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What is Virtual Communities

Chapter 7
Managing Social Media Practices in the Digital Economy
The emergence of information and communication technologies, especially the internet, has brought face-to-face and physically formed communities into a virtual environment. This community is a virtual community when interpersonal interaction occurs with electronic means, and communication is enabled by technology.
Published in Chapter:
Empowering the Economic Impact of Virtual Communities: Managing Trust in the Sharing Economy
Tuğçe Aslan (Duzce University, Turkey) and Adem Akbıyık (Sakarya University, Turkey)
Copyright: © 2020 |Pages: 22
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-2185-4.ch007
Abstract
Developments in information and communication technologies have led to changes in the consumption patterns of individuals and the distancing of businesses from traditional business models. Globally, the digital transformation process has led businesses to more innovative and flexible business models. Sharing economy is a type of digital economy in which goods or services are shared through digital networks, is an innovative and flexible business model. One of the key factors in sharing economic business models is the perception of trust. The term trust has been called the currency of the sharing economy. This chapter examines trust issues in sharing economy to empower the economic impact of virtual communities because trust is a key element in strengthening participation or knowledge sharing in virtual communities. In this respect, the concept of virtual communities and trust is explained. Moreover, the concept of trust in virtual communities and the effects of virtual communities on the economy are evaluated within the framework of sharing economy.
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Chapter 107
Virtual Communities and Collaborative Learning in a Post-Graduate Course
For Howard Rheingold (1993), «Virtual communities are social aggregations that emerge from the Net when enough people carry on those public discussions long enough, with sufficient human feeling, to form webs of personal relationships in cyberspace. » They have been extensively investigated (Wenger, McDermott, & Snyder, 2002) because of the many possible roles of the participants, the sophisticated technological platforms they may adopt and the variety of shapes they take (Trentin, 2004)
Published in Chapter: Virtual Communities and Collaborative Learning in a Post-Graduate Course; From: Encyclopedia of Information Communication Technology
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Chapter 22
Online Virtual Communities as a New Form of Social Relations: Elements for the Analysis
Virtual community is a community whose bonds, interactions and social relationships are not produced in a physical space but in a virtual one as Internet. Investigators like Rheingold define the virtual communities as social groups that emerge from the Network [Internet] when sufficient people establish social communication and interchange networks characterized by the relative space stay and based in a feeling of belonging to a group, to form links of personal relationships in the cyberspace. Three main elements of the social and communication relationships converge under this definition: the reciprocity, the relational affective component and the interactivity time.
Published in Chapter: Online Virtual Communities as a New Form of Social Relations: Elements for the Analysis; From: Handbook of Research on Social Dimensions of Semantic Technologies and Web Services
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Chapter 622
Social Networking and Knowledge Sharing in Organizations
A group of individuals communicating over a social network to accomplish a shared goal.
Published in Chapter: Social Networking and Knowledge Sharing in Organizations; From: Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Fourth Edition
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Chapter 29
New Communication Strategies and the Future of Advertising Narration
The virtual communities are the general name of networks that bring together users on social media and help them to share.
Published in Chapter: New Communication Strategies and the Future of Advertising Narration; From: Handbook of Research on Narrative Advertising
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Chapter 61
Social Commerce Design
As aggregations of Internet users to form webs of personal relationships in cyberspace.
Published in Chapter: Social Commerce Design; From: Encyclopedia of E-Commerce Development, Implementation, and Management
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Chapter 42
Social Networks in the Higher Education Framework- Understanding the University as an Organization: Inlumine, Our Study Case
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Chapter 72
New Ways to Buy and Sell: An Information Management Web System for the Commercialization of Agricultural Products from Family Farms without Intermediaries
Are social groups that interact bi-directionally using new communication technologies. Basically, people belonging to these communities complement off-line communication with on-line communication and, therefore, the speed and intensity of the flow of the information exchanged increases considerably.
Published in Chapter: New Ways to Buy and Sell: An Information Management Web System for the Commercialization of Agricultural Products from Family Farms without Intermediaries; From: Handbook of Research on Mobility and Computing: Evolving Technologies and Ubiquitous Impacts
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Chapter 8
Constructing a Diaspora Anglophone Cameroonian Identity Online
Any group of people, whether consciously organised or not, who frequently share ideas in forums, websites and blogs on the internet or through emails. The communities may be centred around a particular event or around a particular group of people: diaspora from a given country, speakers of English in a non English-speaking country, etc. some of them have moderators who update the site, regulate traffic on the site, sanction those who do not follow the rules, and answer questions from members and non-members alike. These communities have also been referred to as online communities.
Published in Chapter: Constructing a Diaspora Anglophone Cameroonian Identity Online; From: Handbook of Research on Discourse Behavior and Digital Communication: Language Structures and Social Interaction
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Chapter 124
Mobile Virtual Communities
Communities enabling individuals to interact through computer-based tools, such as e-mails, forums, whiteboards, instant messaging, audio/video conference sessions, and so forth.
Published in Chapter: Mobile Virtual Communities; From: Encyclopedia of Networked and Virtual Organizations
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Chapter 535
The Impact of Direct-to-Consumer Medication and Genetic Tests on Contemporary Lives
Aim to reflect the cycle of a face-to-face society by enhancing people with similar interests to converge and unite across large distances through online means.
Published in Chapter: The Impact of Direct-to-Consumer Medication and Genetic Tests on Contemporary Lives; From: Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Third Edition
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Chapter 20
Using Knowledge Management Tools in Fostering Green ICT Related Behavior Change
All sorts of social interactions that are mediated by Internet applications, especially those that are regular and respect sets of rules.
Published in Chapter: Using Knowledge Management Tools in Fostering Green ICT Related Behavior Change; From: Handbook of Research on Green ICT: Technology, Business and Social Perspectives
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Chapter 39
Social Networks Applied to E-Gov: An Architecture for Semantic Services
Groups of people determined by similar interests that establish contact and interact through use of online communications tools and/or virtual environments.
Published in Chapter: Social Networks Applied to E-Gov: An Architecture for Semantic Services; From: Handbook of Research on Social Dimensions of Semantic Technologies and Web Services
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Chapter 57
Knowledge Integration through Strategic Alliances and Virtual Networks
Are online social networks in which individuals or organizations with common interests and values interact to share and create knowledge and engage in social interactions.
Published in Chapter: Knowledge Integration through Strategic Alliances and Virtual Networks; From: Encyclopedia of Knowledge Management, Second Edition
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Chapter 7
Understanding Generational Impact on Online Business: The Virtual Communities and Social Collaborations Scenario
A group of people with similar interests, ideas, and feelings share their views through online networks or society.
Published in Chapter: Understanding Generational Impact on Online Business: The Virtual Communities and Social Collaborations Scenario; From: Strategies and Tools for Managing Connected Consumers
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Chapter 371
Towards an Interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Definition of Virtual Communities
(General definition) an aggregation of individuals or organizations with a shared purpose, who interact through a variety of technology platforms including social networks, online discussion forums, blogs, wikis, email lists or newsgroups.
Published in Chapter: Towards an Interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Definition of Virtual Communities; From: Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Fourth Edition
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Chapter 13
Management Fads, Communities of Practice and Innovation
Communities of practice using mainly, but not exclusively electronic communication in their contacts.
Published in Chapter: Management Fads, Communities of Practice and Innovation; From: Handbook of Research on Communities of Practice for Organizational Management and Networking: Methodologies for Competitive Advantage
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Chapter 4
Forging Civic and Democratic Governance From Below Through Virtual State and Communities: Case Studies of Communities of Practice
These communities are created through social networks such as WhatApp, Instagram, Facebook, emails and other social platforms. These are communities of interest where people debate over issues of interest and decisions taken and also use events to mobilise.
Published in Chapter: Forging Civic and Democratic Governance From Below Through Virtual State and Communities: Case Studies of Communities of Practice; From: Civic Engagement Frameworks and Strategic Leadership Practices for Organization Development
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Chapter 144
New Technology for Empowering Virtual Communities
Are groups of people who share common interests, ideas, and feelings, and whose members are connected by means of information technologies, typically the Internet. Similar terms include online community and mediated community.
Published in Chapter: New Technology for Empowering Virtual Communities; From: Encyclopedia of Multimedia Technology and Networking, Second Edition
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Chapter 8
Virtual Communities: Towards an Extended Typology
The communities built in the virtual world as similar to real world communities.
Published in Chapter: Virtual Communities: Towards an Extended Typology; From: Encyclopedia of E-Commerce Development, Implementation, and Management
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Chapter 90
Maslow in the Digital Age
Social networks of individual that develop through interactions over the Internet due to a common interest are called virtual communities. The term may refer to communities that are only slightly cohesive such as members of a discussion list or it may refer to a group that has stronger social ties to the community group such a role playing communities.
Published in Chapter: Maslow in the Digital Age; From: Encyclopedia of Information Technology Curriculum Integration
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Chapter 7
B2B E-Commerce Development in Syria and Sudan
The ultimate value of virtual communities is coming from the members who add their information into a basic environment provided by the virtual community company. The membership fees as well as advertising generate revenues. A virtual community can also be an important add-on to other marketing operations in order to build customer loyalty and receive customer feedback. An example of a virtual community is Amazon.com for books. Virtual communities are also becoming an additional function to enhance the attractiveness and opportunities for new services of several of the business models (e.g., e-mall or 3rd party).
Published in Chapter: B2B E-Commerce Development in Syria and Sudan; From: Encyclopedia of Information Communication Technology
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Chapter 84
Excavating Business Intelligence from Social Media
A virtual community is a group of people who interact with each other within the boundaries of some virtual settlement where the characteristic of that community are, to some extent, shaped by the features that the surrounding on-line infrastructure makes available to them.
Published in Chapter: Excavating Business Intelligence from Social Media; From: Encyclopedia of Business Analytics and Optimization
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Chapter 442
Theory and Practice of Online Knowledge Sharing
A social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially across geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goal.
Published in Chapter: Theory and Practice of Online Knowledge Sharing; From: Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Fourth Edition
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Chapter 29
Social Impacts of Mobile Virtual Communities on Healthcare
A group of people that primarily interact via communication media such Usenet rather than face to face.
Published in Chapter: Social Impacts of Mobile Virtual Communities on Healthcare; From: Handbook of Research in Mobile Business, Second Edition: Technical, Methodological and Social Perspectives
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Chapter 21
Definition, Antecedents, and Outcomes of Successful Virtual Communities
Also known as online communities, these are groups of people who interact primarily through e-collaboration technologies and who have developed a sense of community with each other.
Published in Chapter: Definition, Antecedents, and Outcomes of Successful Virtual Communities; From: Encyclopedia of E-Collaboration
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Chapter 5
Screen Time and the Logic of Identification in the Networked Society
Social aggregations that emerge from the Internet to people promote public discussions to form webs of personal relationships in cyberspace, according to Howard Rheingold.
Published in Chapter: Screen Time and the Logic of Identification in the Networked Society; From: Managing Screen Time in an Online Society
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Chapter 154
Participatory Geographic Information Systems
Social groups communicating or interacting with each other by means of information technologies, typically the Internet, rather than face to face. Virtual communities are also known as online communities or mediated communities.
Published in Chapter: Participatory Geographic Information Systems; From: Encyclopedia of Networked and Virtual Organizations
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Chapter 16
Online Communication and Healthcare: The Diffusion of Health-Related Virtual Communities
“Social aggregations that emerge from the Net” (Rheingold, 1993, p.6), by the effect of online repeated public discussions among some persons on certain topics.
Published in Chapter: Online Communication and Healthcare: The Diffusion of Health-Related Virtual Communities; From: Handbook of Research on Developments in E-Health and Telemedicine: Technological and Social Perspectives
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Chapter 2
Promotion of Tourism Using Social Media
These are online platforms enabling the formation of virtual groups or cliques. These groups are thronged by individuals with some level of homogeneity.
Published in Chapter: Promotion of Tourism Using Social Media; From: Managing Social Media Practices in the Digital Economy
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Chapter 11
Cyber Identity: Our Alter-Ego?
Aim to reflect the cycle of a face-to-face society by enhancing people with similar interests to converge and unite across large distances through on-line means of interaction like: email, chat and public forms of communications like discussion forums, newsgroups or networking platforms. On-line communities can overcome time, space, class, age and sex to create a society and, focused on social experiences, individuals can experience other cultures and environments, besides of those where they physically live in.
Published in Chapter: Cyber Identity: Our Alter-Ego?; From: Handbook of Research on Technoself: Identity in a Technological Society
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Chapter 64
Enhancing E-Commerce through Sticky Virtual Communities
Groups of like-minded strangers who interact predominantly in cyberspace to form relationships, share knowledge, have fun, or engage in economic transactions.
Published in Chapter: Enhancing E-Commerce through Sticky Virtual Communities; From: Encyclopedia of Multimedia Technology and Networking, Second Edition
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Chapter 33
Online Knowledge Sharing
A social network of individuals who interact through specific media, potentially across geographical and political boundaries in order to pursue mutual interests or goal.
Published in Chapter: Online Knowledge Sharing; From: Encyclopedia of Cyber Behavior
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Chapter 371
Towards an Interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Definition of Virtual Communities
(Proposed definition) an aggregation of participants (individuals or organizations) with a shared purpose, who have their interactions mediated through a technology platform and guided by collective protocols, and who embrace a cooperative membership persona in their online interactions.
Published in Chapter: Towards an Interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Definition of Virtual Communities; From: Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Fourth Edition
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