Motivations of market mavens for participating in online communities
by Hye-Shin Kim, Byoungho Jin, Jin Yong Park
International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing (IJEMR), Vol. 4, No. 1, 2011

Abstract: Online communities provide a virtual space for consumers to communicate and interact with an unlimited number of people allowing for faster rates of information sharing in unprecedented ways. Market mavens are word-of-mouth agents who are influential in providing general shopping and marketplace information. This study examines how market mavenism may influence consumer motivations to participate in online communities. In addition, this study examines how market mavenism in conjunction with online participation motivations directly influences participation in consumer-based online communities. Data were collected from a convenience sample using an electronic survey in South Korea. Items measuring market mavenism, participation motivation, participation frequency, and participation quality were used. Confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used to study the research questions. Results indicate a positive relationship between market mavenism and online participation motivations leading to the conclusion that consumers with market mavenism tendencies are also highly motivated to participate online. Results also confirm that market mavenism positively affects the frequency and quality of participation in consumer-based online communities. These results provide better understanding of why consumers with higher market mavenism tendencies may participate in online communities.

Online publication date: Tue, 21-Oct-2014

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing (IJEMR):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com