How gaming team participation fosters consumers’ social networks, communication and commitment

Thi Tuan Linh Pham, Gen-Yih Liao, Sheng-Pao Shih, T.C.E. Cheng and Ching-I Teng

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2024, vol. 81, issue C

Abstract: Online games are highly popular computer applications that generate enormous profits for companies that produce games. Online players actively participate and interact in gaming teams, but there is no study on how team participation leads to a commitment to gaming teams. Research that aims to fill this gap could elucidate practical solutions to strengthening the players' team commitment, contributing to the understanding of player behavior. Grounded in social capital theory and social exchange theory, in this paper a research model is developed, featuring an association between players' participation and players' team commitment. The data were gathered from 1352 online players, and structural equation modelling was employed as the data analysis technique. The results indicate that team participation is positively linked to network convergence and interdependence. They are, in turn, positively linked to social interaction and social presence, which significantly enhance the players' team commitment. We also find that, compared with social interaction, social presence has a stronger influence on such commitments. The research findings suggest that the game providers should encourage players to participate in gaming teams, thus strengthening the players’ team commitment.

Keywords: Online game; Commitment; Social communication; Survey; Structural equation modelling; Team participation; Social interaction; Social presence; Social networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698924002583
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:81:y:2024:i:c:s0969698924002583

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103962

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services is currently edited by Harry Timmermans

More articles in Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().