Predicting continuance in online communities: Model development and empirical test

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Abstract

Popular interest in online communities has grown rapidly in recent years as a result of the widespread diffusion of Web 2.0 applications. However, the full values and potential of online communities cannot be realised without users' ongoing participation. Thus, this study aims at developing and empirically testing a research model to examine users' continuance intention to participate in an online community based on an extended information systems (IS) continuance model. Specifically, entertainment value and affective commitment are included in the IS continuance model and empirically examined in the context of online communities. A total of 240 returns collected from an online survey, which was conducted among users of a website bulletin board-based community in China, were analysed using partial least squares. The results reveal that users' continuance intention to participate in an online community is determined by both satisfaction and affective commitment. Satisfaction and affective commitment are, in turn, influenced by positive disconfirmations of purposive and entertainment values. The findings of this study contribute not only to theory building in online community continuance but also inform online community moderators in their effort to develop strategies for retaining their users.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberPII 916663162
Pages (from-to)383-394
Number of pages12
JournalBehaviour and Information Technology
Volume29
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Affective commitment
  • Entertainment value
  • Information systems continuance
  • Online community
  • Purposive value
  • User satisfaction

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