How gratitude influences customer word-of-mouth intentions and involvement: the mediating role of affective commitment

This current research examines how gratitude and affective commitment work together to improve customer–organizational relationships. Using theories from services marketing and consumer psychology, we develop and test a customer relationship model. The results empirically demonstrate that affective commitment mediates the relationship between gratitude and customer word-of-mouth intentions and involvement. For theorists, our customer relationship model offers a better psychological explanation of how a customers’ emotional response of gratitude generates benefits for organizations. We suggest managers should invest in stimulating both customer gratitude and affective commitment to improve positive word-of-mouth intentions and customer involvement subsequently.