Is social media or word-of-mouth more effective in halal-based mobile application usage?
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the different types of communication mechanisms in motivating the use of halal-based apps among Brunei Muslim students in higher education institutions abroad.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a convenience sampling procedure, 100 online structured questionnaires were accumulated from various higher education institutions abroad with a 60% response rate from Brunei Muslim students. Descriptive analysis, Binomial Logit and the Binomial Probit model were used to test different types of communication mechanisms in motivating the use of halal-based apps among Brunei Muslim students studying abroad. Demographic profiling such as gender, age, university programs and length of the program was also considered in the study.
Findings
Based on the statistical analyses, the word-of-mouth (WOM) mechanism is significant and more effective in influencing halal-based app usage among Muslim students abroad. Moreover, halal-based app usage with the combination of WOM mechanism and social media platform play a vital role in spreading halal awareness.
Research limitations/implications
The sample was taken from random higher educational institutions abroad and respondents were selected using convenience sampling. Therefore, it may not be fully representative of the population of Brunei Muslim university students studying abroad. Second, there may also be missing variables that have not been considered in the study.
Practical implications
This study generates important insights from Muslim consumers on halal-based app usage. Stakeholders can integrate halal-based apps with digital word-of-mouth and social media interfaces to promote halal awareness and halal-based app usage effectively.
Originality/value
This research adds to the current limited knowledge of halal-based app usage among Brunei Muslim university students abroad.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by Universiti Brunei Darussalam Research Grant UBD/RSCH/URC/RG(b)/2022/026. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr Hazwan Haini (Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies) for their invaluable assistance with the quantitative analysis of this study. Dr Hazwan Haini’s expertise significantly contributed to the robustness and clarity of the results presented in this paper.
Citation
Haji Sumardi, W.H., Musa, S.F.P.D. and Pg Hj Idris, P.S.R. (2024), "Is social media or word-of-mouth more effective in halal-based mobile application usage?", Journal of Islamic Marketing, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-06-2023-0193
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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