The goal of this thesis is to understand the psychological factors of pirating behavior, and how eWOM plays a role in piracy in movie industry in Asia’s less developed countries. The researcher assesses psychological factors, such as optimal stimulation level, perceived risk, ethical value, and imagination, and assesses the effect of eWOM on movie on pirating behavior. Specially, this study investigates how the dimensions of eWOM, i.e. volume, duration, and valence influence pirating behavior.
The result finds that in Asia’s less developed countries, pirating behavior is related to imagination of participating in modernity. Contrarily to previous finding, while optimal stimulus level (OSL) was found to influence pirating behavior in the developed countries, OSL has no effect on pirating behavior among Asian consumers. Moreover, while pirating is considered immoral in the developed countries, ethical perception is not related to pirating behavior in Asia’s less developed countries; piracy is considered amoral. However, online critics on pirating behavior still can create social consensus pressure to discourage pirating behavior. Finally, eWOM on movie content itself has a weak effect on pirating behavior. Only volume influences pirating behavior.
This thesis concludes that because of the less developed infrastructure in movie industry, pirating behavior in Asia’s less developed countries differs significantly from previous findings based on developed countries. Also, the psychological characteristics of pirating behavior differs from theater patronization and legal website viewing. It may suggest policy makers to take other measures rather than imposing sanction to effectively deal with piracy in Asia’s less developed countries.

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