Participation in online brand communities: The value for consumers and brands

Organizations find it difficult to develop viable online brand communities. In the literature, the most recognized reason for non-viable online communities is the lack of active participation of community members. This thesis investigates why and how participation in online brand communities evolves.
An extensive literature review was conducted to examine why community members participate. Thirty constructs based on operationalizations in the research field were determined and classified into six categories: consumer and community characteristics; consumer, community, and brand benefits; and participation. A network analysis of propositions between these constructs resulted in proposing an integrated framework for explaining participation in online brand communities, that takes mediation, bidirectional and cyclical relationships (feedback loops) into account.
Findings from a data-driven approach to how members participate in online brand communities for eight brands across product categories indicated that consumers tend to actively participate sporadically, and even then, their interactions are more often with the brand rather than with fellow community members.
The findings in this thesis call for a refined conceptualization of online brand communities, emphasizing the value proposition. This thesis contributes to the literature and practice of online brand communities by critically analyzing member participation to broaden the understanding of developing online brand communities through member participation.