Understanding knowledge sharing behavior in virtual communities: The roles of trust and commitment

• Main Authors: Huei-Mei Wang, 王惠美
• Other Authors: Meng-Hsiang Hsu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/91719632499562532704

碩士 === 國立高雄第一科技大學 === 資訊管理所 === 97 === Virtual Communities of practice are computer mediated discussion forums focused on problems of practice that enable individuals to exchange advice and ideas with others based on common interests. However, the biggest challenge in fostering a virtual community is knowledge contribution, namely the willingness to share knowledge with other members. In order to explore the knowledge sharing behaviors within the virtual communities of societies, this study integrates trust and commitment, multidimensional trusts, and multidimensional commitments for personal and environmental influences. Data collected from 300 members of IT professional virtual community provide support for the proposed model. The proposed research model was then evaluated with structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis was also applied to test if the empirical data conform to the proposed model. The results help in identifying the motivation underlying individuals'' knowledge sharing behavior in professional virtual communities. The implications for theory and practice and future research directions are discussed.