INNOVATIVE BRAND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SHARE IDEAS WITH COMPANIES

Sladjana Nørskov, Yun Mi Antorini () and Morten Jensen
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Sladjana Nørskov: Department of Management, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé, 10, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
Yun Mi Antorini: The LEGO Group, Aastvej 1, DK-7190 Billund, Denmark

International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), 2016, vol. 20, issue 06, 1-25

Abstract: With the aim of contributing to the existing knowledge of brand community members and their willingness to share ideas, we investigate whether and how brand community innovators’ (i) lead user characteristics, (ii) brand community identification, (iii) brand knowledge, (iv) brand loyalty and (v) preferences regarding the brand owner’s interference in community activities influence their willingness to share their ideas with the company. In contrast to earlier studies, which inquired into brand community members’ intentions to share their ideas [see Füller, J, K Matzler and M Hoppe (2008). Brand community members as a source of innovation. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 25, 608–619], we studied members who had already innovated and were actively involved in innovation processes.Using a survey of the Adult Fans of Lego (AFOL) community, we found that brand community members’ willingness to share their ideas is positively related to the ahead of the trend (AT) dimension of lead user characteristics, brand community identification and brand loyalty. Interference by the company in community activities also plays a role. Surprisingly, the brand community innovators perceive this role oppositely to what prior research on firm-hosted and open-source communities suggests. This study extends our knowledge of brand communities by demonstrating how brand community innovators’ interpersonal contexts, personal traits and brand perceptions may promote or demote willingness to share.

Keywords: Brand community; user innovation; willingness to share; lead users (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1142/S1363919616500468

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