Walter Carl, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Northeastern University, approached BzzAgent, a WOM marketing and research firm, about conducting a study of WOM marketing and issues around the rising industry. Dr. Carl investigated, among other topics, differences in behavior and results between organized WOM programs and naturally occurring WOM.
Dr. CarlÂ’'s paper, "What's All the Buzz About?" analyzes the results in light of questions about whether WOM volunteers create WOM more effectively or have an impact on the purity of the medium. Ultimately, he discovered that participants in managed WOM programs generated more WOM than their peers without artificially manufacturing it.
Dr. Carl's paper has been accepted for publication and is scheduled to appear in Management Communication Quarterly in 2006.
