Examining users’ knowledge sharing behaviour in online health communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Zhou

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to draw on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework to examine users’ knowledge sharing in online health communities (OHC). Design/methodology/approach Based on the 326 valid responses collected from a survey, structural equation modelling was employed to examine the research model. Findings The results indicated that both information quality and service quality affect trust in community, whereas both informational support and emotional support affect trust in other members. Both types of trust and privacy risk determine users’ sharing intention, which in turn affects sharing behaviour. Research limitations/implications The results imply that service providers need to improve their community platforms and create a supportive climate in order to facilitate users’ trust and their knowledge sharing behaviour. Originality/value Previous studies have examined a few determinants of OHC user behaviour such as privacy concern, trust and motivations. However, they have seldom disclosed the internal decision process underlying users’ knowledge sharing. This research tries to fill the gap.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Wang ◽  
Jia Wang ◽  
Qiao Li

PurposeActive interaction and knowledge contribution are vital yet challenging elements of the sustainable development of online health communities (OHCs). To investigate the cognitive mechanisms underlying these behaviours in doctors' and patients' use of OHCs, this study develops a theoretical model to examine the relationships among cognitive modes, patterns of interaction, perceived usefulness, and contribution behaviour and the impact of user identity on these relationships.Design/methodology/approachTo test the research hypotheses, structural equation modelling and multiple-group analysis were used to analyse survey data from 207 doctors and 213 patients.FindingsThe results indicate that dual processes and perceived usefulness are the key cognitive antecedents of interaction and knowledge contribution, respectively. However, the correlation of the rational mode and instrumental interaction is significantly stronger in the doctors' group than in the patients' group, while a stronger correlation between the experiential mode and instrumental interaction is observed in the patients' group.Practical implicationsThese findings support the development of information and system strategies to support the operation of dual processes underlying doctors' and patients' instrumental and affective interactions, facilitate evaluation and sense-making of interaction activities, and motivate knowledge contribution.Originality/valueThis study uncovers the invariance and variability in the relationships between salient cognitive activities and behavioural responses in doctors' and patients' use of OHCs and the impact of user identity on variability.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
My-Trinh Bui ◽  
Don Jyh-Fu Jeng

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate coproduction behavior in networking alumni communities via the progress from platform belongingness, knowledge sharing and citizenship behavior. Alumni networking communities have emerged as valuable assets for conserving institutional resources, supporting members and contributing new resources for alumni-institutional professional development. However, the previous literature has not yet captured the explicit processes by which these contributions are made. Design/methodology/approach Data from 711 respondents selected from an alumni collaboration network were subjected to structural equation modeling analysis. Findings The study explored resource conservation (belongingness) as the primary relational mechanism for alumni to share their instrumental resources (knowledge sharing), supporting resources (citizenship behavior) and competent resources (coproduction behavior). Knowledge sharing and citizenship behavior act as intermediate agents to trigger coproduction behavior. The authors show how subjective norm, group norm and trust is regarded as a tool to reduce bonding intrusiveness (i.e. the intrusive side-effects of a bond) and moderate the indirect effect of belongingness on coproduction and the direct effect of citizenship on coproduction. Research limitations/implications By applying attachment theory, conservation of resources theory and digital platform networking perspectives, this study describes major implications for designing inspiring and compatible community platforms. Practical implications Guidance is provided for improving sustainable alumni communities through citizenship-sharing and coproduction behavior. Social implications Online alumni communities are regarded as resource conservators, which can result in valuable coproduction, via the sharing of knowledge, expertise and skillsets to create profit for a range of institutions and industries. Originality/value Alumni networking platforms encourage alumni cohesiveness, stimulate knowledge exchange and improve professionalism.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Idrees Asghar ◽  
Haris Aslam ◽  
Amer Saeed

PurposeThis research aims to understand how competencies for supply chain professionals are developed and how they can affect the manager's performance, especially the manager's resilience in times of significant supply chain disruptions.Design/methodology/approachA research model was developed based on a comprehensive literature survey in the area of individual competencies grounded in the knowledge-based view of the firm. We tested our research model using a quantitative, survey-based study with a sample of 175 Pakistani supply chain managers. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsThe analysis identified corporate training and knowledge sharing as the main antecedents of supply chain professional's competencies. It also showed that these competencies result in higher performance in the form manager's resilience and job performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides a valuable framework for organisations to focus on skill-developing training and promoting a knowledge-sharing culture among employees to achieve desired performance levels.Originality/valueThis study is unique as no prior research studied such a comprehensive model of antecedents and consequences of supply chain professionals' competencies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Van Dong Phung ◽  
Igor Hawryszkiewycz ◽  
Daniel Chandran

Purpose Studies have examined the influence of knowledge-sharing factors on attitudes and intentions to share knowledge; thus, there is a need to add to the limited research to examine individuals’ actual knowledge-sharing behaviour (KSB). Drawing upon the social cognitive theory (SCT) and transformational leadership, this study aims to develop a new research model which modifies the standard SCT model and augments it with other theories to examine academics’ KSBs. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaire surveys based on literature and pilot study were conducted with 785 academic staff from four Vietnamese public universities. This study applied structural equation modelling to test the proposed research model and hypotheses. Findings The findings show that environmental factors (subjective norms, trust) and personal factors (knowledge self-efficacy, enjoyment in helping others) had positive impacts on KSB; KSB had a strongly positive effect on innovative behaviour; and transformational leadership positively moderated the effects of subjective norms, trust and knowledge self-efficacy on KSB. Interestingly, psychological ownership of knowledge was found to have insignificant associations with KSB. Practical implications The study findings can be used by university leaders, academic staff and researchers in other similar contexts. Originality/value Until now, to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, no studies have applied SCT as a primary lens, in which transformational leadership positioned in a focal behaviour also affected KSB, to investigate research on KSB in organisations, especially in institutions of higher education.


Author(s):  
Md Abdul Kaium ◽  
Yukun Bao ◽  
Mohammad Zahedul Alam ◽  
Md. Rakibul Hoque

Purpose This study aims to understand the factors affecting the continuance usage intention (CUI) of mHealth among the rural elderly. Design/methodology/approach An integrated model was proposed with the constructs derived from multiple models such as the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, information system success model and expectation confirmation model. Data were collected from 400 participants who had prior experiences with mHealth services in Bangladesh. The research model was tested using the partial least squares method based upon structural equation modelling. Findings The findings indicated that system quality, performance expectancy, facilitating conditions and social influence were significant to the degree of confirmation and ultimately affect satisfaction and CUI. Surprisingly, service quality and information quality were insignificant. Research limitations/implications This study has added in the field of knowledge by contributing some new thoughts and interpretations of continuance usage modelling for mHealth services. The findings may become beneficial for the government agencies, policymakers, mHealth systems developers and service providers. Originality/value As limited research was found on CUI of mHealth in the integrated view of rural elderly’s value, this research contributes to the extant literature by categorizing key factors that might support to proliferate the continuance usage of this service. Moreover, the contextualization of the related variables and integration of the existing model is theoretically original. Furthermore, because of a generic approach, the findings could be easily modified to assist other developing countries in the planning and up-take of mHealth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 1119-1133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Zhou

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine the effect of information privacy concern on users' social shopping intention.Design/methodology/approachBased on the 340 valid responses collected from a survey, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the research model.FindingsThe results indicated that while disposition to privacy positively affects privacy concern, both reputation and laws negatively affect privacy concern, which in turn decreases social shopping intention. In addition, trust partially mediates the effect of privacy concern on social shopping intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe results imply that social commerce companies need to mitigate users' privacy concern in order to facilitate their shopping behavior.Originality/valueThis research disclosed that privacy concern receives a tripartite influence from users (disposition to privacy), platforms (reputation) and governments (laws). The results help us gain a complete understanding of information privacy concern mitigation in social shopping.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenglong Li ◽  
Hongxiu Li ◽  
Reima Suomi ◽  
Yong Liu

PurposeAlthough knowledge sharing in online communities has been studied for many years, little is known about the determinants for individuals' knowledge sharing in online health communities (OHCs) surrounding smoking cessation. Examining the determinants of knowledge sharing in such OHCs from the social capital perspective may prove particularly enlightening.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire-based online user survey of two smoking cessation OHCs, one based in Finland and one based in China, was performed. Performing data analysis with partial least squares (SmartPLS 3.0), the authors developed a model conceptualizing the structural, cognitive and relational dimensions of social capital as drivers for knowledge sharing in smoking cessation OHCs, with users' stage in giving up smoking as a moderator.FindingsThe results show that structural capital (social ties) and relational capital (reciprocity) are important motivators behind knowledge sharing in smoking cessation OHCs, and the authors found a moderating effect of the stage in quitting on the antecedents' relationship with knowledge sharing in these OHCs.Originality/valueThe study enriches understanding of knowledge sharing in smoking cessation OHCs, contributing to theory and identifying practical implications for such groups' administration.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenglong Li ◽  
Hongxiu Li ◽  
Reima Suomi

PurposeAn empirical study investigated the antecedents to perceived usefulness (PU) and its consequences in the context of smoking cessation online health communities (OHCs).Design/methodology/approachTo validate a research model for perceived informational support, perceived emotional support and perceived esteem support, the authors conducted a partial-least-squares analysis of empirical data from an online survey (N = 173) of users of two smoking cessation OHCs. The proposed model articulates these as antecedents to PU from a social support perspective, and knowledge sharing and continuance intention are expressed as consequences of PU.FindingsThe empirical study identified that the PU of smoking cessation OHCs is influenced by perceived emotional support and perceived esteem support, and perceived informational support indirectly affects PU via these factors. In turn, PU exerts a positive influence on both knowledge sharing and continuance intention. Also, knowledge sharing positively affects continuance intention.Originality/valueThe study contributes to scholarship on users' postadoption behavior in the context of smoking cessation OHCs by disentangling the antecedents to PU from a social support perspective and pinpointing some important consequences of PU. The research also has practical implications for managing smoking cessation OHCs.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nattaporn Thongsri ◽  
Pattaraporn Warintarawej ◽  
Santi Chotkaew ◽  
Jariya Seksan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a prototype of Online Food Delivery Application that addresses the actual needs of the user and to study the factors affecting the acceptance of Food Friend Application (FFA). Design/methodology/approach This is an applied research study using design thinking to study the real needs of consumers when ordering food online during the COVID-19 outbreak. The real needs of customers were used to create FFA. Then, the key predictors of FFA adoption were studied by integrating psychological variables, including Alertness to distinction, Openness to novelty, Orientation in the present; and Technological variables Design, Information Quality and Mobility, with comprehensive data analysis. Initially, Structural Equation Modeling was used to study the statistical relationships toward FFA acceptance, while a neural network model was used to validate the first step analysis. Findings Analysis results from both methods confirmed that Alertness to distinction, Orientation in the present, Mobility and Openness to novelty affected FFA at statistically significant levels. Surprisingly, technological variables in terms of Design and Information Quality had no statistical relationship toward FFA. Originality/value In addition to dealing with digital disrupts, the current business world also needs to deal with the pandemic and the rapidly changing consumer behavior. COVID-19 is a clear catalyst for digital business trends, for example, food delivery that has to deal with dramatic changes in consumer behavior. The strong methodological results of this research are greatly beneficial to academics, food online delivery service providers, application developers and government agencies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenlong Liu ◽  
Xinting Chen ◽  
Xuanyu Lu ◽  
Xiucheng Fan

The knowledge contribution of members is essential and beneficial to both the business and users of online health communities (OHCs). This study explores and tests the effects of OHC users' psychological contracts on their community identification and knowledge-sharing behavior. A total of 367 valid responses from several well-known OHCs in China are used in the data analysis. The results of the path analysis with structural equation modeling show that users' transactional psychological contracts have a negative effect on their knowledge contribution both directly and indirectly by weakening their community identification. In contrast, users' relational psychological contracts can lead to increased active knowledge contributions both directly and indirectly by enhancing their community identification. Knowledge sharing self-efficacy can strengthen the relationship between relational psychological contracts and knowledge contributions, and the relationship between community identification and knowledge contributions. However, it has no significant impact on the path from transactional psychological contracts to knowledge contribution. The implications and direction of future works are presented on the basis of the results of the empirical analysis.


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