Investigating factors that promote time banking for sustainable community based socio-economic growth and development

Abstract

Time banking is recognized as a way to leverage untapped community capacity to fulfill the unmet service needs of its members. However, time banking has not yet reached its full potential primarily due to inadequate participation by community members. In this study we therefore investigate from a perceived value perspective the motivation of members to participate in web-based time banks. We hypothesize and investigate the impacts of all three values, utilitarian value, hedonic value and social value provided by web-based time banks on the behavioral intention of members to participate in time-based banking from the perspective of both receiving/providing services. The results of the study from across web-based time banks show that time banks provide all three types of value to its participants. However, while the social value of time banks had the highest impact on providers of service, utilitarian value had the highest impact on receivers of services using time banks. The implications of the findings of the study for enhancing community participation in time banks and thereby engendering sustainable community development are discussed.