In this paper we investigate two key group determinants of participation in online communities, venue interactivity and community engagement, and consider their consequences on online and offline consumer behavior. Online social interactions may occur in many different internet venues. In this empirical study involving 545 participants, we consider seven types of online venues: Email Lists, Website Bulletin Boards, Usenet Newsgroups, Instant Messaging, Web-Based Chat Rooms, Multiplayer Games, and Multi-User Domains (MUD). Interactivity is proposed as the first central variable to distinguish them and it is intended as a condition in which simultaneous and continuous communication takes place between participants. Many measures are studied by comparing statistical differences between members of high- and low-interactivity groups. As second determinant, we describe how different levels of group engagement lead to different participants’ online and offline behaviors. Sets of hypotheses are theorized considering the potential similarities and differences between these two groups. The success of the manipulation was determined by running an ANOVA. Our survey-based study, which was conducted across a broad range of virtual communities, highlights many significant and not obvious differences between the groups: high-and lowinteractivity venues and high-and low- community engagement. Additionally, many interesting key interactions emerge and are discussed. Paper conclusions include managerial implications and opportunities for future research.
The impact of venue interactivity and community engagement on online and offline consumer behavior
VIANELLO, SILVIA
2007
Abstract
In this paper we investigate two key group determinants of participation in online communities, venue interactivity and community engagement, and consider their consequences on online and offline consumer behavior. Online social interactions may occur in many different internet venues. In this empirical study involving 545 participants, we consider seven types of online venues: Email Lists, Website Bulletin Boards, Usenet Newsgroups, Instant Messaging, Web-Based Chat Rooms, Multiplayer Games, and Multi-User Domains (MUD). Interactivity is proposed as the first central variable to distinguish them and it is intended as a condition in which simultaneous and continuous communication takes place between participants. Many measures are studied by comparing statistical differences between members of high- and low-interactivity groups. As second determinant, we describe how different levels of group engagement lead to different participants’ online and offline behaviors. Sets of hypotheses are theorized considering the potential similarities and differences between these two groups. The success of the manipulation was determined by running an ANOVA. Our survey-based study, which was conducted across a broad range of virtual communities, highlights many significant and not obvious differences between the groups: high-and lowinteractivity venues and high-and low- community engagement. Additionally, many interesting key interactions emerge and are discussed. Paper conclusions include managerial implications and opportunities for future research.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.