Attracted to or Locked In? Predicting Continuance Intention in Social Virtual World Services

The Influence of Relational Benefits on Behavioral Intention and the Moderating Role of Habit: A Study in a Personal Service Business

The intention to repurchase is a key component in relationship marketing. However, minimal attention has been paid to how customers' habitual behavior moderates the relationship between customers' evaluation of benefits received from a service provider and the intention to revisit, specifically in a personal service business where customer-service provider interactions likely constitute the core of a sustainable relationship. To address this gap, the current study proposes and tests a comprehensive model to advance the theory of relationship marketing (RM) and additionally contributes to social exchange theory (SET), as well as the theory of repurchase decision making (TRD), in the business service context. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships of the research model. Based on data collected from 482 customers on their perceptions of hairstylists, the empirical findings revealed that relational benefits significantly affect post-experience behavior, satisfaction, trust, and relationship commitment, and subsequently boost the intention to revisit. Furthermore, habit as an unconscious factor moderates the paths between revisiting intention and its determinants. Although several limitations exist, the findings practically and theoretically contribute to the literature on relationship marketing.

The Factors Influencing Users’ Trust in and Loyalty to Consumer-to-Consumer Secondhand Marketplace Platform

This study investigates the factors influencing users’ trust in and loyalty to Karrot, a Korean consumer-to-consumer secondhand marketplace platform. This research develops a model with key variables based on the dual model of post-adoption phenomena and adds variables reflecting the specific context of Karrot. An online survey of 305 Karrot users was conducted in South Korea during 19–23 May 2022; the data obtained were analyzed by SEM. The results reveal that two types of trust—trust in Karrot and mutual trust among Karrot users—are direct antecedents of loyalty. Mutual trust among Karrot users is an essential predictor of trust in Karrot. Economic benefits and perceived platform functionality are positively associated with trust in Karrot. Psychological ownership and information interactions were shown to be the important determinants of mutual trust among Karrot users. This study contributes to extending the horizons of post-adoption research by understanding users’ affective and practical motivations for trust and loyalty and by confirming the significant role of two types of trust in forming loyalty. Moreover, this study also provides implications for practitioners of C2C secondhand market platforms to develop their management strategies and expand their customer base.

Understanding the Antecedents and Effects of mHealth App Use in Pandemics: A Sequential Mixed-Method Investigation

Pandemics such as COVID-19 pose serious threats to public health and disrupt the established systems for obtaining healthcare services. Mobile health (mHealth) apps serve the general public as a potential method for coping with these exogenous challenges. However, prior research has rarely discussed the antecedents and effects of mHealth apps and their use as a coping method during pandemics. Based on the technology acceptance model, empowerment theory, and event theory, we developed a research model to examine the antecedents (technology characteristics and event strength) and effects (psychological empowerment) of mHealth apps and their use. We tested this research model through a sequential mixed-method investigation. First, a quantitative study based on 402 Chinese mHealth users who used the apps during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to validate the theoretical model. A follow-up qualitative study of 191 online articles and reviews on mHealth during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted to cross-validate the results and explain the unsupported findings of the quantitative study. The results show that (1) the mHealth app characteristics (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) positively affect mHealth app use; (2) mHealth app use positively affects the psychological empowerment of mHealth users; and (3) the characteristics of pandemic events (event criticality and event disruption) have positive moderating effects on the relationship between mHealth app characteristics and mHealth app use. This study explains the role of mHealth apps in the COVID-19 pandemic on the micro-level, which has implications for the ways in which mHealth apps are used in response to public pandemics.

Why time flies? The role of immersion in short video usage behavior

Background

Short videos are becoming increasingly popular globally, and users are devoting more time to viewing them. However, few studies have examined the characteristics of short video content and the technical features that are related to media use. The present study developed a model to explore the influence of technological affordances on short video usage and considered innovation in terms of format, setting, and content.

Method

A total of 496 viewers of short videos from China were surveyed. The participants completed 31 Likert-scale items. The study used maximum likelihood estimation modeling.

Results

The results revealed that perceived novelty and content value (entertainment and irritation) affected immersion positively, consequently influencing intentions for reuse and recommendation. The ease of navigating an application, narrative structure, and information value had no significant effect on immersion.

Conclusion

These findings have confirmed that perceived situation affordance and the affective affordance of short videos in digital environments that are managed by intelligent algorithms. It is necessary to analyze the potential impact of different affordances specifically.

Promoting collaborative learning in virtual worlds: the power of “we”

Purpose

As digital spaces for team collaboration, virtual worlds bring considerable verisimilitude to technology-mediated social interaction and change the process of traditional team learning. The purpose of this study is to understand how to promote collaborative learning in virtual worlds by leveraging the power of we-intention to participate in virtual worlds. The authors further use the valence–instrumentality–self-efficacy–trust model (VIST) model as a means of understanding the formation of we-intention to participate in virtual worlds, during which behavioral desire serves a bridging role.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors tested the research model using the data gathered from 298 users of a prominent form of virtual world, i.e. massively multiplayer online role-playing games. The authors used the structural equation modeling approach and the partial least squares technique for data analysis.

Findings

Results show that the four factors of the VIST model (i.e. valence on team goals, instrumentality of contribution, self-efficacy in team tasks and trust in team members) all positively influence we-intention to participate in virtual worlds through behavioral desire for team actions. We-intention to participate in virtual worlds further exerts a stronger positive effect on collaborative learning in virtual worlds, compared with I-intention to participate in virtual worlds.

Originality/value

This work advances the information systems literature by introducing a relevant and important concept, i.e. we-intention, to explain collaborative learning in virtual worlds. This study especially compared the effect of we-intention and I-intention on collaborative learning in virtual worlds. The results of this work also provide practitioners with insights into the role of we-intention in promoting collective actions in virtual worlds.

Assessing the Antecedents and Consequences of Experience Value in Online Education: A Quantitative Approach

The experience value of online education is a hot topic in both theoretical and practical circles, but research on its mechanism of action is limited. Therefore, this study systematically investigates the relationship between brand image, experience value, and continuance intention through a theoretical analysis of brand image, and discusses the boundary role of effective commitment in it. In this study, 475 users were used to conduct structural equation modeling analysis. The results of the study found that experience value had a positive and significant effect on user continuance intention under the significant influence of brand image, but affective commitment did not play a positive moderating role in the relationship between experience value and continuance intention. This study examines the mechanism of the antecedents and consequences of experience value, and provides a new direction for the construction of online education and the development of online education and marketing strategies.

Accessing the Influence of User Relationship Bonds on Continuance Intention in Livestream E-Commerce

With the rapid development of livestream e-commerce, enhancing user’s continuous use of livestream e-commerce has become a focus of livestream e-commerce operators, but the mechanisms have not gone through much exploration by which relationship bonds affect continuance intention. Therefore, this study proposes and validates a new theoretical model based on relational bonds to systematically investigate the relationship between relational bonds, cumulative satisfaction and continuance intention in livestream e-commerce scenario, and discusses the boundary role of affective commitment in it. A valid sample of 546 livestream e-commerce users was used for structural equation modeling analysis. The results found that the effects of social bonds and structural bonds on cumulative satisfaction were significant, but the effects of financial bonds were not significant; the effects of cumulative satisfaction on continuance intention were significant; and affective commitment had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between cumulative satisfaction and continuance intention. This study examines the practical effects of continuance intention of livestream e-commerce users and provides a reference for the operation management and business practice of livestream e-commerce.

The role of emotional attachment in IPA continuance intention: an emotional attachment model

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between emotional attachment (EA) and intelligent personal assistant (IPA) continuance intention. While existing theories emphasize purely rational and goal-oriented factors in terms of information technology (IT) continuance intention, this research examines how users' EA toward technology impacts their continuance intention in the absence of cognitive and habitual factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study contextualizes attachment theory from the social psychology/consumer psychology literature to an IT application and formulates and tests a new model that is proposed in the context of IPA continuance. Five research hypotheses developed from contextualization and application of the theory were posited in a structural model and empirically validated using survey results from IPA users.

Findings

The results show that users' EA to IPA use significantly influences their IPA continuance intention, along with emotional trust and interaction quality with the IPA.

Originality/value

This study contextualizes attachment theory developed in the social psychology/consumer psychology literature to formulate and test a new model in the context of IPA continuance. This work contributes to the theoretical understanding by investigating IPA continuance intention in the absence of cognitive or habitual factors and fills a critical research gap in IT post-adoption literature. IPA is just one example of technologies to which individuals can form attachments and this research provides an important foundation for future research by positing and testing the value of EA in IT post-adoption behavior. This research also contributes to practical knowledge by inferring that IPA manufacturers, managers and vendors could extend their revenue streams by integrating product features that capture emotion.

Understanding sustained participation in crowdsourcing platforms: the role of autonomy, temporal value, and hedonic value

Purpose

Crowdsourcing platforms have emerged as an innovative way to generate ideas and solving problems. However, promoting sustained participation among crowdworkers is an ongoing challenge for most crowdsourcing platform providers. Drawing on self-determination theory, this study investigates the impacts of job autonomy on crowdworkers' sustained participation intention.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 212 crowdworkers from a leading crowdsourcing platform in China was conducted to empirically validate the model.

Findings

The empirical results lead to several key findings. First, the taxonomy of job autonomy in crowdsourcing contains three archetypes: work-scheduling autonomy, work-task autonomy, and work-method autonomy. Second, work-scheduling autonomy and work-method autonomy have more significant positive effects on temporal value than work-task autonomy, and this increase in temporal value increases crowdworkers' sustained participation intention. Third, work-task autonomy exerts a stronger influence on hedonic value than work-scheduling autonomy or work-method autonomy, and this increase in hedonic value also increases crowdworkers' sustained participation intention.

Originality/value

This study extends the crowdsourcing literature by examining the formation of crowdworkers' sustained participation and highlighting the role of differential effects of multidimensional job autonomy on crowdworkers' sustained participation. We believe that this study provides actionable insights into measures that promote crowdworkers' sustained participation in the crowdsourcing platform.

The dashang feature in social media: a personality and justice theory perspective

Purpose

Dashang refers to a reward given voluntarily to street performers in return for their performance. Some social media platforms have created a way to integrate this as a function, referred to as the dashang feature, to allow users to reward live performers online as well. Over the last few years, this function has become extremely popular among social media users, as it recreates the nostalgic experience of watching street performances. Platforms now consider it indispensable, as it has become a source of substantial revenue (commission on rewards earned by performers). However, not all users reward performers. For each user who pays, there are many more who lurk on the platform. This study examines the reasons for these differences using the Big Five personality perspective and justice theory.

Design/methodology/approach

We develop an empirical model using the Big Five theory and justice theory and test it using empirical data collected through a survey of WeChat users.

Findings

The results indicate that distributive justice, interpersonal justice and informational justice are essential factors in relation to social media users' use of the dashang feature. It is also found that personality type affects these three factors.

Originality/value

This study makes three key contributions. First, it examines the factors that influence users' voluntary use of the dashang feature using the lenses of the Big Five theory and justice theory. Second, this study extends previous results on perceived justice to examine use of the dashang feature in social media. Third, this study applies these theories to the study of consumer behavior by exploring the role of user characteristics in social media use.

Effects of social attachment on social media continuous usage intention: The mediating role of affective commitment

BACKGROUND: Social attachment has been identified as a key antecedent motivating users’ social media involvement. However, there is a scarcity of research investigating whether and how three dimensions of social attachment exert impacts on users’ continuous usage intention of social media. OBJECTIVE: Based on structural equation model analysis, the current research clarifies the relationships between social attachment, affective commitment and social media continuous usage intention, which unveils the underlying mechanism through which three dimensions of social attachment influence users’ continuous usage intention of social media. METHODS: A survey was conducted with 536 informative responses obtained from TikTok public users for hypothesis testing analysis. RESULTS: Results indicate that three dimensions of social attachment (social connections, social dependence and social identity) are all positively related to users’ continuous usage intention of social media. Affective commitment partially mediates the relationship between social attachment and users’ continuous usage intention of social media. CONCLUSIONS: The current research makes an in-depth study about the underlying mechanism whereby social attachment exerts impacts on social media continuous usage intentionand provides several managerial and theoretical implications. Future research directions are discussed as well.

The Effects of Customer Learning and Shopping Value on Intention Purchase and Reuse in a Digital Market: The Institutional Trust–Commitment Perspective

The successes of the digital market depend on customers’ intentions to purchase and reuse products or services. Previous studies have extensively discussed customer shopping value and customer learning, but most studies have analyzed the influencing factor as a single entity and seldom investigated the combination of two factors based on the institutional trust–commitment mechanism. We based this study on the e-commerce institutional trust–commitment mechanism (customers’ trust and commitment calculation) to investigate the influence of customer learning (product and website knowledge) and customer shopping value (monetary value, product evaluation cost, and customer reputation) on customers’ intentions to purchase and reuse products. The data sample included 279 respondents with experience of electronic shopping in Taiwan. The results show that customer learning and customer shopping value positively and significantly influence customers’ trust and customers’ calculation commitment and indirectly influence customers’ intention to purchase and reuse. However, dimensions of customer learning, such as website knowledge, do not affect customers’ trust and commitment but have a partially an indirect relationship with customers’ trust via the influence of product knowledge. In addition, product knowledge has a partially indirect effect on customers’ intention to reuse products or services through the influence of product knowledge and customers’ trust in online vendors in the digital market environment. The findings presented here have important theoretical and practical implications for scholars and digital market providers.

Does government social media promote users' information security behavior towards COVID-19 scams? Cultivation effects and protective motivations

Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak and offering COVID-19-related scams to unsuspecting people. Currently, there is a lack of studies that focus on protecting people from COVID-19-related cybercrimes. Drawing upon Cultivation Theory and Protection Motivation Theory, we develop a research model to examine the cultivation effect of government social media on peoples' information security behavior towards COVID-19 scams. We employ structural equation modeling to analyze 240 survey responses collected from social media followers of government accounts. Our results suggest that government social media account followers' participation influences their information security behavior through perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, self-efficacy, and response efficacy. Our study highlights the importance of government social media for information security management during crises.

The Impact of Individual Motivations and Social Capital on the Continuous Usage Intention of Mobile Social Apps

Mobile social apps have experienced enormous growth as online personal networking media. Social exchange theory (for individual motivation), theories of collective action and social capital theory (for social capital) can be applied in order to understand how an individual’s behavior may exert effects on or receive influences from other users with regard to the continuance usage intention of mobile social apps. This study examines individual motivations and social capital affecting relationship quality in terms of trust in and satisfaction with mobile social apps and how these factors influence continuance usage intentions of mobile social apps. An online survey is used to collect 320 responses from users of mobile social apps. Our results indicate that promotional motivation and innovativeness affect relationship quality levels. Maintaining relational enhancement, social homogeneity, and social identity along with service usefulness have effects on the relationship quality level, which in turn affects continuance usage intention. Given the lack of studies regarding the application of the theories of collective action and social capital to gain a better understanding of continuance usage intentions, this study provides additional insight into how individual motivations and social capital affect continuous usage.

Dark side of online social games (OSG) using Facebook platform: effect of age, gender, and identity as moderators

Purpose

Online social games (OSG) possess unique characteristics that distinguish them from other kind of online games. Its overuse has brought addiction to it. In this perspective, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors impacting addiction of OSG and to investigate the role of age, gender and identity (students and non-students) to moderate addiction of OSG.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has developed a research model by the help of literature review and different relevant theories. This model has been validated by survey method using feedbacks of 305 social game players. Structural equation modeling technique has been used to validate the model.

Findings

The study has been able to find key factors of social influence and individual influence (characteristics) that impact the intention of the online social games players to play social games that ultimately may cause addiction to online social games. Further, the study highlights that gender and identity (students and non-students) have no effects on the addictive behavior of the social game players, whereas age has a moderating impact.

Practical implications

The results of this study have derived a set of rich guidelines to the policymakers and the management of social media platforms (like Facebook) toward framing policy and regulations on online social games.

Originality/value

The study has been able to uniquely highlight the dark side of online social games and its consequences. The study also provides a guideline to the policymakers, practitioners and online social game players on how to restrict its over usage that may prompt online social game addiction.

Consumers' continuance intention to use fitness and health apps: an integration of the expectation–confirmation model and investment model

Purpose

This study aimed to explore consumers' continuance intention to use a fitness and health app by applying two theoretical models: the expectation–confirmation model (ECM) and the investment model (IM).

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was administered to consumers who are currently using fitness and health apps (N = 342). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted using Amos 22.0 software to examine the hypothesized relationships in the research model.

Findings

Results revealed that users' continuance intention was significantly predicted by the two models. Within the ECM, the positive and significant relationships among variables were found. Moreover, users' satisfaction and investment size had positive impacts on their commitment, which, in turn, positively affected the intention. Also, confirmation of expectations had a positive impact on investment size.

Originality/value

The integrated model helps better understand fitness and health app users' decision-making process from the perspective of relationship commitment and suggests practical implications for health and fitness app providers.

Exploring the drivers of brand fan page follower discontinuance intention: an adaptation of the Furneaux and Wade's framework

Purpose

Many companies have now built brand fan pages (BFPs) on social media platforms to connect with their existing and potential customers. Nevertheless, the inability to retain existing followers would severely threaten the survival of BFPs and the effectiveness of a company's social media strategies. Drawing upon Furneaux and Wade's discontinuance framework, our study develops a research model to understand the BFP user's intention to discontinue following a BFP.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study was conducted through an online survey of Chinese social media users. The proposed model was tested by analyzing the collected data using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach.

Findings

The results reveal that dissatisfaction with information quality, unfollowing costs, trust and alternative attractiveness affect the individual's intention to unfollow a BFP. Notably, unfollowing costs is the most powerful factor to predict followers' propensity to discontinue.

Originality/value

Our study contributes to the understanding of the discontinuance of information systems. Theoretical implications for future social commerce research as well as practical suggestions for BFP operators are also discussed.

The continuance usage of compliance support system: does surveillance concern matter?

Purpose

A compliance support system (CSS) aims to support employees' voluntary compliance activities, however, it requires a different approach from the continuous usage of other general information systems. This study first set up a research model based on information system (IS) continuance model to investigate the mechanism of continuance intention to use CSS. Then, this study aims to propose that the surveillance concern will undermine the process of forming beliefs and attitudes toward using CSS, consequently hindering continuance intention to use the system.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted for the employees of a major Korean energy company that has run their own CSS for about three years. A total of 720 valid responses were analyzed by using partial least squares-based structural model technique. The respondents are classified into two groups: a high level and a low level of surveillance concern group.

Findings

The findings showed that continuance intention of using CSS is basically consistent with the IS continuance model. However, the relationship between satisfaction and continuance intention was found to be insignificant in a high surveillance concern group. In addition, multigroup analysis showed that surveillance concern negatively moderates certain relationships among variables, especially weakening the beliefs and attitudes toward using CSS.

Originality/value

This study has academic significance of broadening the domain of factors affecting continuance intention of using CSS by deeply delving into factors discouraging continuous use of a system. Furthermore, the findings of this study may serve as a practical guideline of alleviating surveillance concern, thereby encouraging employees to use CSS more actively and voluntarily.

Attracted to or Locked In? Explaining Consumer Loyalty toward Airbnb

In an increasingly complex and dynamic environment, understanding the fundamental mechanisms of customer loyalty toward Airbnb has become very appealing to both researchers and providers in recent years. Most prior studies on Airbnb have focused mainly on dedication-based mechanisms, such as consumer satisfaction or attitude. However, little is currently known about how the theoretical view for adapting dedication-based and constraint-based mechanisms establishes Airbnb consumer loyalty and affects by attributes, such as authentic experience, trust in Airbnb, and social benefits—that is, the vital predictors of affective commitment. It explores social benefits, relative attractiveness, and price fairness as the key antecedents of calculative commitment. This study identifies the relationship using a structural equation modeling method and empirical data collected from 156 Airbnb consumers who use it more than twice. The analysis results show that consumer loyalty toward Airbnb is shaped by dedication- and constraint-based mechanisms. The findings indicate that both affective and calculative commitments significantly affect customer loyalty in the context of Airbnb. Authentic experience, trust in Airbnb, and social benefits significantly affect affective commitment to Airbnb. While both social benefits and relative attractiveness play an important role in enhancing calculative commitment to Airbnb, price fairness is not significantly related to it. Theoretical and practical implications and future research directions are subsequently discussed.

The Impact Mechanisms of Psychological Learning Climate on Employees' Innovative Use of Information Systems

The aim of this study is to explore the impact mechanisms of psychological learning climate on employees' innovative use of information systems (IS). Using structural equation modeling, this study develops a theoretical model to investigate how the psychological learning climate affects innovative IS use by introducing individual motivational factors as mediators. The model is tested through a survey of 163 employees using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in China. The results suggest that psychological learning climate is positively related to innovative IS use both directly and indirectly. The indirect effect works through motivating employees' intrinsic motivation and creative self-efficiency. This study adds to the literature on IS use by identifying and examining the role of psychological learning climate as a driver of innovative IS use. The findings could provide managers with an understanding of how management can inspire employees' potential in IS innovation.

Encouraging client’s knowledge sharing in enterprise system post-implementation through psychological contract and entrepreneurial orientation

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between psychological contract and knowledge sharing behavior in the enterprise system (ES) post-implementation stage. The fulfillment and obligation of psychological contract are proposed as antecedents of knowledge sharing behavior performed by client firms. Additionally, entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is considered a moderator in the relationship between psychological contract and knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted the questionnaire survey to collect data from 132 client firms of a focal ES provider in the garment industry of China. Hierarchical regression analysis was used for data analysis.

Findings

Psychological contract fulfillment is negatively related to knowledge sharing, whereas the positive role of psychological contract obligation is supported. EOstrengthens the role of both psychological contract fulfillment and obligation in shaping knowledge sharing behavior of client firms.

Originality/value

This study adopts forward- and backward-looking approaches in decision making as a theoretical lens to investigate how to improve client firms’ knowledge sharing behavior through psychological contract. By figuring out the roles of psychological contract and EO in influencing knowledge sharing, this research benefits both vendor and client firms in maintaining sustainable collaboration and continuous improvement of ES projects.

Predictors of Patients' Loyalty Toward Doctors on Web-Based Health Communities: Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Web-based health communities provide means for patients to not only seek care but also to promote their relationship with doctors. However, little is known about the predictors of patients’ loyalty toward doctors in Web-based health communities.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the predictors of patients’ loyalty toward doctors in Web-based health communities.

Methods

On the basis of sociotechnical systems theory and attachment theory, we propose that social factors including emotional interaction, perceived expertise, and social norm influence patients’ loyalty through their emotional attachment, whereas technical factors including sociability, personalization, and perceived security affect patients’ loyalty through functional dependence. To validate our proposed research model, we used the survey method and collected 373 valid answers. Partial least square was used to analyze the data.

Results

Our empirical analysis results showed that all the social factors including emotional interaction (beta=.257, t₃₅₀=2.571; P=.01), perceived expertise (beta=.288, t₃₅₀=3.412; P=.001), and social norm (beta=.210, t₃₅₀=2.017; P=.04) affect patients’ emotional attachment toward doctors significantly, whereas except sociability (beta=.110, t₃₅₀=1.152; P=.25), technical factors such as personalization (beta=.242, t₃₅₀=2.228; P=.03) and perceived security (beta=.328, t₃₅₀=3.438; P=.001) impact functional dependence significantly. Considering the effect of working mechanisms, both emotional attachment (beta=.443, t₃₅₀=4.518; P<.001) and functional dependence (beta=.303, t₃₅₀=2.672; P=.008) influence patients’ loyalty toward doctors in Web-based health communities significantly.

Conclusions

Patients’ loyalty toward doctors in Web-based health communities is important for the effectiveness of doctors’ advice or service in Web-based health communities. The research results not only fill the gaps in the literature of the patient-doctor relationship and Web-based health communities but also has many implications for establishing patients’ loyalty on Web-based health communities and in physical context.

Understanding the Impact of Opinion Leaders’ Characteristics on Online Group Knowledge-Sharing Engagement from In-Group and Out-Group Perspectives: Evidence from a Chinese Online Knowledge-Sharing Community

Opinion leaders often play key roles in online knowledge-sharing communities, which has intrigued a lot of researchers and practitioners worldwide. However, it is not clear how various characteristics of opinion leaders may affect different online groups’ knowledge-sharing engagement. This paper aims to answer this question by building upon social capital theory to examine the differential influences of opinion leaders’ characteristics (interactivity, authority, and activity) on online groups. In-groups and out-groups were distinguished, and the study used the context of an investment-oriented online knowledge-sharing community. By leveraging a unique aggregated group-level secondhand dataset collected from Snowball.com, we conducted log-linear and Poisson regression models. The results revealed that the intensity of online group knowledge-sharing engagement was heavily contingent upon the types of characteristics of opinion leaders. We found that in-group knowledge-sharing engagement (generating new knowledge) was driven by an opinion leader’s interactivity and authority, whereas out-group knowledge-sharing engagement (developing new members) could not be facilitated by these types of characteristics. Instead, the opinion leader’s activity hindered out-group users from joining in-groups. The study also identified a “mutual promotion” issue, which was generated from the association between in-group and out-group knowledge-sharing engagement.

Predicting Users’ willingness to diffuse healthcare knowledge in social media

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate why users are willing to diffuse healthcare knowledge in social media by drawing on the communicative ecology theory (CET) and prior research on interpersonal communication.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducts a large-scale scenario-based online survey in WeChat (the most popular social media platform in China) to test the proposed research model and hypotheses. The final data set consists of 1,039 useful responses from WeChat users.

Findings

The results indicate that interestingness, emotionality and institution-based trust are the strongest antecedents in predicting healthcare knowledge-diffusing likelihood, followed by usefulness, source credibility and positivity. Further, the relationship between institution-based trust and healthcare knowledge-diffusing likelihood is partially mediated by source credibility.

Practical implications

Healthcare practitioners who seek to motivate individuals to disseminate healthcare knowledge need to phrase or frame healthcare knowledge in a way that draws greater interest, evokes stronger emotion, increases perceived usefulness or reflects positively on themselves. Healthcare organizations should also pay attention to strengthening users’ trust in the platform and source-related information that can indicate source authority.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to investigate the dissemination of healthcare knowledge in the context of social media (WeChat in particular). Compared with other types of information, healthcare knowledge is more scientific and professional to the extent that most laypersons do not have relevant expertise to directly evaluate whether the content is credible and of high quality. Rather, their sharing likelihood is dependent more on other factors than perceived information quality and credibility; those factors include platform-related factors that may play an important role but has been overlooked in prior literature on interpersonal communication. By combining CET with interpersonal communication-related research and including institution-based trust as an important determinant of healthcare knowledge dissemination, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of healthcare knowledge diffusion process.

The role of structural assurance on previous satisfaction, trust and continuance intention

Purpose

Varied accounts exist regarding the role of trust and satisfaction in online continuance intention and contexts within which this occurs. The purpose of this paper is to consider the moderating effect of structural assurance (SA) on satisfaction and trust and trust and continuance intention in a pure e-service context (online betting).

Design/methodology/approach

UK online bettors were surveyed with an instrument developed using validated variables and measurements, including continuance intention, satisfaction, trust (in vendor) and SA. Structural equation modeling with partial least squares was used to evaluate the measurement and structural model simultaneously.

Findings

SA positively moderates the trust–continuance intention relationship but not the satisfaction–trust relationship. SA is positively associated with trust.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to research focused on exploring the moderating effects of trust and satisfaction on continuance intention where institution-based mechanisms are perceived to be effective and framed to assure success.

Practical implications

An over-reliance on context-specific mechanisms is inadequate; strategic approaches to trust must consider contextual and institutional mechanisms interdependently.

Originality/value

The paper addresses the need for research relating to the institutional context within which trust mechanisms operate. This research provides a novel contribution through an exploration of the moderating effects of SA on: trust and continuance intention; and satisfaction and trust (the authors also measure the direct effect of SA on trust). This paper is one of the first studies to examine these important concepts in this context. The online betting case allows for the exploration of risk where vendor-specific and contextual risk are both high.

Understanding the satisfaction and continuance intention of knowledge contribution by health professionals in online health communities

Participation of health-care professionals in online health communities is essential for these communities to achieve their goals of improving health outcomes. However, little research has been conducted to understand what motivates health-care providers to participate in such communities. This study utilizes the expectancy/value theory to identify the factors that might affect health professionals' intentions to continue contributing health knowledge in online health communities (OHCs). Specific motivators driving health professionals' continuance intentions in OHCs include intrinsic motivators (helping motivator, self-efficacy, and moral obligation), and extrinsic motivators (reputation). This study also investigates how health professionals' satisfaction in the OHC mediates the relationship between the study motivators and the continuance intentions. The study also suggests that health professional characteristics have a moderating effect on continuance intentions. The study employed a sample of 234 health professionals who contribute to a well-regarded OHC in Jordan to test the theoretical model developed for this study. The findings suggest that helping motivator, self-efficacy motivator, and reputation motivator affect OHC members' satisfaction. The helping motivator, reputation motivator, moral obligation motivator, and satisfaction affect OHC members' contribution continuance intentions. Finally, the study finds that age, work experience, experience in the OHC, and the daily time spent in the OHC, moderate the relationship between the helping motivator and continuance intentions.

Social network fatigue affecting continuance intention of social networking services

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how social network fatigue affects continuance intention of social networking services (SNSs) from a more comprehensive perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A research model was proposed by integrating uses and gratification theory (UGT), social network fatigue and continuance intention. The relationships between the three dimensions of UGT and continuance intention were examined, as well as the direct and moderating effects of social network fatigue. To collect data, an online survey was adopted, and 227 valid responses were analyzed by structural equation modeling.

Findings

The empirical findings demonstrate that utilitarian gratification (information seeking), social gratification (social interaction) and hedonic gratification (perceived enjoyment) are positively associated with SNS users’ continuance intention. Meanwhile, social network fatigue can directly and negatively affect continuance intention. Furthermore, the relationships between the two dimensions of UGT (information seeking, perceived enjoyment) and continuance intention are also negatively moderated by social network fatigue.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding about the relationship between continuance intention and social network fatigue. The authors indicate that social network fatigue will not only directly weaken SNS users’ continuance intention, but also negatively influence the formation process of the continuance intention. Some other theoretical and practical implications are also provided.

An Integrative View of Emotion and the Dedication-Constraint Model in the Case of Coffee Chain Retailers

Following the phenomenal growth of and competition among coffee chain retailers, the coffee chain market has expanded substantially thanks to rising income levels, the increasing young population, and rapidly changing lifestyles. Attracting consumers’ attention and enhancing their loyalty behaviors has become very difficult for coffee chain retailers. This study seeks to understand the mechanisms through which emotions and the dedication-constraint model lead to brand loyalty and willingness to pay more to certain coffee chain retailers. Emotion responses and dedication-constraint model-based factors are major roles in the formation of loyalty behaviors, but few studies have combined them. To fill this knowledge gap, this study synthesizes emotional responses and the dedication-constraint model to develop a theoretical model. Based on the ambivalent view of emotions, it also examines how positive and negative emotions affect the combination of brand loyalty and willingness to pay more to certain coffee chain retailers. Moreover, it identifies the antecedents of affective and calculative commitments. Our findings indicate that affective commitment had significantly positive effects on positive emotion, brand loyalty, and willingness to pay more. It negatively affects negative emotion. Calculative commitment had significantly positive effects on positive emotion, brand loyalty, and willingness to pay more. However, contrary to our expectations, calculative commitment was positively related to negative emotions. Furthermore, service quality, quality of physical environment, and price fairness significantly affect affective commitments, while only price fairness significantly affects calculative commitments.

Gillenson M. How to keep brand fan page followers? The lens of person-environment fit theory

Purpose

Companies create brand fan pages (BFPs) on social media platforms to broadcast product information, increase brand awareness and engage customers. A common challenge facing BFPs is how to attract and retain followers effectively. Through the lens of the theory of person–environment fit (TPEF), the purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a theoretical model to explain the role of multidimensional fit perceptions in cultivating BFP users’ continued following intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collected from 193 active followers of BFPs on Sina Weibo, the most prevalent social media platform in China, were used to test the proposed model. The partial least squares method was employed to assess the relationships in the model.

Findings

The findings reveal that users will continue to follow the BFP if their needs align with what the BFP provides, and if they perceive their values and characteristics to match those of the brand and fellow followers.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to extend the research context of the TPEF from organizational behaviors to examining how perceived fit influences users’ continued intention to follow in the social media context. In addition to the theoretical contributions, the findings of this study have important implications for practitioners who undertake social media management or user behavior analysis.