Kemal Söylemez will be giving a job talk titled as ''UNDERLYING FACTORS BEHIND GENERATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF USER-GENERATED CONTENT -
IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL AND BRAND/PRODUCT LEVEL FACTORS IN GENERATION OF BRAND-ORIENTED AND COMMUNITY-ORIENTED CONTENT''.

Abstract:

Although content generation is heavily used in the online brand community literature, earlier studies assumed that user-generated content is monolith and aimed to target a particular audience. However, our experiences tell us that the reality is far from that. This study categorizes user-generated content based on target audience, namely brand-oriented content and community-oriented content. Although both types of content are necessary for the success of the community, the underlying factors behind what drives users to generate different types of content are unknown. By using the equity theory, this study investigated how personal factors (extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivations and independent vs. interdependent self-construal of members) and brand/product factors (brand luxury) drive members to generate brand-oriented content or community-oriented content. Experimental studies were conducted with online brand community participants. In Study 1, in line with the hypotheses, regression results show that extrinsically motivated participants generate more brand-oriented content relative to community-oriented content, whereas intrinsically motivated participants generate more community-oriented content relative to brand-oriented content. Results also show that participants with independent self-construal generate more brand-oriented content relative to community-oriented content, whereas participants with interdependent self-construal generate more community-oriented content relative to community-oriented content. However, contrary to the hypotheses, no significant interaction was found between motivation and self-construal types. In Study 2, results show that participants of luxury brand communities generate more community-oriented content relative to brand-oriented content, whereas participants of affordable brand communities generate more brand-oriented content relative to community-oriented content. However, in Study 3, which analyzed both level factors simultaneously, self-construal and its interaction with motivations were found to be significant, while motivation type and brand luxury were found to be insignificant. Based on the findings, managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed.

Kemal Söylemez has recently completed his PhD in Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. He has an MBA from University of West Georgia and BA from Bogazici University Management Department. His research interests include topics such as Online Marketing, Online Brand Communities, Electronic Word-of-Mouth, Social Network Systems, Internet and National Culture, Blogging and Mobile Marketing.