Title: The Role of Environmental Dynamics, Trust and Affection in Building Loyalty among Members of the Online Video Games Modification Community

Author: Ferdian Hendrasto

Item Type : Thesis (Thesis)

Affiliations: Master of Management Science Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga , Surabaya, Indonesia

Publisher: Universitas Airlangga

 

Abstract

Brand communities can be a valuable asset for a company. In a community, customers can share experiences, provide input for the company in developing its products or participate in the product development process. However, to make customers want to take part in the product development process, companies must understand what factors can encourage customers to take part in the product development process which can take time and energy from the customer's side. In the scope of online brand communities, one of the determining factors is the online community environment itself. Customer perceptions of this online community environment will be a determining factor in whether or not trust and affection will grow in customers. In the end, trust and affection are what can encourage loyalty on the part of customers. Loyal customers will tend to be more willing to participate in the product development process, even though to participate in this process they have to invest their energy, time and even money. This research was conducted within the scope of an online community that focuses on developing video game modifications. Where members can modify video games so that they participate in providing added value both for the community and for video game players at large. The existing hypothesis was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with a significance level of 0.05. This research found that the online community environment has a significant effect on trust and affection, and these two variables also have a significant effect on loyalty.

Keywords: Online Community Environment, Trust to Community, Affection to Community, Loyalty, Brand Community, Video Games.s

 

Sources: http://repository.unair.ac.id/33987/