IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i4p2054-d747103.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Formation Mechanism of Social Identity Based on Knowledge Contribution in Online Knowledge Communities: Empirical Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Zhichao Cheng

    (School of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China)

  • Tongfei Gu

    (School of Economics and Management, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China)

  • Cui Li

    (School of Economics and Management, Institute of Disaster Prevention, Sanhe 065201, China)

Abstract

Social identity is a key factor in the sustainable development of online knowledge communities (OKCs). The purpose of this research is to explore the formation mechanism of the respective social identities of lurkers and posters, based on knowledge contribution behavior. To evaluate the research model, an online survey was conducted in the WeChat group and QQ group, which yielded 469 usable questionnaire responses. Structural equation modeling was then adapted to examine the model. We found that knowledge contribution can produce social and psychological outcomes (i.e., cognitive communication, parasocial interaction, a sense of self-worth, social support, and social identity). The posters’ social identity arises through the mediating effects of information support and cognitive communication, while the lurkers’ social identity arises through the mediating effect of parasocial interaction. In addition, this research reveals that personalized behaviors and social identity can coexist in OKCs. Our findings may provide theoretical and practical enlightenment for managers to achieve sustainable and successful operations in OKCs.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2054-:d:747103
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/4/2054/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/4/2054/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    2. Naresh K. Malhotra & Sung S. Kim & Ashutosh Patil, 2006. "Common Method Variance in IS Research: A Comparison of Alternative Approaches and a Reanalysis of Past Research," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(12), pages 1865-1883, December.
    3. Raquel Lozano-Blasco & Mᵃ Pilar Latorre-Martínez & Alejandra Cortes-Pascual, 2021. "Analizing Teens an Analysis from the Perspective of Gamers in Youtube," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Hajli, M. Nick, 2014. "The role of social support on relationship quality and social commerce," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 17-27.
    5. Badrinarayanan, Vishag A. & Sierra, Jeremy J. & Martin, Kinnon M., 2015. "A dual identification framework of online multiplayer video games: The case of massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs)," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1045-1052.
    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. Chien-Hsing Wu & Chuan-Chun Wu, 2019. "Determinants of Social Community Value Creation: An Exploratory Empirical Study," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(04), pages 1-26, December.
    2. Hota, Monali & Bartsch, Fabian, 2019. "Consumer socialization in childhood and adolescence: Impact of psychological development and family structure," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 11-20.
    3. Wang, Weisha & Shukla, Paurav & Shi, Guicheng, 2021. "Digitalized social support in the healthcare environment: Effects of the types and sources of social support on psychological well-being," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    4. Jean–Luc Arregle & Bat Batjargal & Michael A. Hitt & Justin W. Webb & Toyah Miller & Anne S. Tsui, 2015. "Family Ties in Entrepreneurs’ Social Networks and New Venture Growth," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(2), pages 313-344, March.
    5. Jebarajakirthy, Charles & Shankar, Amit, 2021. "Impact of online convenience on mobile banking adoption intention: A moderated mediation approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    6. Dong-Hong Zhu & Ya-Ping Chang, 2013. "Negative Publicity Effect of the Business Founder’s Unethical Behavior on Corporate Image: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 111-121, September.
    7. Nedkovski, Vojkan & Guerci, Marco & De Battisti, Francesca & Siletti, Elena, 2017. "Organizational ethical climates and employee's trust in colleagues, the supervisor, and the organization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 19-26.
    8. Heiko Bergmann, 2017. "The formation of opportunity beliefs among university entrepreneurs: an empirical study of research- and non-research-driven venture ideas," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 116-140, February.
    9. Mäntymäki, Matti & Salo, Jari, 2013. "Purchasing behavior in social virtual worlds: An examination of Habbo Hotel," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 282-290.
    10. Musarra, Giuseppe & Kadile, Vita & Zaefarian, Ghasem & Oghazi, Pejvak & Najafi-Tavani, Zhaleh, 2022. "Emotions, culture intelligence, and mutual trust in technology business relationships," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    11. Hsu, Dan K. & Burmeister-Lamp, Katrin & Simmons, Sharon A. & Foo, Maw-Der & Hong, Michelle C. & Pipes, Jesse D., 2019. "“I know I can, but I don't fit”: Perceived fit, self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intention," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 311-326.
    12. Lin Jia & Xiuwei Song & Dianne Hall, 2022. "Influence of Habits on Mobile Payment Acceptance: An Ecosystem Perspective," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 247-266, February.
    13. Neus Vila-Brunet & Josep Llach, 2020. "OSS-Qual: Holistic Scale to Assess Customer Quality Perception When Buying Secondhand Products in Online Platforms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-15, November.
    14. Matanda, Margaret Jekanyika & Freeman, Susan, 2009. "Effect of perceived environmental uncertainty on exporter-importer inter-organisational relationships and export performance improvement," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 89-107, February.
    15. Kawai, Norifumi & Chung, Chul, 2019. "Expatriate utilization, subsidiary knowledge creation and performance: The moderating role of subsidiary strategic context," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 24-36.
    16. Hasan M. Aleassa, 2014. "Performance Appraisal Satisfaction and Counterproductive Behaviors: Direct and Moderating Effects," International Journal of Business Administration, International Journal of Business Administration, Sciedu Press, vol. 5(1), pages 76-89, January.
    17. Leong, Lai-Ying & Hew, Teck-Soon & Ooi, Keng-Boon & Chong, Alain Yee-Loong, 2020. "Predicting the antecedents of trust in social commerce – A hybrid structural equation modeling with neural network approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 24-40.
    18. Tu Yidong & Lu Xinxin, 2013. "How Ethical Leadership Influence Employees’ Innovative Work Behavior: A Perspective of Intrinsic Motivation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(2), pages 441-455, August.
    19. Ko, Eun-Jung & Kim, A-Hyun & Kim, Sang-Soo, 2021. "Toward the understanding of the appropriation of ICT-based Smart-work and its impact on performance in organizations," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    20. Javad Shahreki & Jaya Ganesan & Kavitha Raman & Audrey Lim Li Chin & Tee Suan Chin, 2019. "The effect of human resource information system application on employee satisfaction and turnover intention," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 7(2), pages 1462-1479, December.

    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:14:y:2022:i:4:p:2054-:d:747103. 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.