Title: Influencing factors and driving paths of user stickiness under live-streaming assistance to agriculture: a configurational analysis utilising the TOE framework

Authors: Lin Wang; Chen Cui; Jiangli Zhang; Yang Zhao

Addresses: School of Business Administration, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China; School of Management Northeastern, University at Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China ' School of Management, Northeastern University, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China; School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China ' School of Business Administration, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China; School of Management Northeastern, University at Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China ' School of Business Administration, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China; School of Management Northeastern, University at Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China

Abstract: The spread of internet technology has sparked considerable attention towards live streaming, which holds the capacity to markedly boost agricultural product sales and, consequently, invigorate the development of rural economies. User stickiness, denoting the extent of consumer engagement with live-streaming platforms, is a crucial element in driving the inclination to purchase. The stimuli present within live-streaming environments are known to shape user stickiness; however, the specific dynamics governing this influence remain to be fully elucidated. Based on the technology-organisation-environment framework, explore cues from different actors: live-streaming platform, hosts, and consumers, to construct a configurational effect model of technological affordance, emotional labour, quasi-social interaction, flow experience, and the formation of user stickiness. We analyse a sample of 350 questionnaires using fsQCA. It is determined that user stickiness arises from the interplay of various elements, with the interactive conduct between hosts and audience members exerting a more significant influence on user stickiness.

Keywords: live streaming of agricultural products; user stickiness; emotional labour; flow experience; quasi-social interaction; affordance; fsQCA.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2025.149348

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2025 Vol.21 No.4, pp.348 - 368

Received: 18 Jan 2024
Accepted: 31 Jan 2025
Published online: 27 Oct 2025 *

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