Research Model

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Figure 2 shows the research model which seeks to examine the impact of managing strategy and information system quality on member participation in virtual communities.

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Figure 2: Research Model.

Since previous research (Kim, 2000; Williams & Cothrel, 2000; McWilliam, 2000) argued that appropriate managing strategy could build up cohesive virtual communities, the managing strategy may have a direct impact on members', visits, sense of community and member participation. On the other hand, information system quality is highly related to its use (Delone & McLean, 1992; Liu & Arnett, 2000). Thus, information system quality may have a direct influence only on a member's visit. However, the model also shows that managing strategy and information and system quality may affect participation indirectly through the members' visits and their sense of community.

Research Hypotheses

Managing Strategy

Many community-related articles argued that how a community is managed could determine its success (Kim, 2000; Williams & Cothrel, 2000). How to define the purpose of community, how to define and enforce its rules, how to promote events, and how to facilitate subgroups might lead a community to success in terms of member visits, sense of community, and participation. In addition, prior research about off-line communities has shown that appropriate community operations could reinforce the members' sense of community and therefore increase their participation (McMillan & Chavis, 1986; Julian et al., 1997). This leads to the following hypotheses:

H1. Managing strategy has a positive influence on member visits.

H2. Managing strategy has a positive influence on members' sense of community.

H3. Managing strategy has a positive influence on member participation.

Information and System Quality

There has been some discussion about the relationship between IS quality and its use. DeLone and McLean (1992) have argued for a direct relationship while Seddon (1997) and Davis (1986) have argued for an indirect relationship. However, both agree that there is a relationship between information system quality and its use. In a recent publication on e-commerce, Liu and Arnett (2000) found that information and system quality were highly related to system use. Since system use in a virtual community may be measured in terms of the number of member visits, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H4. Information system quality has a positive influence on member visits.

Sense of Community

The relationship between sense of community and participation is not well understood. Many theories and past research suggest two different models: that sense of community leads to participation (Bachrach & Zautra, 1985); and, conversely, that participation leads to sense of community (Heller, 1989). The first model is particularly appealing in that planners should be able to promote participation through a strategy that enhances the sense of community and thus improve the value of community. In fact, current research has suggested that sense of community promotes participation. In a study of neighborhood block associations, Chavis and Wanderman (1990) found empirical evidence of a causal relationship in which sense of community has a direct as well as an indirect effect on participation.

McMillan and Chavis (1986) argued that the quantity and quality of interactions between members could enhance sense of community, especially emotional connection. In addition, Park et al. (2000) revealed that there was a high relationship between the number of visits and a member's influence on a community. Thus member visits could lead to sense of community and sense of community could lead to member participation. This suggests the following hypotheses:

H5. Member visits have a positive influence on members' sense of community.

H6. Members' sense of community has a positive influence on member participation.



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Advanced Topics in Global Information Management (Vol. 3)
Trust in Knowledge Management and Systems in Organizations
ISBN: 1591402204
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 207

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