The Moderating Role of Uncertainty Avoidance on Consumer Brand Engagement and Band Loyalty in Virtual Brand Communities

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the role of consumer brand engagement (CBE) in virtual brand communities regarding loyalty attitudes and uncertainty avoidance. Data set of 750 responses was collected from the students of NTU who joined any brand community on Facebook or Instagram. SPSS was used for descriptive statistics and SmartPLS 4.0 for Structural Equation Modeling. The results revealed positive association of brand community identifications and rewards on CBE, and a positive effect of CBE on brand loyalty. The results revealed partial mediating effect of CBE between brand community identification, loyalty reward and brand loyalty. Moreover, results showed that culture is an important factor in defining the moderating effect of uncertainty avoidance on brand loyalty. This paper is among the first to provide empirical, and practical insights into the impact of uncertainty avoidance in virtual brand communities regarding consumer brand engagement and brand loyalty. The study is helpful for brand managers concerned about attitude of customers connected with online communities.

Keywords

• virtual brand communities
• cultural dimensions
• consumer brand engagement