The effects of tourists’ knowledge-sharing motivation on online tourist community loyalty: the moderating role of ambient stimuli

Abstract

This study explores the role of tourists’ knowledge-sharing motivation in the formation of online community loyalty. More specifically, the study examines (1) the theoretical relationships between five factors influencing knowledge-sharing motivation, knowledge contributions (KNC), knowledge-sharing continuance intentions (KCI), and community promotion (COP) and (2) the moderating effects of ambient stimuli on the relationship between KNC and KCI and on that between KNC and COP. For valid respondents, a convenience sample of online travel community members was obtained using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Hence, a total of 410 responses were employed to test the research hypotheses through a structural equation modelling analysis and a series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The results show that four factors influencing knowledge-sharing motivation, namely altruism, expected reciprocal benefits, reputation, and trust, had positive effects on KNO. KNO had positive effects on KCI and COP, and KCI had a positive effect on COP. In addition, a positive group perception moderated the KNC–KCI and KNC–COP relationships.