Four-dimensional model: a literature review on reasons behind lurking behavior
VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems
ISSN: 2059-5891
Article publication date: 6 May 2020
Issue publication date: 30 April 2021
Abstract
Purpose
In the early days of online communities, researchers tended to view lurkers negatively and considered them illegitimate and peripheral members. However, the tide of opinion about lurkers has gradually become more positive. To take a broad view, lurkers should be included in the knowledge sharing context because while they may not share knowledge directly, they are still stakeholders in online communities who benefit from the knowledge shared. This study aims to review the literature from a knowledge sharing perspective to provide a comprehensive understanding of lurkers in online communities and identify additional reasons behind lurking behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Previous studies that examined reasons behind lurking behavior in the literature were reviewed.
Findings
A four-dimensional model is provided, which categorizes the additional reasons for lurking into four domains: individual, social, organizational and technological.
Originality/value
The model serves as a roadmap for future researchers in examining lurkers and lurking behavior. Lurkers should be redefined. De-lurking strategies were suggested following the reasons for lurking behavior in the four-dimensional model, but de-lurking strategies were not recommended in all circumstances. An increase in active lurkers is another option to bring more value to online communities.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank Dr Marie-Louise Fry at Griffith Univeristy for her review and comments on the manuscript.
Citation
Nguyen, T.-M. (2021), "Four-dimensional model: a literature review on reasons behind lurking behavior", VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems, Vol. 51 No. 2, pp. 302-317. https://doi.org/10.1108/VJIKMS-10-2019-0168
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited