IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i3p855-d312404.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Promoting Consumer Engagement in Online Communities through Virtual Experience and Social Identity

Author

Listed:
  • Yu-Wei Chuang

    (Department of Computer Science and Information Management, Providence University, Taichung City 43301, Taiwan)

Abstract

With the development and proliferation of online games, understanding how to seize these players has become an essential issue for academic scholars and practitioners. Based on virtual experience in online gaming communities and consumer engagement perspectives, this research developed and verified a multi-dimensional framework for assessing how to retain and encourage players continuous dedication and engagement behaviors. The proposed framework illustrates the interrelationships among six constructs in online gaming communities: social presence, telepresence, cognitive social identity, affective social identity, psychological engagement, and behavioral engagement. Data collected from 338 players who have experience in engagement behaviors in online gaming communities. The collected data were examined against the research framework using structural equation modeling (SEM). The research findings offer sufficient evidence that behavioral engagement is influenced by psychological engagement, which consecutively, are determined by cognitive social identity, affective social identity, social presence, and telepresence. More importantly, the mediating analysis indicated that psychological engagement is a crucial mediator, meaning that consumer engagement is a sequential process, and behavioral engagement cannot independently exist without psychological engagement. Taken together, the research results of this study have several critical theoretical and practical implications for future academic researchers and practitioners to have better understanding of consumer engagement. By doing so, the game companies can have sustainable competitive advantage and support sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu-Wei Chuang, 2020. "Promoting Consumer Engagement in Online Communities through Virtual Experience and Social Identity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:855-:d:312404
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/855/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/855/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gefen, David & Straub, Detmar W., 2004. "Consumer trust in B2C e-Commerce and the importance of social presence: experiments in e-Products and e-Services," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 407-424, December.
    2. Moazzam Abbas & Yongqiang Gao & Sayyed Sadaqat Hussain Shah, 2018. "CSR and Customer Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Customer Engagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Richard P. Bagozzi & Utpal M. Dholakia, 2006. "Open Source Software User Communities: A Study of Participation in Linux User Groups," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(7), pages 1099-1115, July.
    4. Xinshu Zhao & John G. Lynch & Qimei Chen, 2010. "Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths about Mediation Analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 197-206, August.
    5. Asad Ullah & Wang Aimin & Mansoora Ahmed, 2018. "Smart Automation, Customer Experience and Customer Engagement in Electric Vehicles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-11, April.
    6. Hollebeek, Linda D. & Glynn, Mark S. & Brodie, Roderick J., 2014. "Consumer Brand Engagement in Social Media: Conceptualization, Scale Development and Validation," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 149-165.
    7. Brodie, Roderick J. & Ilic, Ana & Juric, Biljana & Hollebeek, Linda, 2013. "Consumer engagement in a virtual brand community: An exploratory analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 105-114.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Afi Fouad El & Ouiddad Smail, 2021. "Consumer engagement in value co-creation within virtual video game communities," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 16(4), pages 370-386, December.
    2. Michał Kucia & Grzegorz Hajduk & Grzegorz Mazurek & Nina Kotula, 2021. "The Implementation of New Technologies in Customer Value Management—A Sustainable Development Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Chuanyu Peng & Guoping Yuan & Yanhui Mao & Xin Wang & Jianhong Ma & Marino Bonaiuto, 2020. "Expanding Social, Psychological, and Physical Indicators of Urbanites’ Life Satisfaction toward Residential Community: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-23, December.
    4. Zhichao Cheng & Tongfei Gu & Cui Li, 2022. "The Formation Mechanism of Social Identity Based on Knowledge Contribution in Online Knowledge Communities: Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Yi-Wen Chen, 2020. "Sustainable Value Co-Creation in the Virtual Community: How Diversified Co-Creation Experience Affects Co-Creation Intention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-14, November.
    6. Raed Ibrahim Mohamad Ibrahim & Pelin Bayram, 2024. "The effect of customer engagement on customer loyalty: indication from the insurance industry in Jordan," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(2), pages 406-422, June.
    7. Kyuree Kim & Dongwoo Ko, 2020. "How to Build a Sustainable MICE Environment Based on Social Identity Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-15, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. James Agyei & Shaorong Sun & Emmanuel Kofi Penney & Eugene Abrokwah & Richmond Ofori-Boafo, 2021. "Linking CSR and Customer Engagement: The Role of Customer-Brand Identification and Customer Satisfaction," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, August.
    2. Boisvert, Jean & Christodoulides, George & Sajid Khan, M., 2023. "Toward a better understanding of key determinants and consequences of masstige consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    3. Fujita, Momoko & Harrigan, Paul & Soutar, Geoffrey N. & Kumar Roy, Sanjit & Roy, Rajat, 2020. "Enhancing member-institution relationships through social media: The role of other-user engagement behavior and similarity perceptions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 642-654.
    4. Henkens, Bieke & Verleye, Katrien & Larivière, Bart, 2021. "The smarter, the better?! Customer well-being, engagement, and perceptions in smart service systems," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 425-447.
    5. Munyaradzi W. Nyadzayo & Civilai Leckie & Lester W. Johnson, 0. "The impact of relational drivers on customer brand engagement and brand outcomes," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-18.
    6. Rahman, Mahabubur & Faroque, Anisur R. & Sakka, Georgia & Ahmed, Zafar U., 2022. "The impact of negative customer engagement on market-based assets and financial performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 422-435.
    7. Machado, Joana César & Vacas-de-Carvalho, Leonor & Azar, Salim L. & André, Ana Raquel & dos Santos, Barbara Pires, 2019. "Brand gender and consumer-based brand equity on Facebook: The mediating role of consumer-brand engagement and brand love," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 376-385.
    8. Schaefers, Tobias & Falk, Tomas & Kumar, Ashish & Schamari, Julia, 2021. "More of the same? Effects of volume and variety of social media brand engagement behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 282-294.
    9. Casaló, Luis V. & Flavián, Carlos & Ibáñez-Sánchez, Sergio, 2021. "Be creative, my friend! Engaging users on Instagram by promoting positive emotions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 416-425.
    10. Lim, Weng Marc & Rasul, Tareq & Kumar, Satish & Ala, Mamun, 2022. "Past, present, and future of customer engagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 439-458.
    11. Nadeem, Waqar & Tan, Teck Ming & Tajvidi, Mina & Hajli, Nick, 2021. "How do experiences enhance brand relationship performance and value co-creation in social commerce? The role of consumer engagement and self brand-connection," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    12. Munyaradzi W. Nyadzayo & Civilai Leckie & Lester W. Johnson, 2020. "The impact of relational drivers on customer brand engagement and brand outcomes," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(5), pages 561-578, September.
    13. Civilai Leckie & Daniel Rayne & Lester W. Johnson, 2021. "Promoting Customer Engagement Behavior for Green Brands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-22, July.
    14. Mai Thi My-Quyen & Le Nguyen Hau, 2021. "Transforming customer brand engagement to co-creation value through participation energy and effort," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 15(3), pages 493-514, September.
    15. Osei-Frimpong, Kofi & McLean, Graeme & Islam, Nazrul & Appiah Otoo, Brigid, 2022. "What drives me there? The interplay of socio-psychological gratification and consumer values in social media brand engagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 288-307.
    16. Mahabubur Rahman & Anisur Faroque & Georgia Sakka & Zafar Ahmed, 2022. "The impact of negative customer engagement on market-based assets and financial performance," Post-Print hal-03545814, HAL.
    17. Bruneau, Virginie & Swaen, Valérie & Zidda, Pietro, 2018. "Are loyalty program members really engaged? Measuring customer engagement with loyalty programs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 144-158.
    18. Ostovan, Nima & Khalili Nasr, Arash, 2022. "The manifestation of luxury value dimensions in brand engagement in self-concept," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    19. Coelho, Pedro Simões & Rita, Paulo & Santos, Zélia Raposo, 2018. "On the relationship between consumer-brand identification, brand community, and brand loyalty," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 101-110.
    20. Wang, Tien & Lee, Fu-Yu, 2020. "Examining customer engagement and brand intimacy in social media context," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:855-:d:312404. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.