Private club members’ perceptions of social media

Abstract

Purpose

Private club members belong to an organization where people with common interests, experiences, backgrounds and professions meet for social and recreational purposes. This study aims to examine the relationships among private club members’ perceptions of social media regarding perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, attitude toward social media involvement and behavioral intention toward social media usage.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted among private club members across the USA (n = 571). The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings of this study center on the perceptions of club members and their beliefs and attitudes associated with their social media usage behavior. This study extends the social media literature by supporting previous studies that suggest a causal flow from perceived ease of use to intrinsic and extrinsic motivations (perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment) based on a motivational model.

Research limitations/implications

This study is meaningful for revealing the perceptions of private club members and their beliefs and attitudes associated with their social media usage behavior. It is untested whether this study’s model applies to other hospitality businesses. Future research could examine other segments and add other variables such as perceived security and trust.

Practical implications

This study can provide private club managers, and the members of the clubs that they lead, with a better understanding of online social media.

Originality/value

This study is one of a few empirical online social media studies in the area of the private club industry. This study seeks to provide baselines regarding social media perceptions and usage in the hospitality literature by providing a comprehensive model.

Citation

Kim, M. and Cichy, R. (2017), "Private club members’ perceptions of social media", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 119-132. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-10-2016-0064