How to Build Sustainable Online Communities: Implications from Lithuania Urban Communities Case Study

Aelita Skarzauskiene and Monika Mačiulienė
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Aelita Skarzauskiene: Faculty of Creative Industries, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 10233 Vilnius, Lithuania
Monika Mačiulienė: Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Mykolas Romeris University, 08303 Vilnius, Lithuania

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-13

Abstract: This research aims to extend our knowledge about the factors for increasing participation and sustainability of digitally enhanced communities. Thus, the subject of the research is online community projects which act as the catalysts for collective behaviors exhibited through the crowd effect. Typical to online communities and their social orientation is the use of new forms of self-regulation and self-governance. Sustainable online communities can improve public services and lead to broader civic participation. The communities were analyzed in the course of experimental qualitative research that was conducted in Lithuania. Participants in digital urban communities and initiators of such platforms were interviewed face-to-face. Analysis of the empirical data revealed different motivational, socio-cultural, and organizational factors influencing the sustainable online community ecosystem. According to the research results, community organizers and IT developers should focus on online collaborations through technologies that create social value (collective decision-making tools, gamification, virtual brainstorming, and other technological solutions).

Keywords: online community; motivation; crowd; collective intelligence; sustainability; ICT (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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