온라인 커뮤니티 행동의 결정요인에 관한 연구

Abstract

Purpose - As we live in a flood of online connections which affect many aspects of human activities, including consumption and social communications, it has become more and more important to understand how the online community works, and the major factors affecting online community activities. For this purpose, this study aims to verify the determinants of online community activities by validating the effects of social capital, information ownership, and self-disclosure. It also proposed that subjective well-being and online community trust will mediate the proposed relationship.
 Design/Methodology/Approach - The study used online survey method to collect data for hypothesis verification. The study took a dyadic approach in that it employed two predictors composed of individual level variable (information ownership) and group-oriented variable (social capital). We used structural equation model and hierarchical moderated regression to verify the research hypotheses.
 Findings - The study found that social capital positively affects subjective well-being, while information ownership partially influenced online community trust. Subjective well-being and online community trust had a positive impact on online community activities.
 Research Implications - The findings of the study provide significant theoretical and practical implications. Particularly, the study provides empirical evidence for attachment not significantly affecting online community trust. Furthermore, the study provides practical implications regarding the employment of differentiated strategy in appealing to two different customer groups (bonding based vs. bridging-based network). The study results are expected to extend the current understanding of the social as well as psychological mechanisms that affects consumer motivations for engaging in online community activities.