Information and Knowledge Management using ArcGIS ModelBuilder

Giovanni Camponovo
separate concepts: the satisfaction of a personal need and the attainment of an external reward. We
also add the concept of reciprocity as it is one of the defining element of virtual communities.
Table 1: Mapping of motivation theories and concepts
Psychological factors Social factors Utilitarian factors
THEORY enjoyment competence values relations
Expectancy
Valence
Theory
Theory of
Reasoned
Action
Theory of
Planned
Behaviour
Technology
Acceptance
Model
UTAUT
Social
Cognitive
Theory
Innovation
Diffusion
Theory
Self
Determinati
on Theory
Prosocial
behaviour
theory
attitude
toward
behaviour
attitude
toward
behaviour
Affect /
Anxiety Self-efficacy
intrinsic
motivation
enhanceme
nt
introjection
(competenc
e)
understandi
ng
identificatio
n (values)
introjection
(relatednes
s)
3.2 Definition and types of virtual community
social
influence
subjective
norm
subjective
norm
Social
Influence
observabiilt
y (image)
introjection
(approval)
Utility Cost/effort Facilitating
conditions
instrumentality
expectancy
perceived
usefulness
performanc
e
perceived
ease of
use
effort
expectancy
expectancy
outcome
expectation
s
relative
advantage
external
regulation
(rewards)
values social career
perceived
behavioural
control
facilitating
conditions
complexity compatibility
One of the first definition of virtual communities (also called online communities) is the one from
Rheingold (Rheingold, 2002): “social aggregations that emerge from the Net when enough people
carry on those public discussions long enough, with sufficient human feeling, to form webs of personal
relationships in cyberspace”. While this definition highlights the social character as a defining element
of a virtual community, other authors propose a larger set of elements of what constitutes a
community which includes shared resources, interests, needs or activities that are the primary reason
for belonging to the community, common values, reciprocal behaviour and a shared context of social
conventions (Whittaker et al., 1997; Preece, 2000).
Based on such a broader view of what constitutes an online community, several authors identify
various types of virtual communities and propose different classifications.
Many classifications are based on the primary goal of the community. One of the first of such
classifications is proposed by Armstrong and Hagel (1996) who distinguish four different types of
virtual communities: communities of transaction, interest, fantasy and relationship. A comparable
classification is proposed by Hummel and Lechner (2002), who classify communities from the more
communication oriented to the more transaction oriented, distinguishing five types of communities:
gaming communities, communities of interest, B2B communities, B2C communities and C2C
communities. Finally, Markus (2002) proposes an expanded taxonomy of virtual communities that
encompasses both classifications which distinguishes based on their social orientation (relationship
building and entertainment), professional orientation (expert network and learning) and commercial
orientation (B2B, B2C and C2C). We also feel that it is important to add communities of resourcesharing“
such as peer-to-peer networks and wireless communities.
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