부산대학교 도서관

This study investigates how the functional attributes of online communities affect community members’ commitment towards their community. We draw on self-regulatory focus theory, highlighting the motivational processes of community members. Specifically, our research model explains that the functional attributes of online communities (performance- and reliability-based attributes) and the regulatory-focus motivations of community members (promotion- and prevention-focus) influence members’ community commitments (affective, normative, and continuance commitments). Our research makes three contributions. First, we suggest a theoretical framework to augment existing motivation and commitment research. Second, we emphasize the role of functional attributes on community members’ motivation and commitment. And third, we explain that online communities can sustain their competitive advantage by improving their community membership base.