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CHAPTER 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the results of data analysis together with a discussion of the
implication of findings.

Table 6 shows the respondents’ perception on functional benefits acquired from

fast food chains’ Facebook page communities. The overall mean of 3.84 indicates how
respondents agreed that functional benefits are vital in the fast food online brand
community they belong to. The highest mean rating is 3.99 in the item “Obtaining up-to-
date information about the fast food brand” because the fast food Facebook page
members perceive receiving the latest information about the brand and its products and
services as important.

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Table 6. Respondents’ Perception on Functional Benefits

Functional Benefits Mean Interpretation
Obtaining up-to-date information about the 3.99 Agree
fast food brand
Efficiently and conveniently communicating 3.83 Agree
with others online
Sharing experiences about the fast food brand 3.70 Agree
Overall Mean 3.84 Agree

Zhang, Shabbir, Pitsaphol, and Hassan (2015) likewise found in their study that
online brand community members from China somewhat agreed that the understanding
of technical development and components, solving problems related to the brand, and
increasing knowledge are somewhat important in an online brand community. Moreover,
functional benefits primarily contribute to the community members’ participation as they
try to get information from the Facebook page. Participants benefit the most from such
online communities by acquiring useful data catching their interest (Silhman, 2012).

Table 7 presents the perceptions of respondents on social-psychological benefits

derived from participating in fast food chains’ online brand communities. Through the
overall mean of 3.39, it is shown how fast food Facebook page members neither agree
nor disagree on the importance of benefits allowing them to experience a sense of
belongingness and socialization when participating in the community. The item with the
highest mean rating is “Seeking self-identity”, which is at 3.43, indicating that fast food
chains’ Facebook page members, among the various social-psychological factors, aim to
establish stronger self-identity as they participate in such online brand communities.

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Table 7. Respondents’ Perception on Social-Psychological Benefits

Social-Psychological Benefits Mean Interpretation

Seeking self-identity 3.43 Agree
Getting involved with other members 3.41 Agree
Seeking a sense of belonging 3.32 Neither
Establishing and maintaining relationships 3.41 Agree
with other members of Facebook
Neither Agree Nor
Overall Mean 3.39
Disagree

When it comes to social benefits acquired from participating in online brand

communities, Park (2011) discovered that online brand communities have indeed turned
out to become a hub where customers talk about matters concerning brands and other
related issues. When such pertinent issues arise, these Facebook pages automatically
become the location where consumers post opinions, solve problems, and discuss their
concerns while building camaraderie among themselves. It also implies how companies
today are no longer the sole ones in control of conversations and relationships.
Consumers today are empowered to stir conversations by connecting with other
consumers as well as the company. Park’s study also noted how companies today aim to
strengthen community members’ social bond by encouraging them to pitch in to the
conversation while also stirring them emotionally.
Meanwhile, members of online brand communities cultivate psychological
ownership of their respective communities. As emphasized on the study of Lee and Suh
(2015), there are three courses in psychological ownership: membership duration,
autonomy, and self-discrepancy. There are also three outcomes: self-concept, satisfaction,
and knowledge contribution. Developing a better self in an anonymous setting such as an

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online community as well as maintaining autonomy helps inculcate psychological

ownership. Such ownership enhances self-esteem, satisfaction, and quality of
contribution.

Table 8 shows online community members’ perception on hedonic benefits.

According to the results, with an overall mean of 3.47, such members agree that hedonic
benefits or pleasure-bringing rewards for participating in fast food online communities
are important. With the highest mean rating of 3.50, the item “Having fun on the brand’s
Facebook page” shows how the respondents seemed to value fun the most out of the
various criteria, especially as they participate in such Facebook pages.

Table 8. Respondents’ Perception on Hedonic Benefits

Hedonic Benefits Mean Interpretation

Being amused by other members 3.37 Agree
Having fun on the brand’s Facebook page 3.50 Agree
Seeking enjoyment on this Facebook page 3.46 Agree
Being entertained on this Facebook page 3.55 Agree
Overall Mean 3.47 Agree

Placing a hedonic value on online communication as part of the buying process is

related with the value factors affecting consumers’ perceived aesthetic value: emotional,
social, and epistemic. Scientific literature showed that for buyers taking part in the
buying process and possessing a dominant aesthetical value, belonging to a certain social
group is important. Meanwhile, buyers who regard emotional value as necessary deem
sensory stimulation to be vital and want to communicate with creativity and play to
lessen stress and eventually place balance in their experience. Lastly, those with a

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dominant social value join social communities to communicate with other members and
to boost their egos and self-esteem on a short-term basis (Kazakeviciute and Banyte,
2012).
On the contrary, Malmivaara, in 2011, conducted a study entitled “Motivations
behind Liking: Implications of Facebook Brand Community Behavior on Purchase
Intentions” and found that travel Facebook page community members neither agree nor
disagree that hedonic motivations are vital to the online community. This is also
supported by the study results of Pöyry (2011) which stated that even if searching for
hedonic information in a community can be a pleasant, fun and adventurous experience,
those who seek for hedonic information do not invest so much time to it. This can also be
brought by one’s confidence in his or her purchase or search, thus leading to less time
online or opposite to someone who is less confident with purchasing.

Table 9 presents the respondents’ perception on monetary benefits. Based on the

overall mean of 3.80, it was shown that online community members agree that financial
rewards are vital as they participate in such Facebook pages of fast food chains. The item
“Obtaining discounts or special deals that most consumers do not get” appeared to have
the highest mean rating, which is at 3.88. This may imply that the fast food community
members perceive getting the chance to obtain such deals as a great motivation as they
participate.

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Table 9. Respondents’ Perception on Monetary Benefits

Monetary Benefits Mean Interpretation

Obtaining discounts or special deals that most 3.88 Agree
consumers do not get
Obtaining better prices than other consumers 3.75 Agree
Receiving free coupons for the fast food 3.76 Agree
brand by becoming a member of the
Facebook page
Overall Mean 3.80 Agree

In Zhang’s (2010) study on consumer motivation to online communities, it was

established that around half of Igogreen community members agree on the importance of
monetary benefits while the other half do not. Participants do not get motivated that much
by financial rewards in terms of the time they spend in the community.
The same went with Garnefeld, Iseke, and Krebs’ (2012) experimental study
involving a German question-and-answer community saying that monetary incentives
boost intentions for short-term participation for every type of community member.
However, their impact on passive members is stronger as compared to active ones.
Monetary benefits tend to reduce active members’ long-term motivation to take part in
the community.

Table 10 displays the respondents’ perception on online brand community

participation. With an overall mean of 2.60, it shows that the online community members
who responded to the survey neither agree nor disagree on online brand community
participation constructs. Of the four factors contributing to functional benefits, the item “I
frequently provide useful information to other members” had the highest mean rating (at

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2.64), showing that fast food Facebook page members, in a way, consider providing
beneficial information to others quite agreeable.

Table 10. Respondents’ Perception on Online Brand Community Participation

Online Brand Community Participation Interpretation

Mean
Constructs

I take an active part in the fast food brand’s

2.63 Neither Agree nor
Facebook page
Disagree
I frequently provide useful information to 2.64 Neither Agree nor
other members Disagree
In general, I post messages and responses on 2.54 Neither Agree nor
the brand’s Facebook page with great Disagree
enthusiasm and frequency
2.60 Neither Agree nor
I do my best to participate in activities
Disagree
offered on the brand’s Facebook page

Neither Agree nor

Overall Mean 2.60
Disagree

According to Adomaviciute and Danilov (2012), modern channels contribute

greatly to the direct communication between the community members and the company,
as shown in the researchers’ study involving Audi Club Moscow members. 7 out of 20
members check Audi’s Facebook page while four communicate through it. Community
members found it beneficial to communicate with brand owners or official

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representatives to develop long-term relationships. It also helps to have social media

presence to strengthen the online brand community through direct communication.
Participating in an online brand community involves various factors such as
tenure, size, and connection to social media networks. The larger the group, the harder it
seemed for participants. Meanwhile, the higher the tenure, the less time members
contribute to the community. On the other hand, the more that the brand connects with a
social media network, the greater the tendency for community members to interact. These
were established in a meta study by Liu in 2015. Thus, the researcher proposed that
managers create a small-sized online brand community with low tenure and high
connection.
Meanwhile, in the study of Zhang (2010) involving online brand communities
fostering green products, it was found that user engagement as well as internet behavior
patterns relate with each other. Participants in such communities responded to
communities at a moderate level.
Community participation is also driven by various factors such as rewards,
freedom of expression, and member interaction. Of these three, member interaction was
proven to have the strongest effect, according to Avadanei and Bejan (2012). Likewise,
when there is a higher degree of satisfaction in the community, members visit more
frequently.

Table 11 displays the respondents’ perception on brand trust. With an overall

mean of 3.53, it can be deduced that the online community members agree on the
importance of brand trust as they participate in fast food online communities. Out of the
four items, “I feel I know what to expect from the fast food brand” resulted with the
highest mean rating of 3.66. This may be brought by the way consumers seemed to have
presumptions about the brand already before they decided to participate in such
communities.

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Table 11. Respondents’ Perception on Brand Trust

Brand Trust Constructs Mean Interpretation

What the fast food brand says about its 3.46 Agree
products/service is true
I feel I know what to expect from the fast 3.66 Agree
food brand
The fast food brand is very reliable 3.56 Agree
The fast food brand meets its promises 3.43 Agree
Overall Mean 3.53 Agree

Similarly, in a study by Laroche, Habibi, and Richard (2013), it was found that
online community members somewhat agree that there is trust on the brands represented
by the communities they belong to. Brand communities running via social media can
strengthen brand trust by enhancing relationships of customers to the brand, products, the
company, and other consumers.
Brand trust, according to Chiu, Huang, and Yen (2010), can lead to loyalty. When
community members are uncertain about the information presented by the brand or when
they are afraid of opportunism, brand trust can alleviate such anxieties – helping lessen
uncertainty as well as the limited information.

On table 12, the respondents’ perception on brand commitment is presented. The

overall mean of 2.70 shows how online community members neither agree nor disagree
on the importance of brand commitment to participating in fast food chain online
communities. The highest mean rating is 3.05 in the item “I consider myself to be highly
loyal to the fast food brand”, indicating how the members, out of the various factors
leading to brand commitment, pay the most attention to loyalty to the brand.

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Table 12. Respondents’ Perception on Brand Commitment

Brand Commitment Constructs Mean Interpretation

If the fast food brand had no available 2.55 Neither Agree nor
reservations, I would have no problem Disagree
finding a different fast food with which I
would want to make reservations
3.05 Neither Agree nor
I consider myself to be highly loyal to the
Disagree
fast food brand

When another brand has a special deal (e.g. 2.49 Neither Agree nor
discount price for meal), I generally visit that Disagree
fast food chain with the better deal
2.70 Neither Agree nor
Overall Mean
Disagree

Consumers’ commitment to a specific brand community may depend on various

psychological bonds such as affect, need, and/or obligation. When community members
are driven by obligation or need, it does not necessarily lead to brand commitment. If the
brand community does not inculcate brand attachment or emotion, members have the
tendency not to become loyal to the brand (Zhang, Zhou, Su, and Zhou, 2013).
Another essential factor in the consumer brand relationship, as stated in Turri,
Smith, and Kemp’s (2013) study entitled “Developing Affective Brand Commitment
through Social Media”, entails value co-creation. According to their study, those who
were actively taking part in developing and sharing content via social media networks
have greater intent towards commitment. Consumer-brand relationships founded on

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emotions often lead to strong and lasting connections. With the Internet’s interactivity, it
serves as a good hub for honing such relationships.

The impact of online brand community benefits on online brand community

participation is shown on table 13. The overall relationship between online brand
community participation benefits and online brand community participation is 0.38 which
signifies that the overall relationship is moderate. The R2 value of 0.14 or 14% shows that
these much of variability on online brand community participation can be explained by
online brand community participation benefits, while the remaining 86% cannot be
explained by the study. Among the online brand community participation benefits,
hedonic (p = 0.03) and social-psychological (p = 0.00) were shown to be significant,
indicating that these two variables are significant predictors of the respondents’
participation in the respective fast food online communities.
Meanwhile, the B coefficients indicate the contribution of each online brand
community participation benefit variable to online brand community participation.
Symbolically, the regression equation is:

YOnlineBrandCommunityParticipation = -0.04XFunctional + 0.16XHedonic + 0.32XSocPsych

- 0.02XMonetary + 1.21

The explained variables mean that for every unit increase in functional benefits,
holding other variables constant, there is a 0.04 reduction in online brand community
participation. For every unit increase in hedonic benefits, there is a 0.16 increase in
online brand community participation. Meanwhile, for every unit increase in social-
psychological benefits, there is a 0.32 increase in online brand community participation,
and for every unit increase in monetary benefits, there is a 0.02 decrease in online brand
community participation. To put it simply, the values below show that social-

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psychological and hedonic benefits have the biggest impact on online brand community
participation, 0.32 and 0.16, respectively.

Table 13. Impact of Online Brand Community Participation Benefits on Online

Brand Community Participation

Online Brand Adjusted B p- Interpretation

Participation Benefits R R2 Coefficient value

Constant 1.21 0.00 Significant

Not
Functional -0.04 0.66
Significant
Hedonic 0.38 0.14 0.16 0.03 Significant
Social-Psychological 0.32 0.00 Significant
Not
Monetary -0.02 0.69
Significant

Functional benefits derived from the information acquired from the community,
according to Ren and Kraut (2014), are triggered by the number of topics posted on the
community. The more topics are posted, the greater tendency for functional benefits to
increase. This was concluded to be a result of an increase in the number of messages that
fit members’ interests. On the other hand, it was found that having more messages posted
decreases the possibility that random members will have a similar interest. Likewise,
members receive information from online brand communities that are not only objective
but also acquired from thought leaders – leading to valuable and trustworthiness.
Members’ capability to share information about themselves (e.g. their interests, hobbies,
career, etc.) help as they allocate value to the data they are receiving from the
communities (Wilimzig, 2011).
Meanwhile, social-psychological benefits and online community participation are
strongly related, thus leading to emotional empowerment for members. Emotional or

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intrapersonal empowerment is linked with a dimension of a sense of community, making

members feel connected with the organization and with other members of the
community. As part of the community, members get to be empowered – both cognitively
and emotionally (Speer, Peterson, Armstead, and Allen, 2012; Pendry and Salvatore,
2015). More so, they spend time in online communities to widen their social network
(Shabbir, et. al., 2015).
Similarly, in a study by Hsieh, Hou, Chen, and Truong (2013), it was also found
that social identity, generalized reciprocity, and prosocial-orientation all positively affect
community socialization. Without the usual organizational structure in an online
community, with just the moderator or administrator serving as arbitrator, such
communities rely on volunteers to stir communication. Thus, the researchers stressed the
importance of understanding the underlying elements influencing community members to
volunteer. Results thus suggest that several contextual factors affect volunteer
socialization. Once members link themselves with the certain community, and if other
members also socialize with them, they have the tendency to assist newcomers as well.
When it comes to hedonic benefits or pleasure-seeking rewards from participating
in online communities, on the same note, Shabbir, et. al. (2015) pointed out how such
benefits significantly influence participation. It also implies that even though members
may have motives to participate for knowledge and monetary incentives, still, they visit
and interact with other members to experience leisure.
In terms of monetary benefits, according to Kang, Tang, and Fiore’s (2014) study,
such type of rewards do not influence online brand community participation on restaurant
Facebook pages. This may be due to community participants not considering Facebook
fan pages as a main hub when searching for sales offers and promotions. Instead, they
resort to review sites, coupon books, and word of mouth (Luk and Yip, 2008). Another
study, this time focusing on the quality and quantity of posts on an online community
dealing with recipes, showed that monetary benefits do not influence participation in

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terms of quality. The authors found that such incentives only work when they are
evaluation-based (e.g. “this report was useful” as found on reviews sites) (Aoki and
Ogawa, 2014).

Table 14 presents the impact of online brand community participation on brand

commitment. The two variables’ relationship was found to be 0.01, showing that they
have a no correlation. The R2 value of 0.00 or 0% indicates that these much of variability
on brand commitment can be explained by online brand community participation, while
100% cannot be explained by the research. Moreover, online brand community
participation was not shown to be a significant predictor of the respondents’ brand
commitment.
The B coefficient shows the contribution of online brand community participation
on brand commitment. This is expressed through the regression equation below.

YBrandCommitment = -0.00XOnlineBrandCommunityParticipation + 2.71

The above-stated value depict that for every unit increase in online brand
community participation, holding other variables constant, there is a 0.00 decrease in
brand commitment.

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Table 14. Impact of Online Brand Community Participation on Brand Commitment

Brand Commitment
Adjusted B p- Interpretation
R R2 Coefficient value
Constant 2.71 0.01 Significant
0.01 0.00
Online Brand Community -0.00 0.89 Not
Participation Significant

The findings of Parikka (2015) and Zhou (2012) also showed that online brand
community participation does not necessarily lead to brand commitment. Thus, it can be
deduced that identification, bonding, and commitment have minor contribution to the
relationship of consumers and brands. Parikka’s study likewise depicted how passive
participation was stronger than active. However, as a whole, her study reiterated the
importance of social media in enhancing consumer-brand relationships.
The same held true with Avadanei and Bejan’s (2012) study which indicated that
even though consumers participate in a community, it does not mean to say that they will
be loyal to a brand. Consumers may have other various considerations before they
become committed to a brand. These may include highly satisfactory experiences with
such brands and other factors.

Table 15 presents the impact of online brand community participation on brand

trust. The overall relationship between online brand community participation and brand
trust is weak, as indicated by the correlation coefficient of 0.29. The R 2 value of 0.08 or
8% shows that this extent of variability on brand trust can be explained by online brand
community participation, while the remaining 92% cannot be explained by this study.
Meanwhile, the p-value of 0.01 showed that online brand community participation is a
significant predictor of brand trust.

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The B coefficient refers to the contribution of the independent variable,

participation, on brand trust. Symbolically, the regression equation is as follows:

YBrand Trust = 0.25XOnlineBrandCommunityParticipation + 2.89

The values above depict that for every unit increase in online brand community
participation, holding other variables constant, there is a 0.25 increase in brand trust.

Table 15. Impact of Online Brand Community Participation on Brand Trust

Brand Trust
Adjusted B p- Interpretation
R R2 Coefficient value
Constant 2.89 0.01 Significant
0.29 0.08
Online Brand Community 0.25 0.01 Significant
Participation

Jung, Kim, and Kim (2014), in their study, also noted that online community
participation significantly influenced brand trust and intention to revisit. Wilimzig
(2011) likewise stressed how consumers serve as watchdogs on brands, just as how
journalists do so with the government. With online communities posing as a forum for
consumers to interact with brands and other consumers, trust is aspired for in the process.
As a vital factor in online consumerism, participating in communities as such is
considered helpful in developing trustworthy relationships.

Table 16 presents the impact of brand trust on brand commitment. Brand trust and
brand commitment’s relationship was found to be weak, with a correlation coefficient of
0.28. The R2 value of 0.08 tells that such degree of variability on brand commitment can

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be explained by this study, while the remaining 92% cannot. The p-value of 0.01, on the
other hand, shows that brand trust has a significant impact on brand commitment.
The B-coefficient pertains to the contribution of brand trust on brand
commitment. Symbolically, it goes with the following regression equation:

YBrandCommitment = -0.17XBrandTrust + 3.31

The value above tells that for every unit increase in brand trust, holding other
variables constant, there is a 0.17 decrease in brand commitment.

Table 16. Impact of Brand Trust on Brand Commitment

Brand Commitment
Adjusted B p- Interpretation
R R2 Coefficient value
Constant 0.28 0.08 3.31 0.01 Significant
Brand Trust -0.17 0.01 Significant

According to Ercis, Unal, Candan, and Yildirim (2012) in their study on the effect
of brand satisfaction, trust, and brand commitment on loyalty and repurchase intentions,
brand trust has an impact on affective and continuance commitment. Consumers can
show continuance commitment when there are no alternatives or when the brand is
cheaper. When it comes to affective commitment, on the other hand, consumers display a
more resilient emotional commitment to the brand. Thus, the researchers posit that
companies must place more emphasis on developing trust and affective commitment on
their customers and community members.

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Mediating Effects of Brand Trust in Fast Food Chains’ Facebook Pages

The mediation procedure is not applicable since online brand community
participation is not a significant predictor of brand commitment.
Contrastingly, Laroche, Habibi, and Richard’s (2013) study indicated that brand
trust has a fully mediating role between customer-brand relationship and brand
commitment. Brand trust, according to such study, acts to cement customer bonds in the
form of information sharing, also strengthening participation benefits.

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