Factors affecting active participation in B2B online communities: An empirical investigation

There is a lack of understanding on the factors affecting active participation in business-to-business (B2B) online communities (OCs). To address this gap, we developed a model based on two theories: social exchange theory and the information systems success model. The model was validated by using survey data collected from 40 B2B discussion forums on LinkedIn (n = 521). Our work made several significant contributions including an integrated model of factors affecting active participation in B2B OCs and a new validated measure for active participation. Further, we proposed several guidelines that assist B2B OC providers in building and maintaining successful communities.