Marios Pournaris
ABSTRACT
Advancements in information technology have shaped the way customers and organizations interact with one another. Online brand communities (OBCs), especially have found their way into 21st century relationship marketing. While research embraces these OBCs for their cost-efficiency and ability for faster interactions, it has not thoroughly examined the procedure through which participation in such OBCs affects the major constructs of relationship marketing. Drawing from the trust-commitment theory and its central concepts of brand trust, brand commitment and brand loyalty, this thesis discusses the applicability of this theory in a brand community and in an online context. It also introduces the concept of OBC commitment as a very important outcome of participation in an OBC. Using probability sampling and a self-administered questionnaire, this study employs a deductive logic to investigate if higher levels of participation in an OBC translate to higher levels of member commitment toward that OBC and higher levels of trust, commitment and loyalty toward the brand that the OBC supports. This study underlines the importance of understanding the process through which an OBC member gradually develops strong emotional ties with that OBC, as a result of continuous interaction with other OBC members. Additionally, how participation in an OBC evolves to attachment towards the brand that the OBC supports.
- Algesheimer, R., Dholakia, U. M. and Herrmann, A. 2005. The social influence of brand community: Evidence from European car clubs. Journal of Marketing, 69, 19--34Google Scholar
Cross Ref
- Andersen, P. H. 2005. Relationship marketing and brand involvement of professionals through web-enhance brand communities: The case of Coloplast. Industrial Marketing Management, 34, 285--297Google ScholarCross Ref
- Ashforth, B. E., and Mael, F. 1989. Social Identity theory and the Organization. Academy of Management Journal, 14 (1), 20--39Google Scholar
- Bagozzi, R. P. 1994. Measurement in marketing research. Blackwell, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
- Bagozzi, R. P. and Yi, Y. 1988. On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 16, 74--94.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Bagozzi, R. P. and Dholakia, U. M. 2006. Antecedents and purchase consequences of customer participation in small group brand communities. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 23 (1), 45--61Google ScholarCross Ref
- Beatty, S. E. and Kahle, L. R. 1988. Alternative Hierarchies of the Attitude-Behavior Relationship: The Impact of Brand Commitment and Habit. Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, 16, 1--10Google ScholarCross Ref
- Bloemer, J. M. M. and Kasper, H. D. P. 1995. The complex relationship between consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Economic Psychology, 16, 311--329Google ScholarCross Ref
- Bergami, M. and Bagozzi, R. P. 2000. Self-categorization, affective commitment, and group self-esteem as distinct aspects of social identity in an organization. British Journal of Social Psychology, 39 (4), 555--577Google ScholarCross Ref
- Brauer, M., Judd, C. M., and Gliner, M. D. 1995. The effects of repeated expressions on attitude polarization in group discussions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68 (6), 1014--1029Google ScholarCross Ref
- Brown, J. J., and Reingen, P. H. 1987. Social ties and Word-Of-Mouth referral behaviour. Journal of Customer Research, 14, 350--362Google Scholar
- Casaló, L. V., Flavián, C. and Guinalíu, M. 2008. Promoting consumer's participation in virtual brand communities: a new paradigm in branding strategy. Journal of Marketing Communications, 14 (1), 19--36Google ScholarCross Ref
- Chinomora, R. 2013. The influence of brand experience on brand satisfaction, trust and attachment in South Africa. International business and economics research journal, 12 (10), 1303--1315Google Scholar
- Chiu, C. M., Huang, H. Y. and Yen, C. H. 2010. Antecedents of online trust in online auctions. Electronic Commerce Research and Application, 9, 148--159 Google ScholarDigital Library
- Coulter, R. A., Price, L. L. and Feick, L. 2003. Rethinking the Origins of Involvement and Brand Commitment: Insights from Post-Socialist Central Europe. Journal of Consumer Research, 30, 151--169Google ScholarCross Ref
- Cyr, D. 2008. Modeling website design across cultures: relationships to trust, satisfaction and E-loyalty. Journal of Management Information Systems, 24 (4), 47--72 Google ScholarDigital Library
- Dick, A. and Basu, K. 1994. Customer loyalty: towards an integrated framework. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 22 (2), 99--113Google ScholarCross Ref
- Doney, P., M. and Cannon, J. P. 1997. An Examination of the Nature of Trust in Buyer-Seller Relationships. Journal of Marketing, 61, 35--51Google Scholar
- Dutton, J. E., and Dukerich, J. M. 1991. Keeping an eye on the mirror: The role of image and identity in organizational adaptation. Academy of Management Journal, 34, 517--554Google Scholar
- Enrique P. Becerra, B. and Vishag Badrinarayanan. 2013. The influence of brand trust and brand identification on brand evangelism. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 22 (5/6), 371--383Google ScholarCross Ref
- Farris, P. W., Bendle, N. T., Pfeifer, P. E. and Reibstein, D. J. 2010. Marketing Metrics: The Definitive Guide to Measuring Marketing Performance. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Google ScholarDigital Library
- Flavián. C. and M. Guinalíu. 2006. Consumer Trust, Perceived Security, and Privacy Policy: Three Basic Elements of Loyalty to a Website. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 106, (5/6), 601--620Google ScholarCross Ref
- Fornell, C. and Larcker, D. F. 1981. Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18 (1), 39--50.Google ScholarCross Ref
- Füller, J., Matzler, K. and Hoppe, M. 2008. Brand community members as a source of Innovation. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 25, 608--619Google ScholarCross Ref
- Fullerton, G. 2003. When Does Commitment Lead to Loyalty? Journal of Service Research, 5 (4), 333--344Google ScholarCross Ref
- Ha, H. 2004. Factors influencing consumer perceptions of brand trust online. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 13 (5), 329--342Google ScholarCross Ref
- Habibi, M. R., Laroche, M. and Richard, M-O. 2014. Brand communities based in social media: How unique are they? Evidence from two exemplary brand communities. International Journal of Information Management, 34 (2), 123--132 Google ScholarDigital Library
- Hagel, J. III and Armstrong, A. G. 1997. Net Gain: Expanding Markets through VirtualCommunities, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA Google ScholarDigital Library
- Harris, L. C. and Goode, M. 2004. The four levels of loyalty and the pivotal role of trust: A study of online service dynamics. Journal of Retailing, 80 (2), 139--158Google ScholarCross Ref
- Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E. and Tatham, R. L. 2009. Multivariate data analysis. New Delhi: Pearson Publication IncGoogle Scholar
- Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B., Anderson, R. E. and Tatham, R. L. 2005. Multivariate Data Analysis, 6th ed., Prentice HallGoogle Scholar
- Hess, J. and Story, J. 2005. Trust-based commitment: multidimensional consumer-brand relationships. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22 (6), 313--322Google ScholarCross Ref
- Hur, W.-M., Ahn, K.-H. and Kim, M. 2011. Building brand loyalty through managing brand community commitment. Management Decision, 49 (7), 1194--1213Google ScholarCross Ref
- Iglesias, O., Singh, J. J. and Batista-foguet, J. 2011. The role of brand experience and affective commitment in determining brand loyalty. Journal of Brand Management, 18(8), 570--582Google ScholarCross Ref
- Jacoby, J. and Chestnut, R. W. 1978. Brand Loyalty: Measurement and management. John Wiley and sons. New YorkGoogle Scholar
- Jang, H., Olfman, L., Ko, I., Koh, J. and Kim, K. 2008. The influence of on-line brand community characteristics on community commitment and brand loyalty. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 12 (3), 57--80 Google ScholarDigital Library
- Kiesler, C. A. 1971. The Psychology of Commitment: Experiments Linking Behaviour to Belief. New York: Academic PressGoogle Scholar
- Kim, J. W., Choi, J., Qualls, W., and Han, K. 2008. It takes a marketplace community to raise brand Commitment; the role of online communities. Journal of Marketing Management, 24 (3-4), 409--431Google ScholarCross Ref
- Koufteros, X., Vonderembse, M. and Jayaram, J. 2005. Internal and external integration for product development: the contingency effects of uncertainty, equivocality, and platform strategy. Decision Sciences Journal, 36 (1), 97--133Google ScholarCross Ref
- Kuppelwieser, V. G., Grefrath, R. and Dziuk, A. 2011. A Classification of Brand Pride Using Trust and Commitment, International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2 (3), 36--45Google Scholar
- Lawler, A. J., and Yoon, J. 1996. Commitment in Exchange Relations: Test of a Theory of Relational Cohesion. American Sociological Review, 61, 89--10Google ScholarCross Ref
- Lee, J., Lee, J.-N. and Tan, B. C. A. 2012. Antecedents of cognitive trust and affective distrust and their mediating roles in building customer loyalty. Information Systems Frontiers, 17 (1), 159--175 Google ScholarDigital Library
- Lee, H. J., Lee, D., Lee, J. and Taylor, C. R. 2011. Do online brand communities help build and maintain relationships with consumers? A network theory approach. The Journal of Brand Management, 19 (3), 213--227Google ScholarCross Ref
- Li, X. and Patrick, J. F. 2010. Revisiting the commitment-loyalty distinction in a cruising context. Journal of Leisure Research, 42 (1), 67--90Google ScholarCross Ref
- Lin, M.-Q. and Lee, B. C. Y. 2012. The influence of website environment on brand loyalty: brand trust and brand affect as mediators. International Journal of Electronic Business Management, 10 (4), 308--321Google Scholar
- Madupu, V. and Cooley, D. O. 2010. Antecedents and consequences of online brand community participation: a conceptual framework. Journal of internet commerce, 9 (2), 127--147Google ScholarCross Ref
- Mattila, A. S. 2001. Emotional bonding and restaurant loyalty. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant. Administration Quarterly, 42 (6), 73--79Google Scholar
- Matzler, K., Grabner-Kräuter, S. and Bidmon, S. 2008. Risk aversion and brand loyalty: the mediating role of brand trust and brand affect. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 17 (3), 154--162Google ScholarCross Ref
- McDonald, G. W. 1981. Structural Exchange and Marital Interaction. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 12, 825--39Google ScholarCross Ref
- Morgan, R. M. and Hunt, S. D. 1994. The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 58 (3), 20--38Google ScholarCross Ref
- Muñiz, A. M. Jr. and O'Guinn, T. C. 2001. Brand community. Journal of Consumer Research, 27 (4), 412--32Google ScholarCross Ref
- Nunnally, J. C. and Bernstein, I. H. 1994. Psychometric theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
- Perlman, D. and Duck, S. 1987. Intimate relationships: Development, dynamics and deterioration. Beverley Hills, CA: SageGoogle Scholar
- Pritchard, M. P., Havitz, M. E. and Howard, D. R. 1999. Analysing the commitment-loyalty link in service contexts. J. Acad. Market. Sci., 27, 333--348Google ScholarCross Ref
- Reichheld, F. F. and Schefter, P. 2000. E loyalty - Your secret weapon on the web. Harvard Business Review, 78, 105--113Google Scholar
- Royo-Vela, M. and Casamassima, P. 2011. The influence of belonging to virtual brand communities on consumers' affective commitment, satisfaction and word-of-mouth advertising: The ZARA case. Online Information Review, 35 (4), 517--542Google ScholarCross Ref
- Sheth, J. N. and Parvatiyar, A. 1995. Relationship marketing in consumer markets: antecedents and consequences. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 23 (4), 255--71Google ScholarCross Ref
- Sirdeshmukh, D., Singh, J. and Sabol, B., 2002. Consumer trust, value and loyalty in relational exchange. Journal of Marketing, 66 (1), 15--37Google ScholarCross Ref
- Steenkamp, J. B. E. M. and van Trijp, H. C. M. 1991. The use of LISREL in validating marketing constructs. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 8 (4), 283--299Google ScholarCross Ref
- Wellman, B. and Gulia, M. 1999. Net-surfers don't ride alone: Virtual communities as communities. Boulder, CO7 Westview PressGoogle Scholar
- Wirtz, J., Den Ambtman, A., Bloemer, J., Horváth, C., Ramaseshan, B., Van de Klundert, J., Canli, Z. G. and Kandampully, J. 2013. Managing brands and customer engagement in online brand communities. Journal of Service Management, 24 (3), 223--244Google ScholarCross Ref
- Wirtz, J., Bloemer, J., Horváth, C., Ramaseshan, B., Van de Klundert, J., Canli, Z. G. and Kandampulli, J. 2009. Managing brands and customer engagement in online brand communities, Journal of Service Management, 24 (3), 223--244Google ScholarCross Ref
- Zhou, Z., Zhang, Q., Chenting, S. and Zhou, N. 2012. How do brand communities generate brand relationships? Intermediate mechanisms. Journal of Business Research. 65 (7), 890--895Google ScholarCross Ref
Index Terms
- How online brand community participation strengthens brand trust and commitment: A relationship marketing perspective
Recommendations
Determinants of Brand Loyalty in Online Brand Communities: The View of Place Attachment
MISNC '18: Proceedings of the 5th Multidisciplinary International Social Networks ConferenceWith prosperity of online brand communities in the Internet generation, it's important for brands to manage their own online community to strengthen competitive advantage. Certainly, how to operate online brand community in a sustainable way becomes an ...
The effects of social media based brand communities on brand community markers, value creation practices, brand trust and brand loyalty
Social media based brand communities are communities initiated on the platform of social media. In this article, we explore whether brand communities based on social media (a special type of online brand communities) have positive effects on the main ...
Effect of Brand Loyalty on Advertising and Trade Promotions: A Game Theoretic Analysis with Empirical Evidence
In this paper we examine the issue of balancing media advertising pull strategy and trade promotions push strategy for manufacturers of consumer packaged goods utilizing a three-stage game theoretic analysis and test model's implications with scanner ...
Comments