Virtual consumer communities for innovation : a cross-cultural perspective

Abstract

This study investigates the moderating role of culture in the motivation of consumers’ intention to participate in virtual communities for product innovation. Surveys were conducted in Denmark (n = 1045) and Brazil (n = 617). Findings show that relatedness is the strongest driver of consumers’ intended interaction, but the importance of group vs. company relatedness differs between countries. Possible beneficial outcomes drive consumers in both countries. The main implication realized from this study is the cross-country moderation, as to the importance of the two dimensions of relatedness, which is likely to be rooted in the individualism–collectivism dimension of culture