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Relationships Between User Knowledge Sharing in Virtual Community with Community Loyalty and Satisfaction
Jiemei Zhang1, Yuejie Ma1, Bei Lyu1,2,3,4
1Business School, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, People's Republic of China.
Psychology Research and Behavior Management
|October 7, 2021
Summary
Virtual communities thrive on user knowledge sharing, which boosts loyalty and satisfaction. Trust, reciprocity, and reputation are key drivers for enhancing knowledge sharing quantity and quality, fostering a sustainable online community.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Information Science
- Online Communities
Background:
- Virtual communities are vital for knowledge exchange, but user loyalty and retention are challenges.
- High user churn rates necessitate strategies to improve knowledge sharing frequency and user loyalty.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of knowledge sharing on user loyalty and satisfaction in virtual communities.
- To explore the factors influencing knowledge sharing behavior within these online platforms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized social capital theory and social exchange theory to develop a research model.
- Conducted an empirical analysis using survey data from 533 virtual community members.
Main Results:
- Trust, reciprocity, and reputation positively influenced knowledge sharing quantity and quality.
- Social connectedness positively impacted knowledge sharing quantity.
- Both knowledge sharing quantity and quality positively correlated with community loyalty and satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- Knowledge sharing is a crucial element for cultivating loyal community members and enhancing user satisfaction.
- Findings offer theoretical and practical insights for community management to promote member engagement and loyalty.
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