Purpose

Applying social exchange theory as the theoretical basis, this paper aims to examine the impacts of two forms of digital social interaction on social well-being and helping behavior of customers: moderator–customer interaction quality and customer–customer social support. Furthermore, this paper investigates customer exchange ideology as a moderator of these impacts.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopted a purposive sampling method for survey materials sent to customers of firm-hosted virtual communities (FHVCs) using a consumer panel service company. The self-administered survey was developed from existing scales, and 265 usable responses were obtained.

Findings

Both forms of digital social interaction within FHVCs positively impact social well-being, which in turn positively influences helping behavior in the community. Social well-being is decomposed into social integration and social contribution, and each partially mediates the impact of customer–customer social support and moderator–customer interaction quality on helping behavior. This finding provides greater explanatory power for the role that digital social interactions have in predicting customer helping behavior in an FHVC. In addition, an exchange ideology positively moderates the impact of customer–customer social support on helping behavior via social integration.

Originality/value

This paper demonstrates that resource exchange dynamics occur digitally within FHVCs, which then affect social well-being and helping behaviors in customers. From a practical point of view, this study indicates the potential that digital interactions have in generating social and economic value through helping behaviors.

中文翻译：

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通过虚拟社区中的数字互动和福祉提供服务

目的

本文以社会交换理论为理论基础，旨在检验两种形式的数字社会互动对客户社会幸福感和帮助行为的影响：主持人-客户互动质量和客户-客户社会支持。此外，本文将客户交换意识形态作为这些影响的调节者进行调查。

设计/方法/方法

本文采用有目的的抽样方法，使用消费者面板服务公司向公司托管虚拟社区 (FHVC) 的客户发送调查材料。自我管理的调查是在现有量表的基础上开发的，获得了 265 个可用的回答。

发现

FHVC 中两种形式的数字社交互动都会对社会福祉产生积极影响，进而对社区中的帮助行为产生积极影响。社会幸福感被分解为社会整合和社会贡献，两者都部分中介了顾客-顾客社会支持和调节者-顾客互动质量对帮助行为的影响。这一发现为数字社交互动在预测 FHVC 中客户帮助行为方面的作用提供了更大的解释力。此外，交换意识形态通过社会整合正向调节客户-客户社会支持对帮助行为的影响。

原创性/价值

本文表明，资源交换动态在 FHVC 内以数字方式发生，然后影响社会福祉和客户的帮助行为。从实践的角度来看，这项研究表明数字交互在通过帮助行为产生社会和经济价值方面具有潜力。