Virtuelle Communities bezeichnen Gemeinschaften von Individuen, die maßgeblich über das Internet miteinander kommunizieren und kollaborieren. Anders als in Unternehmen, in denen Motivationsstrukturen primär auf finanziellen Anreizen basieren, gilt für Virtuelle Communities, dass die Zuarbeit in diesen in der Regel freiwillig und ohne monetäre Interessen der Mitglieder stattfindet. Unternehmen nutzen Virtuelle Communities für Zwecke des Customer Relationship Management, des Wissensmanagement und des Customer Integration. Universitäten bilden virtuelle Lernnetzwerke, um die Interaktion zwischen Studierenden zu erhöhen und hierdurch Lernerfolge zu steigern. Die Potenziale Virtueller Communities werden jedoch in vielen Fällen nicht vollständig ausgeschöpft. Insbesondere der Frage nach einer systematischen Mitgliedersteuerung kommt aufgrund der vorherrschenden komplexen Motivationsstrukturen der freiwillig partizipierenden Mitglieder eine besondere Bedeutung zu. In bisherigen wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten wurde dieser Aspekt jedoch vernachlässigt. Das Untersuchungsdesign der Arbeit zielt darauf ab, diese Forschungslücke zu schließen und einen Ordnungsrahmen zu gestalten, der einen systematischen Aufbau, Betrieb und insbesondere eine Steuerung Virtueller Communities ermöglicht. Die Identifikation von Steuerungsinstrumenten wurde im Rahmen der Arbeit durch eine Analyse der Strukturen und Funktionsweisen in Open Source-Projekten vorgenommen, anschließend wurden diese auf andere Typen Virtueller Communities übertragen. Im Rahmen zweier Fallstudien wurde der entwickelte Ordnungsrahmen unter realen Bedingungen an einem Expertennetzwerk an der Börse Berlin AG und einem universitären Lernnetzwerk erprobt. Die anschließende Analyse gibt Aufschluss über die Wirkungsweisen wettbewerblicher, kooperativer und hierarchischer Steuerungsinstrumente in Virtuellen Communities. / A virtual community can be understood as a group of people sharing common interests, ideas, and feelings by using the internet or other collaborative networks. In contrast to companies where contributors are mainly motivated by financial incentives, virtual communities are based on voluntarily participation and non-monetary benefits. Companies build up virtual communities to support customer relationship management, customer integration or knowledge management. Universities use virtual learning communities to increase knowledge transfer among students. However, the potential of virtual communities can not completely tapped without efficient and systematic approaches of community engineering. Members usually participate voluntarily in virtual community and therefore are characterized by a complex motivational structure. This aspect has not been discussed in scientific literature intensively. The research design of this contribution aims on developing a framework that can be used to systematically build up a virtual community. By analyzing open source projects several instruments of member management were identified and transferred to different types of virtual communities. By developing a case study design the practical relevance of the theoretical model was measured. A network of experts at Berlin stock exchange and a learning network at University of Potsdam were analysed. Surveys, interviews as well as data examinations were used to evaluate the effects of instruments of a systematic member management and different types of coordination such as hierarchy, competition and cooperation.

In recent years, many virtual communities have thrived with the rapid development of Internet. In the environment of virtual community, through the information exchange, members realize that they often have similar demands. In the case of online group-buying, buyers who have a common interest in a certain product group together to collect their collective power and thus get price discounts from suppliers. Hence online group-buying comprehends the need of interest, relationship, and transaction of virtual community. We are questioning whether the group-buying have invisible community relationships embedded in members¡¦ transaction activities. The purpose of this study is by the use of social network analysis to investigate the relationships of the network between initiators and participants and between co-participants. In particular we propose some measures based on social network analysis to help us understand the meanings of relationships of online group-buying network. According to the result of this study, we find the initiators have more power or resources to influence other members of the network between initiators and participants. And some active participants also have more power or resources to influence other participants of the network between co-participants. We also find the active initiators and participants would have more probability to occupy key positions of information flow.

The rapid growth of network access and the development of Web 2.0 have resulted in the popularity of virtual communities (VCs), such as Wikipedia, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Although these online communities provide no monetary incentive for sharing knowledge, as most businesses will do, they still become a popular platform for knowledge sharing. The purpose of this study is to investigate the motivation for people to contribute in virtual communities, whether their motivations differ in different types of virtual communities, and whether their behavior and motivations will be affected by monetary reward. Social exchange theory and self determination theory were adopted to explore the relationships between behavior and motivations of virtual community members. Motivation crowding theory was used to examine the effect of monetary reward on knowledge sharing. The research framework includes two types of motivators (intrinsic and extrinsic), two different virtual community types (common identity vs. common bond), and one treatment (monetary reward). An online survey and an experiment with monetary incentive were conducted on two virtual communities: ITToolbox and LinkedIn. The results showed that there were significant moderating effects between these two types of virtual communities. A strong positive relationship was found between intrinsic motivation and knowledge sharing for the professional community (common identity). In contrast, the relationship between extrinsic motivation and knowledge sharing was stronger in the social networking community (common bond). The results also confirmed the existence of the crowding effect that the intrinsic motivation was significantly declined when an extrinsic monetary reward was provided.

With the rapid innovation of online services, people come to social communities not only to connect with their friends but also to share their feelings, ideas and information. Hence, these social communities have become a powerful platform for information sharing and product marketing. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that affect the intention of information sharing in social communities. This study investigates the influence of user motivation and the attributes of message. An online survey was conducted. The result indicates: (1) In social communities, the quality of the message (i.e., the degree of credibility and level of irritation) was the major concern for them to decide whether to share the message with their friends. We find that intrinsic motivation has no significant effect on the intention to share. This is different from some previous literature. (2) Different attribute were having effects when the nature of the message differs. Content enjoyment was the most influential factor in recommending entertainment messages. Source creditability was the major factor for knowledge-type messages. When they share economic-type messages, the effect of message-related attributes were similar to that of the knowledge-type message, except that the competence of the intrinsic motivation became significant. This indicates that the subject must feel competent in evaluating the economic message in order for them to share with peers.

This study investigate how the players' virtual community citizenship behavior were influence by online social identity and impression management of online game discussion forum. A questionnaire was designed for the online survey that resulted in a total of 692 valid responses. The results suggested that the player were more spontaneous involved in organizational citizenship behavior when they had higher identity on discussion forum. The player had more positive action in organizational citizenship behavior when they had higher attention on self impression management. This research is different from those past gaming community researches focus on the user's addiction and motivation, and give suggestions for future research.

Apply Internet technology to online live videoconferencing activities will overcome the restriction in face-to-face meeting. By using this way not only can help us to meet with one another in any time, but also saves us large amount of cost on communication and transportation. However, this is not easy for many users of virtual community to use it as an innate instinct, it still have many perplexitys for users to use of online live videoconferencing activities through Internet. The study of this thesis will pick five discrete organizations from the NSYSU Cyber University, and use questionnaire, focusing group interviewing and studying audio-video files as combined data. Then, researcher will use Qualitative Research method to analyse those data to extract all the situations including the phenomena, processes, and events which our subjects have experienced during the internet online live videoconferencing activities. We wanted to discover the sequences and relations among them and to reconstruct the online activity processes and find out the possible solutions. Finally, we proposed the Concrete processes, and feasible recommendations about guidelines and management of online live videoconferencing activities in this thesis. We hope these outcomes will be helpful to those people that will participate in online live videoconferencing activities.

With the rapid growth of virtual communities, more and more group-buying are now held within the communities. However, no study discusses the effect of virtual communities on group-buying. Comparing to other transaction modes, it is easier for consumers to aggregate their demands in virtual communities. The coherence and trust among community members, at the same time, further reduce potential risks in transactions. This study aims to understand factors that affect consumer intentions to join group-buying within the virtual communities and to develop a comprehensive framework. The results indicate that perceived trust in group-buying initiator and perceived trust in other community members are the main factors that influence consumers¡¦ intention to join. Their perceived risk, at the same, has no significant effect. Furthermore, consumers¡¦ involvement in the virtual community has the most effect on their perceived trust in initiators while their perceived trust in other members and the perceived expertise of the initiator are also critical factors. The results implies that the trust among members, which is resulted from their intense interactions, is the key factor of group-buying. The expertise of initiator, meanwhile, is not the critical determinant of group-buying.

I denna c- uppsats har en undersökning gjorts om interaktionen och samspelet mellan medlemmarna på ett forum som är ett av de främsta diskussionsforumen för homo- och bisexuella föräldrar/blivande homo- och bisexuella föräldrar. Syftet med undersökningen var att är få ökad insikt om den sociala interaktionen på forumet med hjälp av dessa tre frågeställningar: Hur ser interaktionen/samspelet ut mellan medlemmarna på forumet? Går det att utläsa särskilda teman utifrån inläggen? På vilket sätt kan forumet tänkas vara till någon hjälp för medlemmarna? Den teoretiska ramen för denna uppsats innefattar Stephen P. Robbins kommunikationsprocessteori, interaktionsspiralen som beskrivs av Sven Windahl, Signitzer & Olson, Jonathan H. Turners teori om sociala processer, samt en del av Hartmut B. Mokros teori om sociala strukturer och processer på makro respektive mikronivå. I den här studien har jag använt mig av en kvalitativ metod avsedd för internetforskning, virtuell etnografi. Denna metod är en tillämpningsmetod utifrån etnografiska metoder där jag använt mig av bland annat Malin Sveningssons bok ”Att fånga nätet- kvalitativa metoder för Internetforskning”. En kompletterande e- mejl intervju med webbmastern för forumet, hemsidan, har också gjorts. I mitt forskningsmaterial har jag gjort ett strategiskt kriteriebaserat urval från forumet, där jag valde ut fem diskussionstrådar med flest inlägg som totalt innefattade 62 inlägg. Detta för att ge läsaren ökad förståelse om interaktion på forumet utan att tänja på de etiska restriktionerna gällande anonymitetsskydd. Resultatet visade bland annat på att fyra teman kunde utläsas i de samtliga diskussionstrådarna. Nämligen: Presentation av sig själv, beskrivning/berättelse om situation, information/råd och tips, återkoppling/svar från medlem som startat diskussionstråd. Ett aktivt informationsutbyte sker på forumet. Informationen som delas rör frågor om barngörarprocessen i samkönade relationer. Forumet är nödvändigt för medlemmarna som lever i samkönade relationer och har funderingar kring barnfrågor. / In this essay an examination was made of the interaction and interplay between the members of a forum which is one of the main discussion forums for gay and bisexual parents/gay and bisexual couples in process of becoming parents. The study aimed to gain further insight about the social interaction on the forum using these three questions at issue: What are the interactions / interplay between the members in the forum? Is it possible to deduce specific themes based on the postings? How can the forum in question be helpful for the members? The theoretical framework for this essay includes Stephen P Robbins communication process theory, the interaction spiral described by Sven Windahl, Signitzer & Olson, Jonathan H. Turner's theory about social processes, and part of Hartmut B. Mokros theory about social structures and processes on macro and micro level. In this study I have used a qualitative method for Internet research, virtual ethnography. This method is a methodological practice with roots from ethnographic methods. My methodological startingpoint has been Malin Sveningssons book “Att fånga nätet- kvalitativa metoder för Internetforskning”. An additional e-mail interview with the webmaster of the website and the forum was also made. In my research material a strategic criteria-based selection from the forum was made. I picked out five discussion topics with the most posts, which included a total of 62 posts. This selection was made to give the reader a greater understanding about the interaction in the forum without stretching the ethical restrictions regarding anonymity. The results showed, among other things, that four themes could be inferred in all discussion threads: Presentation of oneself, description / narrative about the situation, information / advice and tips, feedback / response from the member who started the discussion thread. An active exchange of information takes place on the forum. The information shared amongst the members concerns issues about the process in having children in same-sex relationships. The forum is necessary for members considering or thinking about having children in same-sex relationships.

Magistro baigiamojo darbo tikslas – remiantis e-verslo aspektais įvertinti, kaip virtualios bendruomenės nulemia interneto vartotojų vartojimo įpročius. Tokia tema yra aktuali, nes sparčiai didėjant interneto vartotojų skaičiui Lietuvoje, atsiranda vis daugiau galimybių kurtis lietuviškoms virtualioms bendruomenėms ir plėtotis e-verslui. Šiame darbe išanalizuotos ir ištirtos pasaulio ir Lietuvos virtualios bendruomenės, įvertinta, kaip ir kokį poveikį tos bendruomenės daro paprastam interneto vartotojui ir e-verslo organizacijoms, iškeltos pagrindinės virtualių bendruomenių ir interneto svetainių teikiamų paslaugų naudingumo problemos bei pateikti siūlymai, kaip šias problemas spręsti. Tyrimo metu buvo atlikta lietuviškų virtualių bendruomenių internetinių puslapių turinio analizė, kurios metu nustatytos ir įvertintos populiariausių lietuviškų virtualių bendruomenių internetinės svetainės bei tų svetainių naudojamos priemonės, skirtos pritraukti interneto vartotojų dėmesį. Taip pat tyrimo metu buvo atlikta Lietuvos interneto vartotojų apklausa, kurios metu tirta kaip virtualios bendruomenės nulemia interneto vartotojų vartojimo įpročius. Atlikus minėtus tyrimus paaiškėjo, kad virtualios bendruomenės stipriai įtakoja interneto vartotojus dalyvauti virtualiose bendruomenėse bei pirkti prekes ir paslaugas internetu. Pagrindinės to priežastys yra internetinė reklama ir diskusijų forumų dalyvių reiškiama nuomonė. Be to, tyrimo metu ištirta, kad kuo labiau lankytojai pasitiki... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This Master's final work aim - according to e-business aspects of the virtual community determines the consumption habits of Internet users. This topic is timely, because the rapidly increasing number of Internet users in Lithuania, there are more opportunities for the creation of Lithuanian virtual communities and the development of e-business. The paper was examined, the most popular virtual communities, establishes the basic building-up of their tendencies. The study was carried out in the Lithuanian virtual community web site content analysis, which identified and assessed the most popular Lithuanian virtual community web sites and the use of measures designed to attract the attention of Internet users. As well as the study was conducted Lithuanian Internet users in the survey, which was studied as a virtual community determines the consumption habits of Internet users. After those tests showed that the virtual community to strongly influence Internet users participate in virtual communities and the purchase of goods and services. The main reasons is an online advertising and discussion forums, participants in that opinion. In addition, the study examined, the more the visitors on the security of the Internet, the more and more often they buy on-line. Therefore, in order to continue the successful development of e-business in virtual space, it is necessary to take measures to ensure the security of Internet users purchase online and in settlement.

The information era has brought upon us waves of change that brings affordable technology Within the reach of the average person. Computers connected to the Internet, part of our daily living, have led to the formation of online communities. In the spirit of communal efforts, a community cannot be controlled or managed into a specific form or direction. A community has a need to concentrate its efforts towards a common goal or vision, therefore sufficiently nonrestrictive infrastructure is needed to enable the community members to contribute towards their goal. We design and build infrastructure to support a virtual community, according to the needs of the community. Community members can easily locate and exchange files among each other, interact in private and public chat rooms by means of instant text messages, as well as make announcements and participate in group discussions in a Web based environment. Additional needs are identified and tended to by means of various value adding services. We also formulate a management strategy to lead the community towards self-sustenance / Thesis (M. Ing. (Computer and Electronical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.