Generation and Maintenance of Trust Network in Virtual Communities: Case Studies of Two Running Virtual Communities in Guangzhou
LUO Xin XU Qianting
Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication ›› 2014, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (9) : 58-73.
Generation and Maintenance of Trust Network in Virtual Communities: Case Studies of Two Running Virtual Communities in Guangzhou
Generation and maintenance of the trust network is the internal core mechanism for existence and development of virtual communities. Trust network of virtual community is mainly composed of three parts, including members’ trust in community organization, members’ trust in community organizers, interpersonal trust. By descriptive statistics of different influence factors on the three parts of trust network, One-Way ANOVA between demographic characteristics, behavioral characteristics and different factors of those three parts, correlation analysis on three parts of trust network, we found that factors such as communication environment, organization management, professional competence and social capital are the important factors that will effect the generation of trust network of virtual community. Therefore, to maintain the trust of virtual community, we should improve communication environment and organization management in terms of members’ trust in community organization; make full use of professional competence and social capital in terms of members’ trust in community organizers; enhance members’ loyalty and competence in terms of interpersonal trust.
virtual community / trust network / community maintenance / trust measurement
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