The Co-Creation of Value: Exploring Engagement Behaviors in User-Generated Content Websites

• Other Authors: Di Gangi, Paul Michael (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Management information systems
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-0741

Organizational interest in user-generated content (UGC) websites is growing, as organizations face highly competitive markets, uncertain economic environments, and a growing user base accustomed to active engagement rather than passive acceptance of products and services. Organizations are now exploring ways to provide a platform (website) through which users generate and contribute content, resulting in a co-created experience between users and organizations. However, organizations interested in leveraging UGC websites are facing a new challenge – getting users to actively engage through content contribution, retrieval, and exploration. Thus, the research questions guiding this dissertation are: what factors influence an individual's user experience in UGC websites and to what extent does a positive user experience impact individual engagement behavior? This manuscript develops a theory of co-created value to examine how social interactions, operationalized as perceived dialogue, transparency, social accessibility, and risk, and technical features, operationalized as the perceived granularity, extensibility, integration, and evolvability, of a UGC website influence an individual's user experience and subsequent engagement behaviors. Results suggest initial support for a socio-technical perspective of user engagement. The social interactions, critical mass and transparency, had a direct impact on a user's engagement within a UGC website, while critical mass also had a direct impact on a user's experience. The technical features, granularity and evolvability, had direct impacts on a user's experience within a UGC website. Surprisingly, extensibility had a negative impact on a user's experience. Lastly, a positive user experience positively influenced a user's engagement behavior. Based on the results of this study, implications for research and practice are discussed and future directions for researchers are outlined. === A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2010. === Date of Defense: April 30, 2010. === Socio-technical System, Co-created Value, User-generated Content Websites === Includes bibliographical references. === Molly Wasko, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gerald Ferris, University Representative; Deborah Armstrong, Committee Member; David Paradice, Committee Member.