Personality Traits That Lead Members of Online Brand Communities to Participate in Information Sending and Receiving
Aihwa Chang, Sara H. Hsieh, and Frances Lin
International Journal of Electronic Commerce,
Volume 17, Number 3, Spring 2013, pp. 37-62.
Abstract: An online brand community is a powerful arena for marketers to cultivate customer relationships. The level of participation is a clear indicator when distinguishing the levels of strength and types of involvement in a brand community. However, research explaining the personality traits and motivations of online brand community members, as relevant to their participative behaviors, is lacking. By adopting the 3M model as a theoretical foundation, this study examines personality traits as the antecedents of the participative behavior of online brand community members; that is, the disposition to receive information and to send market information to others when using the online platform. Based on the results of an online survey, this paper illustrates a hierarchical structure of traits interplaying at various levels to provide a nomological net for predicting behavioral intention. The results indicate that identification with a brand community and value consciousness are key predictors that encourage participation in receiving and sending information. This study provides a more comprehensive and theoretically based perspective that emphasizes sound strategic options to influence brand community participation.
Key Words and Phrases: Online brand community, personality, 3M model, traits.