Yongqiang Sun

Understanding sustained participation in transactional virtual communities

This study aims to address two research gaps in prior studies on knowledge sharing in virtual communities (VCs). First, prior studies have focused on knowledge sharing VCs with no explicit reward system, but VCs sharing knowledge based on a competition-based reward system (e.g., transactional VCs) have not been explored. Second, prior related studies have concentrated on the determinants of initial participation in sharing knowledge rather than sustained participation despite there being important distinctions between these two stages of participation behavior. In this study, we focus on understanding sustained participation in knowledge sharing in transactional VCs by drawing on expectancy-value theory and a social learning process. Considering that a social learning process is involved in maintaining sustained participation, we propose that task complexity and self-efficacy - two social learning factors - moderate the relationship between motivation and sustained participation. A field survey with 205 subjects in a transactional virtual community was conducted to test the research model. According to the findings, extrinsic and intrinsic motivations significantly influence sustained participation intention. A negative interaction effect between extrinsic motivation and task complexity, as well as positive interaction effect between intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy, was also observed. A non-linear interaction effect between intrinsic motivation and task complexity was also found. Study implications and future research directions are also discussed. Highlights? Extrinsic motivation plays an important role in the TVC context. ? Task complexity weakens the effect of extrinsic motivation on intention. ? Self efficacy enhances the effect of intrinsic motivation on intention. ? The effect of intrinsic motivation is low under high level of task complexity.

User Satisfaction with Information Technology Service Delivery: A Social Capital Perspective

Existing research has long considered service quality as a primary determinant of user satisfaction with information technology (IT) service delivery. In response to the knowledge-intensive and collaborative nature of IT service delivery in the contemporary business context, we advance the theoretical understanding of user satisfaction by re-conceptualizing IT service delivery as a bilateral, relational process between the IT staff and users. Based on this reconceptualization, we draw on social capital theory to examine the antecedents of user satisfaction with IT service delivery. Specifically, we posit that two major dimensions of social capital, i.e., cognitive capital and relational capital, not only positively affect user satisfaction but also strengthen the established relationship between service quality and user satisfaction. Furthermore, we propose that the effect of the other dimension of social capital---structural capital---on user satisfaction is fully mediated through cognitive capital and relational capital. A field study of 159 users in four financial companies provides general empirical support for our hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Transition of electronic word-of-mouth services from web to mobile context: A trust transfer perspective

Success in web services cannot promise the success in corresponding mobile services. To understand the mobile service adoption behavior under the context of web-mobile service transition, this study, taking mobile eWOM services as an example, investigates the role of trust in mobile service adoption and empirically examines the trust transfer mechanism. Specifically, trust in web services and two relationship-relevant factors namely functional consistency and perceived entitativity are proposed as the predictors of trust in mobile services. A field survey with 235 mobile eWOM services users is conducted to test the research model and hypotheses. The key findings include (1) trust in mobile services positively influences intention to use mobile services; (2) trust in web services, functional consistency and perceived entitativity positively influence trust in mobile services; (3) functional consistency positively influences perceived entitativity. Limitations, theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

The dark side of elderly acceptance of preventive mobile health services in China

Mobile health services have become increasingly important for people, especially for the elderly. Despite the potential benefits, there are challenges and barriers for the elderly in adopting mobile health services. Drawing upon the dual factor model, we investigate the enablers and the inhibitors of the elderly mobile health service adoption behaviour. We also address two typical characteristics of elderly users—technology anxiety and dispositional resistance to change—to understand the antecedents of the enablers and the inhibitors. The hypothesized model is empirically tested using data collected from a field survey of 204 customers of a large elderly service providing company in China. The key findings include: (1) resistance to change influences perceived usefulness but does not influence perceived ease of use and adoption intention; (2) technology anxiety is negatively associated with perceived ease of use but positively associated with resistance to change; (3) dispositional resistance to change is negatively associated with perceived ease of use but positively associated with resistance to change. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

From e-learning to social-learning

Knowledge management (KM) process support organizational learning.We mapped the development of studies on social media-supported KM (SMKM).We identified the hot topics, top institutes, authors and trends.SMKM studies increased rapidly from 2011 and trends will be continued. Social media is bringing great challenges and wonderful opportunities for organizational learning. With support of social media, organizations may facilitate the knowledge management process within firms (e.g., knowledge sharing), then to encourage employees to promote collaborative learning behaviors from e-learning to social learning. There is a significant trend in the recent studies is increasing number of publications on social media supported knowledge management (SMKM). However, previous SMKM studies have not been depicted well by combining work of both researchers in social media study and ones in KM (which supports organizational learning) study. By using CiteSpace, this paper mapped important references that lead trends of SMKM development, authors contributing greatly to this field and hot topics of all the related articles. The way that SMKM study developed was analyzed according to the visualization of references and topics. Furthermore, the two most important groups - topics from SM and those from KM study were studied respectively to compare their development in order to show the fusion, the separation and other relationship. Finally, hottest trends and topics in these years and recent future were discussed to provide help for future work.

Understanding knowledge contributors’ satisfaction in transactional virtual communities: A cost–benefit trade-off perspective

Abstract This study investigates knowledge contributors’ satisfaction with a distinct type of virtual communities (i.e., transactional virtual communities, TVCs), where knowledge sharing is guided mainly under the principle of economic exchange, and cost–benefit tradeoff is the primary motive for knowledge sharing. Drawing upon the goal attainment theory, we examine the effects of two types of benefits (i.e., extrinsic and intrinsic) and two types of costs (i.e., actual and opportunity) on knowledge contributors’ satisfaction, and highlight the mediating role of perceived net goal attainment. A field survey with 205 subjects in a TVC in China is conducted to test the research model.

Working for one penny: Understanding why people would like to participate in online tasks with low payment

The development of Internet technology has facilitated the emergence of online marketplace for various kinds of tasks (e.g., Amazons Mechanical Turk in USA and Taskcn.com in China). Although the payment is relatively low, numerous people participate in the tasks in these online marketplaces. Drawing upon shopping value literature, we develop a research model by considering various value perceptions so as to better understand this interesting phenomenon. Specifically, it is proposed that hedonic value and utilitarian value (including benefit-cost ratio and net benefit) influence satisfaction and continuance intention. A field survey with 205 participants in an online working website in China was carried out to examine the proposed research model and hypotheses. The key findings are: (1) benefit-cost ratio significantly influences satisfaction, while net benefit does not; (2) there is a significant substitutive effect or negative interaction effect between benefit-cost ratio and net benefit; (3) hedonic value directly influences continuance intention, as well indirectly influences continuance intention via satisfaction. Implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

Understanding the relationships between motivators and effort in crowdsourcing marketplaces: A nonlinear analysis

Abstract Crowdsourcing marketplace as a new platform to source ideas or works from the public has become popular in the contemporary world. However, the predictors of user effort in the crowdsourcing context is rarely investigated. In this study, based on the expectancy theory which suggests the effects of reward valence, trust and self efficacy, we develop a research model to study the factors influencing effort. Further, the non-linear relationship between self efficacy and effort and the moderating role of task complexity is proposed. A field survey with 205 subjects are performed to test the research model. The results show that: (1) reward valence and trust positively influence effort; and (2) when task complexity is high (low), there will be a convex (concave) relationship between self efficacy and effort. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed.

Challenges and Foresights of Global Virtual Worlds Markets

Virtual worlds (VWs) are receiving increased global attention in a wide range of applications in education, business, government, and social contexts. There are many synonyms for VW, such as “multi user virtual environment,” “Web 3.D,” and “3D world.” In this article, we define VW as a computer-based simulated environment intended for its users to inhabit and interact via avatars. VW services are distinct from other traditional online services in terms of their open-ended, immersive, and collaborative nature (Zhou, Fang, Vogel, Jin, & Zhang, 2012). Due to increasing broadband internet access, VWs are rapidly emerging as an alternative means to the real world for communicating, collaborating, and organizing economic activity. Globally, venture capital, technology, and media firms reportedly invested more than

Understanding the influence of social media on people’s life satisfaction through two competing explanatory mechanisms

1 billion dollars in 35 VW companies per year (www.VirtualWorldsNews.com). After more than 10 years of development in the United States, Second Life became a mainstream internet application. Second Life, now the most famous and successful VW, had revenues of