GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ANTECEDENTS AND
CONSEQUENCES OF TRUST IN AN ENTERPRISE’S TRAVEL
BLOGS
CHI-LUNG LEE
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
KUO-LUN HSIAO
National Taichung University of Science and Technology
HSI-PENG LU
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
We developed a research model based on the trust literature to explore both the antecedents
and consequences of users’ trust in an enterprise’s travel blogs, and gender differences in
determinants of trust. Responses from 239 participants were used to test the research model
hypotheses. The causal model was validated using partial least squares regression analysis.
The results showed that the visual appeal and information adequacy of the blog platform, as
well as trust in travel experts’ blogs, were the key factors influencing readers’ trust, for both
men and women. Contrary to our expectations, trust for men was not significantly affected
by the operational efficiency of the blog platform. Moreover, although trust was found to
influence male and female users’ intention to recommend travel services, it did not have a
significant effect on female users’ purchase intention.
Keywords: trust, travel blog, travel services, purchasing intention, gender differences.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND PERSONALITY, 2015, 43(2), 269-286
© Society for Personality Research
http://dx.doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2015.43.2.269
269
Chi-Lung Lee, Department of Information Management, National Taiwan University of Science
and Technology; Kuo-Lun Hsiao, Department of Information Management, National Taichung
University of Science and Technology; and Hsi-Peng Lu, Department of Information Management,
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.
This study was financially supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China (NSC
101-2410-H-025-008).
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to: Kuo-Lun Hsiao, Department of
Information Management, National Taichung University of Technology and Science, No. 129
Sanmin Road, Sec. 3, North District, Taichung City 404, Taiwan, ROC. Email: h24871356@gmail.
com