Analysis on Continuous Participation Behavior of Virtual Community Member Based on the Usability and Sociability Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify some considerable factors that influenced the continuous participation behavior of virtual community member based on the usability and sociability perspective. The type of research conducted was an explanatory research. The data collection technique was to distribute online questionnaire to members of various learning groups on Facebook using snowballing technique. The data obtained from 116 corespondents were analyzed using SEM-PLS (SmartPLS Software). The research findings showed that Perceived Enjoyment did not have significant effect towards Continuous Participation Intention. The finding was different from the findings of studies on Continuous Participation Behavior that applied to leisure-oriented virtual community of which purpose was channeling the members' hobbies; it showed that Perceived Enjoyment had significant influence towards Continuous Participation Intention while Perceived Usefulness did not have significant influence on the Continuous Participation Intention. Based on the result, it may be said that Perceived Usefulness was more important in virtual learning community than Perceived Enjoyment; the opposite result was applicable for the leisure-oriented virtual community. Based on the study, it may be concluded that the Continuous Participation Behavior of its members determined the succees of virtual community. It is important for the founder and virtual community management on Facbeook to write down particul ary the objective and the policy as the guidelines for the comunication and the interaction between virtual community members. It is suggested that users should understand and obey the objective and policy that apply. Common citizen can optimize the use of virtual communities to improve self-quality independently through acceess to knowledge in the learning group.