Opinion leaders and followers: A replication and extension

Opinion leadership has been a central construct in studies of new product diffusion models. Flynn, Goldsmith, and Eastman (1996) introduced the related concept of opinion seeking and documented its measurement properties. This replication and extension paper examines these two concepts, using their original scales and placing them in a nomological model that includes innovativeness and computer and software use as antecedents. The research model is tested empirically using a convenience sample of 123 Israeli consumers, with regression models and a multiple discriminant analysis. Innovativeness and computer usage were found to explain opinion leadership and opinion seeking. Opinion leadership and opinion seeking predicted several computer-related outcomes. The findings can be used to identify and utilize the differing information search profiles for opinion leaders and seekers. The former use a variety of sources, such as store visits and category-specific newspapers and magazines. In contrast, seekers rely more on expert advice from opinion leaders. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.