FOULING BIOLÓGICO

The previous sections reviewed the concept of engagement in other studies. Additionally, the latest studies using the concept of customer engagement in online communities were explained. This was followed by an explanation of the four main limitations of prior research, which have resulted in a limited understanding of customer engagement and provide the evidence for the rationale for the current research. The current research addresses the identified literature gap by developing and validating a customer engagement scale in the online brand community. In this section, the proposed conceptualisation of customer engagement in the online brand community that is based on the exploratory analysis by Brodie et al. (2013) is explained. Figure 6 reveals the proposed dimensions of customer engagement: cognitive, emotional and behavioural. The author suggests that these three dimensions can be extended in the identification of five specific customer engagement behavioural dimensions in online brand communities: ‘socialising’, ‘sharing’, ‘advocating’, ’co-developing’ and ‘learning’. The current research adopts the view of customer engagement as a multi-dimensional construct, which is in line with the studies of engagement with five dimensions, in order to develop a reliable and valid construct scale.

As mentioned, this study adopts the dynamic conceptual model of the consumer engagement process in the online brand community proposed by the research of Brodie et al. (2013). The research has identified that customer engagement comprises five dimensions, as shown in Figure 6: socialising, sharing, advocating, co-developing, and learning.

Three of the five dimensions have been conceptualised in the latest published quantitative study, which is by Baldus et al. (2015). The authors identify the dimensions of the customer engagement construct in the online brand community using a qualitative method and then develop and validate the scale in order to measure this construct. They identify 11 dimensions based on analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data. The 11 dimensions are identified through five steps, two qualitative studies including focus groups and interviews, and three quantitative studies comprising three online surveys. The 11 identified dimensions are: Brand influence, Brand, Connecting, Helping, Like-minded discussion, Reward (Hedonic), Reward (Utilitarian), Seeking assistance, Self-expression, Up-to-date information and Validation. Three dimensions among these 11 dimensions are similar to those mentioned in the current research. Brand influence, like-minded discussion and seeking assistance are as same as co-developing, socialising and learning respectively. The following section explains the five dimensions of the customer engagement construct that are adopted by the current research, and they are compared to Baldus et al.’s (2015) study. The limitations of this study are then presented.

Customer Engagement

Socialising Sharing Advocating Co-

developing Learning

Figure 6 Behavioural Dimensions of Customer Engagement in the Online Brand Community

Learning

The dimension of learning “characterises the vicarious acquisition of cognitive competencies that customers apply to purchase and consumption decision-making” (Brodie et al., 2013: 111). This dimension is similar to what De Valck et al. (2009) and Baldus et al. (2015) call ‘seeking assistance’ as a dimension of engagement in an online brand community. In this stage, customers share their questions with others so that other customers can help them. Baldus et al. (2015: 4) define the dimension of ‘seeking assistance’ as “the degree to which a community member wants to receive help from fellow community members who share their knowledge, experience, or time with them”. These two concepts characterise the same dimension of customer engagement in the online brand community in both studies, and the current research, in line with Brodie et al.’s (2013) study, adopts the term ‘learning’ to represent this dimension.

Sharing

The other dimension of customer engagement is known as the sharing stage. It includes the “sharing of personal relevant information, knowledge and experiences through the process of active contributions to the co-creation of knowledge within the online community” (Brodie et al., 2013: 111). The behavioural and cognitive dimension of consumer engagement is reflected in this stage. This dimension is also identified in the study by Baldus et al. (2015) as ‘helping’. This engagement dimension is defined as “the degree to which a community member wants to help fellow community members by sharing knowledge, experience, or time” (Baldus et al., 2015: 4). These two dimensions reflect same aspect of customer engagement in the online brand community, and the current research uses ’sharing’ to represent the second dimension.

Co-developing

The third dimension of customer engagement in online brand communities is ‘co-developing’, which is defined as “a process where customers contribute to organisations and/or organisational performance by assisting in the development of new products, services, brand or brand meaning” (Brodie et al., 2013: 111). In Brodie et al.'s (2013) research, conducted in a ‘health and fitness’ community, the authors show how customers contribute to the development of a new product through the engagement process. They have suggested new features for the new product and also they have justified the need for the new product. This dimension is also

identified in Baldus et al.'s (2015) study, where it is called ‘brand influence’. They define this dimension as “the ardent affection a community member has for the brand”. The current research adopts the term ‘o-developing’ for this dimension.

Advocating

When customers actively encourage other members to buy a specific brand and recommend a service or product to them, this is known as the advocating stage. Brodie et al. (2013) suggest that “advocating [is] an expression of customer engagement”. This dimension includes the degree to which a community member wants to express the brand recommendation through engagement in the online brand community.

Socialising

Finally, socialising is the fifth dimensions of customer engagement in the online brand, community which is defined by Brodie et al. (2013: 111) as “two-way, non-functional interaction through which customers acquire and/or develop attitudes, norm and/or community language”. The degree to which a community member is interested in communicating and talking with other community members is reflected through the socialising dimension. The definition of each dimension is shown in Table 8.

Table 8 Summary of Customer Engagement Dimensions and Their Definitions

Dimensions Definition

Learning The degree to which a community member wants to receive help from fellow community members who share their knowledge, experience, or time with them

Sharing The degree to which a community member wants to help fellow community members by sharing knowledge, experience, or time

Co-developing The ardent affection a community member has for the brand

Advocating The degree to which a community member wants to express the brand recommendation through the engagement in online brand communities

Socialising The degree to which a community member is interested in communicating and talking with other community members

3.4 The Limitations of Baldus et al.’s Study of Customer