Effects Of group interaction On community-based information sharing

Abstract

The success of community-based information sharing critically depends on the retention and engagement of its members. In this study, we study the impact of natural groups on user engagement and retention in community-based information sharing. To do that, a novel mobile application was developed to capture the activities of users in real time college campus event sharing. We also conducted a user study to exam the impact of group affiliation and group size on user retention, user engagement, and overall user satisfaction. The study results indicate that participants affiliated with a natural group are more likely to engage in using the application longer, using it more frequently and more satisfied with the application as compared to independent individuals who are not members of any natural groups. The study results also suggest that the size of groups could impact user engagement and retention. The practical and theoretical implications of this research are also discussed.