Abstract
Adding to the growing interest in value co-creation and co-innovation literature, this thesis aims to examine the optimal management of consumer behavior in company-initiated online co-innovation communities. In doing so, the study focuses on the motivators to participate in online brand communities, consumer-brand engagement, and consumer-brand relationships as antecedents of coinnovation activities. Based on an extensive literature review of the central themes of online brand communities and value co-creation, a theoretical framework is constructed by applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response model. Through the distribution of an online survey on various social networks, a total of 160 responses from Spotify users were collected. The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS and the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model. The findings show that the motivators information, social integration, and empowerment positively impact consumer-brand engagement in virtual brand communities. This, in turn, positively impacts consumer-brand relationships, which ultimately positively influences co-innovation. Further, the findings reveal that the motivators entertainment and remuneration have no significant influence on customer-brand engagement in online brand communities. Besides, consumer-brand engagement and consumer-brand relationship are found to influence as mediators: The first mediates between the motivators and consumer-brand relationships, and the latter between consumer-brand engagement and co-innovation. This thesis contributes to theory as it provides more knowledge about how value co-creation occurs via online co-innovation communities. Taking a single case study approach limits the results to Spotify’s online brand community. Even so, the findings provide general insights into the effective management of online brand communities to foster co-innovation with consumers, thereby improving the brand value.
Uddannelser | Cand.merc.bcm Brand and Communications Management, (Kandidatuddannelse) Afsluttende afhandling |
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Sprog | Engelsk |
Udgivelsesdato | 2022 |
Antal sider | 167 |
Vejledere | Liana Razmerita |