Building and Maintaining a Commercial Virtual Community

Abstract

This study looks at the differences and similarities between existing literature on how to design and organize a commercial Virtual Community and the ideas of people designing and organizing commercial Virtual Communities in the real world. Initially, explicit theories found in literature have been examined. As step two, designers and organizers from four different companies have been interviewed and their answers analysed and examined in relation to each other. Finally, a few key concepts found in the literature and during the interviews have been examined for similarities and differences. The conclusions drawn are that there is no set formula that one can apply to achieve a successful commercial Virtual Community. Each company has a different business idea and aim. While the literary sources often focuses on the community being a goal in itself, the real-life designers see the commercial community more as a useful tool that can help them reach their particular aim. Four different companies: a newspaper, a consultant working for a technical industry, an outdoors site and a producer of pleasure foods have been examined. This has resulted in four Virtual Community models of how each company views its commercial Virtual Community. The study also introduces a generalized relational-structural virtual community model that illustrates the general principles for designing a commercial Virtual Community. The community's content is seen as crucial and there needs to be areas controlled by members as well as commercially controlled areas in a successful commercial Virtual Community.