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The active lurker: a new viewpoint for evaluating the influence of an in-house online community

Authors:

Masamichi Takahashi,

Masakazu Fujimoto,

Nobuhiro YamasakiAuthors Info & Claims

ACM SIGGROUP Bulletin, Volume 23, Issue 3

Pages 29 - 33

https://doi.org/10.1145/990017.990023

Published: 01 December 2002 Publication History

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Abstract

In this study, we focus on participants called lurkers, who do not post any messages in an online community such as interactive mailing lists and bulletin board systems. We propose a method of classifying participants including lurkers based on two criteria: what types of actions they take outside the online community, and whether or not the online community affects their thoughts. We conduct a questionnaire survey of all participants in two in-house online communities to verify our method. There are a considerable number of lurkers who have a strong and wide influence outside the online community. We conclude that such lurkers cannot be neglected in an evaluation of online communities within a company. These results could also lead us to discuss a possibility of an online community management by focusing on not only posters but also lurkers who are indirect contributors to increasing the influence of an online community on its outside environment.

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Cited By

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Liu XSu CYin J(2024)Investigating the lurking mechanism of SNS users: a comprehensive examination of context-specific cues and role stressesInformation Technology & People10.1108/ITP-08-2023-0844Online publication date: 22-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-08-2023-0844
Heylighen ACasaer MNeuckermans H(2018)UnaWare: supporting tacit design knowledge exchangeInternational Journal of Web Based Communities10.1504/IJWBC.2006.0086132:1(31-44)Online publication date: 21-Dec-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1504/IJWBC.2006.008613
Gharib RPhilpott EDuan Y(2017)Factors affecting active participation in B2B online communitiesInformation and Management10.1016/j.im.2016.11.00454:4(516-530)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.im.2016.11.004
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Index Terms

The active lurker: a new viewpoint for evaluating the influence of an in-house online community
1. Applied computing
  1. Law, social and behavioral sciences
2. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing and business

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Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

ACM SIGGROUP Bulletin Volume 23, Issue 3

December 2002

45 pages

ISSN:2372-7403

EISSN:2372-739X

DOI:10.1145/990017

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 December 2002

Published in SIGGROUP Volume 23, Issue 3

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Liu XSu CYin J(2024)Investigating the lurking mechanism of SNS users: a comprehensive examination of context-specific cues and role stressesInformation Technology & People10.1108/ITP-08-2023-0844Online publication date: 22-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-08-2023-0844
Heylighen ACasaer MNeuckermans H(2018)UnaWare: supporting tacit design knowledge exchangeInternational Journal of Web Based Communities10.1504/IJWBC.2006.0086132:1(31-44)Online publication date: 21-Dec-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1504/IJWBC.2006.008613
Gharib RPhilpott EDuan Y(2017)Factors affecting active participation in B2B online communitiesInformation and Management10.1016/j.im.2016.11.00454:4(516-530)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.im.2016.11.004
Samiei PTripathi A(2016)Are Online Reviewers Leaving? Heterogeneity in Reviewing BehaviorE-Life: Web-Enabled Convergence of Commerce, Work, and Social Life10.1007/978-3-319-45408-5_11(126-142)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2016
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45408-5_11
Edelmann N(2014)Definitions and Meanings of Online LurkersEncyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Third Edition10.4018/978-1-4666-5888-2.ch632(6438-6445)Online publication date: 31-Jul-2014
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-5888-2.ch632
MALIK SCOULSON N(2011)A Comparison of Lurkers and Posters Within Infertility Online Support GroupsCIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing10.1097/NCN.0b013e318224b31d29:10(564-573)Online publication date: Oct-2011
https://doi.org/10.1097/NCN.0b013e318224b31d
Thoms BGarrett NRyan T(2010)The Design and Evaluation of a Peer Ratings System for Online Learning CommunitiesProceedings of the 2010 43rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences10.1109/HICSS.2010.370(1-10)Online publication date: 5-Jan-2010
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/HICSS.2010.370
Caby-Guillet LGuesmi SMallard A(2009)Wiki professionnel et coopération en réseauxRéseaux10.3917/res.154.0195n° 154:2(195-227)Online publication date: 10-Apr-2009
https://doi.org/10.3917/res.154.0195
van Uden-Kraan CDrossaert CTaal ESeydel Evan de Laar M(2008)Self-Reported Differences in Empowerment Between Lurkers and Posters in Online Patient Support GroupsJournal of Medical Internet Research10.2196/jmir.99210:2(e18)Online publication date: 30-Jun-2008
https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.992

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The active lurker: influence of an in-house online community on its outside environment

Lurker demographics: counting the silent

Understanding lurkers in online communities: A literature review

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