How to Manage Customer Relationships in the Age of Digitalization

An Overview of the Influence Factors on Consumers’ Participation in Firm-Hosted Virtual P3 Communities

Seminararbeit , 2016 , 24 Seiten , Note: 1,3

BWL - Offline-Marketing und Online-Marketing

As a result of the rise of digital technologies new media phenomena shape the rela-tionship between customer and company. Companies need to take the shift in rela-tionships into account when managing customer relationships in the age of digital-ization. Customers are now more involved and adopt a more powerful position as market participants. Simultaneously, companies are able to interact with their cus-tomers directly. One new media phenomenon is the emergence of virtual commu-nities which are hosted by firms for commercial purposes. Virtual communities permit companies to enhance the customer-firm-relationship and promote consumer-to-consumer interactions. With the help of virtual peer-to-peer problem solving (P3) commu-nities, companies can complement their service support in a low-cost way.

Thus, the research question of this seminar paper pertains to this issue: What motivates consumers to participate in firm-hosted virtual P3 communities?

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

List of Figures

List of Abbreviations

1 Introduction

2 Definitions & Classification of Virtual Communities

3 Influences on Participation in Firm-Hosted Virtual P3 Communities
3.1 Influence of Individual Motivations on Participation
3.1.1 An Introduction to Uses & Gratifications Theory
3.1.2 Anticipated Functional Benefits
3.1.3 Anticipated Social Benefits
3.1.4 Anticipated Hedonic Benefits
3.2 Influence of Social Capital on Participation
3.2.1 An Introduction to Social Capital Theory
3.2.2 Structural Social Capital
3.2.3 Cognitive Social Capital
3.2.4 Relational Social Capital
3.3 Framework and Managerial Implications

4 Conclusion

References

• Hochschule: Universität Münster
• Note: 1,3
• Autor: Mira Oetzmann (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2016
• Seiten: 24
• Katalognummer: V378480
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668566484
• ISBN (Buch): 9783668566491
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: manage, customer, relationships, digitalization, overview, influence, factors, consumers’, participation, firm-hosted, virtual, communities