| dc.description.abstract | With the advance of the Internet, now the virtual communities rise sharply. According to the “Top 100 Websites in 2010” published by the “Business Next” magazine, virtual community is the leading category of websites, which accounts for 25 slots in the list. There are many reasons why virtual community can be so successful, and sustained participation is a key reason. In this study, we would like to explore continuance intention of participation in virtual communities. The research model borrows the key concepts from the IS continuance model, social identity theory, and the uses and gratifications paradigm to explain user intention to continue using a virtual community. Now virtual communities offer many features, different types of virtual community are not somehow similar with their user needs. This study also tries to find different types of virtual community user consideration of their participation.
Data was collected from four different virtual communities, which are Facebook, Plurk, Ptt, and Bahamut. From “Top 100 Websites in 2010” published by the “Business Next” magazine, we can know the four virtual communities are representative. These four virtual communities were analyzed not only for putting together but also for separating into two types. The two types are “Interest community” and “Maintaining relationship community.” This study used questionnaire to collect data and 627 samples data were collected. Amos and SPSS were used for analyzing the data. The results revealed that satisfaction and social identity are positive associated with continuance intention. Information, social behavior and Entertainment are positive associated with social identity. Information, social behavior and Entertainment are found to have significant impacts on satisfaction but only impact of social behavior on satisfaction is according to different types of virtual communities. In “Interest community” is negative. In “Maintaining relationship community” is positive. Analyzing “the all communities” together is also negative.
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