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Kommunikation im Internet -- Nutzungsmöglichkeiten von Online-Communities als Marketinginstrument -- Online-Marketing als Kommunikationsmedium mit jungen Zielgruppen -- Marketing gesetzlicher Krankenkassen -- StudiVZ als Kommunikationsmedium und Marketingplattform -- Marketing in studiVZ aus Sicht gesetzlicher Krankenkassen -- Empirische Studie zum Nutzerverhalten und zu Marketingoptionen von Krankenkassen in Online-Communities -- Diskussion -- Zusammenfassung und Ausblick.

Intro -- Geleitwort -- Inhaltsverzeichnis -- Abbildungsverzeichnis -- Tabellenverzeichnis -- Abkürzungsverzeichnis -- 1 Einleitung -- 2 Kommunikation im Internet -- 3 Nutzungsmöglichkeiten von Online-Communities als Marketinginstrument -- 4 Online-Marketing als Kommunikationsmedium mit jungen Zielgruppen -- 5 Marketing gesetzlicher Krankenkassen -- 6 StudiVZ als Kommunikationsmedium und Marketingplattform -- 7 Marketing in studiVZ aus Sicht gesetzlicher Krankenkassen -- 8 Empirische Studie zum Nutzerverhalten und zu Marketingoptionen von Krankenkassen in Online-Communities -- 9 Diskussion -- 10 Zusammenfassung und Ausblick -- Literaturverzeichnis -- Anhangsverzeichnis.

Social network researchers have claimed that relations offline affect relations online; however, it is unclear which characteristics of online interaction are affected by the existence of offline relations. This article examines whether a mixture of virtual and real-life interaction—in contrast to purely virtual interaction—among some members of knowledge-sharing online communities reduces the prevalence of problems that the whole community faces. Typical problems of sociability that increase risk of failure in knowledge sharing include a lack of trust between members, free rider behavior, and a lack of stable membership. This analysis uses survey data from 26 online communities that are part of a virtual organization that hosts communities for teachers. The findings provide evidence for the existence of more trust and less free riding in mixed communities but not for greater membership stability. Results contribute to knowledge of how offline networks influence online relations; namely, offline networks reduce problems of sociability, thereby facilitating online knowledge sharing. Moreover, the results modify earlier claims about the integration of online communication with offline interaction by showing that complete integration is unnecessary.

This study examines the factors that influence the willingness to contribute information to online communities from the perspectives of the discretionary database and expectancy theory. The study identified four groups of variables and tested their predictive value on the willingness to contribute information to online communities. The findings confirmed the effect of the perceived value of contributing and the likelihood of getting a reward for the willingness to contribute. Cost of contribution was not a significant predictor of the willingness to contribute information. Benefit from, and interest in, the community were significant predictors, but community affinity was not. Among the four groups of variables, social approval was the strongest predictor of the willingness to contribute.

This paper examines online communities and describes how they can be differentiated from other Internet supported group interactions. A definition of an online community is given and three generic types are identified. These types are defined by the community models based on the value proposition for the sponsors and members. The value proposition for members is strongly influenced by the model, as facilities and opportunities for interaction are structured by the site sponsors. Where online communities offer fulfillment of specific needs, people participate and become members. Additional benefits enhance the value of membership and encourage retention and greater interactivity. Significant benefits are gained from online communities for businesses, NGOs, other community organizations and individuals. Identifying the different types of communities and their characteristics is an important stage in developing greater understanding of how virtual communities can contribute to businesses, healthcare, community needs and a myriad of other contexts. Examples of the three generic types of online communities are included for further edification.

We design a field experiment to explore the use of social comparison to increase contributions to an online community. We find that, after receiving behavioral information about the median user's total number of movie ratings, users below the median demonstrate a 530 percent increase in the number of monthly movie ratings, while those above the median decrease their ratings by 62 percent. When given outcome information about the average user's net benefit score, above-average users mainly engage in activities that help others. Our findings suggest that effective personalized social information can increase the level of public goods provision. (JEL C93, H41, L82)