- Published
- 16 July 2025
- Journal article
Change the Vaccination Behavior in Emerging Countries: The Role of Network Externalities and Social Influence
- Authors
- Source
- Social Marketing Quarterly
Abstract
Background
Despite vaccination benefits to human health, the willingness to take it can be low due to various reasons. There is a need to find out factors that influence consumers’ willingness to take vaccination with the aim of changing consumers’ vaccination behaviour.
Focus of the Article
This research examines the impacts of network externalities (NE) and social influence (SI) on consumers’ willingness to take vaccination in an emerging country in Southeast Asia. The study aims to provide valuable insights and practical implications for developing social marketing strategies to promote positive vaccination behaviour.
Research Question
The study addresses three main questions: (1) Do network externalities and social influence affect vaccination behaviour? (2) Do perceived benefits, risks, and ease of register for vaccination mediate the influence of network externalities and social influence on vaccination behaviour? And (3) Does fear of COVID-19 play a moderating role within the research model?
Importance to the Social Marketing Field
By highlighting the predictive power of NE and SI in shaping individuals’ vaccination acceptance, this study contributes to the evolving landscape of social marketing. Specifically, the study underscores the efficacy of NE over SI in driving vaccination willingness through various mediators, emphasizing its potential as a strategic lever in social marketing campaigns.
Methods
This research employed online survey for the data collection. A total of 700 responses from consumers in an emerging country with higher risk of COVID-19 had been collected for data analysis. Established scales were adopted from prior research to measure the variables within the research framework. The structural equation modeling analysis and multi-group analysis were applied to test the hypotheses
Results
The PLS_SEM analysis suggests that both NE and SI have a significant impact on willingness to take vaccination. Furthermore, consumers can be indirectly influenced by network externalities through their perceptions of the benefits, risks, and ease of registering for the vaccination, which subsequently fosters a favorable attitude toward vaccination and increases their willingness to get vaccinated. Fear of COVID-19 is found to be the significant moderator for some relationships within the research framework.
Recommendations for Research or Practice
The findings provide useful insights that help policymakers and social marketers understand what and how individuals can be influenced to accept vaccination. Policymakers may consider adopting this way to increase the number of uptake of vaccines. Non-governmental organizations engaged in vaccination advocacy can integrate social marketing strategies aligned with these findings to maximize the effectiveness of their campaigns and drive increased vaccine uptake within communities.
Cite as
Ewe, S., Ho, J. & Lee, Y. 2025, 'Change the Vaccination Behavior in Emerging Countries: The Role of Network Externalities and Social Influence', Social Marketing Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1177/15245004251361055