Title: User integration in social media: an empirical analysis

Authors: Bernd W. Wirtz; Philipp T. Nitzsche; Sebastian Ullrich

Addresses: German University Speyer, Information and Communication Management, Freiherr-vom-Stein-Strasse 2, 67346 Speyer, Germany ' German University Speyer, Information and Communication Management, Freiherr-vom-Stein-Strasse 2, 67346 Speyer, Germany ' German University Speyer, Information and Communication Management, Freiherr-vom-Stein-Strasse 2, 67346 Speyer, Germany

Abstract: The integration of user into the value generation or innovation process has been established as a success factor in many industries. The internet and especially the recent developments with regard to social media have opened new possibilities for companies and users alike, owing to more direct and user induced participation. This paper introduces a user integration concept for social media and identifies relevant factors associated to social media that finally support an integration of the user.

Keywords: user integration; social media; structural equation modelling; SEM; user generated content; user participation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEB.2014.057901

International Journal of Electronic Business, 2014 Vol.11 No.1, pp.63 - 84

Published online: 06 Feb 2015 *

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