협력적 소비에서의 사회적 거리의 역할에 대한 고찰

Abstract

In the collaborative consumption context, peer service customers and peer service providers can both be from diverse backgrounds. When their backgrounds differ, the difference can lead to social distance between the two, which can influence their reactions to each other. Few studies have addressed this issue or how to resolve it. This study aims to be the first to examine this issue from the peer service customer’s perspective by examining the effect of a peer service customer’s perceived social distance on his/her response to the peer service provider and the platform providing firm, and the effect of the peer service provider’s communication style on reducing the negative effect of perceived social distance. Data was collected using a scenario-based online survey with a 2(levels of social distance: high vs. low) x 2(communication accommodation styles: convergence vs. maintenance) between-subject experimental design. The findings demonstrated the significant negative effect of social distance, and the use of convergence style as a viable option to effectively reduce the negative effect.