Investigation of the effects of members' closeness, size and IT in virtual communities: The social network perspective

Abstract

There has been insufficient attention on how relationships among members are essential for building of loyalty towards a community and on the effect of size on this relational aspect of VC although being acknowledged as critical factors in Virtual Community (VC) research. The informational and social impact of information technology (IT) usage in a VC is also unclear. Taking the perspectives of Social Network and Social Capital Theory, this paper investigated how size, IT, strength of relationship, members' commitment and members' intention to stay interplay in a VC. A cross sectional survey across various social VCs was conducted and the implications for practitioners as well as academics are also presented.