A Study on the Effects of UGC Platform Users' Experience Value, Social Capital, and Cultural Capital on Customer Participation and Relationship Commitment: Focusing on the Moderating Effect of the Need for Self-Expression

Abstract

Purpose - This study aims to investigate the factors (experience value, social capital, cultural capital) affecting users’ engagement in UGC platform, and to examine their effect on relationship commitment. The study further attempted to confirm the moderating effect of the need for self-expression. Design/methodology/approach - Data was collected from 230 UGC users through a survey, and the study performed a structural equation model analysis to validate the conceptual model which contains five research hypotheses. Findings - The study found that only service value, one of experiential values, has a significant positive (+) effect on customer engagement and that social capital and cultural capital also have a significant positive (+) effect on customer engagement In addition, customer engagement in the UGC platform was found to have a significant positive (+) effect on the relationship commitment. However, the need for self-expression did not moderate the relationship between customer engagement and relationship commitment. Research implications or Originality - Marketing strategies that can strengthen UGC users' engagement factors can lead up to follow-up research, which finds ways to improve not only users’ engagement but also sustained relationship with the UGC platforms.