Title: Effects of a virtual citizen community: the case of Expo Zaragoza 2008

Authors: Luis Vicente Casalo, Jesus Cisneros, Miguel Guinaliu, Carlos Orus

Addresses: Department of Economy and Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, University of Zaragoza, C.P. 50005, Zaragoza, Spain. ' Department of Economy and Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, University of Zaragoza, C.P. 50005, Zaragoza, Spain. ' Department of Economy and Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, University of Zaragoza, C.P. 50005, Zaragoza, Spain. ' Department of Economy and Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business Studies, University of Zaragoza, C.P. 50005, Zaragoza, Spain

Abstract: |Expo Zaragoza 2008| is an important initiative that will determine the future of Zaragoza (Spain). However, the success of a hallmark event depends on the citizens| collaboration with public institutions. In this way, this paper analyses the influence of citizen participation on a virtual community, focused on the Expo Zaragoza 2008, on the citizen commitment to the event and the image of public institutions taking part in it. Besides, we analyse the effect that a positive attitude towards the event has on the intentions to join that virtual community. Data, collected with a questionnaire sent to citizen associations in Zaragoza, show that a positive attitude increases the participation in a virtual social net focused on Expo Zaragoza 2008. In the same way, this virtual community increases citizen commitment to the event and improves the image of public institutions that participate in the community.

Keywords: virtual communities; public attitudes; electronic government; e-government; citizen commitment; hallmark event; Spain; Expo Zaragoza; collaboration; social networks; web based communities; public institutions.

DOI: 10.1504/EG.2008.016643

Electronic Government, an International Journal, 2008 Vol.5 No.2, pp.131 - 145

Published online: 11 Jan 2008 *

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