| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立中央大學 === 企業管理研究所 === 99 === According to the operator of the brand community, the brand community can be classified into two categories. One is operated by the company, and the other is operated by consumers or a third-party. Is the past, most of researches concerning brand community focused on the brand community which was operated by the company, and less emphasized on the brand community which was operated by consumers or a third-party. Therefore, this study centers on the brand community which is operated by consumers or a third-party. This study aims to investigate why the brand community can raise the brand loyalty.
After reviewing literature, the researcher builds the research framework and proposes hypotheses. The purpose of the study is to examine the following effects: The effect of brand community identification toward community participation, The effect of community participation toward perceived benefits, The effect of perceived benefits toward sense of virtual community, The effect of sense of virtual community toward brand loyalty, The effect of sense of virtual community toward brand relationship quality and The effect of brand relationship quality toward brand loyalty.
The researcher considers Apple as the brand object because Apple is well-known as faithful customers. Participants in the study are members of the brand community of Apple. Data were collected via a web-based questionnaire survey during April 28- May5, 2011. A total of 382 questionnaires were collected and confirmed as valid samples. The researcher analyzes data by means of descriptive statistical analysis, reliability analysis, validity analysis, and structural equation model analysis.
This study shows the following results. Brand community identification has positive significant effect on community participation. Community participation has positive significant effect on perceived benefits. Perceived benefits have positive significant effect on sense of virtual community. Sense of virtual community has positive significant effect on brand loyalty. Sense of virtual community has positive
significant effect on brand relationship quality. Brand relationship quality has positive significant effect on brand loyalty.
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