IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i3p2455-d1051243.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Link Virtual Community Interaction and Citizenship Behavior of Fitness Club Customers: The Role of Psychological Empowerment and Sense of Community

Author

Listed:
  • Fangwei Liao

    (College of Physical Education and Health, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China)

  • Qingyi Wei

    (School of Economics and Management, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China)

  • Anya Li

    (School of Economics and Management, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China)

  • Jin Yang

    (School of Economics and Management, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China)

Abstract

Through social exchange theory, this study explores the relationship of virtual social interaction on customer citizenship behavior. By using a sample of 363 fitness enthusiasts from China, this study found that the three dimensions of virtual community interaction have a positive impact on customer citizenship behavior. Moreover, this study found that psychological empowerment partially mediated the relationship between the three dimensions of virtual community interaction and customer citizenship behavior. Secondly, this study also found that the effect of virtual community interaction on psychological empowerment was conditional on a sense of community. The results of this study suggested that managers should pay attention to the important role of user interaction in a virtual community and guide users to form high-quality interactions. Furthermore, managers should also pay attention to the importance of customer citizenship behavior to make users as employees participate in the interaction in a virtual community to enrich the integrity of the interaction. Lastly, managers need to pay attention to users’ sense of belonging and identity regarding the virtual community and encourage users to obtain incentives through the combination of online and offline activities to create the most benefits for the virtual community of fitness clubs.

Suggested Citation

  • Fangwei Liao & Qingyi Wei & Anya Li & Jin Yang, 2023. "Link Virtual Community Interaction and Citizenship Behavior of Fitness Club Customers: The Role of Psychological Empowerment and Sense of Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-19, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:3:p:2455-:d:1051243
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/3/2455/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/3/2455/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Youjae Yi & Seo Young Kim, 2017. "The role of other customers during self-service technology failure," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 11(4), pages 695-715, December.
    2. Carlson, Brad D. & Suter, Tracy A. & Brown, Tom J., 2008. "Social versus psychological brand community: The role of psychological sense of brand community," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(4), pages 284-291, April.
    3. Bove, Liliana L. & Pervan, Simon J. & Beatty, Sharon E. & Shiu, Edward, 2009. "Service worker role in encouraging customer organizational citizenship behaviors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(7), pages 698-705, July.
    4. Wu, Jyh-Jeng & Chen, Ying-Hueih & Chung, Yu-Shuo, 2010. "Trust factors influencing virtual community members: A study of transaction communities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(9-10), pages 1025-1032, September.
    5. Jui-Chang Cheng & She-Juang Luo & Chang-Hua Yen & Ya-Fang Yang, 2016. "Brand attachment and customer citizenship behaviors," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7-8), pages 263-277, June.
    6. Baoliang Hu & Wei Huang & Shuai Yan & Guang Liu & Tao Zhang, 2020. "Business Model Design and Customer Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Customer Citizenship Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-14, August.
    7. Taeshik Gong & Youjae Yi, 2021. "A review of customer citizenship behaviors in the service context," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(3-4), pages 169-199, February.
    8. Yi, Youjae & Gong, Taeshik, 2013. "Customer value co-creation behavior: Scale development and validation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(9), pages 1279-1284.
    9. A. Newman & G. Schwarz & B. Cooper & S. Sendjaya, 2017. "How Servant Leadership Influences Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Roles of LMX, Empowerment, and Proactive Personality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(1), pages 49-62, September.
    10. Hailian Qiu & Ning Wang & Minglong Li, 2021. "Stimulating Customer Citizenship Behavior With Service Climate: The Mediating Role of Customer Psychological Empowerment," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440211, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. José-Ramón Segarra-Moliner & Miguel-Ángel Moliner-Tena, 2024. "Engaging in customer citizenship behaviours to predict customer lifetime value," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(2), pages 307-320, June.
    2. Ahmed Hassan Abdou & Hossam Said Shehata & Hassan Marzok Elsayed Mahmoud & Azzam Ibrahem Albakhit & Muhanna Yousef Almakhayitah, 2022. "The Effect of Environmentally Sustainable Practices on Customer Citizenship Behavior in Eco-Friendly Hotels: Does the Green Perceived Value Matter?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, June.
    3. Utkarsh, & Gupta, Roopak Kumar, 2022. "Effects of confidence and social benefits on consumers’ extra-role and in-role behaviors: A social identity and social exchange perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    4. Mandl, Leonhard & Hogreve, Jens, 2020. "Buffering effects of brand community identification in service failures: The role of customer citizenship behaviors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 130-137.
    5. Bassam Dalal & Ahmad Aljarah, 2021. "How Brand Symbolism, Perceived Service Quality, and CSR Skepticism Influence Consumers to Engage in Citizenship Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, May.
    6. Roberta Pinna & Gianfranco Cicotto & Hosein Jafarkarimi, 2023. "Student’s Co-Creation Behavior in a Business and Economic Bachelor’s Degree in Italy: Influence of Perceived Service Quality, Institutional Image, and Loyalty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, June.
    7. Chan, Kimmy Wa & Gong, Taeshik & Sharma, Piyush & Chu, Candace, 2022. "Demystifying the impact of customer participation on citizenship behaviors through interpersonal attraction and its contingencies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 297-310.
    8. Garrouch, Karim & Ghali, Zohra, 2023. "On linking the perceived values of mobile shopping apps, customer well-being, and customer citizenship behavior: Moderating role of customer intimacy," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Le, Hoang Tran Phuoc Mai & Kim, Dongyoup & Park, Jungkun, 2024. "The way to generate customer citizenship behavior with customer experience," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    10. Koryoe Anim-Wright & Rhodalene Amartey, 2024. "The Effect of Customer Citizenship Behavior and Customer Entitlement," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 19(2), pages 129-129, March.
    11. Mohsin Raza & Rimsha Khalid & Larisa Ivascu & Jati Kasuma, 2023. "Education Beats at the Heart of the Sustainability in Thailand: The Role of Institutional Awareness, Image, Experience, and Student Volunteer Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, January.
    12. Van Tonder, E. & Fullerton, S. & De Beer, L.T. & Saunders, S.G., 2023. "Social and personal factors influencing green customer citizenship behaviours: The role of subjective norm, internal values and attitudes," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    13. Ching-Yi Daphne Tsai & Shih-Hao Wu & Stephen Chi-Tsun Huang, 2017. "From mandatory to voluntary: consumer cooperation and citizenship behaviour," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(7-8), pages 521-543, June.
    14. Tonder, Estelle van & Saunders, Stephen Graham & Lisita, Inonge Theresa & de Beer, Leon Tielman, 2018. "The importance of customer citizenship behaviour in the modern retail environment: Introducing and testing a social exchange model," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 92-102.
    15. Ahmed Hassan Abdou & Thowayeb H. Hassan & Amany E. Salem & Azzam Ibrahem Albakhit & Muhanna Yousef Almakhayitah & Wagih Salama, 2022. "The Nexus between Environmentally Sustainable Practices, Green Satisfaction, and Customer Citizenship Behavior in Eco-Friendly Hotels: Social Exchange Theory Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-20, October.
    16. Yi-Ching Hsieh & Hung-Chang Chiu & Yun-Chia Tang & Wei-Yun Lin, 2018. "Does Raising Value Co-creation Increase All Customers’ Happiness?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(4), pages 1053-1067, November.
    17. Ye Sang & Eunkyoung Han, 2023. "A win‐win way for corporate and stakeholders to achieve sustainable development: Corporate social responsibility value co‐creation scale development and validation," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(3), pages 1177-1190, May.
    18. Hussam Al Halbusi & Pedro Jimenez Estevez & Tan Eleen & T. Ramayah & Md Uzir Hossain Uzir, 2020. "The Roles of The Physical Environment, Social Servicescape, Co-Created Value, and Customer Satisfaction in Determining Tourists’ Citizenship Behavior: Malaysian Cultural and Creative Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, April.
    19. Woo, Mina, 2019. "Assessing customer citizenship behaviors in the airline industry: Investigation of service quality and value," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 40-47.
    20. Zaglia, Melanie E., 2013. "Brand communities embedded in social networks," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 216-223.

    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:15:y:2023:i:3:p:2455-:d:1051243. 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.