Abstract:
The aim of this thesis is to contribute to the knowledge about Online Brand Communities and their influence on Brand Loyalty. More specifically, it focuses on measuring the role of brand commitment and trust within online brand communities to engender brand loyalty. This is done by adopting and adapting the model of Laroche et al. (2013) that explains the influence of Online brand communities on brand loyalty. Brand commitment, considered by many authors as relevant in this constellation and left out by the author of the model, is included and measured. In order achieve the research objectives, 410 participants; all members of a specific online brand community were surveyed for this study. Using the quantitative approach from a deductive stand point, data was coded using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V. 20) and analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) through a two-stage (EFA and CFA) approach. The results could not confirm the existence of brand commitment as such in the new model. In fact, the items used to measure this variable have been mixed with the items from the brand trust variable. Therefore, the existence and the influence of brand commitment could not be proven. However, there are encouraging signs that this variable plays a significant role in the model and future researches should integrate it. The study recommends that future research should find answers to whether cultural differences must be taken into consideration when customer’s commitment and loyalty are created through online brand community on social media. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study are also discussed.
